Counting calories, simple math?
AshleeBoruff
Posts: 10 Member
Ok I thought losing weight was simple math with calories. I work a desk job and sit all day, per my research I burn 2300 a day with my regular activity, days I go to gym add at least 500 calories to that. =2800 give or take. I strive not to eat over 1700 calories and do good about 6/7 days. So how am I not losing weight at all if I'm getting rid of more calories than taking in!?! So frustrated!
To sum it up I burn more than I take in....
To sum it up I burn more than I take in....
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Replies
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Your diary of the past week says different - you're well over your calories on quite a few days.0
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2300 per day for just sitting at a desk seems really high to me. My TDEE for a desk job is around 2100.
500 for your exercise also seems pretty high unless you're doing an hour of cardio without stopping.0 -
What do you class as your activities which are burning 2300 cals a day?
As far I can see looking at your diary you are eating far too many calories but I see no excercise?0 -
How do you calculate this? I cant see as I'm burning any calories whilst sat at my desk?0
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I would use this calculator as a general guideline and set the exercise level to desk job. This will let you add in your exercise on the days you do it.
Fill in your gender, age, height and weight, then just switch the exercise to no exercise.
http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/0 -
How do you calculate this? I cant see as I'm burning any calories whilst sat at my desk?
Desk job is still more calories than BMR.0 -
I agree with the others, looks like you're having way more than 1700 most days this past week, including lots of fast food and restaurant meals.
I lost weight for a while on MFP by eating about 1400 cals a day and exercising 4-5 days a week with a burn of 200-300 calories per workout. I ate back some of my exercise calories, my net each day was around 1000-1400. Then I tried the TDEE method (TDEE -20%) which put me at about 1700 cals a day. Ate like that for a few weeks, exercising the same or more than before but not eating back any of my exercise calories, and didn't lose anything at all. Went back to my goal of 1400 cals a day and now I'm losing again. I'm sure with TDEE my math was off somewhere, but rather than try to figure all that out, I just subtracted a few hundred calories from my daily goal and boom, losing again. My point is, once you decide on a goal, stick to it or you won't know if it's working. If you stick with it a few weeks (and really stick with it, not go over by 400 calories of McDonald's several days a week) and nothing happens, try reducing your calorie intake by 100-200 calories a day and see if it helps.
It all boils down to this: If you're not losing weight, it's because you're eating too much and not burning enough. The solution is to eat less and burn more. Good luck.0 -
I would use this calculator as a general guideline and set the exercise level to desk job. This will let you add in your exercise on the days you do it.
Fill in your gender, age, height and weight, then just switch the exercise to no exercise.
http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/
This defeats the purpose of TDEE -20%. The idea behind using this method is you do not have to worry about calculating exercise calories. You just have to be honest with what your weekly exercise is and it works great without the hassle of adding calories back in for exercise.
OP, please read the links below. These are posts from some people that have been very successful with weight loss as well as helping others with their weight loss.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1072049-thoughts-on-tdee-calculators-and-switching-from-mfp-to-tdee
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants0 -
What everyone else said. try eating 1700 calories EVERYDAY not just once in a while and don't eat back your exercise calories.0
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I just googled and put in my stats on a few different sites to get the 2300. One said more than that even and that surprised me. I was trying to find out what is the correct number, since I have a seditary job.0
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I havent been logging the exercise, because then I see where I get more calories...therefore I think "Oh I'll just have a snack Im still under goal".
I work out 3-4x a week. At least 30 min cardio and 45 min weights.0 -
I don't even pay any attention to normal daily activity calories burned. To me they don't count because they are normal daily calories burned. I only count what I put in and what I exercise off. I also don't eat back my calories I burned during exercises. That just doesn't work for me.0
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I just googled and put in my stats on a few different sites to get the 2300. One said more than that even and that surprised me. I was trying to find out what is the correct number, since I have a seditary job.
Hit your calorie goal every day and not just once in a while.
After a few weeks you will know what your true TDEE is by how much you have gained or lost.
(BTW - you do know the difference between how TDEE sites work and MFP works I hope?)0 -
online calculators figure out what you'd burn if you had an average amount of lean body mass for your height and weight. in my case, i have higher body fat and lower lean mass, so i burn less calories than that average - a lot less, actually, as i was when i started out just over 40% body fat rather than the the 30.5% the online calcs figured for me, and that's about a 25% difference. which means i burn a lot less calories.0
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Are you tryng to do TDEE? If so, eat the 1700/day but don't eat your exercise calories back, it is already part of the equation.0
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I would use this calculator as a general guideline and set the exercise level to desk job. This will let you add in your exercise on the days you do it.
Fill in your gender, age, height and weight, then just switch the exercise to no exercise.
http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/
This defeats the purpose of TDEE -20%. The idea behind using this method is you do not have to worry about calculating exercise calories. You just have to be honest with what your weekly exercise is and it works great without the hassle of adding calories back in for exercise.
OP, please read the links below. These are posts from some people that have been very successful with weight loss as well as helping others with their weight loss.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1072049-thoughts-on-tdee-calculators-and-switching-from-mfp-to-tdee
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
I prefer to log my exercises in MFP and use the TDEE calculator to setup my calorie goal on MFP instead of using their own calculator. If I only use TDEE with the exercises calculated in I'd have to log all my exercise as zero calories, which isn't what I want to do.0 -
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I need to start measuring out my food I know =(
It's very depressing to do that.
Also, I didnt know the differenace between the two but am reading up as we speak. Thank you for everyones help.0 -
I would use this calculator as a general guideline and set the exercise level to desk job. This will let you add in your exercise on the days you do it.
Fill in your gender, age, height and weight, then just switch the exercise to no exercise.
http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/
This defeats the purpose of TDEE -20%. The idea behind using this method is you do not have to worry about calculating exercise calories. You just have to be honest with what your weekly exercise is and it works great without the hassle of adding calories back in for exercise.
OP, please read the links below. These are posts from some people that have been very successful with weight loss as well as helping others with their weight loss.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1072049-thoughts-on-tdee-calculators-and-switching-from-mfp-to-tdee
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
I prefer to log my exercises in MFP and use the TDEE calculator to setup my calorie goal on MFP instead of using their own calculator. If I only use TDEE with the exercises calculated in I'd have to log all my exercise as zero calories, which isn't what I want to do.
If everyone is using the calculators honestly, they will come pretty close to each other. TDEE method calculates intake with exercise built in, MFP calculates without exercise built in. I have tried multiple TDEE calculators and they all come pretty close to each other. Then if I remove the exercise portion of the TDEE calculator I then come pretty close to what MFP is giving me for a daily goal without exercise.
Another thing to keep in mind they are all estimates based on averages. Everyone is different so just because the calculators may say someones TDEE is one number, it probably is not true. They need to try it and if they don't lose adjust the number down 100 calories and try again for a couple weeks.
I personally use the TDEE method and still use MFP to track my exercise as well. I put in the amount of time and that I only burned 1 calorie. This way I can see how much exercise I did. I then post a comment on my news feed announcement about my exercise with what my actual burn was. This again is so I can see what I actually did.0 -
need to start measuring out my food I know =(
It's very depressing to do that.
Also, I didnt know the differenace between the two but am reading up as we speak. Thank you for everyones help.
What's more depressing: weighing your food or not losing weight?
My takeaway from your diary: you're eating too much since you're over on your calories almost everyday. And if you aren't weighing your food, you are quite possibly even higher on your calories than you have recorded.
Also, if you are doing the MFP method of eat, exercise, eat your exercise calories, don't eat them all. MFP overestimates calories burned for most people, so if you're eating all of them back you are probably overeating there as well.
Edited: When logging, make sure you choose accurate foods to log. I noticed on some of your diary entries that your food isn't 100% accurate. For example, today you had maple and brown sugar oatmeal, but the food you logged shows 0g of sugar. Accurate logging calories and nutrients will pay off in the long run.0 -
I havent been logging the exercise, because then I see where I get more calories...therefore I think "Oh I'll just have a snack Im still under goal".
I work out 3-4x a week. At least 30 min cardio and 45 min weights.
I think 500 is too high for what you are doing. Don't go by what the cardio machines say, they way over estimate. Try eating back 50% of what you think you are burning. And log very consistently. And yes, you need to start weighing your food.
Also, focus on hitting your protein goals. Honestly, I would increase your protein goal. I am 124 lbs and aim to get at least 100 grams a day. It is especially important when you are in a calorie deficit and exercising, so you will maximize fat loss and minimize muscle loss. You won't gain muscle while in a deficit, but you will get stronger and keep what you have.0 -
Im new to this post stuff but I just wanted to tell you to hang in there. It is very frustrating to keep watching what you eat and not lose the weight. I also sit at my desk all day but I dont exercise. That is my downfall and I know I need to in order to lose weight. It is sooo hot heree in OK that just walking to get i yoru car at the end of the day makes me tired.0
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