More calories?

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katieann14606
katieann14606 Posts: 3 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I am having issues. Since September I have lost 28 pounds using MFP, and working out 7 days a week. Right now I am at a standstill. How many calories should I be eating to still lose weight? How do I hit that calorie intake? I'm 5'4" 156 pounds, am fairly active as I am a teacher. HELP!

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  • professormudd1
    professormudd1 Posts: 59
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    The app should offer to re-adjust your goals every 10 lbs you lose. Have you done that? When you say "standstill" how long has it been since you have seen progress?
  • anallydiaz
    anallydiaz Posts: 48 Member
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    How many calories are you currently eating? How many calories are you burning in your workouts?

    I was having the same problem and I got this advise from another user:

    "Eating too few calories can send your body into "starvation mode". Basically when you deprive your body of the calories it needs your body thinks that food supply is limited so when it is fed it converts it directly to fat (your body's energy store). When you feed it frequently it slows the storage because more fuel is readily available."

    You said you work out 7 days a week and your job is fairly active, so it sounds like you might need more calories, but I dont know how many calories you are eating a day.

    My job is fairly active as well (I am on my feet all day walking around) and I work out about 4 times a week (burn about 500-700 calories in each work out) MFP says I am supposed to eat 1,700 calories a day and that has been working out great for me!!!!

    If you want to burn calories, you have to keep your body healthy.

    I hope this helps :)
  • professormudd1
    professormudd1 Posts: 59
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    Starvation mode is a widely abused term around this forum. Calories in, calories out, period. It is not healthy for your body to have too few calories, but that doesn't equate to retaining body fat, and it really doesn't make sense to assume your body will maintain weight without the material to support it.

    http://www.nowloss.com/starvation-mode-myth.htm
  • katieann14606
    katieann14606 Posts: 3 Member
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    It has been about 2 weeks since losing more weight. I eat around 1300-1400 calories a day. I burn between 500-700 calories a workout.
  • professormudd1
    professormudd1 Posts: 59
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    Are you logging your calories accurately (using food scale, logging everything that enters your mouth)? Are you "eating back" calories you burn? If so, are you certain that you have an accurate count of how many you are burning.at the gym?

    Using a simple calculator, your ESTIMATED BMR is 1439 calories per day. Your ESTIMATED TDEE is 2357 calories per day.

    So, based on the numbers you are throwing out, you are at about a 1,000 calorie per day deficit. This should be about 2lbs/wk.

    Either you are not being accurate with your logging, or your body is retaining more fluids. If I were you, I would more carefully evaluate logging accuracy, watch sodium levels, and be sure to weigh in under the same conditions (right when you awaken, after you use the restroom, before you shower, without clothing).
  • katieann14606
    katieann14606 Posts: 3 Member
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    For logging food I use a food scale, measuring cups, and portion sizes. I have a long list of food allergies so I am basically on a "hunter gather" diet.

    For logging calories burned I use a Polar heart rate monitor, and wear an UP band to monitor sleep levels and activity.

    I also drink 2000 ML of water a day.

    I have been losing between 1-2 pounds a week since September, until now. Today is my first day upping my calorie intake to 1600, during me workout today I was much more energized. I try to eat back as many calories as I can from my workouts.

    Suggestions on calorie intake? I am very open to trying new things!
  • Dnarules
    Dnarules Posts: 2,081 Member
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    For logging food I use a food scale, measuring cups, and portion sizes. I have a long list of food allergies so I am basically on a "hunter gather" diet.

    For logging calories burned I use a Polar heart rate monitor, and wear an UP band to monitor sleep levels and activity.

    I also drink 2000 ML of water a day.

    I have been losing between 1-2 pounds a week since September, until now. Today is my first day upping my calorie intake to 1600, during me workout today I was much more energized. I try to eat back as many calories as I can from my workouts.

    Suggestions on calorie intake? I am very open to trying new things!

    You at the point where you should only be trying to lose 0.5 to 1 pound per week. There are two ways you can do this. First, you can set MFP to lightly active, and then eat back a portion of your exercise calories. I say a portion because it is easy to overestimate calorie burns.

    OR... You could use the TDEE method. I am going to use the estimated TDEE professormudd determined, 2357 calories. If you want to lose 1 pound a week, you could try eating 2357-500, which is around 1800 calories a day. In this case you would NOT eat back your calories from exercise. You may want to find an online BMR calculator to double check this TDEE number. And again, it is an estimate, so there may be some trial and error to find your number.

    You don't have much to lose, so it is not reasonable, or recommended, to try to lose 2 pounds per week. And I do agree with previous posters that you double check your logging and make sure it is accurate. Good luck.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    With 10lbs to go I switched to TDEE...I eat between 1600-1700 calories a day everyday regardless of exercise...that is my tdee-15% - 20% I use this to lose 1/2lb -.8lb a week

    There is a formula to use from personal data so it's not an estimate.

    Total Calories consumed + (lbs lost x 3500)/# of days.

    I chose 3 weeks worth of data for accuracy.

    I find it is easier to know exactly what I can eat everyday...and I lose weight.

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