Calorie HELP Please... Am I eating enough

nelsonab
nelsonab Posts: 34 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I know this is debated on these boards non-stop, but I really need some help. Background, two years ago I was at 210 pounds (down from 267). I was working out a lot and did some major damage to my knee. Last year I had two knee surgeries within 6 months of each other. This put me down and/or on crutches most of the year. I gained 40 pounds during that time.

I'm now at 251. Have been tracking for 3 weeks, and working out for the past two. I am doing 30 minutes on the elliptical 2-3 days per week, and just started BodyPump 3 days per week. I'm extremely motivated to get back on track. I am keeping my calories around 1500 per day.

I ran my numbers with BMR/TDEE on the scooby site and it shows with 15% cut my calories (depending on which activity level I choose) should fall between 2189 and 2468. That seems like a lot, but I'm not losing anything with what I'm doing either.

Am I getting enough calories at my weight to fuel my workouts? I have a desk job during the day. Also, I am trying to cut out the majority of "processed" carbs as well. I feel great. I've gone from 1 mile in 35 minutes on the elliptical to 2 miles in 25 just in the 3 weeks and was amazed I could complete the 1 hour Body Pump class, but I want to be succesful at the weight loss as well.

Any advice welcomed. Thanks

Replies

  • tegalicious
    tegalicious Posts: 629
    Hey! The first thing I noticed is that you are most likely not weighing your food with a food scale. Is this correct?
  • nelsonab
    nelsonab Posts: 34 Member
    I am weighing my food with scales meticulously. As you will see this isn't the first time I've lost weight, but it is the first time I've started with adding physical activity from the start.

    Edit to add - Maybe not my veggies, but that's pretty much it.
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
    here's a different approach.

    Pick a number in the range that the calculators gave you.
    give it 6-8 weeks.
    weigh at the beginning of the 6-8 week period.
    weigh at the end.

    if you've lost, you're doing it right.
    If you've stayed the same... congrats, you found your maintenance.
    if you've gained, look and see the amount gained... do some math, and subtract the difference... the start again.

    ETA: and weigh everything. choose the generic entries in grams... etc.
  • tegalicious
    tegalicious Posts: 629
    I just noticed that a lot of your entries are for "half a cucumber" and "1 cup grapes". Typically that means someone isn't weighing. I wasn't trying to be mean. One trick to find database entries based on weight is to add "usda" to your search. Another trick is to enter it as a plural. Try to only pick entries that don't have asterisks next to them. Those are actual mfp entered items and should be the most accurate.
  • tegalicious
    tegalicious Posts: 629
    here's a different approach.

    Pick a number in the range that the calculators gave you.
    give it 6-8 weeks.
    weigh at the beginning of the 6-8 week period.
    weigh at the end.

    if you've lost, you're doing it right.
    If you've stayed the same... congrats, you found your maintenance.
    if you've gained, look and see the amount gained... do some math, and subtract the difference... the start again.

    This is a very good way to find your actual TDEE!
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member


    I ran my numbers with BMR/TDEE on the scooby site and it shows with 15% cut my calories (depending on which activity level I choose) should fall between 2189 and 2468. That seems like a lot, but I'm not losing anything with what I'm doing either.


    Any advice welcomed. Thanks

    Since you have quite a bit to lose, you can take a 20% cut.

Categories