Newby here and I have a question!!!

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Ok, Im new to the whole calorie count weight-loss world and I have one question. My BMR (or calories burned on avg) is 2260. Well, I've reduced my intake to 1300; and with that i plan on "hitting the gym" 5 days a week doing various cardio exercises for 60 mins each day. Well, my question is, DOES THAT SEEM CORRECT/HEALTHY? IS THAT ALL I NEED TO DO TO LOSE WEIGHT? im confused on the whole calorie intake/burn thing and Im the type where i just need someone to tell me how much to eat and how much to burn. So, again..with the amt that I burn and the amt that intake, will i see GOOD results in a month or even a week ?

Replies

  • CarterGrt
    CarterGrt Posts: 289 Member
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    I think you should add calories. 1300 a day and burning 400-600 doing an hour of cardio per day seems like you won't be getting enough calories. Not an expert, but I would say 1500 would be more of a minimum with this kind of work-out plan. Others will know better.

    Good Luck!!!

    --Carter
  • jpmajors
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    The idea is to have a deficeit of at least 500 cal a day. So if your BMR is 2000 (just for round numbers and you eat 1500 cal your body will get the other 500 from your fat stores. Now if you also exercise and burn 200 cal you now have a 700 cal deficit. The point is if your body needs 2000 calories it will get it where it gets the calories from is with in our control..
  • TIFnFIT
    TIFnFIT Posts: 46 Member
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    I agree with Carter. Basically, you need to burn more calories than you take in. We didn't gain it overnight, we won't loose it overnight. Slow and steady wins the race! Good Luck!!
  • MelissaL582
    MelissaL582 Posts: 1,422 Member
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    I think you should add calories. 1300 a day and burning 400-600 doing an hour of cardio per day seems like you won't be getting enough calories. Not an expert, but I would say 1500 would be more of a minimum with this kind of work-out plan. Others will know better.

    Good Luck!!!

    --Carter

    I would have to agree as well.

    I have mine set to 1600 but that's doing 3 days/30 minute workouts (at least anyway)
  • Qbanldy
    Qbanldy Posts: 18 Member
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    I would have to agree with Carter, it seems like 1300 and doing an hour workout 5 times a week is not enough food. I'm not sure how tall you are but 1500-1800 is usually a good average.
    Good luck!
  • islandgirljane
    islandgirljane Posts: 15 Member
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    Hi Just follow the calorie intake suggestions provided by myfitnesspal. If 1300 is your recommended calorie intake then stick with it. Also eat some of the calories burned from exercise. Try not to be too far under the recommended calorie goal (which is already a deficit) because you will put your body in starvation mode (body wants to keep what you're trying to get rid of). Unfortunately I don't know the calculations to give the correct answer because I'm sure the answer is also based on height, current weight and level of activity etc. Just be true to your diary entries and exercise and you will lose weight. :happy:
  • pcmoore
    pcmoore Posts: 53 Member
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    wish I could help you.....I do think once you start entering food and exercise regularly into MFP you will get a better feel of what to do. It has helped me a TON and I am brand new at this too! I am just feeling my way through and have found this site to be extremely helpful! I would suggest taking your measurements as in this 1st week I have seen a change in my measurements before I saw anything on the scale. I was confused by "eating the calories you burn" but understand a little better now......I am on 1200 cal limit but that is before any exercise. Once I add workouts it automatically adds calories to what I still need to consume for the rest of the day.
    Best of luck to you..Wish I could be more helpful!
  • nora62662
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    If you are taking in 1300 and you burn 300 that day means you get to eat the extra 300. You will see once you ad your food and exercise it will show you how much more you get to eat. The more you burn the more you get to eat over your 1300.
  • pjames22
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    Hi,
    That is why this sight makes it so easy. When you initially enroll, it asks you for your height and weight. Depending on
    this, it will tell you how many calories you can eat per day to lose 1 pound per week. One pound per week is what
    is recommended. You add to your "diary" everything you eat on a daily basis. Now, when you exercise, you will
    also list that. Lets say you are to eat no more than 1200 calories per day to lose the 1 pound per week and you
    burnt 300 calories due to exercise. That 300 calories is then added to the 1200 because you can eat 300 more
    and still lose 1 pound per week because you burnt them up. However, if you burn up the 300 calories and do not
    replace them with food, you will lose more than 1 pound per week. I hope you are not more confused by this. I would
    like to add you as a friend. You add friends and they are a really big help and encouragement. Good luck and God Bless.
  • tdesautel
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    I was in the same situation, I work out 5 days a week and eating 1380 calories, Well I have been doing this for 2 months now and not one pound lost, so I went to a nutritionist and she said that I was burning enough calories but not taking in enough, so my body was basically acting like it was starving and keeping all my fat and not letting it go. So she said I should strive for 3000 calories burned a day and eat 1800-1900 calories per day, and guess what, 3rd day of this new system and I have lost 3 pounds,
    Good luck.
  • donnacorey
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    Your BMR is the amount of calories you burn just living. If you were to lay in bed all day the amount of calories your body burns just by breathing and doin its thing is your BMR. You need to put in your ht, wt, goal wt and how many pounds you want to loose for this program to tell you how many calories you should be eating each day. When you log your foods it calculates how many calories you have eaten and how many you have left for the day. Your calories per day will go down as you loose because as your body gets smaller you dont need as many calories. When you log your exercise it will add calories to your remaining calories left for the day (you can eat more if you exercise)! Think of calories as a unit of energy, the more you burn (with exercise) the more you can eat. And yes all we have to do to lose wt is eat less calories than you burn!!! I dont think your 1300 is prob enuf let the program work for you, if you eat to little your body goes into starvation mode and you wont lose anything.