How do you know if you lost muscle?

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lelyke
lelyke Posts: 47
in Health and Weight Loss
For some time now I've been losing at a steady 2.2 lbs per week but this past week, I did a lot of fasting, including fasting for 1 1/2 days. I lost 4.4 lbs which is twice what I typically lose in a week. I haven't lost this much since my first two weeks, do you reckon I lost some muscle? I have about 29% BF by the way. P.S. I didn't fast for almost two days to starve, I had a church program.

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  • Bambi8137
    Bambi8137 Posts: 43 Member
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    Good question would like to know this also. Today is my weigh in day.. One week of extensive exercise and low cal diet. But what I didn't know was that I should eat back my calories I've lost. I'm new to weigh loss and I burn about 800 calories a day, and eat about 1000 so on mfp it says I have a net of 200.... I hope I don't lose muscle. Good question!
  • fushigi1988
    fushigi1988 Posts: 519 Member
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    Good question would like to know this also. Today is my weigh in day.. One week of extensive exercise and low cal diet. But what I didn't know was that I should eat back my calories I've lost. I'm new to weigh loss and I burn about 800 calories a day, and eat about 1000 so on mfp it says I have a net of 200.... I hope I don't lose muscle. Good question!

    Net calories should be at least your BMR, please don't starve yourself like this.
  • Bambi8137
    Bambi8137 Posts: 43 Member
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    My BMR is 1674, do I eat half, or all?
  • Bambi8137
    Bambi8137 Posts: 43 Member
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    Also mfp says I should consume 1200 calories a day. Is this enough.
  • eggcluck
    eggcluck Posts: 36 Member
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    1600 as a BMR seems a little low, are you sure? Where did you get that number? The blanket recommendation for the average woman is 2000. ( I am including "activity level" and not the lying down doing nothing activity level.

    Jumping in at 1200 is not recommended it will cause all sorts of problems later and at very low calorie levels weight loss WILL stall.
  • fercar3000
    fercar3000 Posts: 286 Member
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    http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/harris-benedict-equation/
  • Bambi8137
    Bambi8137 Posts: 43 Member
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    http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/ that's where I got it from. It told me to put height weight and gender and age
  • Bambi8137
    Bambi8137 Posts: 43 Member
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    I went back to the site and it said i was suppose to multiply that number by 1.55 which I got 2500. Isn't that kinda of high if I want to lose weight?
  • stuart160
    stuart160 Posts: 1,628 Member
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    Find a place with a Bod Pod
  • Chevy_Quest
    Chevy_Quest Posts: 2,012 Member
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    @Bambi8137

    Here is a great post to get started with which is a permanent link on the forums

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

    Also

    Check out this calculator

    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

    I just figured out my BMR and TDEE. I actually do it on several different sites and take the average.

    You should be eating somewhere between your BMR and TDEE to lose weight.

    If MFP gave you 1200 it is probably because you set a goal of 2 lbs per week and maybe entered sedentary and lightly active

    If you net any less than 1000 calories on a regular basis you will lose energy to work out and have bad consequences in the long term.

    Hope that this helps! :smile:
  • eggcluck
    eggcluck Posts: 36 Member
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    Then I woudl suggest you start at 2000 calories + at least 3 times a week exercise and then adjust from there as you need too. You are looking for slow steady weight loss, fast weight loss is not sustainable and in very large people it can be dangerous.
  • Bambi8137
    Bambi8137 Posts: 43 Member
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    Thank you guys so much ;) I'm going to start using these calculators and I'm so happy I have more calories to eat and I don't have to nibble on lettuce all day! Happy Sunday
  • Chevy_Quest
    Chevy_Quest Posts: 2,012 Member
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    Thank you guys so much ;) I'm going to start using these calculators and I'm so happy I have more calories to eat and I don't have to nibble on lettuce all day! Happy Sunday

    :drinker: :smile:

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