Is my calorie count wrong?
walkbyfaith0314
Posts: 36
Here's my exercise stats for today
It's early yet, but here's my food:
Here's a normal food day for reference:
Are my counts for zumba off? I used a calculator.
I have my activity set as "sedentary." I weigh around 160, depending on the day.
I also have another question related to this stuff. I find it hard to eat 1200 calories a day. I usually top out at around 800. The thing is, i'm not eating crappy stuff, but good food. I just don't feel hungry after eating 3 squares. I normally eat every 6 hours. Maybe 2 snacks (coffee, a few crackers, stuff like that).
I realize after you exercise, your body needs food to repair itself. But usually if I try to eat more than that, I get sick. So where's the cut off? Also, do you HAVE to eat your calories back once you exercise?
It's early yet, but here's my food:
Here's a normal food day for reference:
Are my counts for zumba off? I used a calculator.
I have my activity set as "sedentary." I weigh around 160, depending on the day.
I also have another question related to this stuff. I find it hard to eat 1200 calories a day. I usually top out at around 800. The thing is, i'm not eating crappy stuff, but good food. I just don't feel hungry after eating 3 squares. I normally eat every 6 hours. Maybe 2 snacks (coffee, a few crackers, stuff like that).
I realize after you exercise, your body needs food to repair itself. But usually if I try to eat more than that, I get sick. So where's the cut off? Also, do you HAVE to eat your calories back once you exercise?
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Replies
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MFP often overestimates. Did you wear an HRM?0
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I took a peak at your diary and you've got a big problem. Your net calories were almost zero this weekend and in general under 500 which includes birthday cake and Reese's cups?!!!!0
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I doubt the calories for Zumba are correct. The others seem like they are in the ballpark.0
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800 calories per day is a bad idea.
You obviously didn't get over weight eating 800 calories
So why is it a problem now?
Trying to lose weight faster by dramatically cutting calories is not a good idea.
The faster you lose weight and the less you fuel your body then the more unhealthy
You are going to be.
Figure out your bmr and ATLEAST eat that,if not more.0 -
My birthday was Friday, so I had a bit of cake, and the Reeses was included in one of my gifts.
That's part of my question though. I realize cake/peanut butter cups are not a good thing to eat, but that's a special occasion.
I'm trying to push myself to eat around 1200 calories. But if I feel stuffed at what I eat on a normal day, is that bad?0 -
My birthday was Friday, so I had a bit of cake, and the Reeses was included in one of my gifts.
That's part of my question though. I realize cake/peanut butter cups are not a good thing to eat, but that's a special occasion.
I'm trying to push myself to eat around 1200 calories. But if I feel stuffed at what I eat on a normal day, is that bad?
People often feel stuffed when they change their diet to include more high volume, low calorie foods like lean protein and veggies. If you eat under your goal for a few days, you will be fine. I'm willing to bet your appetite will pop back up within a week.0 -
On may 16, your net cals were -114.
You say in your profile that you want to get healthy for your kids. Then please, get some help because right now, your disordered eating behavior is not an example you want them to follow.0 -
There's a difference between filling yourself with cake and filling yourself with, say, oatmeal for breakfast, for example. It's not just the total number of calories that we're looking at, but the proteins, fats, carbs, fiber, and other nutrients.0
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My birthday was Friday, so I had a bit of cake, and the Reeses was included in one of my gifts.
That's part of my question though. I realize cake/peanut butter cups are not a good thing to eat, but that's a special occasion.
I'm trying to push myself to eat around 1200 calories. But if I feel stuffed at what I eat on a normal day, is that bad?
Yes, if you're logging accurately that's bad.
Eat more calorie dense foods. Eat a whole banana instead of half. Full fat dairy. Nuts, avocados, etc. Get your calories up to a reasonable number. (800 is not reasonable, and neither is 1200 if you're doing that much exercise)0 -
My birthday was Friday, so I had a bit of cake, and the Reeses was included in one of my gifts.
That's part of my question though. I realize cake/peanut butter cups are not a good thing to eat, but that's a special occasion.
I'm trying to push myself to eat around 1200 calories. But if I feel stuffed at what I eat on a normal day, is that bad?
Nobody is telling you NOT to eat Reeeses and birthday cake. Heck, I ate Reeses today. What they are saying is that on a typical day in your journal, junk food and sweets is making up 1/4-1/2 of your daily calories. What you probably should do is add some foods from the actual food groups and increase your calorie intake so it's at least your BMR.
Not sure about the exercise calories. I know MFP is notoriously inaccurate when it comes to that so I chose to do TDEE-20%.0 -
Instead of a diet soda, try milk or a smoothie. Try to add healthy, calorie dense foods to each meal, a little at a time so they are more tolerable. Things to try: peanut or almond butter, whole milk yogurt or cottage cheese, avocados, whole milk or cream in your coffee, switch to real sugar instead of sugar substitutes, or try honey, bananas, potatoes, beans, dried fruit, nuts and seeds.0
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If you have trouble eating more you have two options: continue eating what you are (assuming "good food" means calorie sparse or average) and gradually increase the amount to increase your stomach size/capacity, and/or, add in consumption of calorie dense foods.
Can't comment on exercise calories as I only know my body and have never done Zumba so can't tell if it looks right or not. Circuit training... depends on the intensity level. Walking will probably be the most accurate, but as it doesn't take level of exertion or terrain into account it might be off in either direction.0 -
I have to agree with what everyone else is saying. Try eating less of the sugary stuff and more of calorie dense natural foods like....like a handful of almonds will help you to get your calorie count up to where it needs to be. If you eat more caloric (clean) foods instead of things like carrots, you'll get there without feeling stuffed.0
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Spam isn't considered healthy by any means.0
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Speaking to the Zumba calorie burn, I weigh about 176 and wear a heart-rate monitor and when doing 60 minutes of Zumba, I have a hard time cracking 450. And that's when I'm pushing myself and jumping higher than the instructor and moving and grooving way more than anyone else in class. MFP's Zumba estimate is ridiculously inaccurate (in my case anyway).
Also, try throwing in some beans and lentils. They're calorie dense and good for you. I had the same problem when I started this journey, but I soon found ways to hit my calories. (Now, I'm just trying to keep sticking to them a year and a half later and bust my mini-plateaus.)0 -
Speaking to the Zumba calorie burn, I weigh about 176 and wear a heart-rate monitor and when doing 60 minutes of Zumba, I have a hard time cracking 450. And that's when I'm pushing myself and jumping higher than the instructor and moving and grooving way more than anyone else in class. MFP's Zumba estimate is ridiculously inaccurate (in my case anyway).
Also, try throwing in some beans and lentils. They're calorie dense and good for you. I had the same problem when I started this journey, but I soon found ways to hit my calories. (Now, I'm just trying to keep sticking to them a year and a half later and bust my mini-plateaus.)
You're not the first person I've heard say this. It *seems* inaccurate to me, but I've never done Zumba so I don't know for sure.0 -
I have been fairly sedentary for the past 3 weeks-ish because I had bronchitis.
I also didn't have much of an appetite until recently because I'd cough so hard I'd barf, so there are some super (like 500) low calorie days in my diary.
I'm trying to figure out stuff food-wise because I was told to look at restricting carbs (and sugars) because of Poly-Cystic Ovarian Syndrome, but wasn't told where to cut it down to. My doctor said that there was possibly a link with PCOS and insulin resistance so I didn't want to mess things up that way. It was suggested that I lose 26.2 pounds, or 15% of my starting weight.
So I figured switching to Diet Pepsi might help, or Splenda instead of 3 packets of sugar in my coffee. I don't actually know what a "healthy" amount of grams/day in sugar is...
I have had a hard time with dairy stuff (lactose intolerant) so I can only have small amounts of whole milk or cheese a day. I've looked at switching to rice or soy (Lactaid is gross) but some of the one's I've found are loaded with sweetened stuff. Very Vanilla Silk tastes like coffee creamer to me. Also, I'm trying to figure out leaner protein sources.
I guess what i'm trying to say is that, did I jack myself up from trying to cut down on stuff and where do I go from here.
I like the idea of introducing things gradually.0 -
Spam isn't considered healthy by any means.
That was the first (and last-yuck!) time I'd ever try that.0 -
Please eat food.0
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In...
...to see where this thread goes.
OP, there's a bigger problem than the accuracy of your calorie burns. Even at the most conservative estimates for calorie burn, you aren't eating enough. <800 calories is generally a bad idea (IMHO), even if you weren't exercising at all. And I acknowledge that most people disagree with me on this, but I honestly believe that if you can't reach a reasonable number of calories eating "healthy", then it would actually be beneficial long-term to fill in those calories with "unhealthy" foods if that's what it takes. Yes, I'm actually advocating eating junk food and eating when you're not hungry in order to at least reach a reasonable *gross* calorie level (of say, 1500)...at least for a while until things level out for you.
Sufficient "healthy" foods > sufficient "healthy"/"unhealthy" foods > insufficient "healthy" foods > insufficient "unhealthy" foods...or something like that.0 -
In for more tales of folks that get stuffed eating 800 calories.
And basically every calorie burn estimate I've ever seen is a fantasy. There's just no way the burn rates are that high. But if you're only eating 800-1200 calories, then go ahead and eat back whatever the Zumba estimate is. That will help compensate the under eating in the other days0 -
In...
...to see where this thread goes.
OP, there's a bigger problem than the accuracy of your calorie burns. Even at the most conservative estimates for calorie burn, you aren't eating enough. <800 calories is generally a bad idea (IMHO), even if you weren't exercising at all. And I acknowledge that most people disagree with me on this, but I honestly believe that if you can't reach a reasonable number of calories eating "healthy", then it would actually be beneficial long-term to fill in those calories with "unhealthy" foods if that's what it takes. Yes, I'm actually advocating eating junk food and eating when you're not hungry in order to at least reach a reasonable *gross* calorie level (of say, 1500)...at least for a while until things level out for you.
Sufficient "healthy" foods > sufficient "healthy"/"unhealthy" foods > insufficient "healthy" foods > insufficient "unhealthy" foods...or something like that.
I agree.0 -
I have been fairly sedentary for the past 3 weeks-ish because I had bronchitis.
I also didn't have much of an appetite until recently because I'd cough so hard I'd barf, so there are some super (like 500) low calorie days in my diary.
I'm trying to figure out stuff food-wise because I was told to look at restricting carbs (and sugars) because of Poly-Cystic Ovarian Syndrome, but wasn't told where to cut it down to. My doctor said that there was possibly a link with PCOS and insulin resistance so I didn't want to mess things up that way. It was suggested that I lose 26.2 pounds, or 15% of my starting weight.
So I figured switching to Diet Pepsi might help, or Splenda instead of 3 packets of sugar in my coffee. I don't actually know what a "healthy" amount of grams/day in sugar is...
I have had a hard time with dairy stuff (lactose intolerant) so I can only have small amounts of whole milk or cheese a day. I've looked at switching to rice or soy (Lactaid is gross) but some of the one's I've found are loaded with sweetened stuff. Very Vanilla Silk tastes like coffee creamer to me. Also, I'm trying to figure out leaner protein sources.
I guess what i'm trying to say is that, did I jack myself up from trying to cut down on stuff and where do I go from here.
I like the idea of introducing things gradually.
Ask your doctor about the optimal carb levels. In the mean time do a google search for low-carb recipes and find some food you can eat that will give you enough calories.0 -
I have been fairly sedentary for the past 3 weeks-ish because I had bronchitis.
I also didn't have much of an appetite until recently because I'd cough so hard I'd barf, so there are some super (like 500) low calorie days in my diary.
I'm trying to figure out stuff food-wise because I was told to look at restricting carbs (and sugars) because of Poly-Cystic Ovarian Syndrome, but wasn't told where to cut it down to. My doctor said that there was possibly a link with PCOS and insulin resistance so I didn't want to mess things up that way. It was suggested that I lose 26.2 pounds, or 15% of my starting weight.
So I figured switching to Diet Pepsi might help, or Splenda instead of 3 packets of sugar in my coffee. I don't actually know what a "healthy" amount of grams/day in sugar is...
I have had a hard time with dairy stuff (lactose intolerant) so I can only have small amounts of whole milk or cheese a day. I've looked at switching to rice or soy (Lactaid is gross) but some of the one's I've found are loaded with sweetened stuff. Very Vanilla Silk tastes like coffee creamer to me. Also, I'm trying to figure out leaner protein sources.
I guess what i'm trying to say is that, did I jack myself up from trying to cut down on stuff and where do I go from here.
I like the idea of introducing things gradually.
you need to drink more water. not enough water = thick mucus. harder for your body to cough up.
insulin resistance = pre-diabetes. Maybe get referred to a diabetic educator - they would have some awesome ideas on whats best to eat
Dont know if your lactose intolerant, hard cheeses dont have lactose in them, yogurts have very little cause the bacteria that makes them eats the lactose.0 -
I'm 48 and burn 250- 350 calories an hour doing zumba. I know ladies half my age that burn 800-1000 calories per hour.0
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I weigh 123 and wear a hrm for zumba. The best I've ever got is 401 calories in 50 minutes. I usually average around 370 for 50 minutes0
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Re: Zumba burn. I do a 45 minute class, am 5'9", wear a HRM, currently weight 178. I burn over 600 calories. When I was 10 pounds heavier, I was burning over 700 calories. So, yes, high calorie burns are very possible with Zumba DEPENDING on many variables.
OP: The food journal you have pasted into your thread is not an example of what I would classify of 'good' eating. Now, please do not misunderstand. I eat plenty of 'crap' food on a daily basis - feel free to look at my journal. I aim for 80%-90% good stuff and 10-20% of not-so-good-stuff.
Anyway, like most people here, I will also re-iterate that 800 calories is far too low. Did a doctor give you that number? I eat between 2300-2500 calories per day, have a very physically demanding job and workout 4 times a week. Losing 1 - 1.5 lbs/week. Down 67 pounds in total.0 -
PCOS is an estrogen dominance condition. Don't switch to soy as it's estrogenic and will just make things worse.
And yes, PCOS and insulin resistance are linked which means you shouldn't stuff yourself with cakes and chocolate.
And yes, eat your exercise calories back!!!0 -
OMG you really need to sit down and do some reading on eating 1200 or under calories a day.
You say you find it hard to eat that many calories i eat very healthy check out my diet and i have no trouble eating 1200 a day
ADD really food to your diet
Almonds , Almond butter, avocados vegetables, coconut oil ,fruit ,oh and PROTEIN ,seaweed ,EAT REALLY food0 -
The half of piece of birthday cake is probably 200 calories but even so you are still under eating.
You really shouldn’t be eating under 1000 calories regularly. 1,200 is better.
It will make keeping the weight harder to keep off because your body will get used to eat.
When your children see you starving yourself they can pick up disordered eating.
I give myself one or two days to eat higher calories it helps me not to feel deprived and also gives my metabolism a boost but everybody’s body is different.
PS
The zumba is probably 300 calories burnt at the most.0
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