Bodymedia / calorie deficit question

NCMeg
NCMeg Posts: 57 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I'm in my first week of wearing my Bodymedia Link (which I *love*) but I'm noticing my deficit is too large at the end of the day. For people who have used a bodymedia gadget for a while, how do you predict what the deficit will be at the end of the day so the deficit isn't too big? I'm shooting for 1,000 calories, but so far I'm averaging 1,500 without trying (I've been sick, so no exercising, yet). Everything seems to be pretty balanced towards the end of the day (after dinner, around 7ish), but when I review everything the next morning, the deficit is more than I mean it to be...
Do you just get a feel for what your body burns the last few hours of the day or do I need to pay it more attention in the evenings, or just eat more?

Replies

  • esmesmomma
    esmesmomma Posts: 17 Member
    i notice more bodymedia fit posts in the fitness section so you might have better luck there. I just started wearing mine too but I dont have your problem:) I have to try for a 1000 cal deficit which is my goal at the end of each day too. Today I did 30 day shred AND walked to and from the park with my daughter and chased her around but also ate my favorite indian food at lunch so without dinner I only have a 900 cal deficit:( I guess if you think you're entering you calories accurately then maybe get in an extra snack.
  • dj7879
    dj7879 Posts: 22
    You will eventually know what your body burns. I can usually tell how many calories I have burned before even looking at my phone. I had the same problem when I first started wearing mine, main reason was because I was afraid of eating to much.
  • SmartAlec03211988
    SmartAlec03211988 Posts: 1,896 Member
    After wearing it for a while you'll be able to predict your burn at the end of the day. My deficit is only 250 calories, so I have to be pretty mindful of my calorie consumption.
  • StephGettinFit
    StephGettinFit Posts: 43 Member
    When I was using my bodybugg I remember trying to eat 1500 calories and burn 2500 calories.. I lost weight but I eventually plateaued. And chances are I was burning a lot of muscle along with some fat due to eating too little.. Be sure to find out your BMR and make sure you aren't eating below it.. Good luck!
  • katevarner
    katevarner Posts: 884 Member
    If you look on activity manager on the computer, it will give you a guess, altho for me their guess is usually a little high, but if you want to get an idea, you can easily figure out what you burn per hour on a normal day (if you have normal days). Just use the pull down for calories burned and choose a time period from a normal day. For instance, after I eat dinner and clean up the kitchen, I typically watch a little TV and/or play on the internet until bed. My average burn for that and the hour and a half or so that I sleep before midnight is 60 calories per hour, so once I sit down for the night, I just assume I'll burn about 60 calories an hour for the rest of the night.

    Works the same for any period, really, if you take a day when you did what you are planning to do today, altho my workouts always burn a little differently.
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
    Do you have the digital display as well, or just the arm band? I have both so I just keep an eye on my calories via the display during the day. This weekend I forgot the display so I just plugged the armband in to sync a couple times a day. Your armband will update MFP every time you sync.
  • x_JT_x
    x_JT_x Posts: 364
    Meg, if you have your Link synced with MFP your predicted deficit will be the values in the 'Remaining' line of your food diary here. After you wear the armband for a few days the Link gets a pretty good picture of your daily activity and can predict what the days caloric burn will be. It generally adds in those values as 'extra calories from exercise' when it's synced for the first time that day. That number will adjust throughout the day (when you sync the device) as you burn more or less than what it expects based on your previous days/weeks activities.
  • RunningRichelle
    RunningRichelle Posts: 346 Member
    I think that you're probably ok with a 1500 calorie deficit at this point!

    Just by looking at your tracker, it looks like you want to lose about 90lbs, am I correct?

    The point at which you want to make sure that your deficit is not above 1000 for the day is when you start getting closer to goal, which will be when you've got about 20lbs left to lose.

    At that point, your body will be thinking 'I'm healthy and happy at this weight' and if your deficit is too high then, you'll definitely plateau.

    But for now, if it's the end of the day and your deficit is more than 1000, I say NICE WORK for the day! Of course, if you're ravenously hungry, get a little snacky snack in, as long as you don't get too close to bedtime (about an hour buffer) with the carbs, as this can supress the awesome human growth hormone release that we get after we go to sleep.

    Hope this helps!
  • Sizzle44
    Sizzle44 Posts: 2 Member
    Hello! I have never posted on any of these boards but this one caught my eye. I have been using the bodymedia link for 2 months. I have lost 8lbs but I have REALLY big deficits! I thought it would speed things along. I want to lost about 30lbs and I have deficits of about 2000-2300 a day. I eat anywhere from 1300-1500 but Im losing SO slow!!! Has anyone else had this problem??
  • cdbenson
    cdbenson Posts: 3 Member
    Your deficit is too HIGH! You should have a calorie deficit between 500-1000 calories daily; never over 1000
  • grkathena82
    grkathena82 Posts: 42 Member
    The information for the predicted amount you'll burn is available in the Activity Manager. If you hover over the graph it will give you an estimate, but I noticed it always estimates a bit high for me. I'd also aim for a smaller deficit. A 1000 calorie deficit really puts a lot of stress on your body.

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