Very confused about how much to eat!

KD2186
KD2186 Posts: 7 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Let me start off by saying I have no idea what I'm doing! There is so much info on here and it is very confusing.

I started at 215 lbs, ZERO exercise, lots of eating out (4-5x per week) and lots of chocolate and other sweets.

I managed to lose 25lbs so far (since December) with barely any effort. I cut my sweets and eating out to once per week (still have that rule), and the weight came off pretty easily.

I only began counting calories in mid February. My weight loss since the beginning of February has slowed significantly, which is why I was looking for info about why 1200 calories doesn't seem to be getting me great results.

I still manage to lose 1 pound per week but I am aiming for 2. Considering I still have 65 to go, this seems like it should be possible!

My stats:
SW: 215
GW: 125
CW: 190
Age: 28
Height: 5'3"

No weight lifting/resistance training yet. I started Couch to 5K 2-3 weeks ago and that is my only exercise so far (3x 30min per week). I am otherwise very inactive (sitting for most of the day, driving when I go out). According to the treadmill I lose about 200cal per workout and since I know this number is usually inflated, I don't eat those calories back most days. I do drink my 8 glasses of water per day.

I know I must weigh my food instead of measuring, but should I eat 1200 per day or more? How much of it should be carbs/fat/protein? Do I eat back what I've lost when on the treadmilll? Some posts suggest eating a certain % below TDEE and not eating back exercise calories and some don't mention it at all.

Any advice would be very much appreciated! I am hoping to get to 2lb/week with no changes in exercise. I realize how important exercise is, believe me! But I also know if I add too much too quickly, I will be overwhelmed and give up. I plan to add some free weights and simple exercises like squats in 2-3 weeks, then Insanity or a similar program once I've completed Couch to 5K.

Thank you in advance!

Replies

  • DrJenO
    DrJenO Posts: 404 Member
    Can you open your food diary?
  • KD2186
    KD2186 Posts: 7 Member
    Yes it's open now!
  • DrJenO
    DrJenO Posts: 404 Member
    Your diary looks okay, but there was one day that you didn't track anything. It is easy enough to sabotage your entire week with one day. As in, you stay at 1200 for the first six days, and then eat 1000 extra calories (or more) on that 7th day.

    MFP doesn't use TDEE, but some other method whose name I can't recall. At any rate, you are supposed to eat your exercise calories back, because it hasn't already accounted for them. So if you are running 30 min x 3 per week, you should eat those back, either on those days or another day that week.

    Take a look at this:
    http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/

    Per your stats, when I plugged it into the calculator, it gave you a TDEE of 2149. This takes into account your exercise. This is a maintenance number.

    I put in the "reckless" or 25% below TDEE and it gave me 1612. This would mean if you exercised, you wouldn't add those calories back to the 1612.

    Most importantly is your BMR, basal metabolic rate. This is the amount of calories your body would be using to just be alive, as in, you are in a coma and not moving literally ANYTHING ALL DAY. Your BMR is 1563. You shouldn't go below your BMR, because your body needs that fuel.

    Congrats on your weight loss so far! You have been doing well. I would consider eating more on a daily basis to fuel your body and your workouts. Trust the process. 1 lb per week is not only healthy, it is SUSTAINABLE. You will be less hungry, less prone to binging/falling off the wagon, etc.

    I'm about to head out for my own exercise, so hopefully someone else can chime in as well.

    Good luck!
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    I took a peek at your diary and noticed you don't weigh most of your food...that is key along with using the correct entries in the Database...look for lots of confirmations on them.

    If your weight loss has slowed you aren't in as big of a deficet as you think.

    As for you goals with 65lbs to go between 1-1.5lbs a week is good until you hit 50 then go to 1lb.

    You should have lots of calories to eat and if you exercise eat 50-75% of them back.

    Reasonable goals will result in weight loss...it might not be as quick as it was at first but you will continue to lose.
  • KD2186
    KD2186 Posts: 7 Member
    Thanks for the reply!
    What I am unsure of is, what should my deficit be? 20% less than BMR? 20% less than TDEE? Or just a very accurate (with weighing food) 1200 calories per day?
  • KD2186
    KD2186 Posts: 7 Member
    Thank you so much! I am very afraid of eating 1600 calories per day. Up to recently everything I read said 1200 calories and 400 extra seems like a guaranteed weight gain. It is worth a shot though!
  • DrJenO
    DrJenO Posts: 404 Member
    Never go below your BMR.

    You can do 15-25% below TDEE (which, as above, I got at around 1600 per day) or use the MFP calculation (aiming for 1-1.5lb/week) and then add your exercise back.

    ETA: N/m, we posted at the same time :)
  • belgerian
    belgerian Posts: 1,059 Member
    Personally I think you should excercise more it is easier to excercise then it is to cut your calories way down. And by excercise I mean just being active possibly stairs at work when you have 10min or lunch or after work what ever you can fit in. You can even do excercises sitting at your desk. Here is a site to check out http://inhabitat.com/top-6-products-for-staying-in-shape-at-work/. you could get resistance bands and use them at your desk the list is endless really.
  • CampbellTony
    CampbellTony Posts: 38 Member
    20 % less than TDEE is a good start. Some people like to set their TDEE with exercise included, some dont. They set their TDEE as sedentary and then eat back some or all of their exercise calories. I do the latter because my exercise days and amounts vary. As has been said by someone else, weigh everything that goes in your mouth, buy a digital food scale and be OCD about it. Its the best way to ensure success. Good luck, and well done on your current loss :smile:
  • KD2186
    KD2186 Posts: 7 Member
    Thanks! I am adding more exercise in gradually.
  • KD2186
    KD2186 Posts: 7 Member
    Thank you!

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