Should I eat less calories or more?

beansie12
beansie12 Posts: 3 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi all,

I recently got into exercise and thought I'd track my eating using Myfitnesspal while I was at it. I've been successfully logging in my meals for the past few months and exercising more than I used to but I feel like there has been no difference in both my weight and body shape.

I've been at 53kg for five years, eating whatever the hell I liked. I know I'm lucky to have this kind of metabolism but I thought that if I started exercising, I would be able to shape up quite nicely. I'm not looking to lose any weight but I just wanted to tone up and lose the belly fat. I took my measurements when I first started back in February and am pretty much still the same. My arms are a little more toned but generally, there's not much difference.

I try to eat my net goal of 1300 (initially it was 1200 based on my BMR but I upped it by 100 as I do like food) but am wondering if it should be that I eat less calories or more in order to obtain my goals? I've read a lot about not eating enough calories as you'll just gain it again when you eat normally but as my body doesn't seem to respond to eating more or less, I just hoped someone could provide some more information about what I ought to do?

I'd be appreciative of any help. Many thanks!

Replies

  • GuybrushThreepw00d
    GuybrushThreepw00d Posts: 784 Member
    What's your TDEE?
    http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html

    If you're just looking to "tone up", i'd suggest a deficit of 10%-15% of your TDEE combined with a resistance (weights) program.
    EG. Your TDEE is 2000, then set MFP to between 1700-1800 calories.

    The most important thing is to be consistent with your calories and weights program if you want to see results.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    you said you dont want to lose weight, just tone up - so you only need a small deficit as you essentially just want to lose some bodyfat.

    set your cals to lose 0.5lbs per week and find a decent strength training routine 3x a week.
  • carolyn0613
    carolyn0613 Posts: 162 Member
    Agree with the others that instead of cardio exercises, you should try weight training to achieve your goal
  • MissSaturday
    MissSaturday Posts: 784 Member
    I am sure you are eating enough as you are already slim. you add exercise like lifting.. 3 times a week.. if you want to do even some cardio you need to increase it a little bit.
    talking about brm and tdee it does work for me coz if i eat between those would mean eating 2500 cal and i put weight.. so those number don't work for all... depends on so many other factors .. for example i have some thyroid problem and i also have the contraseption implant in the arm that is f...ing my system..soo that's it!!
  • beansie12
    beansie12 Posts: 3 Member
    What's your TDEE?
    http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html

    If you're just looking to "tone up", i'd suggest a deficit of 10%-15% of your TDEE combined with a resistance (weights) program.
    EG. Your TDEE is 2000, then set MFP to between 1700-1800 calories.

    The most important thing is to be consistent with your calories and weights program if you want to see results.

    My TDEE is 2075, so should 1700-1800 be my net goal (so after exercising as well)? I guess I'm not as consistent as I'd like with my intake - some days it will be a lot over and others it will be a lot less. I find I get very bloated if I eat more than 1500 calories a day though. Also, I feel like there's a lot of confusion about calories. I know I should try to eat healthy but if I eat a chocolate cake that's 300 calories, just to make up my net, is that allowed?

    I'm using kettlebells (Jillian Michael's Shred with Weights) for cardio/weight training which I enjoy and will use the weight machines at the gym as well.
  • GuybrushThreepw00d
    GuybrushThreepw00d Posts: 784 Member
    I find I get very bloated if I eat more than 1500 calories a day though.
    Also, I feel like there's a lot of confusion about calories. I know I should try to eat healthy but if I eat a chocolate cake that's 300 calories, just to make up my net, is that allowed?

    If you subscribe to the IIFYM philosophy then possibly. However as you don't have so much to lose i'd put it to you that your carb/sugar intake shouldn't be that high, so chocolate cake would pretty much never fit your macro's.

    If you're actually struggling to eat more then 1500, i'd suggest looking for calorie/nutrient dense food. Peanut butter, unsalted nuts, avocado etc etc.

    Plan your meals, and "pre-log" on MFP so you can see if you'll be left with a spare 300 calories at the end of the day.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    However as you don't have so much to lose i'd put it to you that your carb/sugar intake shouldn't be that high, so chocolate cake would pretty much never fit your macro's.

    can i ask why you say that carbs/sugar shouldnt be so high if you dont have much to lose?
  • GuybrushThreepw00d
    GuybrushThreepw00d Posts: 784 Member
    However as you don't have so much to lose i'd put it to you that your carb/sugar intake shouldn't be that high, so chocolate cake would pretty much never fit your macro's.

    can i ask why you say that carbs/sugar shouldnt be so high if you dont have much to lose?

    Bro-science? :wink:
    Keeping refined sugars low seems to be a widely tipped method of a clean diet to help move the last of the belly fat.
    I've always found a higher protein/fat - carb ratio for the macro's to be conducive to losing weight with minimal muscle loss.

    I didn't mean to imply that "not much to lose" is directly related to "low carb/sugar", rather than just my general advice through experience.
  • snowfox1
    snowfox1 Posts: 128 Member
    bump

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