I feel like I'm doing it right ... but ...

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  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
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    I think you're right on the impossibility... But I wonder if this would have any impact on your hormone levels that could affect your weight loss efforts. (I don't know - honestly - just something to look into.)
    I have no uterus. I'm pretty sure that makes it impossible.
  • cheliekayy
    cheliekayy Posts: 37 Member
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    >>>I see you mentioned logging your eexercis calories, are you eating those back? With TDEE you shouldn't be. Just checking because I know between how the MFP way works and how TDEE works, it can be very confusing/misleading on what to do with exercise calories. >>>>

    Since I'm eating between my BMR and TDEE at 1450, I sometimes eat back exercise calories (NO MORE THAN HALF) and sometimes I don't eat any of them at all.

    That isn't how TDEE works.

    Go here, read all of it, follow it for at least 4 weeks, preferably 6-8 weeks and see how things go: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

    Then I'm TOTALLY misunderstanding something because those are the posts and calculator I used to set myself and my partner up. (who is having the same stalls)

    I've also had recent (and ongoing ) bloodwork including thyroid and estrogen so I know those aren't the issues.

    I know fitbits aren't entirely accurate for burns but mine says I have 2,021 yesterday, 2862 the day before. 1883 the day before.

    Even if I'm incorrectly logging dinging out .... 20% HIGHER of my TOTAL average Calories the past week ( 1196 counting even meals i'm logging at home ) that only means I'm taking in 1435 a day.

    This isn't accounting for any exercise AT ALL (which I have done)
  • suremeansyes
    suremeansyes Posts: 962 Member
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    Do you use a food scale to weigh your food?
  • cheliekayy
    cheliekayy Posts: 37 Member
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    Do you use a food scale to weigh your food?



    Yes. I have a weight watchers scale that I use and I assume is accurate because the things I place on it (like a can of beans or whatever) weighs the amount the can is labeled for.
  • cheliekayy
    cheliekayy Posts: 37 Member
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    How quickly did you lose your 22lbs? How tall are you?


    I lost the 22lbs in about 40 days. It was very fast. 5'4 1/2
  • a_stronger_me13
    a_stronger_me13 Posts: 812 Member
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    >>>I see you mentioned logging your eexercis calories, are you eating those back? With TDEE you shouldn't be. Just checking because I know between how the MFP way works and how TDEE works, it can be very confusing/misleading on what to do with exercise calories. >>>>

    Since I'm eating between my BMR and TDEE at 1450, I sometimes eat back exercise calories (NO MORE THAN HALF) and sometimes I don't eat any of them at all.

    That isn't how TDEE works.

    Go here, read all of it, follow it for at least 4 weeks, preferably 6-8 weeks and see how things go: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

    Then I'm TOTALLY misunderstanding something because those are the posts and calculator I used to set myself and my partner up. (who is having the same stalls)

    I've also had recent (and ongoing ) bloodwork including thyroid and estrogen so I know those aren't the issues.

    I know fitbits aren't entirely accurate for burns but mine says I have 2,021 yesterday, 2862 the day before. 1883 the day before.

    Even if I'm incorrectly logging dinging out .... 20% HIGHER of my TOTAL average Calories the past week ( 1196 counting even meals i'm logging at home ) that only means I'm taking in 1435 a day.

    This isn't accounting for any exercise AT ALL (which I have done)

    Your TDEE should account for all your activity, essentially what you burn above your BMR whether it be just your day to day tasks or specific exercise. After you find your appropriate TDEE you then need to subtract out calories to find your calorie goal to lose weight. A lot of people start with 20% but if you don't have a whole lot to lose, start with 10% or 15% less than your TDEE. Since that accounts for ALL of your activity, you shouldn't be eating your exercise calories back.

    Maybe we are saying the same thing, just in different terms.
  • Ang108
    Ang108 Posts: 1,711 Member
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    Looking at your food diary I believe your logging is off.
    There is no way that the half chicken you eat weighs each and every time exactly the same to add up to 457 calories....also I think ( and might be wrong ) that 457 calories for half a chicken is very little. Also you seem to eat each time 67 grams of green beans that if I remember right add up to 20 calories.
    For over a year I have weighed each portion I have put in my mouth and have cooked all food at home and can say that similar pieces of fish and meat or portions of food have never been identical in weight. And while the calories of green beans, or a 15 gram difference in a piece of chicken make very little difference , not really weighing the meat of half a chicken you presumably have not prepared yourself probably will......just to name an example.
  • cheliekayy
    cheliekayy Posts: 37 Member
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    >>>I see you mentioned logging your eexercis calories, are you eating those back? With TDEE you shouldn't be. Just checking because I know between how the MFP way works and how TDEE works, it can be very confusing/misleading on what to do with exercise calories. >>>>

    Since I'm eating between my BMR and TDEE at 1450, I sometimes eat back exercise calories (NO MORE THAN HALF) and sometimes I don't eat any of them at all.

    That isn't how TDEE works.

    Go here, read all of it, follow it for at least 4 weeks, preferably 6-8 weeks and see how things go: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

    Then I'm TOTALLY misunderstanding something because those are the posts and calculator I used to set myself and my partner up. (who is having the same stalls)

    I've also had recent (and ongoing ) bloodwork including thyroid and estrogen so I know those aren't the issues.

    I know fitbits aren't entirely accurate for burns but mine says I have 2,021 yesterday, 2862 the day before. 1883 the day before.

    Even if I'm incorrectly logging dinging out .... 20% HIGHER of my TOTAL average Calories the past week ( 1196 counting even meals i'm logging at home ) that only means I'm taking in 1435 a day.

    This isn't accounting for any exercise AT ALL (which I have done)

    Your TDEE should account for all your activity, essentially what you burn above your BMR whether it be just your day to day tasks or specific exercise. After you find your appropriate TDEE you then need to subtract out calories to find your calorie goal to lose weight. A lot of people start with 20% but if you don't have a whole lot to lose, start with 10% or 15% less than your TDEE. Since that accounts for ALL of your activity, you shouldn't be eating your exercise calories back.

    Maybe we are saying the same thing, just in different terms.


    I'm really confused because before posting I went to scooby and plugged my information in to give the stats in the first post, but this time they are different - maybe I had a typo ?

    Either way, I'm putting myself in at my height/weight/age and at a desk job. With a 20% calorie reduction as my goal.

    It says my BMR is 1568
    It says TDEE 1881
    And my daily calorie goal (based on the 20% reduction) is 1505

    My goal on MFP is set at 1450 though my actual consumption has averaged 1196 over the past four weeks. (assuming I'm logging correctly when going out to eat - which I am going to try to cut back on as much as is possible).

    Are you saying at 1505 (being TDEE minus 20%) if I log exercise I should or should NOT eat any of those back? I was under the impression since I have myself set at "desk job / sedentary) that I should eat some of those calories back.

    Thanks for your help too :)
  • a_stronger_me13
    a_stronger_me13 Posts: 812 Member
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    I'm really confused because before posting I went to scooby and plugged my information in to give the stats in the first post, but this time they are different - maybe I had a typo ?

    Either way, I'm putting myself in at my height/weight/age and at a desk job. With a 20% calorie reduction as my goal.

    It says my BMR is 1568
    It says TDEE 1881
    And my daily calorie goal (based on the 20% reduction) is 1505

    My goal on MFP is set at 1450 though my actual consumption has averaged 1196 over the past four weeks. (assuming I'm logging correctly when going out to eat - which I am going to try to cut back on as much as is possible).

    Are you saying at 1505 (being TDEE minus 20%) if I log exercise I should or should NOT eat any of those back? I was under the impression since I have myself set at "desk job / sedentary) that I should eat some of those calories back.

    Thanks for your help too :)

    The definition of "sedentary" is a tricky one. Depending on what you are doing for exercise, sedentary might be enough to account for your exercise and the calories that you burn during normal daily activities. It's best to start on the low end of what you think you are at and then you can adjust up or down from there depending on what the scale does and how you feel energy wise.

    Most desk job folks, unless they are highly active throughout the week, will fall under "sedentary" and that will be enough to cover your exercise as well, meaning you would not eat back the exercise calories because they've already been considered in your overall deficit. I would start out by eating a total of 1505 calories and an easy way to do that but still log your exercise is to log all of your workouts as 1 calorie. If you see the scale dropping drastically or you begin to feel fatigued, increase your calories accordingly.

    ETA: I think you will see the accuracy of what you log tighten up quite a bit just by cooking more of your meals yourself. I have nothing against eating out, it's just that with a lower calorie goal there is less room for error and with eating out frequently you are exposing yourself to more opportunities for error.
  • suremeansyes
    suremeansyes Posts: 962 Member
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    I don't think you should eat below your BMR though.

    But yes, if you do TDEE you don't eat back exercise calories because your exercise should be included in your initial setup.
  • suremeansyes
    suremeansyes Posts: 962 Member
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    Are you not exercising at all during the week?
  • Vigilance88
    Vigilance88 Posts: 95 Member
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    Are you saying at 1505 (being TDEE minus 20%) if I log exercise I should or should NOT eat any of those back? I was under the impression since I have myself set at "desk job / sedentary) that I should eat some of those calories back.

    You are right, if you set it to sedentary you eat some/all exercise calories back.
    It's confusing to use the term TDEE like you are, because it means total energy used including exercise.
    You are using your NEAT, all energy needed without exercise, which you log later in MFP.
  • cheliekayy
    cheliekayy Posts: 37 Member
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    Looking at your food diary I believe your logging is off.
    There is no way that the half chicken you eat weighs each and every time exactly the same to add up to 457 calories....also I think ( and might be wrong ) that 457 calories for half a chicken is very little. Also you seem to eat each time 67 grams of green beans that if I remember right add up to 20 calories.
    For over a year I have weighed each portion I have put in my mouth and have cooked all food at home and can say that similar pieces of fish and meat or portions of food have never been identical in weight. And while the calories of green beans, or a 15 gram difference in a piece of chicken make very little difference , not really weighing the meat of half a chicken you presumably have not prepared yourself probably will......just to name an example.

    I agree with you that there may be variances. Which I honestly think I am accounting for. My "half chicken" last night was logged at the highest calorie count I found for a plain roasted half chicken. I didn't even eat the dark meat. So if anything, I'm logging MORE than I actually ate.

    Also, while my goal is SET at 1450 I'm averaging 1196 per day. Which is around a 17% margin for error.

    Preparing all my food at home just is never ever going to happen :(
  • cheliekayy
    cheliekayy Posts: 37 Member
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    The definition of "sedentary" is a tricky one. Depending on what you are doing for exercise, sedentary might be enough to account for your exercise and the calories that you burn during normal daily activities. It's best to start on the low end of what you think you are at and then you can adjust up or down from there depending on what the scale does and how you feel energy wise.

    Most desk job folks, unless they are highly active throughout the week, will fall under "sedentary" and that will be enough to cover your exercise as well, meaning you would not eat back the exercise calories because they've already been considered in your overall deficit. I would start out by eating a total of 1505 calories and an easy way to do that but still log your exercise is to log all of your workouts as 1 calorie. If you see the scale dropping drastically or you begin to feel fatigued, increase your calories accordingly.

    ETA: I think you will see the accuracy of what you log tighten up quite a bit just by cooking more of your meals yourself. I have nothing against eating out, it's just that with a lower calorie goal there is less room for error and with eating out frequently you are exposing yourself to more opportunities for error.

    Well, seeing as I just got a fitbit last week my steps per day were pathetic (I'm working on increasing them the past couple days). I work at home. I get out of bed, plop myself at the laptop and work the majority of the day and a large portion of most evenings. My activity is definitely something that is actually an effort. Such as the elliptical, walking, aerial yoga, a work out dvd (I like the biggest loser series) etc.

    So are you saying that at 1505 it's likely covering my daily activities AND exercise ?
    That I shouldn't log any credit for activity and eat (PART) of them back ?
  • a_stronger_me13
    a_stronger_me13 Posts: 812 Member
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    Preparing all my food at home just is never ever going to happen :(

    What is your eating schedule like? Is there a way you can move around when you eat your meals so that it allows you to prep more food at home?

    I also like to do a lot of food prep on the weekends or whenever I have a decent chunk of spare time, which sometimes is rare. I will cut and divvy up my meat and veggies for a lot of meals and then all it takes is some olive oil and a hot pan to have a quickly cooked, homemade meal. It can be a bit of a chore at first, but an hour or two of prepping and planning can make cooking at home with a busy schedule a hundred times easier.
  • suremeansyes
    suremeansyes Posts: 962 Member
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    Are you exercising on a regular basis? Even if it is once or twice a week?
  • cheliekayy
    cheliekayy Posts: 37 Member
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    Are you not exercising at all during the week?

    I do the elliptical or walking (weather dependent) at least once. I do a form of yoga at least once (if not twice a week) and I usually have a heavy day of walking /errands / aerial yoga work / outdoor or home improvement stuff once a week.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    Are you not exercising at all during the week?

    I do the elliptical or walking (weather dependent) at least once. I do a form of yoga at least once (if not twice a week) and I usually have a heavy day of walking /errands / aerial yoga work / outdoor or home improvement stuff once a week.

    You may be overestimating those burns from what I have seen, although it is hard to tell because you have one personalized one that doesn't really explain what it is.
  • a_stronger_me13
    a_stronger_me13 Posts: 812 Member
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    Well, seeing as I just got a fitbit last week my steps per day were pathetic (I'm working on increasing them the past couple days). I work at home. I get out of bed, plop myself at the laptop and work the majority of the day and a large portion of most evenings. My activity is definitely something that is actually an effort. Such as the elliptical, walking, aerial yoga, a work out dvd (I like the biggest loser series) etc.

    So are you saying that at 1505 it's likely covering my daily activities AND exercise ?
    That I shouldn't log any credit for activity and eat (PART) of them back ?

    Yes, as a starting point at least. Try eating a total of 1505 calories, without eating back any that you may log from exercise for two weeks and see what happens. If you feel either unusually tired or the scale is dropping quickly, like more than 1lb/week, then adjust up. You can either adjust according to what the scale shows, so say you dropped 1.5lbs per week, you could add up to 250 calories a day and still see a loss of about 1lb per week. 100 calories per day increase is a good place to start and then see what the scale does after a week or two of that and repeat the process.

    What I think a lot of TDEE how-to posts fail to emphasize enough is how much of a guesstimate using these calculators actually is. Start with a number and fine tune it to suit your actual caloric needs and weightloss goals. Breaking up activity levels into only 5 categories is hardly refined enough to account for the entire population's varying activity levels.
  • ChrisM8971
    ChrisM8971 Posts: 1,067 Member
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    If you are not losing weight then you not in a deficit, either due to a medical issue (some of your posts suggest that you need to get this checked) or because you are over estimating calorie burns or under estimating food consumption

    Things to remember, just from personal experience

    There are a lot of inaccurate entries on MFP, try and use the the entries without a * because these are added by MFP and tend to be more accurate (watch out for French beans though because they are way out)

    If not using the custom calorie settings on MFP then you will have to manually recalculate your calorie goal as you lose more weight

    HRM's aren't always as accurate as people assume they are, I use a net figure (I deduct 72 cals per hour from my HRM reading because I would burn at least that sat on my bum instead of exercising)

    While chain restaurants don't want to give food away in larger portions than those used for nutritional data, a heavy handed chef can make a big difference with butter addition alone

    The fact that your partner is suffering the same issue suggests that it is a calorie issue rather than a medical one

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