I get so confused

daniellerusbult1
daniellerusbult1 Posts: 79
in Health and Weight Loss
Okay, I'm trying to figure this out... I've read about BMR and things like that and tried to understand how many calories I need to "exercise out" to make a deficit... but I'm just too dang confused.

My BMR is 1636.1, I have a desk job now... sort of (I'm in marketing, so sometimes I move from place to place and sometimes I'm completely sedentary all day), I've been eating about 1200 calories/day and I try to exercise every day (cardio+strength training).

How much should I be burning to create a deficit?

Thanks :)

Replies

  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    Are you going with MFP's settings? If so, your daily calorie goal already has a deficit built in - meaning eat TO GOAL every day, do zero exercise, and you're at a deficit and will lose weight. When you add in exercise, it creates an even larger deficit - too large, which can backfire on ya - so MFP adds those burned cals back into your goal - you are supposed to eat them to bring your daily NET cals to goal. And you'll still be at a deficit.

    That being said, if your BMR truly is around 1600 cals and you're only eating 1200, you could stand to eat more on a daily basis. I figure if the body needs that BMR amount while comatose, it certainly deserves more while I'm upright and walkin' & talkin', even if I'm at a desk most of the day. :tongue: And even more if I'm exercising.

    Food is fuel - eat too little for too long and you give the body a reason to store fat rather than burn it.

    If you have less than 100lbs to lose, make sure your weekly loss goal is set to .5 or 1lb a week at the most - not 2lbs a week. Eat your calories - goal means GOAL, not way under - remember the deficit is already there. Eat well, drink water, exercise, get good rest. And be patient, the weight will come off.
  • daniellerusbult1
    daniellerusbult1 Posts: 79
    I guess I am going with the MFP settings... I just don't remember what I set as my goal when I made the account! Lol My weight has gone up since I made the account (because I never got on it), but it has me eating 1200 calories/day. That doesn't seem like much, but I get good food in: 1 egg+1 egg white+1 banana in the morning, morning snack 100-200 cals, lunch is usually a turkey burger, tilapia, shrimp, any sort of lean meat+veggie/fruit (I eat plenty in veggies/fruit during lunch and it definitely fills me up), afternoon snack 100-200 calories, dinner is about the same as lunch usually. On top of that, I'm drinking about 150oz of water every day. Then I'll hit the gym either in the morning or at night (or both sometimes) and do 25 minutes of cardio+strength training.

    Am I getting enough, you think?
  • flex500
    flex500 Posts: 63
    Okay, I'm trying to figure this out... I've read about BMR and things like that and tried to understand how many calories I need to "exercise out" to make a deficit... but I'm just too dang confused.

    My BMR is 1636.1, I have a desk job now... sort of (I'm in marketing, so sometimes I move from place to place and sometimes I'm completely sedentary all day), I've been eating about 1200 calories/day and I try to exercise every day (cardio+strength training).

    How much should I be burning to create a deficit?

    Thanks :)


    what is your weight currently? what is your current bodyfat roughly?

    i think I can help give you a better idea of calorie levels
  • daniellerusbult1
    daniellerusbult1 Posts: 79
    i think I can help give you a better idea of calorie levels


    178 according to the scale last night (I know, I shouldn't be weighing at night) and I think it's about 26% according to a chart I looked at.

    5'8"
    24 years old
    Female
    Medium Frame
    40" midsection (where I carry most of my weight, along with my inner thighs... they just hold a lot of fat, even though they are thin in size)

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