Metabolic Question! I'd love some advice.

Options
white_rushin
white_rushin Posts: 43
in Food and Nutrition
Hello. Ever since I started using MFP just a few weeks ago, I came to the realization that I've been under eating. The IIFYM TDEE said for me to be at about 2600. With 15-20% off of my TDEE, I should be eating around 2100-2200 calories a day to safely lose weight. (On a side note, MFP and Scooby's TDEE says that my matinence is at 2900 and that my recommended number i should hit is at 2400 cal/day. Seems a bit high compared to the other TDEE calculator.)

The problem is however that I've not been eating at that number. I'd say that I've been eating more around 1700-1900 a day, thats sometimes with exercise calories included. Feel free to look at my log and see if theres anything that stands out.

Mentally, I'm afraid that If i start eating the recommended amount of 2200 or… *gulp*… even 200-300 more calories from exercise that I'll put back on some of the weight that I so desperately tried to get rid of.

My uneducated way of thinking is that my metabolism isn't prepared for the 2200+ cal diet that I should be at.

Can anybody give some advice to me on what I should do or help me understand why my logic is flawed?

Thanks.

Replies

  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    Options
    Diary is closed. How tall, current weight ??
  • gypsy_spirit
    gypsy_spirit Posts: 2,107 Member
    Options
    How much weight have you been losing a week? If it's too high, then start bumping calories up a little each week, until you are losing at a comfortable rate. All the calculators in the world will only produce an estimate. It's more important the you track food and exercise carefully and watch for the trend.

    Over time, if you record everything as accurately as possible, you should get a pretty reliable set of numbers to work with.
  • white_rushin
    white_rushin Posts: 43
    Options
    Diary is closed. How tall, current weight ??

    Sorry, still getting the hang of MFP. The diary is open now.

    I'm 160ish and 6"2. I know my weight is low compared to my height, but when I was 180, it wasn't muscle, just extra fat.
  • white_rushin
    white_rushin Posts: 43
    Options
    How much weight have you been losing a week? If it's too high, then start bumping calories up a little each week, until you are losing at a comfortable rate. All the calculators in the world will only produce an estimate. It's more important the you track food and exercise carefully and watch for the trend.

    Over time, if you record everything as accurately as possible, you should get a pretty reliable set of numbers to work with.

    I lost about 1.5 lbs in a week. That's most recent since I starting taking notice. The problem with my diary is that I don't have a food scale, so I don't know how perfectly my caloric intake is. That's also why I have tried to stay on the lower side of my calories/day. I don't want to accidentally go over.
  • Sun_Wukong
    Sun_Wukong Posts: 131
    Options
    The MFP database for exercise calories tends to be inaccurate at the best of times, generally overestimating the amount you have actually burnt, a lot of people eat back about 50% of their exercise calories. Trial and error will be the method you will have to approach this with.

    General recommendations for weekly weight loss goals should be based on a number of factors, the main one of which is how much weight you have to lose. The more weight that you have to lose the less severe the negative impact of being at a calorie deficit will have generally (see below for examples).

    As a rule of thumb, the following weekly targets would give a balance between minimizing these negative side effects and seeing a reasonable weekly weight loss:
    More than 75 lbs: 2 lbs/week
    40-75 lbs: 1.5 lbs/week
    10-40 lbs: 1 lb/week
    Less than 10 lbs: 0.5 lb/week

    Obviously, the deficit that is right for you will depend on your personal circumstances and how well you deal with the deficit. For example, for someone who is morbidly obese, the health benefits of getting the weight off quickly will often outweigh the possible negative impact and, as such, a higher than 2 lb a week deficit may well be appropriate.

    Exercise calories

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf

    I would go with the TDEE approach mentioned and explained in the provided links as it takes a lot of guess work out of the equation and gives you a steady baseline to work with.

    Another great link.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • Sun_Wukong
    Sun_Wukong Posts: 131
    Options
    How much weight have you been losing a week? If it's too high, then start bumping calories up a little each week, until you are losing at a comfortable rate. All the calculators in the world will only produce an estimate. It's more important the you track food and exercise carefully and watch for the trend.

    Over time, if you record everything as accurately as possible, you should get a pretty reliable set of numbers to work with.

    I lost about 1.5 lbs in a week. That's most recent since I starting taking notice. The problem with my diary is that I don't have a food scale, so I don't know how perfectly my caloric intake is. That's also why I have tried to stay on the lower side of my calories/day. I don't want to accidentally go over.
    I would definitely invest in one asap, they cost about $20 for one that will do the job...a worthwhile investment indeed.

    Logging accuracy

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/872212-you-re-probably-eating-more-than-you-think
  • white_rushin
    white_rushin Posts: 43
    Options
    The MFP database for exercise calories tends to be inaccurate at the best of times, generally overestimating the amount you have actually burnt, a lot of people eat back about 50% of their exercise calories. Trial and error will be the method you will have to approach this with.

    General recommendations for weekly weight loss goals should be based on a number of factors, the main one of which is how much weight you have to lose. The more weight that you have to lose the less severe the negative impact of being at a calorie deficit will have generally (see below for examples).

    As a rule of thumb, the following weekly targets would give a balance between minimizing these negative side effects and seeing a reasonable weekly weight loss:
    More than 75 lbs: 2 lbs/week
    40-75 lbs: 1.5 lbs/week
    10-40 lbs: 1 lb/week
    Less than 10 lbs: 0.5 lb/week

    Obviously, the deficit that is right for you will depend on your personal circumstances and how well you deal with the deficit. For example, for someone who is morbidly obese, the health benefits of getting the weight off quickly will often outweigh the possible negative impact and, as such, a higher than 2 lb a week deficit may well be appropriate.

    Exercise calories

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf

    I would go with the TDEE approach mentioned and explained in the provided links as it takes a lot of guess work out of the equation and gives you a steady baseline to work with.

    Another great link.

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

    These are great resources, I'll be sure to look them over and also pick up a food scale.

Categories