Newbie...AIM: lose 1 or 2lbs a week...

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Tinamacarina
Tinamacarina Posts: 5
edited February 16 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi guys!
So starting yesterday I'm trying to reduce my calorie intake (overindulged a lot recently) and keep up the exercise. I get confused with the log on my app; I say I'm lightly active, so it says to maintain i need to eat about 2000 cals. So then I add walking (normally 55 mins a day) and Tabata (calisthetics, 12 mins) or running, so through additional exercise I burn about 300/400 cals a day according to MFP.
I want to lose 1 or 2 lbs a week: I've been eating about 1400 a day. Is this about right?
Also, is it true if i have 3500 less than usual I'll lose a pound? So i could in fact lose a pound in 5 days, if i reduce calories by about 700?
Thanks!
Tina

Replies

  • mschicagocubs
    mschicagocubs Posts: 774 Member
    Do not reduce your calories that much.

    1400 is usually a good ballpark. What's your height? weight? That will determine how much you need to lose and how much you should realistically be consuming.
  • Tinamacarina
    Tinamacarina Posts: 5
    Sorry if I confused you, I meant reducing my intake BY 700, not ONLY EATING 700. So I am having 1400 day, if that's what you thought I meant?
    I'm 22, 5 ft 7 and weigh 145 pounds xx
  • Tabithas_Transformation
    Tabithas_Transformation Posts: 93 Member
    When you select "Lightly Active" it works out your deficit based on you doing some exercise already. Did you select this because of your walking that you do? If so, you may not want to add your walking to your diary.
  • Tinamacarina
    Tinamacarina Posts: 5
    Well I have quite an active lifestyle anyway as I'm at drama school, so I'm on my feet acting a lot, (though also sat sometimes) but then I get confused about when to add things, like you say, like walking, exercise and so on...! Would it be best to have it as sedentary and then add everything ? Thanks for the help! x
  • Morgaath
    Morgaath Posts: 679 Member
    You are trying to lose that last 10lbs, so aim for 0.5lbs/week, as that will make it real easy to transition into maintenance, which is much better than the whole yoyo thing people trying to lose 2lbs/week for every single last lb do, because they have no idea of what they need to eat to stay at the level they want.
    Y
    3500cals = 1lb = 500cals per day
    1750cals = 0.5lb = 250 cals per day.

    So if it is telling you to eat 2000 to maintain, 1750/day should get you on the money.
  • Tinamacarina
    Tinamacarina Posts: 5
    Thank you, that's so helpful ! But do you think it would be an okay plan to try have 1400 for the next few days/week (for some reason i'm more motivated if I set myself a strict target), then go to 1750 from then onwards? x
  • DrJenO
    DrJenO Posts: 404 Member
    When you select "Lightly Active" it works out your deficit based on you doing some exercise already. Did you select this because of your walking that you do? If so, you may not want to add your walking to your diary.
    Actually, that doesn't include exercise, only a baseline level of activity. It's not TDEE, but some other acronym (?NEAT). It asks you your exercise goal more to motivate you.
  • geekyjock76
    geekyjock76 Posts: 2,720 Member
    Stick to 0.5 lbs per week. You simply don't have the fat mass to warrant and support the 1 lb or 2 options. Those are for people with significantly more fat mass to lose.
  • Tinamacarina
    Tinamacarina Posts: 5
    Stick to 0.5 lbs per week. You simply don't have the fat mass to warrant and support the 1 lb or 2 options. Those are for people with significantly more fat mass to lose.

    Okay, you guys are making sense. SO to lose 0.5 a week, I basically need to keep my food and exercises updated, look at the 'remaining' calories for the day, and if it's 250, I'll lose the 0.5lb? Sorry if I'm being a bit slow! x
  • Morgaath
    Morgaath Posts: 679 Member
    Stick to 0.5 lbs per week. You simply don't have the fat mass to warrant and support the 1 lb or 2 options. Those are for people with significantly more fat mass to lose.

    Okay, you guys are making sense. SO to lose 0.5 a week, I basically need to keep my food and exercises updated, look at the 'remaining' calories for the day, and if it's 250, I'll lose the 0.5lb? Sorry if I'm being a bit slow! x

    Yes. Mind you, it is not a perfect thing. Things can cause your weight to yoyo. At one point I walked in the gym, hit the scale, lifted weights, ran 5k, and as I was getting my last drink I hit the scale again. I gained 2lbs while in the gym, because I'd been sucking down water left and right. Water is about 8lbs per gallon, so I had drank a quart more than i had sweated out...not to mention my clothes and hair (touches my belt when wet) were soaked from the running.
    Day after a hard workout, your body will hold water to work on repairing stuff, salt will jack things up, etc.
    I ignore my weight, and look for things like having to move my belt to a new tighter hole, is this shirt lose, etc.
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