seems like a lot of calories

liveinbliss
liveinbliss Posts: 108 Member
edited September 25 in Food and Nutrition
Hi Everyone, I have been working out, mostly running, 3-4 times a week for about a year and a half now. I've been eating roughly 1800 calories a day for most of that time and had managed to lose about 10 pounds over the last year. I currently weigh 185 and am 5.5 feet tall. In January I really upped my exercise when I started the Rushfit program. I was doing high intensity circuit routines 4-5 days a week (45 minutes long) and running 2x week. I always had at least one rest day so some days I did a rushfit in the morning and ran in the afternoon. To make a long story short...after 3 months of a very consistant workout schedule I lost no weight! I did lose a couple inches but my clothes don't feel better and I can't physically see any changes.

Feeling really discouraged I went to my Brother-in-law who is a trainer and asked him to help me with my nutrition. He calculated my body fat which is currently 35% and we decided my goal is 24%. He then did a bunch of other calculations according to my activitiy level during the day and my exercise level to determine my total calorie expenditure for a day. Creating an 11% deficit (the amount of body fat I want to lose) from that number he says I should be eating 2800 calories a day....yikes! I should be spreading out my calories 50% carbs, 30% proteins and 20%Fat. I've been trying for 6 days now and have been gettting close, but 2800 calories just seems like so much. I have not gained any weight in the last 6 days which is a huge relief and my scale which has a body fat monitor shows I may be down 1/2 percent in body fat. Anyone else eating like this and if so how is it going for you?

Replies

  • jodifran
    jodifran Posts: 1
    I was 182lbs 2 years ago (I'm 5' 3")...cut my calories down to 1400 a day (less than that some days) and was exercising 6 days a week...lost 25 lbs in about 4 months... 2800 calories is way to much...I would say that the 1800 is also too much. The way to lose is to not eat what you burn with exercise, or so this is the case for me. Set your calorie goal, stick to that no matter what you burn with exercise, giving yourself a cheat day once in a while so you don't go crazy.

    Use the tools this website has, it can help you set your calories and exercise to meet your goals. It has really helped me!
  • SaraTonin
    SaraTonin Posts: 551 Member
    If you've been working out HARD for that amount of time without losing, you might not be eating enough. He probably has a point!! Increasing your calorie intake will help you build your muscle and get your metabolism going strong. It would probably help to take a protein shake after your workout to help you meet calories.

    Good luck!
  • sturgill
    sturgill Posts: 118
    how many calories you burning off in a days time- I am 5'3" and currently way 177 and when I put this information in this site it says I need to eat 1200 calories - If I add exercise - it does allow me additional calorie intake but I don't normally eat them so I will loose . 2800 does seem like a lot of food
  • K33pingFaith
    K33pingFaith Posts: 19
    when ever i work out i can never see my weight lost results so what i have been doing is working out for 2 weeks and taking a one week brake. during the one week brake i eat 1200 cal and when i work out i eat 1200 plus half of what ever cal i burned. i have been 175 for about three weeks now and i am also getting discouraged

    i would also like to know if anyone has any other ideas.
  • tmdugger
    tmdugger Posts: 132 Member
    2800 is not too much if you're working out extremely. You need to fuel your body. It will hold on to excess weight if you don't give it enough fuel. Give it 2-3 weeks and reconsult if need be. I assume 2800 is your total intake and not net.
  • SaraTonin
    SaraTonin Posts: 551 Member
    Think about it this way - 2000 is an "average" good diet according to the FDA. If you're super fit and burning a ton of calories, and you have more muscle, you will be needing over 2000.

    A friend of mine who is body building eats upwards of 3500 a day.
  • julie4760
    julie4760 Posts: 125
    i've been here about 8 weeks and i've had 1440 calories plus exercise calories which depending on how I feel I eat some earned but sometimes not all of them i've lost 21 ponds so far so it must work.
  • geetarGayle
    geetarGayle Posts: 15
    take it from a nurse...he miscalculated. You will be un doing all that you have done so far. That calorie count is probably for body builders.
  • SaraTonin
    SaraTonin Posts: 551 Member
    Here is a good second opinion!

    http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=40+years+old+female+5'5"+185lbs+bmr

    It says for extra active your intake to maintain is 2934 calories per day. If you subtract 300 from that for a pound per week of loss? 2600 or so.
  • lcoulter23
    lcoulter23 Posts: 568 Member
    Actually, that is not far off. I'm no trainer or anything, but all the big trainers say that if you are really active burning calories by an intense program plus running you are going to need a lot of extra calories. However, those calories need to come from carbs and proteins. if you eat 1800 calories and then burn 1700 working out you are not going to lose any weight because you will put your body into starvation mode. You eat 2800 calories, burn 1000 and then you net at 1800.
  • ladyhawk00
    ladyhawk00 Posts: 2,457 Member
    It may be absolutely right, depending on your activity level and your exercise burns. Your BMR is 1510 - that's just what you burn for living (as if in a coma). Add in activity level of say, active or very active, and you get 2100 - 2300. If you're burning another 700-1000 with exercise, that still leaves you at a small deficit. (2200 + 800 = 3000 - 2800 = 200 deficit... enough for close to 1/2 lb per week loss.)

    If you don't trust the numbers, try using MFP's guided goals for 1/2 lb per week loss (which is where you should be for what you have to lose) and I bet it'll be pretty close once you log exercise.
  • liveinbliss
    liveinbliss Posts: 108 Member
    For the record I am trying to build muscle! I do eat protein shakes after each workout. I have done the calorie ranges from 1200 to 1800 over the years and I do not lose weight nor build any significant muscle definition when in these calorie ranges. He is the second trainer that I has told me I am not consuming enough calories and I did check his calculations! I eat a very well balanced diet all the time and work out consistantly so the assumption would be that I either need to restrict to under 1200 calories a day....we all know that is not good...or increase my calories. I'm opting to go with his plan and give it an honest attempt and see what happens. Would really love to hear from anyone that has a had a similiar experience or has similiar goals.
  • SaraTonin
    SaraTonin Posts: 551 Member
    Sounds reasonable to me then!

    I've been trying to build muscle for about a month now. Sure I've fluctuated a few pounds, but overall, am replacing fat with muscle. When I was eating under 1800 I wasn't seeing much muscle growth but now I'm over 2000 and my arms are bigger. Just a little bit, but noticeable!
  • ladyhawk00
    ladyhawk00 Posts: 2,457 Member
    For the record I am trying to build muscle! I do eat protein shakes after each workout. I have done the calorie ranges from 1200 to 1800 over the years and I do not lose weight nor build any significant muscle definition when in these calorie ranges. He is the second trainer that I has told me I am not consuming enough calories and I did check his calculations! I eat a very well balanced diet all the time and work out consistantly so the assumption would be that I either need to restrict to under 1200 calories a day....we all know that is not good...or increase my calories. I'm opting to go with his plan and give it an honest attempt and see what happens. Would really love to hear from anyone that has a had a similiar experience or has similiar goals.

    Building muscle while in a deficit is VERY difficult to do (especially for women). You can definitely increase tone and strength, however. But to maintain muscle and build a tiny bit, while losing fat, you'll definitely HAVE to eat more. I'd certainly go with his suggestion for a while and see what results you get. Betting he's got the numbers pretty close. :wink:

    Also might check out this thread:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/203807--for-long-time-mfpers
  • taletreader
    taletreader Posts: 377 Member
    For the record I am trying to build muscle!

    This is probably the operative bit here. If you really want to *build* muscle, you can't run for long on any calorie deficit. A beginner (like I was) can for a few month, but mostly you lose fat AND muscle, but still come out looking more "toned" because of the fat loss. However, if you want to build muscle, are you doing enough resistance training? The absence of a strength training routine (or did I miss something?) makes me wonder about the quality of the advice you got.

    2800 does look high, sure. You should understand how he arrived at this result -- this is a tricky business, and I'm no fitness professional. What does he think your BMR, daily average calorie expenditure and deficit he wants you to run. What he's trying to do with you is really hard -- losing fat and building muscle at the same time. You may have to choose one or the other. On the other hand, with your plans and fitness level, I wouldn't expect it to be all that horribly off -- I'd very much advise against going down to 1400 or whatever while exercising like you do.

    One suggestion would be is to take a different approach and look at these guys' tools http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/ . This is a podcast in which the hosts go about fat loss differently than many would here. Their idea is to do it more slowly by eating pretty much like the "thinner fitter version of you you want to be" by looking at BMR and calorie consumption at your goal weight. You can of course use the numbers and subtract a bit to create a deficit (say 250-500 calories, not more).
  • liveinbliss
    liveinbliss Posts: 108 Member
    Taletreader, yes I am lifting weights. I do rushfit 4-5 days a week and it is a full body circuit that uses hand weights and body weight. Thanks to everyone that gave me constructive advice. I do appreciate your input!
  • eates
    eates Posts: 334 Member
    when I was playing soccer in college and working out 2-3 hours a day 6 day a week I was eating close to 3000 calories just to maintain so that doesn't seem that far off. Give it a shot for a few week, if it doesn't work then tweak it & try something else.
  • annhjk
    annhjk Posts: 794 Member
    I'm in the same boat (5'5", 138, 26% body fat). I was following this plan, eating a lot of protein, healthy carbs, a treat/cheat meal every week or so. I went to meet with a nutritionist at Max Muscle and he put me on a diabetic type plan. I'm eating 1800 cals, plus a recovery/protein drink AND 30 carbs after workouts (not counted in 1800). I"ve done it for about 6 weeks and lost almost 2% body fat - maintained my weight. I eat 21 grams of protein 6 times a day, 30 carbs with meals, 15 carbs with snack, 1/2 fruit in the morning only. Only 1 of snack can be a protein shake (besides recovery). I'm guessing a main component for me is cutting my sugar WAY down - even fruits.

    My workout are - Chalean Exteme 4 days a week, running 20 miles a week or so, spin on Fridays, and maybe crosstraining one day at the gym.
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