This feels like too much - is it?

louisekerry86
louisekerry86 Posts: 58
in Health and Weight Loss
I was looking at this website - http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
and after entering my information and setting it to 3-5 hours of moderate exercise per week (I go to the gym 5-6 days a week), it gave me these numbers:

BMR 1888
TDEE 2927
Daily calories based on goal 2342

I set my goal to be -20%

Is this right? 2342 calories a day seems an awful lot.

If I set the activity level at 'desk job' it gives me:

BMR 1888
TDEE 2266
Daily calories based on goal 1813

But then how would I factor calories burnt at the gym into that? Just eat them back? So if I was on a rest day I would have the 1813 calories for the day, but then if I burned 500 calories in the gym I'd have 2313 for that day? (I'd round it to 1800 and 2300 I think) but is that right? I'm just about getting my head around this, this is the only thing left that's confusing me lol.

Have I understood it correctly?

Thanks! :) x

Replies

  • Samstan101
    Samstan101 Posts: 699 Member
    Assuming you've put your correct height, age & weight in then those numbers are correct (well roughly as everyone is slightly different eg muscle mass etc and these calculators an only work off an average). Your summary is also correct. You can either average yur exercise cals across the week and eat the same each day (this is the TDEE - x% method) or you can eat a lower amount based on just normal daily activity (so for a desk job that'd be sedentary or lightly active) and then eat back your exercise cals (or a portion of them if using MFP's estimate for exercise burn as most of us think it over estimates by 25-50% for a lot of activities).

    Personally I prefer eating the same each day and averaging it over the week rather than starving on a rest day and having more than I can eat on a long run day. But both methods are equally valid.
  • louisekerry86
    louisekerry86 Posts: 58
    Thank you :) I'm struggling to meet the goal most of the time anyway, I don't have a very big appetite and I'm trying to train myself to always have breakfast. I feel that what would work best for me is to set that goal for 1800 a day then without exercise, and then add whatever calories I've burned the next day onto that goal. I have just ordered a fitness watch, it tells you how many calories you're burning, my trainer at the gym told me to get one. Once it arrives and I can track my calorie burn properly I will be aiming for 500 calories most days, though I have two strength days on my schedule so I'll just add whatever amount of calories I burn from those onto my daily goal of 1800 on those days.

    I hope that's correct. It just seems that even 1800-2300 is too much, especially when I see others having just 1200-1500 a day. But I've tried that and all I've got from it from my doctors and trainer and nutritionist is that its not enough. It gets so confusing...
  • Springfield1970
    Springfield1970 Posts: 1,945 Member
    Just plot everything on a note or piece of paper, like a graph.

    Everyone's different anyway, and you will need less calories as you drop weight too.

    I would weigh everyday and average every week.

    You'll see what works. Plateaus will probably happen but choose a number and stick to it stubbornly.

    I found out that way that my maintenance calories was 1750 without exercise, which happened to be halfway between sedentary and lightly active on the scooby calc. His calcs are really good.

    I eat my burns (or 3/4 of em if I know a party is coming up in the next few days!) I do this because some days I'm resting and others I'm training really hard and long for triathlon, and I partition my fuelling.

    Either way, don't stress, you will lose, but it's not an exact science. Eat enough protein and colorful fruit n veg and some of your favourite foods too, in moderation.
  • louisekerry86
    louisekerry86 Posts: 58
    I'm in the middle of a plateau at the moment, I've put on 9kgs over the last six months (its all in muscle, I have actually lost inches) and now it just won't shift no matter what I do, I eat less, (which to be fair I don't eat too much anyway) I work out in the gym 5-6 days a week. Though now I've decided to do 2 days strength and 4 cardio, instead of 3 strength and 2-3 cardio. So I'm hoping that will help some.
    I've lost 65lb since October 2012, but I still have another 100-110 I want to lose. So I'm trying to really get my head around all of this and do it properly. I have PCOS too.
  • Samstan101
    Samstan101 Posts: 699 Member
    Thank you :) I'm struggling to meet the goal most of the time anyway, I don't have a very big appetite and I'm trying to train myself to always have breakfast. I feel that what would work best for me is to set that goal for 1800 a day then without exercise, and then add whatever calories I've burned the next day onto that goal. I have just ordered a fitness watch, it tells you how many calories you're burning, my trainer at the gym told me to get one. Once it arrives and I can track my calorie burn properly I will be aiming for 500 calories most days, though I have two strength days on my schedule so I'll just add whatever amount of calories I burn from those onto my daily goal of 1800 on those days.

    I hope that's correct. It just seems that even 1800-2300 is too much, especially when I see others having just 1200-1500 a day. But I've tried that and all I've got from it from my doctors and trainer and nutritionist is that its not enough. It gets so confusing...

    If it helps put your mind at ease I'm 5'6", 41y-0 and 186.5lbs currently. I'm eating an average of 2100 cals a day and burning an average of 2800 (I run around 25miles a week, 2 weights sessions and 2-3 30min cross training sessions - usually elliptical or rower) and have a desk job. I'm losing an average of 1.1lbs a week consistently. (I've actually increased my cals slightly as my weight has dropped as my TDEE has gone up because I've increased my run mileage.) I've also calculated what my maintenance would be when I reach goal assuming my amount of exercise remains the same and I'm actually eating at around my maintenance level now. This means I fully expect my losses to slowly taper off as I get nearer goal but also helps that I am eating now as I can eat forever.
  • louisekerry86
    louisekerry86 Posts: 58
    That does put my mind at ease actually, thank you :)
    Could I just ask, how long did it take you to get into running? I've been doing interval running on the treadmill in the gym for the last week, I'm getting better with it, but then the last two nights I've been trying to run outside and can only manage a little jog before I get a stitch, something I don't get for a good 20 minutes on the treadmill.
  • Samstan101
    Samstan101 Posts: 699 Member
    That does put my mind at ease actually, thank you :)
    Could I just ask, how long did it take you to get into running? I've been doing interval running on the treadmill in the gym for the last week, I'm getting better with it, but then the last two nights I've been trying to run outside and can only manage a little jog before I get a stitch, something I don't get for a good 20 minutes on the treadmill.

    I started at 290lbs with the C25K programme (a progressive walk/ run programme - loads of threads on it!). Its a 9 week programme but I took about 15 weeks to do it. I hated it at first but when I could run (very slowly!) for 20mins non-stop I realised I was enjoying it. I now love it (did my first Half Marathon last weekend, set a new 5k PB this morning :D). I just built up my distance slowly and the speed has slowly increased as a)I've got more miles under my belt and b) as the weight has come off. I started on a treadmill but now much prefer outside, I also find it easier outside as there are distractions plus changes in gradient etc makes it feel easier somehow. I'd say stick with it, IMHO its definitely worth it! Best of luck :)
  • louisekerry86
    louisekerry86 Posts: 58
    thank you! :D when I was jogging earlier, I did like how I could just sort of drift off after a while, and just think about the view in front of me (I was running along a street with a view of the cityscape and the bridge was lit up and it was all very pretty :) , then when I had to stop again I looked back and realised the entire street I'd just jogged up was uphill! lol! I'm going to stick with it, its something I really want to progress and get better with, I'd love to be running miles and miles once I get there. I love how it feels (when I don't have a stitch :P lol ) or more to the point I love how I feel afterwards. I guess I just wanted to make sure it was something I can get better at in time and if I stick with it, and not just something that I suck at and I'd never get better. But it seems that it is something you can improve with so I'm gonna keep running :D
  • Bullmeat
    Bullmeat Posts: 2
    It's normal for all growth (and ungrowth) to have plateaus as there ARE no constants and no absolutes in the universe. When growing up, did you gain a steady MilliMeter a month? NO!!! You grew in SPURTS and BURSTS. Did you learn in carefully measured doses? NO!!! SO give yourself a break.:drinker: CELEBRATE your WIN!! ANd get ready for the next race in the morning, by not counting everything.

    I workout as hard as I can, according to My plan. Some days I CAN'T do 10, so I take 8 because I KNOW on the good days I do 13.

    Forget the #'s, you are more than 2/3 of the way THERE.

    1)You made the decision to change AND and made a plan! A GIANT STEP!!
    2)You started working your plan and are STILL WORKING IT.
    The last third is all coasting down hill. Just keep doing what you are doing.

    Life changes are not EVENTS, they are a process. Composed of many events. Stick with YOUR process.
  • sarah2954
    sarah2954 Posts: 291 Member
    That does put my mind at ease actually, thank you :)
    Could I just ask, how long did it take you to get into running? I've been doing interval running on the treadmill in the gym for the last week, I'm getting better with it, but then the last two nights I've been trying to run outside and can only manage a little jog before I get a stitch, something I don't get for a good 20 minutes on the treadmill.

    I run on my treadmill daily, and when I run outside (like this morning) I think I'm going to die lol. Running on a treadmill is so much easier than running outside. On the treadmill, the ground moves for you. Outside, you have to use your muscles to keep propelling yourself forward. I run 35 minutes on the treadmill; this morning outside, I ran 10 minutes and got a cramp in my side and had to walk for a minute. Hope this helps :)
  • louisekerry86
    louisekerry86 Posts: 58
    Bullmeat - thank you! Its nice to think of it that way, I've been really letting the scales get me down recently, I know I'm getting better, I can feel it, but when I get on them and see those numbers its hard to stay positive sometimes. I will try to focus less on the numbers :)

    Sarah - that's great, I'm so glad I'm not the only one lol, I can run on the treadmill fine, I got outside tonight and felt like I couldn't go even a minute. I pushed through and carried on but it hurt like hell. I think I'll keep doing it each evening just to see if I improve, but I'll stick to the longer runs on the treadmill for now :)
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
    Sounds right to me. I personally love the Scooby calculator.

    Remember too that as you lose weight your body will require less calories. That's why you'll have to recalculate it every so often.
    I also prefer eating the same amount everyday. It makes things much more streamlined. And also I don't have to be counting my calorie burns like crazy (even though I do like to see how much I'm burning). It takes alot of math out of the equation and just makes things easier.

    I know upping calories can be scary. Give it a chance though. I bet you'll be pleasantly surprised!
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    That does put my mind at ease actually, thank you :)
    Could I just ask, how long did it take you to get into running? I've been doing interval running on the treadmill in the gym for the last week, I'm getting better with it, but then the last two nights I've been trying to run outside and can only manage a little jog before I get a stitch, something I don't get for a good 20 minutes on the treadmill.

    I run on my treadmill daily, and when I run outside (like this morning) I think I'm going to die lol. Running on a treadmill is so much easier than running outside. On the treadmill, the ground moves for you. Outside, you have to use your muscles to keep propelling yourself forward. I run 35 minutes on the treadmill; this morning outside, I ran 10 minutes and got a cramp in my side and had to walk for a minute. Hope this helps :)

    You will adjust and get used to running outside eventually. Find some place without too much hill or climbs to start. I run both indoor and outdoor but prefer outdoor just it's refershing and fun. :)

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