Am I ruining my own weight loss?

futurereporter88
futurereporter88 Posts: 71 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have been on mfp for about a month and I have lost three pounds since. I started Jillian Michael's 30DS 15 days ago. I do the exercise routine every day for 30 minutes and also have twins I run around after and I take quick walks a couple times a week.. I am 5'2", 150 lbs, 24 years old.

I know that my TDEE is 2553

And my BMR is 1480

And my RMR is 1464

I don't know what to do with these numbers! I would really like to know how many calories I should be eating a day. MFP -- as of today since I changed some of my settings -- says 1510 net calories/ day. It was at 1349 I believe before that. I almost always came in below my caloric goal of 1349.

Soo I haven't lost any weight since significantly upping my exercise which is 30 minutes a day of circuit training although I lost a few inches. I just want to make sure that I am eating enough and not going into some sort of starvation mode and sabotaging my own weight loss. Thanks!

Replies

  • Lexi507
    Lexi507 Posts: 79 Member
    You may want to take a look at the Roadmap thread. It explains a lot about calculating your calories. I think it is at http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    Basically, the most recommended idea is to take your TDEE and subtract 20% which would put you a little over 2000 per day. You never want to go below your BMR since that's (roughly) the calories you burn if you were in a coma. I would definitely make sure you are eating at least your BMR. At your age with your exercise, <1349 is way too little. As a comparison, I'm 48, 5'3", 155 give or take a pound or two and my BMR is right around 1300. Since you are so much younger and frankly get a lot more exercise than I do, you need to be eating a lot more.

    Do you have a heart rate monitor to get a sense of how much you are burning with the 30DS? I would bet that it is at least 400 calories which you should be eating back so MFP's 1510 actually seems low.
  • cjsacto
    cjsacto Posts: 1,421 Member
    Generally, it is healthy to eat 15-20% less than your TDEE, then don't eat back any exercise calories because your activity is accounted for in your TDEE.

    What I do is use the MFP setting, then exercise to get MFP to tell me to eat the same amount that is 20% less than my TDEE.
    Meaning, my TDEE - 20% is about 1900 calories. I have my MFP net daily goal set to about 1400, then if I burn 500 calories most days I eat 1900 calories, win-win.

    The roadmap post is good, but it's long. I like this link better: http://www.iifym.com/tdee-calculator
    This has the best TDEE calculator I have found, by far. It lets you include what you are doing when you are not working out - how much time you spend sleeping, on very light activity (TV, computer, etc.) and how much time you spend on light activity (cooking, cleaning, etc.) as well as time spent exercising. It has good advice, and an explanation of TDEE, too. (Though that website tells you to eat a bit too much protein, it's geared towards weight lifters.)
  • cz52
    cz52 Posts: 7
    i am kinda wondering myself............ i just want to be healthy and loose some belly faaaat. my set calories are 1300 a day and i am 150 and im 27 and my height is 5 8. ????????????????
  • BaileyBoo13524
    BaileyBoo13524 Posts: 593 Member
    Subtract 20% from you TDEE and eat that amount without eating back exercise calories. Also the 30DS does not burn that many calories so make sure you aren't over estimating your burns. The roadmap thread is also a good one to check out.
  • cjsacto
    cjsacto Posts: 1,421 Member
    i am kinda wondering myself............ i just want to be healthy and loose some belly faaaat. my set calories are 1300 a day and i am 150 and im 27 and my height is 5 8. ????????????????

    TDEE = Total Daily Energy Expenditure

    Figure your TDEE at either of these sites:
    1) www.iifym.com/tdee-calculator
    OR
    2) http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/ --- use the Military Body Fat Calculator and then the BMR Calculator
    OR
    3) http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
    OR
    4) Just look at your Goals tab on MFP. The number for Calories Burned During Normal Daily Activity is probably just slightly higher than you'll find your TDEE is after using all the calculators, as long as you enter the same activity level (sedentary, lightly active, moderate, etc.).

    Then, if you have just a few pounds to lose, eat about 10%-15% less than your TDEE.
    If you have more to lose, eat about 15%-20% less.

    When you use the TDEE method, you don't eat back exercise calories because your activity level should be factored in. The tough part is choosing activity level accurately, which is why the http://www.iifym.com/tdee-calculator is so awesome. I still use the Military Body Fat Calculator at fit2fatradio.com, though.
  • futurereporter88
    futurereporter88 Posts: 71 Member
    Thank you, everyone! That sure does help.

    That is my other main concern is that I'm putting in the right amount of exercise per week when calculating my TDEE. I don't want to put that I exercise too less or too much than I do.

    I do not have a heart rate monitor but it's on the top of my list to get. I would really like to know that exact number of calories I burn doing 30DS. and other things.
  • auntiebk
    auntiebk Posts: 2,611 Member
    Bump

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