How to do this properly?! Help!

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lauly101
lauly101 Posts: 63 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So I told MFP what I wanted to weigh and when by and it put me on 1200 cal a day. On the advice of others I put it up to 1350. I' just not clued up on this at all. So if I start my day on 1350 and then walk the 4 miles I do every day to work and back (no car!) and then do a workout etc I have burned off say 600 cals. MFP adds this to my cal goal - I don't understand why? Do I then eat the 1350 + 600 or just the 1350? I am hitting a no movement spot at the moment and reading on the forums I am not sure if it is to do with my not eating enough. I'm generally quite ok with food - not great and not as terrible as I used to be (did have a bad day yesterday). I can't work out if I'm not losing weight/inches because 1) I'm just not eating enough given my workouts and the leftover workout calories 2) because I wasn't that massive to start with the first stone came off really quick and it's harder to get the rest off 3) because I'm actually kidding myself that what I'm eating is OK and it's actually terrible.

I've never lost weight before and I just don't get it. People talk about deficit and that sort of stuff... am I just being a ninny? Im looking better than I have in a while but want to look just that little better. I'm not obsessive and don't want to 'get in to it' too much because I know what I get like (became obsessed with exercise at uni and got down to a really small size and I don't want to get into that mindset again, it didn't work for me - it was negative and not positive as it is with some others).

I just don't know what to do? I can feel myself slipping into becoming obsessive and I don't want that but I just need some clarity and maybe a 'seriously you had a mcdonalds?' kick up the bum. Or just someone to explain what it all means - the terms and deficit and if I have ot eat the cals MFP adds on after exercise? I did really badly under eat the other day (just a busy day at school) and it told me off. It's only told me off once.

Argh! Hate not understanding stuff.

Replies

  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
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    When you say you're not massive to start with - can you give some stats? height and weight?

    There are 2 numbers which are important - your BMR, Basic Metabolic Rate, which your body needs just to get by. That's a rough and ready 1200, though clearly it varies from person to person.

    Then theres the amount of calories you actually use up each day. Again, it'll differ from one person to the next, and from day to day, but the average is your TDEE - Total Daily Energy Expenditure.

    Eat bewteen these 2 numbers and you should lose weight.
  • lauly101
    lauly101 Posts: 63 Member
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    I'm 5 foot 7.5 and started off 76kg (so overweight but not obese)

    Starting stats:

    bust 38
    biceps 12 and 11.5
    waist 31.5
    hips 45
    thighs 26.5 and 26
    calves 17 and 18

    End month one Insanity

    70kg

    bust 37
    biceps 11 and 10.5
    waist 28
    hips 42
    thighs 25 and 24.5
    calves 16 and 15.5

    Now (week two month two)

    bust 36
    biceps 10.5
    waist 27.5
    hips 41
    thighs 24.5
    calves 16 and 15.5

    weight 70-72 (Ive been weighing every day and I'm really up and down by 2kg from one day to the next). I started on 6th Jan and was doign insanity so am on day 50 more or less but had two weeks off in the middle as I had flu and couldnt move, let alone do insanity :p.

    Ok, thanks for the clarification. I want to get down just a little bit more but havent really changed in two weeks at all, my first month on Insanity I changed loads and feel Ive sat here for a while.
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
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    Ywo weeks is a really short period of time to notice any results! I think you just need a bit more patience ;-)
  • lauly101
    lauly101 Posts: 63 Member
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    lol, thanks! :) That's all I needed. As I say I have NO idea about stuff like this. I was the nerd at school, was pitiful at PE lol. I've never been good at exercise or dietary knowledge etc.etc. so I just need telling! :)

    Thanks!
  • metimemum
    metimemum Posts: 27 Member
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    Hi

    I am the same as you. I have decided to follow MFP recommendations and see how it goes. I have similar stats to you. MFP recommended I start with 1410 cals and then add with exercise, which is about 400 cals after my Insanity workouts.

    The 1350 that you mention is what you would need to eat if you just wanted lose weight and you didn't do any exercise. If you did do some exercise then just add the calories the MFP recommends, so in your example 1350 + 600 is 1950 cals that you should eat up to in a day.

    A few tips for you:

    1) Weigh yourself once a week if you must - make sure it's at the same time and same day of the week. Weighing yourself day by day doesn't build up a long term picture of what's happening, as there are so many things that can happen in a day. e.g. time of month, it's a hot day and you're dehydrated, you are sick etc etc
    2) don't focus on weight - muscle is heavier than fat, so if you are getting slimmer then you may be losing fat and gaining muscle (some nice abs perhaps)
    3) You really want to lose fat and not weight. Best way to measure loss of fat is to focus on other stats like waist, hips, arms, thighs etc etc... They will give you a more accurate picture of how your body is changing. From the stats below - it looks like you are doing a good job... All your measurements are going down, so that's fantastic. The inches are coming off.
    4) Take MFP as a guideline. MFP told me 2 weeks ago that it would take me 5 weeks to lose 1kg. I lost 1.8kg in 2 weeks! So I'm not taking MFP too seriously now. It's not that accurate because we are all different people.

    Looking at your stats over 6 weeks, it looks like you are doing really well. Matter of fact, you have inspired me to keep going too. I'd love to lose 6kg and a few inches off everywhere.

    Hope that helps. Good luck with your last 10 days. Just push play and stay motivated.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants


    read that

    1. Log accurately using a digital scale to weigh solids and measure liquids
    2. Eat back 50-75% of your exercise calories to fuel your next workout
    3. repeat.
  • gypsy_spirit
    gypsy_spirit Posts: 2,107 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants


    read that

    1. Log accurately using a digital scale to weigh solids and measure liquids
    2. Eat back 50-75% of your exercise calories to fuel your next workout
    3. repeat.

    This is what works. Do this.
  • mikeschratz
    mikeschratz Posts: 253 Member
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    Go to this thread, it is very good:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1176534-i-m-sexy-and-i-know-it-my-first-year-of-strength-training

    and then try this one: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/974888-in-place-of-a-road-map-2k13

    These two things did quite a lot for me. I would read folks success stories and keep to Dan's Road Map...

    Have a good day and Good luck on your Journey!
  • babycakes1983
    babycakes1983 Posts: 2
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    Hi, I stated the MFP properly I have started on 1200 calories a day MFP but me on this. which I have stuck to everyday, but I am always hungry!! I was on slimming world before I started this where I was eating breakfast, snack (on fruits) lunch snack (on fruits) tea, then maybe snack (on fruits) in the evening but I didn't seem to lose thought maybe I was eating to much, when I looked at the calories I was eating (all the free foods) I was eating a lot. I'm 5.6and weigh 10.1lb I'd like to get to 9 and half stone for my wedding day in June.. how am I meant to stick to this if I am always hungry?.
  • wahmx3
    wahmx3 Posts: 646 Member
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    So you are 5'7" and weigh about 155 pounds, that isn't overweight to me so you will have a harder time losing as you don't have much to really to lose. To answer your question, you should be eating back your exercise calories. I wouldn't worry about the ones you use walking to work and back but log any actual exercise and eat back those calories. I suggest you get your BMR calculated so you know what you should be eating, personally I don't think you are eating enough, even at 1350.
    I'm 5 foot 7.5 and started off 76kg (so overweight but not obese)

    Starting stats:

    bust 38
    biceps 12 and 11.5
    waist 31.5
    hips 45
    thighs 26.5 and 26
    calves 17 and 18

    End month one Insanity

    70kg

    bust 37
    biceps 11 and 10.5
    waist 28
    hips 42
    thighs 25 and 24.5
    calves 16 and 15.5

    Now (week two month two)

    bust 36
    biceps 10.5
    waist 27.5
    hips 41
    thighs 24.5
    calves 16 and 15.5

    weight 70-72 (Ive been weighing every day and I'm really up and down by 2kg from one day to the next). I started on 6th Jan and was doign insanity so am on day 50 more or less but had two weeks off in the middle as I had flu and couldnt move, let alone do insanity :p.

    Ok, thanks for the clarification. I want to get down just a little bit more but havent really changed in two weeks at all, my first month on Insanity I changed loads and feel Ive sat here for a while.
  • metimemum
    metimemum Posts: 27 Member
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    Babycakes1983,

    I had the same problem as you. MFP suggested about 1210 cals to start off with and by the second day I was incredibly hungry, couldn't focus on doing anything except for being hungry and I started becoming very grouchy towards my kids..

    I set my goals to losing 0.2kg a week as opposed to 0.5kg a week which meant that I could have 200 more cals a day, which I seemed to find much more manageable.

    Funnily enough I have found I'm still losing 0.5kg a week, so not so sure how accurate MFP is.

    I would suggest upping your calorie intake and see what the results are then. I personally find it better to be happy and lose weight slower, compared to being grouchy and losing weight faster.

    Hope that helps and good luck with whatever you decide.
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
    Options
    You have 15 lb. to lose. Set your goal to .5 lb. per week, and be patient. Log everything you eat & drink accurately & honestly. Eat "healthy" (whatever that means to you) 80% of the time. Fit yummy, portion-controlled treats into your calorie goal. Deprivation can lead to bingeing.

    Weight loss takes a whole lot of trial & error to find what works for you. Log your exercise & eat back your exercise calories for two weeks. If you aren't losing, eat back half your exercise calories.

    Read this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

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