Help with my calories please :)

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mightyseasider
mightyseasider Posts: 7
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi, I'm new to MFP and to calorie counting and just need a bit of advice please.

I'm aiming to lose 65lbs and have set my target at a 2lb loss per week.

My daily calories to eat have been set at 1250 and I'm also doing the Insanity workout (have just completed week 3) so burning around 400 calories doing this.

This gives me a total of around 1650 each day, so do I aim to use the full 1650 or just the 1250?!?

Any advice is very welcome, thanku :)

Replies

  • AprilJane1522
    AprilJane1522 Posts: 8
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    The counter says that you have gained and extra 'x' . I think, as long as your counter isn't red your in the clear.
  • terbusha
    terbusha Posts: 1,483 Member
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    What I do and what I recommend to people is to eat at a calorie level that allows you to drop 1-2 lbs/week. This assumes an average calorie burn from you getting in all of your workouts. This will be different for everyone, so you'll have to do some trial and error to figure it out. I'd start ~1600 cal/day. Hit this goal, along with your macros and getting in your workouts, for a week. If you lose 1-2 lbs, you're good to go. If you lose too much, increase your intake and repeat. If you don't lose enough, reduce your intake a bit and repeat. After a few weeks, you'll figure out what works for you in your situation.

    Allan
  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,074 Member
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    Hi, I'm new to MFP and to calorie counting and just need a bit of advice please.

    I'm aiming to lose 65lbs and have set my target at a 2lb loss per week.

    My daily calories to eat have been set at 1250 and I'm also doing the Insanity workout (have just completed week 3) so burning around 400 calories doing this.

    This gives me a total of around 1650 each day, so do I aim to use the full 1650 or just the 1250?!?

    Any advice is very welcome, thanku :)

    I would advise you to set your loss lower per week.

    Here is a helpful chart that makes its way around these boards:
    If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal

    At least 1-1.5lbs/week is ideal for you, since your loss goals are a little lower. I can tell you that I've tried the 2lb/week route before, and I was miserable because the calories are so low. I couldn't stick with it.

    You should be eating back some exercise calories to make sure you're getting a healthy net for the day. You should aim to hit at least 1,200 per day netted after all exercise is factored in.
  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
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    When I earn extra calories via exercise, I eat them if I'm hungry and don't if I'm not - so it varies day to day. I don't think there's a hard and fast rule about this. Some people eat all of them back, some people eat part of them back, some eat none. I think trying different things until you find what makes you comfortable is good advice :)
  • mightyseasider
    mightyseasider Posts: 7
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    Thanks everyone for your advice, I really appreciate it :):)

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