Advice please :)

Hi Everyone, I have been lurking the forums for a little while now and you all give soem really good advice, so I was wondering if you could help me? I am sorry, if you have read this type of post a million times!

I am looking to lose weight (aboust 2 stone (about 12kg) and to tone up, I have a typical mummy tummy which I am sick of looking at to be honest :)

MFP has given me 1200 cal a day and I am looking to run 5 days a week and do some other exercises at home such as sit ups, burpees, squats, plank etc and I am wondering two things, whether I should eat all the calories I burn and b, whether I will get a nice weight loss and toning with them?

I really want to tone my tummy!

Thanks x

Replies

  • shred_me_up
    shred_me_up Posts: 267 Member
    Don't use that method, find your TDEE and subtract 15-20% of that total, and this will be a set amount you should eat every day. For example my estimated TDEE (amount i will eat to maintain my weight taking into consideration my stats and activity level) is around 1800. When I am trying to lose weight I take off 20%, and thus eat 360 calories less maximum, so I eat 1440 calories every day :)
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    Hi Everyone, I have been lurking the forums for a little while now and you all give soem really good advice, so I was wondering if you could help me? I am sorry, if you have read this type of post a million times!

    I am looking to lose weight (aboust 2 stone (about 12kg) and to tone up, I have a typical mummy tummy which I am sick of looking at to be honest :)

    MFP has given me 1200 cal a day and I am looking to run 5 days a week and do some other exercises at home such as sit ups, burpees, squats, plank etc and I am wondering two things, whether I should eat all the calories I burn and b, whether I will get a nice weight loss and toning with them?

    I really want to tone my tummy!

    Thanks x
    Well if you want to lose 2 stone (about 28lbs I believe) do it at 1lb a week not two...

    That way you can do it slower and not be hungry at 1200 calories. Remember tho to eat back some of your exercise calories.

    Weight loss is totally about diet. Eat at a reasonable deficet and you will lose weight.

    "Tone" comes from fat loss...you see the muscle more the less fat on it...now the thing is this ...maintaining muscle while losing fat...to do that you need to eat enough protien and do some resistence training...either through weight training, resistence bands or body weight training.

    and one last thing...

    You can't spot reduce so don't expect to just lose belly and you can do all the situps, planks, crunches you want...abs are made in teh kitchen...
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Well if you want to lose 2 stone (about 28lbs I believe) do it at 1lb a week not two...

    That way you can do it slower and not be hungry at 1200 calories. Remember tho to eat back some of your exercise calories.

    Weight loss is totally about diet. Eat at a reasonable deficet and you will lose weight.

    "Tone" comes from fat loss...you see the muscle more the less fat on it...now the thing is this ...maintaining muscle while losing fat...to do that you need to eat enough protien and do some resistence training...either through weight training, resistence bands or body weight training.

    and one last thing...

    You can't spot reduce so don't expect to just lose belly and you can do all the situps, planks, crunches you want...abs are made in teh kitchen...

    this!
  • eldamiano
    eldamiano Posts: 2,667 Member
    Going slightly off the subject, yet another member for which MFP recommends 1,200 calories.

    Why is this such a trend? It just seems horrific. What kind of weight loss goals are people hoping for with this? It just seems unnecessary.
  • Don't use that method, find your TDEE and subtract 15-20% of that total, and this will be a set amount you should eat every day. For example my estimated TDEE (amount i will eat to maintain my weight taking into consideration my stats and activity level) is around 1800. When I am trying to lose weight I take off 20%, and thus eat 360 calories less maximum, so I eat 1440 calories every day :)

    Hiya, Thank you - How do you find out your TDEE? I will look into this - Thank you!
  • Special145
    Special145 Posts: 4 Member
    HI
    I'm new too and really like your question as well. I have been reading all the responses which are so supportive - which I love.
    I too will be looking to find out what TDEE is?
    My question is - is there a quick way of menu planning for 1200 cals or do we just work it out on our own. I know - I'm lazy - but if someone else has reinvented the wheel that would be just wonderful.
    Cheers and thanks
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Going slightly off the subject, yet another member for which MFP recommends 1,200 calories.

    Why is this such a trend? It just seems horrific. What kind of weight loss goals are people hoping for with this? It just seems unnecessary.

    because most people, when setting up their accounts set it up to 'lose 2lb per weeek' cos its all about how fast you can get the weight off, sets their activity as sedentary - SAHMs are a great example 'i only chase my 2 year round all day' - even when they are not, and then dont eat back any exerciase calories...
  • amcsouth
    amcsouth Posts: 283 Member
    Just a note on TDEE. You have to be consistent with your exercise if you use this method! I personally use TDEE-20% but it's just something to keep in mind. It's also an estimate so you will need to tweak your numbers to reach your desired loss every week :smile:

    Here is a link for you to look at:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Don't use that method, find your TDEE and subtract 15-20% of that total, and this will be a set amount you should eat every day. For example my estimated TDEE (amount i will eat to maintain my weight taking into consideration my stats and activity level) is around 1800. When I am trying to lose weight I take off 20%, and thus eat 360 calories less maximum, so I eat 1440 calories every day :)

    Hiya, Thank you - How do you find out your TDEE? I will look into this - Thank you!

    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

    It's what I do also.
  • Thanks everyone, I really appreciate all your responses!!!

    I will look into TDEE!!!

    I am also going to start Kickboxing every Tuesday for 1.5 hours... how would I calculate the exercise calories for this?!

    I appreciate the comments about 1200, but I am literally going by MFP and because so many people have recommended MFP I have trusted the 1200 it has given me... Is this wrong then? I am coping fine on 1200 a day, if anything it is teaching me I dont need the sugary cakes/chocolate etc I was having needlessly each day. But if I need to eat more, I will.
  • [/quote]

    because most people, when setting up their accounts set it up to 'lose 2lb per weeek' cos its all about how fast you can get the weight off, sets their activity as sedentary - SAHMs are a great example 'i only chase my 2 year round all day' - even when they are not, and then dont eat back any exerciase calories...
    [/quote]

    Im not a stay at home mum, I work 5 days a week and therefore dont do much exercise at all (I put this in to MFP) and it came up with the 1200 figure, it told me I would need this to lose 1lb a week.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Im not a stay at home mum, I work 5 days a week and therefore dont do much exercise at all (I put this in to MFP) and it came up with the 1200 figure, it told me I would need this to lose 1lb a week.

    i wasnt talking about you, it was generic 'most people' if you read what i said.
  • Im not a stay at home mum, I work 5 days a week and therefore dont do much exercise at all (I put this in to MFP) and it came up with the 1200 figure, it told me I would need this to lose 1lb a week.

    i wasnt talking about you, it was generic 'most people' if you read what i said.

    I know, I was just saying what I had put and the output I got :)
  • Don't use that method, find your TDEE and subtract 15-20% of that total, and this will be a set amount you should eat every day. For example my estimated TDEE (amount i will eat to maintain my weight taking into consideration my stats and activity level) is around 1800. When I am trying to lose weight I take off 20%, and thus eat 360 calories less maximum, so I eat 1440 calories every day :)

    Hiya, Thank you - How do you find out your TDEE? I will look into this - Thank you!

    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

    It's what I do also.

    Thanks, trying now :)
  • I will just add, whilst weight loss would be nice, I do really want to tone up. Weight loss will be a bonus. I just want to feel better about myself.