Am I doing this right, or am I just paranoid?

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2xMommaYork
2xMommaYork Posts: 19
in Getting Started
I'm new to calorie counting and keeping a food/exercise journal. I *think* I have properly prepared myself (using an activity tracker and a heart rate monitor) and I *think* I am logging accurately (measuring and weighing every single thing I put in my mouth, making better food choices)... but all these numbers overwhelm me and boggle my mind. I've been working out for nearly 3 months now and logging food for nearly a month, but I'm not really seeing results on the scale. I'm seeing moderate results in measurements, but I'm still doubting my understanding of all the numbers and data. My daily calorie goal set by MFP is 1200, but I'm confused about the accuracy of the macros? Are they right? There are days (like yesterday for example) when I exercise more and by the end of the day I'm still supposed to be eating back over 1000 more calories?! It's physically impossible. Am I doing this right? Please, any critiques or advice are welcome. I want to succeed here.

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  • ShaunaRasmussen
    ShaunaRasmussen Posts: 2
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    I find that the 1200 calorie intake isn't correct to me. As well, I have never had it where I exercise and burn calories and now I get to eat them back. What? I would suggest talking to your doctor or googling what your proper calorie count should be. Then you can override your daily allotment and work towards eating only that amount. The extra that you burn while exercising is good. If you burn more than you eat then you are in a calory deficit and you should be loosing weight. Remember 3500 caloric deficit should equal 1 pound. Good luck!
  • anzi888
    anzi888 Posts: 102 Member
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    In my opinion, easiest way to do it is:
    Calculate your TDEE (how many cals you burn a day doing daily things- including workout). Substract 500 from that number. That number will be what you should be in eating in calories to lose 1 lbs per week (which is usually the recommended amount).
    For Macros: well it depends what your looking for. I've never really counted them because I follow a meal plan from my Sports Dietician but they usually fall at around 50% carbs, 20% fat, 30% protein.
  • MaggieLoo79
    MaggieLoo79 Posts: 288 Member
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    Only eat back half of your exercise calories. :)
  • 2xMommaYork
    2xMommaYork Posts: 19
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    Anyone willing to look at my diary and critique? I'm open to advice and suggestions. I just feel like I should have lost more than 5 pounds after 3+ months of busting my *kitten* five days a week. :/
  • Linnaea27
    Linnaea27 Posts: 639 Member
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    I find that the 1200 calorie intake isn't correct to me. As well, I have never had it where I exercise and burn calories and now I get to eat them back. What? I would suggest talking to your doctor or googling what your proper calorie count should be. Then you can override your daily allotment and work towards eating only that amount. The extra that you burn while exercising is good. If you burn more than you eat then you are in a calory deficit and you should be loosing weight. Remember 3500 caloric deficit should equal 1 pound. Good luck!

    This ^^ is complete misinformation. This person is dangerously wrong. The only thing correct in that post is that about 3500 calories (approximately)=1 pound of fat.

    First, and most importantly, read and take into consideration this excellent post, and the threads the OP there links to: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
    That excellent guide should really help you figure out what to do, and how to change what you are doing now.

    Here's why the reply you got that I quoted above is so incorrect: You will be in a calorie deficit even if you eat back your exercise calories computed by MFP if you have your weight goal set to losing some amount of weight each week (2 lbs, 1 lb, 0.5 lb). If you were to actually burn more during your intentional exercise than you eat in a day, then you would be deep into negative calories-- you'd be starving yourself if you did that. Your body must have some food to sustain itself-- do things like sleep, breathe, grow new cells. The amount of calories required for the most basic survival-- what your body would need if you were, goodness forbid, comatose-- is called your basic metabolic rate, or BMR. It's likely that 1200 calories is below your BMR, unless you are under 5'1" or so. So, it's OK to eat back at least half your exercise calories-- in fact since you have a heart rate monitor to track burns somewhat accurately, you should be eating back AT LEAST half of what you burn on top of your daily 1200 calories. Additionally, 1200 calories is pretty low as a base amount-- that level of calorie deficit is for those who have more than 75 pounds to lose. If you have, I believe, 25-50 pounds to lose, you would choose the goal of losing 1 pound a week, and less than 25 pounds, you'd pick 0.5 pound a week to lose.

    Usually when someone gets the 1200 calories/day allowance on this site, it is because they picked 2 lbs a week when they could lose weight healthily (and slightly more slowly) while eating more, or because they picked the "sedentary" activity level, the description of which is rather misleading. If one was sedentary by MFP's standards, one would almost never move at all. Most people are at least "lightly active" even if they have a desk job-- think about the movement entailed in going shopping, cooking, cleaning, taking care of a child or pet, etc.

    Basically I think you're not eating nearly enough, so your body is holding on to every fat cell it can as energy reserves.

    How tall are you and what is your current weight and goal weight? Those pieces of info would be helpful-- we all could give much better advice with that info.

    Sorry if I sounded abrupt-- I was indignant at the first reply you got which is so misleading! I really hope you figure this out-- good luck! If you do nothing else, read the link I posted-- I think you will find it very informative and hugely helpful.

    (Edited for clarity and typos)
  • 2xMommaYork
    2xMommaYork Posts: 19
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    I have read that post several times. I think I have a basic understanding of it, but when math equations start getting thrown around, I get confused. I'm 5'3" tall. I started at 165 lbs, currently weigh 160 lbs. I'd like to get down to 125-130 lbs. I set my activity level without work outs at lightly active, and a goal of losing 1 lb a week. I have a full time desk job, but also have 2 kids and a household to look after. I work out five days a week for an hour minimum, plus play softball two nights a week. I have no health issues and take no medications. I don't want to get discouraged by what the scale reflects, but I feel like I must be missing something to have only lost 5 lbs after 3 months.
  • 2xMommaYork
    2xMommaYork Posts: 19
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    I decided to try upping my daily calories to 1440 which puts me at a 500 calorie deficit. We'll see what that does.
  • _lyndseybrooke_
    _lyndseybrooke_ Posts: 2,561 Member
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    Eating 1000 extra calories is physically impossible? So you're saying you burn 1000 calories a day when you work out? And your HRM is telling you this? Or are you burning 500 and only eating 800, and therefore you have 1000 calories left? Either way, eating 2200 calories a day is not hard. If it was hard, no one would be overweight (including you). I can, and often do, eat 2200 calories in a day and it's quite easy.

    Your goal of 1200 is most likely too low. You probably have your MFP goal set to losing 2 lb/week. Change it to 1. Hell, change it to .5. MFP estimates are known for being low. And yes, eat back your exercise calories. Better yet, don't use MFP numbers at all and just calculate your TDEE minus 10-20% and eat that many calories without eating back the ones you burn. Whatever works best for you. If you're overwhelmed by the numbers so far, I'd go the TDEE method, manually change your MFP settings, and call it a day.
  • aricbramlett
    aricbramlett Posts: 16 Member
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    First thing I noticed is that walking for 80 minutes and 76 minutes of softball is not going to burn over 1200 cals. Are you using a heart rate monitor?
  • 2xMommaYork
    2xMommaYork Posts: 19
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    Yes, I am using a heart rate monitor and my "walking" is at such a pace that I can't carry on a conversation while doing it. I sweat heavily and get very flushed. Softball, I play catcher so I am moving throughout the game. On a day where I work out and play softball my heart rate monitor is telling me I burn about 475 calories (give or take - it varies whether I am on a treadmill or walking outside) walking and anywhere from 600-800 during a hour and 20 minute softball game (I guess that varies depending on how many hits I get, and thus run more bases).
  • 2xMommaYork
    2xMommaYork Posts: 19
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    I meant eating 1000 extra calories at the end of the day after logging everything in. Like I get home from a softball game, log it in and at 10:00 at night it's telling me to eat 1000 more calories. I just couldn't, unless I went to McD's or something and got something terrible for me. Perhaps this is just poor planning on my part, and on softball days, I should anticipate how much I am going to burn during the game and eat a heavier breakfast and lunch?

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