someone help me figure this out!

Options
pearlyyy92
pearlyyy92 Posts: 47
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been on mfp for about 200 days now. And I'm yet to loose that much. I'm confused about this whole bmr tdee eating calories back and all that!
I'm 5'6.5 and weigh in at about 10 stone (140 pounds). I've lost a couple of pounds recently by eating well below my bmr and working out like a hench. I'm getting married in 5 months and want to be at a size uk 10 and around 9.7 stone. I've recently changed my mfp settings to lightly active, and I'm doing 5 workouts a week at 15 minutes long. But I usually log my walking, and exercise. I've been eating upto 1500 in the last couple of days and I'm only netting around 1000 because of my exercise. Do I eat back some of my exercise calories? Or do I just eat the 1500?
Someone help :( all these other posts mash my head, keep it simple!

Replies

  • tabbyavalon
    tabbyavalon Posts: 58
    Options
    eat back your calories
    ur net should equal your goal for the day
    if ur exercising lots and not losing weight
    maybe it cause muscle is heavier than fat
    measurements will help you track body shape change
    x
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
    Options
    Usually walking would be included in a "lightly active" activity level so shouldn't be logged separately.

    Those other workouts are quite short. Any particular reason for that? Bear in mind there's a margin of error in any method of calculating calorie expenditure, as these are so short it might be worth rounding down a little.

    You're probably on about the right calories as you have so little to lose. As you're at a healthy weight already, why not concentrate on reducing size more than weight, which you could do with weight training.

    Good luck! :flowerforyou:
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Options
    up your protein, eat your exercise calories back and focus on strength training to lose bodyfat & inches.
  • Goal_Line
    Goal_Line Posts: 474 Member
    Options
    it is possible you are over estimating cal burned in exercise, which is the issue I have with always eating cal back. Sometimes people over estimate the amount to eat back. If you recently are losing at a healthy pace, then just keep what you are doing.
  • pearlyyy92
    pearlyyy92 Posts: 47
    Options
    Okay! I won't log walking. I do excersise dvd's like 30 day shred in the evening and I do some cycling on an exercise bike. I work eradic shifts so I can't always find the time to do a long work out.
    So I can eat my exercise calories back?
  • legnarevocrednu
    legnarevocrednu Posts: 467 Member
    Options
    If you're hungry, I would eat back half of them. Leave room for human error ya know? I just did your TDEE and subtracted 20% (I did light exercise because you only work out for 15 minutes a day...I suggest trying to make it at least 30 minutes a day) and you can eat up to 1600 calories (after exercise) and still lose weight. Good luck!
  • lap012165
    lap012165 Posts: 24
    Options
    Eat back the majority of the calories but try not to do it late in the evening. That's where anyone will run into trouble. If you have to eat them that late try to stick with protein only. See if that helps. Hell yes log walking. My God that's one of or should I say the best ways to exercise. That's how I started out was walking, then jogging and now running! I too have done the 30 day shred and the 30 day rip. I liked them fine, but girl anytime you can get a walk in, log it. It Counts!!
    Good luck, you will do fine........
  • Ramberta
    Ramberta Posts: 1,312 Member
    Options
    I've lost a couple of pounds recently by eating well below my bmr and working out like a hench.

    ^I don't know if that was a typo, but you should NEVER be eating below your BMR. You should always eat above your BMR and below your TDEE, but only at a 5-20% deficit. Your BMR is what your vital organs need on a daily basis and if you're eating less than that it's not good for your body. If you meant that you're eating below your TDEE, then disregard this.
  • bgelliott
    bgelliott Posts: 610 Member
    Options
    I personally do not eat back exercise calories when I am trying to drop weight. It's always over estimated and so the amount eated back is never completely accurate. Stick with your 1,500 a day intake regardless of your exercise for a week or two and see how it goes. If you need to adjust it then do so after you have tracked it for a couple of weeks.
  • pearlyyy92
    pearlyyy92 Posts: 47
    Options
    I did mean tdee! Sorry :p
    Aye, I was going to stick with this for a couple of weeks and see what happens. I don't expect the weight to drop off straight away.
    I've had a bit of a bad day today, as Its that time of the month.
    Thanks for your help! I generally do an hour of walking throughout the day, so I guess that does count as being lightly active at work. If its for exercise purposes, I will log walking. :)
  • smartguy05
    smartguy05 Posts: 5 Member
    Options
    Your TDEE should be about 2223 cal. Your body could be going into a starvation mode, where your metabolism slows down because you aren't consuming enough calories. You should include a refeed day once a week where you eat at least your tdee to increase your metabolism. You can still lose weight when in starvation mode, but your metabolism will be slower so weight loss will be slower.
  • pearlyyy92
    pearlyyy92 Posts: 47
    Options
    I've been getting results from 2023 to 2300. I'm going to stick with 1500-600 and have a refed day a week upto 2100. Which is today because I feel terrible. God damn being a woman!
  • CancunJulie
    CancunJulie Posts: 9 Member
    Options
    Sign up for a 5K in 3 months and tell everyone that is your goal - post it on Facebook. Follow the couch to 5K running plan to the letter - especially if you are not used to running.

    My weight is very hard to burn off and nothing burns calories like running. The great thing about running is the second you step foot out the door you are burning calories - so it is an efficent use of your time. Plus the doggies will love it too.
  • superjean1
    superjean1 Posts: 78 Member
    Options
    You'll notice that when you log exercise, your total allowed calories for the day automatically increases in your food log so it is adding them back for you to eat. Just go by what it says you have remaining as everything is accounted for in that number. Keep on plugging away!!!
  • pearlyyy92
    pearlyyy92 Posts: 47
    Options
    I have problems with my feet so maybe running will help them out a little bit! (My bones like to pop out and dislocate a lot.) I prefer cycyling but the weathers been crazy here and haven't been able to get out. I really hope this works!
  • emmgetsfit
    emmgetsfit Posts: 203 Member
    Options
    Read these:

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

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/833500-what-do-i-do-common-sense-cliff-notes

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/865024-1200-and-why-it-won-t-work

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/867870-net-calories-vs-please-help

    and if you still have questions PM me.
  • Trilby16
    Trilby16 Posts: 707 Member
    Options
    Others may disagree but I saw a "rule of thumb" that said that what you want to weigh, times 10, should be your calorie intake. So your total of 1500 would net you a weight of 150 pounds. That's not what you want to weigh and may be why you're not losing.

    I know many people on this site say to eat back your calories, but I am wary of it. How precise are our measurements? I don't really know how many calories I've burned on my stationary bike or whatever, so I'm reluctant to do that. What if I am underestimating my calorie intake and oevr-estimating my calorie burning?

    Some here will say that if you are stuck and not losing, you need to eat more. To me that is kinda nuts and I don't trust it. Why? Because it has never worked for me!

    As I said, others may disagree.
  • jlapey
    jlapey Posts: 1,850 Member
    Options
    If you include your exercise as part of your activity level, then do not eat the exercise calories back. If you choose an activity level that does not include your exercise then you should eat back most of them. You can use the calculators at http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/ to calculate your TDEE. Then subtract 20% to get your daily caloric goal for weight loss.

    It helps to do some research, I recommend reading the 'New Rules of Lifting for Women' the nutritional section was very informative. Also check out this group on MFP: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/10067-eat-train-progress-
  • pearlyyy92
    pearlyyy92 Posts: 47
    Options
    This advice is fab. What's everyones views on left over calories from the week? Can you use them or leave them be?
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
    Options
    Have you been lighter than 10st as an adult? It is a perfectly healthy weight for your height and your body may not want to be lower.

    If you are unhappy with your physique, eat at maintenance and start doing strength training.

Categories