Lost weight but still unsure about my diet.
deanjcrawford
Posts: 83 Member
Hello everyone! This message board is amazing and I have read some great advice. However, I'm still a little confused and would love a nudge in the right direction because even though I've lost weight, i don't think i have done it the "right" way...
When i first signed up to MFP, i just set everything to sedentary and went from there. I have lost 28kgs, but looking back, i do think this bulk of this loss has come in the last 4 months from a mixture of weight training and, if i'm honest, starving myself!
I'm 32, 185cm and currently hovering around 98kgs, which was my initial goal (new goal is 89kgs and lower body fat) and i've been eating 1700 cals a day, sometimes less if i didn't eat all my exercise calories back, for the last 4 months. (I tend to go over on the weekends which i initially became a little obsessed, but i continued to lose weight so i didn't stop the cheat days and tried to be as perfect as i could during the week). Despite being healthier (lowered BP) and looking better, feeling stronger, i think I've lost too quickly as when i stand up i look fine (considering what i was - you can see in my profile pic) but my stomach is rather saggy which is noticeable when doing the plank or bending over and i find i have a lack of energy at times.
I'm trying to get in at least 3 full body weight workouts and 2 cardio sessions in a week and while i know the training is important, i think i really need to get my diet spot on. So i was wondering if i could post what i think my macros should be on here?
Age 32
Height 185cm /6ft
Weight 98kg / 216lbs
BF 27% according to gym scales
TDEE at lightly active 2140 (according to MFP trying to lose 1lbs per week)
EQUALS
Protein 161
Fats 71
Carbs 214 (but i can eat less if i up the protein and fats to hit my calories, right?)
And all this should have me losing 1lbs per week? Also, all this is before i've done any exercise, so i assume MFP will adjust my macros accordingly after i input my exercise?
A little bit more about how the weight has come off so far.
Feb 2012 - 126kg
Feb 2013 - 114kg
This morning - 97.7kgs
So, as you can see, a lot of weight has come off in the last 4 months. Maybe too much?
I've been working away from my partner since February (which is what i think made the weight loss quite easy. She's quite skinny and doesn't watch what she eats, whereas food is my nemesis!) we're back together again on Friday so i think now might be a good time to stop eating so low!
Thanks for looking and great board!
When i first signed up to MFP, i just set everything to sedentary and went from there. I have lost 28kgs, but looking back, i do think this bulk of this loss has come in the last 4 months from a mixture of weight training and, if i'm honest, starving myself!
I'm 32, 185cm and currently hovering around 98kgs, which was my initial goal (new goal is 89kgs and lower body fat) and i've been eating 1700 cals a day, sometimes less if i didn't eat all my exercise calories back, for the last 4 months. (I tend to go over on the weekends which i initially became a little obsessed, but i continued to lose weight so i didn't stop the cheat days and tried to be as perfect as i could during the week). Despite being healthier (lowered BP) and looking better, feeling stronger, i think I've lost too quickly as when i stand up i look fine (considering what i was - you can see in my profile pic) but my stomach is rather saggy which is noticeable when doing the plank or bending over and i find i have a lack of energy at times.
I'm trying to get in at least 3 full body weight workouts and 2 cardio sessions in a week and while i know the training is important, i think i really need to get my diet spot on. So i was wondering if i could post what i think my macros should be on here?
Age 32
Height 185cm /6ft
Weight 98kg / 216lbs
BF 27% according to gym scales
TDEE at lightly active 2140 (according to MFP trying to lose 1lbs per week)
EQUALS
Protein 161
Fats 71
Carbs 214 (but i can eat less if i up the protein and fats to hit my calories, right?)
And all this should have me losing 1lbs per week? Also, all this is before i've done any exercise, so i assume MFP will adjust my macros accordingly after i input my exercise?
A little bit more about how the weight has come off so far.
Feb 2012 - 126kg
Feb 2013 - 114kg
This morning - 97.7kgs
So, as you can see, a lot of weight has come off in the last 4 months. Maybe too much?
I've been working away from my partner since February (which is what i think made the weight loss quite easy. She's quite skinny and doesn't watch what she eats, whereas food is my nemesis!) we're back together again on Friday so i think now might be a good time to stop eating so low!
Thanks for looking and great board!
0
Replies
-
Tagging0
-
What has your weight done in the last 4 weeks? In weekly increments if you have it.0
-
Sorry Sara, i'm afraid i don't. I got a bit obsessed with my weight during the first month, weighing myself twice, sometimes 3-4 times a day. So i decided to stop recording my weight and go by appearance and body fat. Obviously i checked the scales, but didn't record it.
I think it has gone from 103ish to 97-98ish in the last month. However, i have been to two stag parties and two weddings, so it has been up and down. If i let go on the weekend, i made sure i hit it twice as hard the following week. Sorry, does that help at all?0 -
Grrr....just typed up a long reply and did something to delete what I had typed (my PC is new so I am not used to the keyboard yet).
You calculated your macros correctly. I however suggest you walk your calories up rather than taking an immediate jump - so go to 1,900 at first.
I will respond more fully tomorrow.0 -
Ah no way, that's so annoying. Hate it when that happens!
Thanks for your time Sara, good to know i'm on the right track and I look forward to hearing more from you tomorrow!
ps. Do you know if MFP correctly re-calculates your macros when you input exercise?0 -
Ah no way, that's so annoying. Hate it when that happens!
Thanks for your time Sara, good to know i'm on the right track and I look forward to hearing more from you tomorrow!
ps. Do you know if MFP correctly re-calculates your macros when you input exercise?
I think MFP increases the macros at the same ratio as your percentages are set.0 -
Ah no way, that's so annoying. Hate it when that happens!
Thanks for your time Sara, good to know i'm on the right track and I look forward to hearing more from you tomorrow!
ps. Do you know if MFP correctly re-calculates your macros when you input exercise?
I think MFP increases the macros at the same ratio as your percentages are set.
Yes it does, which is annoying when you use protein and fats as minimums as these increase in proportion. It would be great if you could set grams as minimums0 -
Sorry for the delay in my follow up.
Regarding your stomach, skin should tighten up over time. Building some muscle behind that also 'fills it out' so it helps tighten it up, depending on how loose it is.
Your scheduling sounds good. What routine are you doing for you full body workout?
The TDEE that you mention sounds low - that is my TDEE and I am smaller, and female, and older and do no cardio. What did you include as an exercise assumption? The number MFP gave you sounds nearer your BMR, not your TDEE. Which page are you getting that number from?
Running it through the online calculators and knowing what other people's maintenance is, your TDEE is probably somewhere near 3,000 calories, if not higher.
How much have you lost over the last 4 weeks?0 -
Hey, no worries! I appreciate you taking the time...
Yep, you're right. I went back to IIFYM.com and i was using my BMR as my number.
Looking at it again, it seems after using the mifflin st-jeor method and clicking "little/no exercise" my TDEE came out to 2375 (Does that sound about right? I know you said i should be more like 3000, but i'm presuming more claories will be added when i input exercise into myfitnesspal...) So to lose a lbs a week, i should be in a defecit so i'm looking at eating around 2000 calories (exericse calories not included) which means my macros are looking like
Protein 218g = 872 cals
Fats 99g = 883
Carbs = 245 calories.
Total = 2000 calories. Still too low?
Then obviously just eat back whatever MFP tells me too when i enter exercise. One thing i'm unsure of though, is that should i be basing my macros off of my current weight or my LEAN body weight (72kgs)?
As for my workouts, they're nothing special, just a routine I found on menshealth.co.uk which includes squats, deadlifts, dumb bell bench press (i have arthritis in my shoulder so find it easier then barbell bench) lat pull down, bent over row (i chuck in a military press if my shoulder is feeling ok and a bicep/tricep super-set if i'm feeling lucky) I've been doing this for about 4 months so i'm thinking of switching to a split routine, but i'm continuing to lose weight so i'm thinking of just sticking with it until it stops. My only worry is that some of the weight loss is muscle instead of fat as my lifts haven't increased that much and like i mentioned, i'm getting loose in the stomach. However, i noted your advice about that! I also try to do some HIIT on the treadmill or go swimming and I've started going to a yoga class on Saturdays. At one point i was doing weights and swimming in one day, but this totally wiped me out so i'm going to cut that out.
In the last 4 weeks, my weight has gone from 102ish to 96.9. However, i weighed myself after the gym on Friday and i weighed 95.9 but this morning i weighed 97.5 (Yeah, i know....). So, it seemed like i was on a steady 1kg a week loss, but i was definitely eating far too less that i needed as despite losing weight, i was always tired. i think i'm going to start recording ym weight as it seems like that would have been some important info int his conversation, so apologies for that!!
Once again, i really appreciate you taking the time!0 -
Just a quick question and I will respond more fully. Would you prefer to eat to a static number (where exercised is 'averaged' over the week) or do you prefer to 'eat your exercise calories back' - i.e. eat your base plus your exercise on the days you do exercise?0
-
I think i generally prefer to eat my calories back because i'm a little worried about eating too much if my workouts vary/aren't as intense as i have pre calculated. Does that make sense?? Whether that's the right way or wrong way to do it, however, i'm not too sure...0
-
Makes sense. There is no 'wrong' or 'right' way when it comes to this - it really is personal preference.
Myself and/or SideSteel will get back to you shortly with a fuller response.0 -
You have been far too polite and not bumped this -we owe you a response, so I am bumping it to ensure we get to it soon.0
-
Thanks a lot, i appreciate you taking the time! I was going to bump actually, as i'm now questioning whether i set my goals correctly.
I set my activity level to lightly active, but thinking about it this week i'm not so sure. I teach, but the majority of my class involves me lecturing from powerpoints so i would say i spend a good majority of the day sitting down. Just another thing for me to think about I guess as i'm trying to make sure i have everything spot on....0 -
So, a couple of things to address here:
- your tracking and logging is really patchy so it is hard to assess what the 'right' calories are for you. With this in mind, we would like to get a 'base' level established.
- your TDEE without exercise is probably a bit shy of what the online calculators give as just dieting itself suppresses your metabolism and eating at very low calories for an extended time will do that more. So, with that in mind, I would suggest that you set your calorie target at 1,900 for now and eat at least 50% - 75% of your exercise calories back. Your macros should be:
- protein - 170g
- fat - 65g
with the balance wherever based on lifestyle and adherence, but try to get as much to carbs as possible. This will be the same for days you exercise and days you do not. So, on exercise days, you have more carbs to eat. [Note: I tweaked the macros slightly to err on the side of caution with protein as BF%ages are an estimation and slightly dropped fats to give you more carbs but still keeping them a good % of total intake]
- it is important to fuel your workouts. Once of the biggest factors in body composition is your workouts. Without enough food you just do not perform as well and a lot of their benefits will be lost.
- please weigh yourself once a week.
- we would like you to 'report back' with what your weight is doing after a week of implementing so we can make tweaks as necessary
- please be as accurate as possible with weighing your food and logging it. Without accurate intake data we cannot give good advice.
- we will probably want to get into your lifting routine a bit more, but for now, please keep doing what you were so we do not have another variable in the mix.
- the reason I set your base at 1,900 is that we do not want you jumping up calories too quickly. However, I am not sure how much your calories were, so this may or may not be a big jump. Based on what you have mentioned it could well be, so please expect a bit of a bump in weight (it may or may not happen) due to increased water and food weight.0 -
Thanks a lot for your advice!
So to get the gist, 170g protein, 65g fats and whatever calories remain should on carbs. On days i work out, log my exercise and with my extra calories I can eat some extra carbs. Got it.
Yeah, i have been a bit sketchy with logging, especially when i have to move around from job to job with work, and now my girlfriend is back, she's making it awkward to log as unlike myself, she doesn't have to watch everything she eats and my will power is lame!
Ok, i'll get started on this from Monday and make sure I weigh myself once a week and log everything i eat.
Once again, thanks for taking the time and i'll be sure to update!0
