Hungry & Confused!!!!!!

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tmontgomery69
tmontgomery69 Posts: 180
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm SO confused! After I enter my weight of 138 & my sedentary desk job activity level it automatically puts me at 1200 net calories a day but my BMR on MFP shows 1279. I've read several places on her to that you should use your BMR as your net calorie goal. But I'm finding that I'm waking up in the middle of the night hungry......so to me that makes me think that I need raise my net calorie goal.

I have been working out & eating back about 75% of those calories. But my dr told me yesterday that I need to take 2 weeks off from exercise to let a sciatica issue heal so I'm not sure what my calorie goal should be.


Can anyone help break this down in "simple" terms for me? I would like a better understanding of this.

Replies

  • picturesing
    picturesing Posts: 228
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    No matter what you need a min of 1200 cals. Save 200 or so cals for a nighttime snack but make sure it's a filling protien...like almonds or a protein shake. That will keep your tummy from rumbling! I too have back inj - had a discectomy last week and have not been able to exercise - hope to start walking this week! I've followed my cals ~1400 (a bit over on a few days) and I've stayed off the scale! Just know I'm eating right and will get back to it asap! It takes a while to figure out how to fuel your body but you CAN do it! :drinker:
  • Hollie721
    Hollie721 Posts: 20
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    That sounds really similar to mine, i weigh 136 and have a desk job, my calorie allowance in 1220 a day. I usually eat back all my exercise calories as i would be quite hungry if i didn't. I just want to lose around 10 pounds (i have a really small build). I have been doing this for a week and have lost 1 pound so i'm quite happy. I can let you see my food diary so you can see how i get my 1220 calories a day if thats any good - im not sure if im doing what im supposed to but im trying!
  • epj78
    epj78 Posts: 643 Member
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    I don't think MFP uses BMR. (Although I admit I could be wrong and am open to correction) BMR is how many calories it takes to keep you alive if you were doing absolutely nothing (as in in a coma nothing). MFP shows how many calories it estimates you burn a day at a normal desk job as sedentary - so not really BMR that you are reading about in other articles. Seems about right to me since the general rule of thumb is your weight*10 to get your maintenance calories -- so about 1,380 for you --- if you are trying to lose even 1/2 a pound per week, that would put your weight loss calories at 1,200 a day. If you just want to maintain your weight (i.e. not gain) when doing just a desk job and no other activity, you'd need to eat no more than 1,380 calories.
  • hpsnickers1
    hpsnickers1 Posts: 2,783 Member
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    MFP just factors in the calorie deficit based on how much weight you want to lose per week. I was at a healthy weight (upper range) when I started and it would let me choose 2lbs per week which put me at 1200 but my maintenance wasn't high enough to get a 1000 calorie deficit per day.

    If you are set at 1200 and only eating back some of your calories you NET is below 1200. Eat your BMR (calculator under Tools) on days you don't exercise and eat your BMR and all of your exercise calories when you exercise.

    I have a desk job and still manage to get in about 5000 steps or more during my work day.

    MFP is a very generalized tool so it can cater to everyone. MFP is also a 'dumb' tool.

    What did you set up to lose? You don't have that much weight to lose so I would change your goal to either 1lb or even .5lb and that will give you more calories to eat (if you haven't). The closer we are to a healthy weight the slower that weight will have to come off. Lower fat reserves mean our body will fight to protect them and eat up our muscle mass instead. (calorie restriction and intense cardio cause more muscle mass loss than fat loss when you are at or close to a healthy weight).

    There is a sticky post under General Diet and Weight loss help called "Links in MFP you want to read again and again (There are other links too). You might be able to find some helpful info.
  • hpsnickers1
    hpsnickers1 Posts: 2,783 Member
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    http://www.hussmanfitness.org/index.html

    You can also get some great info at www.bodyrecomposition.com. Lyle McDonald has some really interesting articles.


    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/172515-frantic-about-adhering-to-the-right-calorie-intake-read-t
  • RobinSturgeon
    RobinSturgeon Posts: 30 Member
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    what???Did i read that last comment right? if i cut my calories and exercise harder im going to burn muscle instead of fat??? Im totally confused....

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