Weight Loss Math

Adventure9
Adventure9 Posts: 58 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Would you mind helping me do my weight loss math. I want to see if I'm doing the correct math.

I'm a man, 54 years old.
5'10" and I weigh 197 lbs.
I have a moderately active white collar job - going to meetings etc. (in other words, I don't just sit at a desk all day)
I exercise 4 - 5 days a week on average. 3 - 4 days of moderate cycling for 1 hour each and 1 day at the gym doing a decent paced strength workout.

Based on the above, how many calories would I need to eat each day to lose 1 pound per week on average. Would you mind showing me your math.

Replies

  • edvsoreos
    edvsoreos Posts: 21 Member
    I suggest keeping it simple. Office job = sedentary. Use the MFP recommendation based on your info. See how you are doing after a few weeks and adjust if necessary. No math required and you get built in margin for your underestimated food and/or overestimated calorie burn. Most people do one or both of these.

    We're both the same height and sounds like we have similar office activities (I make it a point to visit folks vs calling). Keep it simple and it will work out fine.
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
    Office job = sedentary. Use the MFP recommendation based on your info. See how you are doing after a few weeks and adjust if necessary.
    ^^^This.

    Read this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • Adventure9
    Adventure9 Posts: 58 Member
    Thanks - all those posts are helpful. But, I'd still like for someone to take my numbers and take a stab at my personal math. I'm still a little confused and want to make sure I'm doing this correctly.

    Thanks!
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
    Set your activity level to sedentary. Set your goal to 1 lb. per week. Log your exercise, and eat back your exercise calories for two weeks.

    If you're not losing, eat back half your calories for two weeks, then reevaluate.

    The numbers are only estimates. It will take trial & error to find what works for you.
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    Set your activity level to sedentary. Set your goal to 1 lb. per week. Log your exercise, and eat back your exercise calories for two weeks.

    If you're not losing, eat back half your calories for two weeks, then reevaluate.

    The numbers are only estimates. It will take trial & error to find what works for you.

    :drinker:
  • MadTownD
    MadTownD Posts: 149 Member
    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
    TDEE - 20% = `1,741 Calories to lose 1 lb. per week.

    Eat back half or more of your exercise calories.
    No!!!

    TDEE includes exercise. Do not eat back any exercise calories—that's double dipping.

    Edited to add that the MFP default calorie goal has your deficit built in, but it does not include exercise. Since the calorie counts & burns are just estimates, many people eat back half their calories to reduce the margin of error.
  • MadTownD
    MadTownD Posts: 149 Member
    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
  • sloth3toes
    sloth3toes Posts: 2,212 Member
    Would you mind helping me do my weight loss math. I want to see if I'm doing the correct math.

    I'm a man, 54 years old.
    5'10" and I weigh 197 lbs.
    I have a moderately active white collar job - going to meetings etc. (in other words, I don't just sit at a desk all day)
    I exercise 4 - 5 days a week on average. 3 - 4 days of moderate cycling for 1 hour each and 1 day at the gym doing a decent paced strength workout.

    Based on the above, how many calories would I need to eat each day to lose 1 pound per week on average. Would you mind showing me your math.

    All you have to do, is to post your math. Then, anyone can tell you if it looks like it's been done correctly.
  • GymTennis
    GymTennis Posts: 133 Member
    I would go with 2300 calories every day to lose pound a week if I were you .. Not eating back calories or whatever.. I've seen a lot of people here confused with that.. So 2300 every day regardless if it's your work out day or not.. I used a pretty decent TDEE calculator to come up with this number based on your input..

    It's not an exact science, but it's a good starting point.. From then on, it's pretty simple..You eat your 2300 calories every day, if you're not losing fast enough, you cut back your calories a little (150 or so).. If you're losing too fast, you up your calories a little..

    Everybody is different and we all have to fine tune our calories intake, which you will be able to figure out in two weeks

    P.S. This will change with time.. After you lose 10,15 pounds or so, your TDEE will change too
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    I'm a man, 54 years old.
    5'10" and I weigh 197 lbs.
    I have a moderately active white collar job - going to meetings etc. (in other words, I don't just sit at a desk all day)
    I exercise 4 - 5 days a week on average. 3 - 4 days of moderate cycling for 1 hour each and 1 day at the gym doing a decent paced strength workout.
    Based on the above, how many calories would I need to eat each day to lose 1 pound per week on average. Would you mind showing me your math.

    Resting metabolic rate 1700-1750 cals/day so with sedentary job *1.2 = 2100 cals TDEE without exercise, from height/weight/age/gender, accuracy +/- 10%. Approx 30% body fat. Katch McArdle & Mifflin St Jeor equations. Your fat reserves will fuel about 1800 cals/day of fat release initially at 30 cals/day per pound of fat reserves.

    With no exercise using 500 cals/day deficit = 3500 per week would suggest 1600 calories per day of food.

    If you're as unfit as me you probably can't use more than 400 cals/hr additional to above while exercising, which suggests a cap of 2000 calories of food on exercise days.

    Subtract 200 cals/day if no results in 2 weeks suggests that you're at the lower end of the estimates.
  • Adventure9
    Adventure9 Posts: 58 Member
    Ok, I'll attempt my math using MFP.

    For reference: I'm 54 years old, 5'10", 197 pounds.
    Cycle, moderate pace 3.5 hours a week
    1 day of good pace strength training at the gym each week for 45 mins.
    Sedentary job.
    Goal - lose 1 lb per week.

    MFP says before adding exercise, I should eat 1660 calories each day to lose a pound a week.

    3.5 hours of cycling each week on average = 2502 calories burned on MFP for the week. This is 715 calories per hour, which does sound high??
    I'm guessing 45 minutes doing strength training burns approx. 300 calories. So this is a total of 2802 calories burned each week through exercise. If I spread this across 7 days it comes out to approx. 400 calories burned through exercise each day.

    If I add 1660 to 400 = 2060 calories that I should eat each day on average to lose 1 lb per week.

    Please comment on this math. Thanks!
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
    If I add 1660 to 400 = 2060 calories that I should eat each day on average to lose 1 lb per week.

    Please comment on this math. Thanks!
    #1. Weight loss takes a whole lot of trial & error to find what works for you.

    #2. Your goal should be to find the maximum number of calories at which you lose weight.

    So eat 2,000 calories for two weeks, then reevaluate. Rather than obsessing about the math, work on logging everything you eat accurately & honestly. Weigh your food.
  • Adventure9
    Adventure9 Posts: 58 Member
    If I add 1660 to 400 = 2060 calories that I should eat each day on average to lose 1 lb per week.

    Please comment on this math. Thanks!
    #1. Weight loss takes a whole lot of trial & error to find what works for you.

    #2. Your goal should be to find the maximum number of calories at which you lose weight.

    So eat 2,000 calories for two weeks, then reevaluate. Rather than obsessing about the math, work on logging everything you eat accurately & honestly. Weigh your food.

    That sounds like good advice. Was just trying to see if I was in the ballpark for my age and size.

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