Upping calories

jonesin_am
jonesin_am Posts: 404 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I know this topic has been talked to death but I need a little guidance and reassurance that I am correctly estimating my calorie goal. A little background...I am 31 years old, 5'4" and 195lbs. When I first started using MFP it gave me a 1200 calorie goal before exercise. I tried that for awhile and was starving and not losing so, from the advice of a local personal trainer, I upped my calories to 1500. I'm not always great about tracking calories so I am sure that is part of my problem. But I have gone months at the same weight +/- 3lbs.

I exercise 6 days a week. 3 hardcore bootcamp days (1 hour) and 3 days of running (also about an hour) but I run slow - average 12/13 minute miles. I don't adjust my calorie intake based on my exercise. I was thinking that 1500 calories per day included exercise calories.

I eat fairly clean - about 90% of the time. Try to eat more protein than carbs and rarely eat refined processed carbs. I also add fat such as olive oil and avocados into my diet.

Still...no weight loss. I am def losing inches as clothes are fitting differently, etc. I am not uphappy with my progress but with SO much more weight to lose I don't understand why it won't come off...even slowly.

So reading on here it sounds like a lot of people calculate their TDEE and subract about 20% from that to determine their daily calorie goal. Correct? So for me this means that my TDEE is 2,851 and my calorie goal would then be about 2,280. That's over 1,000 calories more than I am eating now!!! I understand that eating less isn't always the best and I am perfectly fine with upping my calories but is it really in my best interest to up them that much?

Also, I have read that once you up your calories to give it at least 4-6 weeks before making any decisions regarding adjusting the #. Fact? I was thinking I would have to increase them by 200 or so...

I guess my questions are:
1) Am I calculating this correctly?
2) Should I increase my calorie goal by 700/day all at once or gradually over time?
3) And how long should I wait before adjusting the calorie goal again?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Replies

  • YuriBodrov
    YuriBodrov Posts: 9
    If you are not losing weight, you are eating to much.
    To drop weight you have to burn more then you take in.

    Though you are saying that you are losing inches..

    Weight scale broken?

    Most important thing is that you are seeing results in the mirror!
    Weight is simply a guide line throughout your progress.

    Have you tried weighing in on different scales?

    Are you sure you aren't forgetting to count any calories?

    And how long have you been training, it might even be fat loss and muscle gain (recomping).
    This might only occur in beginners tho, more advanced people will not have this effect no matter how much they try (unless they are on "special supplements" no hate on that tho.
  • soehlerking
    soehlerking Posts: 589 Member
    Have you checked this out yet?

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    It's got the explanation for why you DO need more food to help your body work! I'm 5'4" 129lb (down from 170), and I'm eating 1800 (from a TDEE of 2100) to lose. I work out 5 days/week (45-60 minutes of cardio/20 minutes strength). Join us; our food is delicious. :)
  • justjenny
    justjenny Posts: 529 Member
    I don't think I will be much help to you, since this is all new to me too. I am in the very same boat, and look forward to seeing what information you gather. How did you figure out your TDEE?
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    I exercise 6 days a week. 3 hardcore bootcamp days (1 hour) and 3 days of running (also about an hour) but I run slow - average 12/13 minute miles. I don't adjust my calorie intake based on my exercise. I was thinking that 1500 calories per day included exercise calories.
    1500 is really low if it includes a solid hour of exercise.

    So reading on here it sounds like a lot of people calculate their TDEE and subract about 20% from that to determine their daily calorie goal. Correct? So for me this means that my TDEE is 2,851 and my calorie goal would then be about 2,280. That's over 1,000 calories more than I am eating now!!! I understand that eating less isn't always the best and I am perfectly fine with upping my calories but is it really in my best interest to up them that much?
    If you're exercising for an hour a day, you're probably burning somewhere in the neighborhood of 500 cals per session (VERY rough estimate, but reasonable). So using your previous number of 1500, then starting eating back your exercise cals and you're at 2000. ~2200 doesn't sound unreasonable. If you're worried about it, pick something in the middle and try it for a month or 2, then re-evaluate.

    1) Am I calculating this correctly?
    2) Should I increase my calorie goal by 700/day all at once or gradually over time?
    3) And how long should I wait before adjusting the calorie goal again?
    1) 1500 sounds pretty low to me. 2200 sounds a shade high, but could be right. My guess is that your somewhere in between, but closer to 2200 than 1500 (including exercise cals)
    2) No, do it by 100 or so each week until you get where you want to be.
    3) See previous answer.

    .
  • nanainkent
    nanainkent Posts: 350 Member
    Justjenny http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators.html
  • jonesin_am
    jonesin_am Posts: 404 Member
    Justjenny http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators.html

    Yup, that's the calculator I used!
  • axelorate
    axelorate Posts: 75 Member
    I like this one, because it allows you to estimate certain levels of activity throughout the day: http://www.iifym.com/tdee-calculator

    I sit at a desk all day, but I move around a lot in the evenings, so I always feel strange just choosing one overall activity level.
  • BurtHuttz
    BurtHuttz Posts: 3,653 Member
    Up your calories, you aren't eating enough, especially to fuel the intense workouts you're performing. Weight loss seems to have a bit of a parabolic shape to it, with the fastest weight loss rate occurring when you're at a reasonable deficit of your TDEE.
  • PetulantOne
    PetulantOne Posts: 2,131 Member
    I exercise 6 days a week. 3 hardcore bootcamp days (1 hour) and 3 days of running (also about an hour) but I run slow - average 12/13 minute miles. I don't adjust my calorie intake based on my exercise. I was thinking that 1500 calories per day included exercise calories.
    1500 is really low if it includes a solid hour of exercise.

    So reading on here it sounds like a lot of people calculate their TDEE and subract about 20% from that to determine their daily calorie goal. Correct? So for me this means that my TDEE is 2,851 and my calorie goal would then be about 2,280. That's over 1,000 calories more than I am eating now!!! I understand that eating less isn't always the best and I am perfectly fine with upping my calories but is it really in my best interest to up them that much?
    If you're exercising for an hour a day, you're probably burning somewhere in the neighborhood of 500 cals per session (VERY rough estimate, but reasonable). So using your previous number of 1500, then starting eating back your exercise cals and you're at 2000. ~2200 doesn't sound unreasonable. If you're worried about it, pick something in the middle and try it for a month or 2, then re-evaluate.

    1) Am I calculating this correctly?
    2) Should I increase my calorie goal by 700/day all at once or gradually over time?
    3) And how long should I wait before adjusting the calorie goal again?
    1) 1500 sounds pretty low to me. 2200 sounds a shade high, but could be right. My guess is that your somewhere in between, but closer to 2200 than 1500 (including exercise cals)
    2) No, do it by 100 or so each week until you get where you want to be.
    3) See previous answer.

    .

    I second this.
  • jonesin_am
    jonesin_am Posts: 404 Member
    Great! Thanks for the reassurance everyone.

    I have been attending boot camp for 8 months now and running for 3. Everyone keeps telling me that I am building muscle and losing fat and that they are offsetting each other on the scale. So...I keep plugging along trying not to pay too much attention to the scale. But...at some point the weight HAS to come off, ya know? I lost 25 pounds in the first 3 months of starting boot camp and eating better but have been the same since June.

    So, I am hoping that by increasing my calories I will see a weight loss of some kind within the next month. Really want to be under 190 by Christmas.

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