I am so confused. What's the right way!??!?
linhhl1
Posts: 3
I started myfitnesspal not too long ago. I've been told so many different things and even when I google stuff, i also get different answers from those sites. All i want is for someone to help guide me in the right direction with this weight loss journey of mines. So a few things you should know about my diet and i; I am 20 years old and 5'4 tall. I am currently 196 and my goal weight is to be 120-130. Right now my daily routine consists of a lean shake in the morning and one in the afternoon, my dinners are usually light. So my calorie intake is about 1000 to 1200 a day. I've read on a website that my calorie intake should be around 2100 to 2400 so thats one of the things that im not too sure about. I hit the gym about five times a week or once in a blue moon I will workout twice in one day. I do about 40 mins in cardio and my heart rate is usually around 170-176 which I know is high but the thing that shocked me that most is that even though I am burning more calorie but i wont lose any weight either with my heart rate so high. I just dont get why this is just all so confusing. I really do want to lose weight about learning all of this... It feels like i've been doing everything the wrong way. Anyhow I will also list these questions down below if you're too lazy to read and i apologize for my grammar its a bit off. it's 12 30 am and I am tired but curious.
1) How much calorie should I burn off at the gym with a 1400 calorie intake?
2) What is a good heart rate to be at during a workout to assist in burning fat?
3) Can I use lean shakes as meal replacements even though it will leave me at a huge calorie deficit, will doing this also slow down my metabolism?
I really appreciate any help you can provide.
1) How much calorie should I burn off at the gym with a 1400 calorie intake?
2) What is a good heart rate to be at during a workout to assist in burning fat?
3) Can I use lean shakes as meal replacements even though it will leave me at a huge calorie deficit, will doing this also slow down my metabolism?
I really appreciate any help you can provide.
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Replies
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1400kcal is too low. What does MFP tell you to eat?
Cardio is not the best way to exercise to create a calorie deficit, unless you have a specific goal in mind that requires you to train using 40 mins of cardio, it's unnecessary. Just exercise the way you feel makes you happiest.
Meal replacement shakes aren't really meal replacements, they're dietary supplements and should be used in conjunction with real food, not instead of.0 -
MFP tells me to eat about 1450 a day.
If i dont push myself, i feel like i wont be seeing any results. ):0 -
Have you put in the exercise you intend to do, when you've added in your goals?
Exercise-wise, there's nothing wrong with a bodyweight routine and you'll certainly exert yourself.0 -
MFP tells me to eat about 1450 a day.
If i dont push myself, i feel like i wont be seeing any results. ):
if you push too hard, too fast you'll wear out faster and probably give up. Getting results is a long process and not easy. But don't exhaust yourself. As for your food and calories, I don't know whats right for you. I keep around what mfp gives me calorie wise amd eat more veggies and have lost 11 lbs. This process doesn't have to be so stressful and confusing, eat your calories, workout, be realistic (things dont change over night). you can do this, day at a time.0 -
Keep in mind that when you exercise, you need to eat those calories back, and you shouldn't be eating under 1200 or your body will go into starvation mode and store what you do eat as fat as far as I'm aware. Try to follow the amount MFP set out for you to eat, and see if that helps. Sometimes the problem is people are actually eating too little and not taking into account they need to eat back their workout cals.0
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I'm close to the same weight as you (205), 5'8", and my goal is to be 150-160lbs. From what you've said, the obvious part is that you're simply not eating enough calories. On my off days when I'm not exercising (Sat/Sun) I consume close to 1500 calories, and on my workout days I consume close to 1900 calories because I'm burning off about 400 calories.0
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You're not eating enough to fuel your workouts, so your body wants to hold on to anything it gets.
Google TDEE and calculate yours, my guess is that you need to eat 1800-2100 a day.
Rigger0 -
Keep in mind that when you exercise, you need to eat those calories back, and you shouldn't be eating under 1200 or your body will go into starvation mode and store what you do eat as fat as far as I'm aware. Try to follow the amount MFP set out for you to eat, and see if that helps. Sometimes the problem is people are actually eating too little and not taking into account they need to eat back their workout cals.
This is a myth.0 -
Don't eat fewer than 1200 calories. 1450 a day for your height is probably good, you should eat back at least 60% of your calories burned through exercise though, and you can eat back all of them if you want. (The reason I say at least 60%, is the burn estimates MFP gives for activity are often higher than what you actually burn, so a good rule of thumb is to eat back at least 60%-80% of what MFP says you earned through exercise.)
Cardio does give you a high calorie burn, but you don't have to do 40 minutes a day of it, 20-30 minutes every other day, with strength training on the days in between, is a good place to start. Also, walking burns calories, it isn't really vigorous, but it still burns calories, so if you can get in the habit of a daily walk, that helps too.0 -
I agree that 1400 cals a day is a bit low, especially if you're working out as much as you are. Our bodies are the same as your car in the driveway, without any fuel, you're not going to get very far, and with only a little fuel, you'll never reach your destination (goal).
Just by what you've posted, and not knowing all the details, I'd say you should be at around 2000 cals a day, and go from there, on how you look and feel.0 -
You're not eating enough to fuel your workouts, so your body wants to hold on to anything it gets.
Google TDEE and calculate yours, my guess is that you need to eat 1800-2100 a day.
Rigger
Just to note, if you eat at TDEE you will maintain. If you are using a TDEE method, you should do TDEE-10% or 20%, and don't eat back exercise calories since TDEE methods already take into account your activity level.0 -
MFP tells me to eat about 1450 a day.
If i dont push myself, i feel like i wont be seeing any results. ):
But what MFP tells you to eat already has a deficit built in. So there is no need to push yourself to only 1000 or 1200 calories a day, especially if it makes you unhappy. It's important to lose weight and get healthy but it's just as important to do it in a way that's sustainable. The less happy you are with your routine the less likely you are to stick to it. So eat what MFP tells you (or at least get closer to it) and don't force yourself to exercise more than you feel like you can handle.0 -
I agree that 1400 cals a day is a bit low, especially if you're working out as much as you are. Our bodies are the same as your car in the driveway, without any fuel, you're not going to get very far, and with only a little fuel, you'll never reach your destination (goal).
Just by what you've posted, and not knowing all the details, I'd say you should be at around 2000 cals a day, and go from there, on how you look and feel.
If she is netting 1400 after eating back calories burned through exercise it might not be too low, if that is the total she is eating even after her workouts, it is probably too low.0 -
This article will explain it all. If you only exercise at a high heart rate, your body will only burn sugar and not fat.
http://cannonbeachspa.com/blog/?p=260 -
I have spoke to my dr many times. He says a woman should eat no fewer than 1200 cals...with calories added for exercise. A man is 1500 calories. your body needs this amount to sustain its self in a healthy manner.0
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From the Cannon Beach Spa website:
FAT BURNING VS. SUGAR BURNING
Your body has a choice of fuels depending on the situation. If it’s an emergency or if the body needs energy fast, it chooses SUGAR as its fuel. Sugar is stored mostly in the muscles and the blood stream so it’s readily available. In any physical activity the body is trained to always burn sugar for approximately the first 12 minutes. At that 12 minute mark the body then decides whether to keep burning sugar or to switch fuels and to start burning fat.
How does the body make the decision to switch fuels? It’s a function of your activity level, and the body uses your heart rate to make the decision. If you are working or exercising at an aerobic level, the body will always choose to burn sugar. If you are working or exercising at a slower, SUB-aerobic level, the body can take it easy and switch to burning fat. The reality is that fat burns more slowly than sugar.
So you can see what happens. If you’re doing high energy aerobics (high heart rate) you will only burn sugar! This perfectly explains why people can do aerobics forever and still have an unhealthy percentage of body fat. The high energy, high heart rate aerobics is only burning sugar, no fat.
The ideal heart rate for burning fat can be generated by a vigorous walk when you get about half way between your aerobic zone and your resting heart rate. If you’re in your 30s or 40s that’s about 120, about 100 if you’re older. There are charts that show the aerobic level and the resting level for your age that can help you determine your ideal heart rate for optimum fat burning.
And don’t forget about those first 12 minutes! You can’t change that. The body will always burn only sugar in that time period. If you were to exercise for only 12 minutes at a time every hour on the hour, you would never burn an ounce of fat. You must get beyond the 12 minute mark for the fat burning to kick in. That’s why a long walk for an hour is a great way to get into a sustained fat burning mode.0 -
The first thing you want to do is establish your caloric intake daily and this is largely based on how much weight you want to lose. If you are looking to lose weight and put on lean muscle, NO, you should not be consuming 2,000+ calories. Those types of calories are and can be normally reserved either for a male looking to put on lean, clean muscle or a female athlete. The reason why is because they train hard, often 2 x's a day and they need to consume enough calories where they are a) able to burn and b) can burn while feeding the muscle and not losing it.
I am a bodybuilder (Physique), and as a competitor, when it's time to prepare for a show, my caloric intake is no more than 1,400 and eventually it will decrease. I measure my macros; fats, protein and carbs. For me, it's Protein first, Carbs second and Fats third. I follow a very regimented diet during these 12 weeks however, the food may change up. I burn only about 800 calories in a workout. If I need to throw in a shake just to increase my caloric intake, I will do that post workout. That also feeds the muscle of all I've drained from it during a training session.
In order for you to lose weight, you need to eat! Yes, that sounds nuts, but you need to fuel your body, feed your muscle and avoid going into a catabolic state; where your body begins to eat into the muscle because it has no "food" or nutrients to feed off of. My suggestion would be to establish an eating program that will work best for you. Shakes are good but if you are looking to lose weight, Iso-Whey 100 is the one you want to use. A protein that is low in carb, high in protein and with only a gram or 2 of sugar. With your eating you also want to ensure you are incorporating weight training (nothing major or heavy! More reps will develop a lean, toned look). Cardio.. max 30 minutes. Cardio was invented for the heart; not to necessarily burn fat or calories.
It's all a checks and balances when it comes to dieting and exercise. They both play important roles. Portion control on food is vital. People think, "oh it's chicken breast I can eat a ton of it". WRONG. Chicken breast, although a clean food, also contains calories. So don't let anyone fool you. I eat no more than 4 oz of protein for each meal; whether it be chicken breast or fish (tilapia). My greens (broccoli, asparagus), no more than 1 cup and my complex carbs, no more than 3 oz (1/2 cup). Egg whites, oatmeal, spinach/greens, lean white protein (fish, tuna, chicken), and complex carbs; sweet potato, brown rice, quinoa, oatmeal, etc.. all great sources of fuel and of which converts into glycogen your body needs.
I wish you the best! I have been doing this for a while now (competing and as a personal trainer). Just be wary of all the fad diets, pills and other stuff that can harm you more than help. Happy eating and cheers to great workouts!0 -
I wouldn't eat under what MFP tells you to eat and certainly not as low as 1,000 cals a day. Other than that, my viewpoint is that there is no one right way. I've seen a lot of posts of people who vehemently disagree with each other about the "right" way, and most of them seem to be doing a good job of losing weight and getting fitter.
You have to try things out to find what works best for you. And those things most likely will change over time, and you'll notice new things that people are trying, and you'll see how that fits into your journey.
Eat healthy and not too much, drink water and not too little, be more active. All the rest is philosophy.0 -
There is no one right way. Everyone's body is different and there are multiple paths to the same goal. So take a few deep breaths and relax. There is a saying that I've learned is true: you lose weight in the kitchen, you get in shape in the gym. Instead of focussing purely on calories and killing yourself in the gym, pay attention to what MFP tells you. For example, at the end of completing your daily food diary, hit the report button. You may have noticed it tells you that if every day were like "today" in five weeks you'd weigh X lbs. It varies every day based on what you eat. What I've noticed is that it predicts a larger weight loss the closer I eat to the fiber, fat and sugar goals. Focus on eating healthy, real foods with fiber. That will teach you how to eat for a lifetime. Don't kill yourself with exercise or eat too little or you will shut down and go into starvation mode as people have said. Are you exercising just for weight loss? Or do you want to do cardio to address other physical issues like high blood pressure, stress or depression? It might be worth talking to a trainer to discuss a baseline routine. I either do a full weight routine followed by cardio and alternate with cardio days (I have other health issues) or I will lift weights for core and upper body with cardio one day and do weights for my legs with cardio the other days. Getting your workouts to a manageable length will make it easier to maintain. Don't forget, you can go outside and bike, play sports and do other things to get exercise, don't think of it as something you can only do in the gym. Good luck.0
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Don't eat fewer than 1200 calories. 1450 a day for your height is probably good, you should eat back at least 60% of your calories burned through exercise though, and you can eat back all of them if you want. (The reason I say at least 60%, is the burn estimates MFP gives for activity are often higher than what you actually burn, so a good rule of thumb is to eat back at least 60%-80% of what MFP says you earned through exercise.)
Cardio does give you a high calorie burn, but you don't have to do 40 minutes a day of it, 20-30 minutes every other day, with strength training on the days in between, is a good place to start. Also, walking burns calories, it isn't really vigorous, but it still burns calories, so if you can get in the habit of a daily walk, that helps too.
As far as food goes this is sound advice.
You don't have to do any workout to lose weight. Just a calorie deficit.
But of course workout has a lot of positive things attached to it. Body weight exercises are definitely a good idea for the start to give you some resistance workout to preserve the lean mass you have and to get your body going. Beware though that at some point you will have to progress, that can still be done with body weight it just gets harder to find things that challenge you as you get better.
Cardio is good for your heart and your whole cardiovascular system and of course gives you lots of nice calories. But in no way do you have to do it 3 tines a week. Start with walking... Maybe have a look at c25k, you might like it but you don't need it... Do what you can and what you like.
As someone else said, don't overdo it as it's more likely you will stop. Take time to find something you like doing
ETA: also have a look at this http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants0 -
I eat what MFP tells me.
I'm sedentary because of a knee injury.
I lose weight every week.
It all adds up.
One of my friends wasn't eating back her exercise calories at all and hit a wall, she ate a bit more and started losing.
These are facts.0 -
I would recommend reading the following posts for a start. Lots of great info there.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1017045-a-very-interesting-and-informational-read-on-deficits
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
Considering your workout routine, you would probably be better served if you averaged 1800-2000 calories per day. You may want to look into replacing some of your cardio time with a beginning weight lifting program like Stronglifts 5x5 or Starting Strength. Weight lifting is great for body re-composition and provides other health benefits such as stronger bones as well as a stronger core. If it is simply a smaller number on the scale that you seek, that can be done without exercise, but a mix of weight training and cardio will improve your overall health and fitness in the process.0 -
Be extremely careful eating under 1200 calories a day. I ussually dont eat my calories during the day- atleast not a large amount; because I know I will consume them at dinner... i ussually take a daily walk and run 2 miles at night ( I'm 5'2 173 lbs) anyways, today i didnt eat at all and decided to run my two miles BEFORE dinner and nearly passed out: I got so dizzy that i felt like I could vomit. BE CAREFUL0
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Don't eat fewer than 1200 calories. 1450 a day for your height is probably good, you should eat back at least 60% of your calories burned through exercise though, and you can eat back all of them if you want. (The reason I say at least 60%, is the burn estimates MFP gives for activity are often higher than what you actually burn, so a good rule of thumb is to eat back at least 60%-80% of what MFP says you earned through exercise.)
Cardio does give you a high calorie burn, but you don't have to do 40 minutes a day of it, 20-30 minutes every other day, with strength training on the days in between, is a good place to start. Also, walking burns calories, it isn't really vigorous, but it still burns calories, so if you can get in the habit of a daily walk, that helps too.
As far as food goes this is sound advice.
You don't have to do any workout to lose weight. Just a calorie deficit.
But of course workout has a lot of positive things attached to it. Body weight exercises are definitely a good idea for the start to give you some resistance workout to preserve the lean mass you have and to get your body going. Beware though that at some point you will have to progress, that can still be done with body weight it just gets harder to find things that challenge you as you get better.
Cardio is good for your heart and your whole cardiovascular system and of course gives you lots of nice calories. But in no way do you have to do it 3 tines a week. Start with walking... Maybe have a look at c25k, you might like it but you don't need it... Do what you can and what you like.
As someone else said, don't overdo it as it's more likely you will stop. Take time to find something you like doing
ETA: also have a look at this http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
That is correct, I wasn't implying that she had to workout, just saying if she wanted to it certainly didn't have to be for hours at a time or involve tons of sweat pouring from her body. Just that there are benefits. You can lose weight even if you never get off your couch, so long as you eat at a deficit.0 -
You're not eating enough to fuel your workouts, so your body wants to hold on to anything it gets.
Google TDEE and calculate yours, my guess is that you need to eat 1800-2100 a day.
Rigger
Just to note, if you eat at TDEE you will maintain. If you are using a TDEE method, you should do TDEE-10% or 20%, and don't eat back exercise calories since TDEE methods already take into account your activity level.
Your point? I highly doubt her TDEE is lower than 2100 based on the numbers provided, but I could run them to be sure if it would make you feel better. Then again, my wife is the same height, weighs less, and works out about the same, and TDEE-15% puts her at 1800ish, so I'm going to go ahead and stick with my assessment.
Rigger0 -
You are not alone when you feel confused. There is a lot of information out there but you have to listen to your body. If you are dragging then your body is telling you that you need more fuel.
I haven't got it all figured out yet, but I can tell you this, we make it far to complicated! With complication comes stress, and stress keeps you from losing weight as well, at least in my experience.
Relax and focus on making healthy choices and try to maintain an active lifestyle. Your body wasn't designed to be starved and it wasn't designed to be overworked.
When I lost weight the first time (85 lbs) all I did was walk for 45-60 minutes 3-5 days per week. It wasn't stressful at all, in fact it was rather relaxing. It is important to enjoy your activity!
As far as how much you should eat, I don't know that. Figuring out your BMR and TDEE is useful information and can help guide you to an appropriate calorie goal. You don't want to eat below your BMR. A friend suggested to me to eat my BMR + 100 calories + exercise calories. I say pick a place to start and slowly add calories 50-100 each week until you get to a place where your body seems happy and is losing while maintaining a good energy level and mood. You should still be able to enjoy your life even while adopting healthier habits.
In my personal opinion healthy whole foods always leave you more satisfied than health shakes and packaged foods. I can eat a lot of veggies for the same calories as shakes. Think in terms of volume, you can eat like a king, not have to starve yourself and still lose weight.0 -
Came in to give advice, but solid advice has already been dispatched. Carry on kids, I'm proud of you all!0
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You're not eating enough to fuel your workouts, so your body wants to hold on to anything it gets.
Google TDEE and calculate yours, my guess is that you need to eat 1800-2100 a day.
Rigger
Just to note, if you eat at TDEE you will maintain. If you are using a TDEE method, you should do TDEE-10% or 20%, and don't eat back exercise calories since TDEE methods already take into account your activity level.
Your point? I highly doubt her TDEE is lower than 2100 based on the numbers provided, but I could run them to be sure if it would make you feel better. Then again, my wife is the same height, weighs less, and works out about the same, and TDEE-15% puts her at 1800ish, so I'm going to go ahead and stick with my assessment.
Rigger
It's late, I clearly shouldn't be posting as I think I took your comment completely the wrong way. My apologies, I'm off to bed, carry on.
Rigger0 -
You're not eating enough to fuel your workouts, so your body wants to hold on to anything it gets.
Google TDEE and calculate yours, my guess is that you need to eat 1800-2100 a day.
Rigger
Just to note, if you eat at TDEE you will maintain. If you are using a TDEE method, you should do TDEE-10% or 20%, and don't eat back exercise calories since TDEE methods already take into account your activity level.
Your point? I highly doubt her TDEE is lower than 2100 based on the numbers provided, but I could run them to be sure if it would make you feel better. Then again, my wife is the same height, weighs less, and works out about the same, and TDEE-15% puts her at 1800ish, so I'm going to go ahead and stick with my assessment.
Rigger
The comment was not to imply that you were wrong, I actually agree with you. I was just making sure she knew that it was TDEE minus 10 or 20 percent so she wouldn't go and calculate and find out her TDEE and then eat at that. I really was honestly not trying to imply you were wrong, just trying to clarify a point that I wasn't sure if the OP was familiar with.0 -
I started myfitnesspal not too long ago. I've been told so many different things and even when I google stuff, i also get different answers from those sites. All i want is for someone to help guide me in the right direction with this weight loss journey of mines. So a few things you should know about my diet and i; I am 20 years old and 5'4 tall. I am currently 196 and my goal weight is to be 120-130. Right now my daily routine consists of a lean shake in the morning and one in the afternoon, my dinners are usually light. So my calorie intake is about 1000 to 1200 a day. I've read on a website that my calorie intake should be around 2100 to 2400 so thats one of the things that im not too sure about. I hit the gym about five times a week or once in a blue moon I will workout twice in one day. I do about 40 mins in cardio and my heart rate is usually around 170-176 which I know is high but the thing that shocked me that most is that even though I am burning more calorie but i wont lose any weight either with my heart rate so high. I just dont get why this is just all so confusing. I really do want to lose weight about learning all of this... It feels like i've been doing everything the wrong way. Anyhow I will also list these questions down below if you're too lazy to read and i apologize for my grammar its a bit off. it's 12 30 am and I am tired but curious.
1) How much calorie should I burn off at the gym with a 1400 calorie intake?
2) What is a good heart rate to be at during a workout to assist in burning fat?
3) Can I use lean shakes as meal replacements even though it will leave me at a huge calorie deficit, will doing this also slow down my metabolism?
I really appreciate any help you can provide.
Don't get frustrated. Take your time and learn basics. I booked mark a link to one of the discussions. There you will find basic, but most essential information. Once you learn them, you can make the right choices with nutritian and exercise
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/848374-large-collection-of-info-for-beginners-2013-edition
Welcome aboard!!0
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