Calorie Counting/Workout Help

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millie740
millie740 Posts: 28 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I also posted this in another section but I need some help if anyone is willing to and educated on this topic :) I am wanting to lose 20-25lbs. I currently work full time, am a full time student and have an 8 month old son. My fitness pal has recommended I stay at 940 calories a day. I typically eat just over 1000 and do small at home workouts because that's all I have time and energy for. The problem is that I'm not seeing any results. I don't know if this is due to my diet or the type of workouts I am doing. Does anyone have any advice on what I should be doing? Thank you!

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  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
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    I've never seen MFP recommend anything under 1200 calories. 940 is not healthy. How long have you been working out and eating at a deficit? It takes time, but you need to eat a little more. More calories will give you more energy to get through the day. With only 20lbs to lose, you can lower your deficit to around 250-300 calories a day.
  • AnabolicKyle
    AnabolicKyle Posts: 489 Member
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    How long have you been counting calories & working out for without results?
  • millie740
    millie740 Posts: 28 Member
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    16 days
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
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    What kind of workouts are you doing?
  • millie740
    millie740 Posts: 28 Member
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    My problem with working out is I'm so exhausted once I get home, do homework, feed my son, cook dinner, put him to bed, do laundry and clean that I can't handle long, intense workouts. I have to wait until he's asleep to start them otherwise I would workout earlier
  • millie740
    millie740 Posts: 28 Member
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    I downloaded the apps Daily Burn, Flexter and Kayla Itsines. I try to mix it up between them. I do a squat workout for about 10-20 minutes every night. I'm was a college track athlete so I know how to do that side of it, I just don't have the ability to go to a track, and need some ideas for at home workouts or changes to my diet
  • AnabolicKyle
    AnabolicKyle Posts: 489 Member
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    When you say you don't "see" any results do you mean mirror results or any results?
    Weight change
    Measurement change
    Etc
  • kgeyser
    kgeyser Posts: 22,505 Member
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    940 is way too low and I suspect you were given that number due to a glitch in the system. Please re-enter your goals and set MFP to lose 1 lb per week, then tell us what number it gives you for a daily calorie intake. Remember that MFP is designed to have you eat back a portion of your exercise calories on top of your daily calorie goal.
  • millie740
    millie740 Posts: 28 Member
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    I think it's set at 940 because my activity level due to my job (programming/IT) is sedentary. I'm trying to attach it so you can see. Don't know if it will work. At 1lb/week it's at 1440 calories aaog8bsgim8s.jpg
  • millie740
    millie740 Posts: 28 Member
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    I haven't ever been over 940 calories overall by the end of the day, but I normally eat over 1000 and exercise at home which puts it at just below 940
  • millie740
    millie740 Posts: 28 Member
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    And the results I don't see are mirror and scale. Sorry, I keep losing track of who I'm replying to. I've maybe lost 1lb but I fluctuate
  • kgeyser
    kgeyser Posts: 22,505 Member
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    1440 sounds much more reasonable, and you are supposed to eat back a portion of your exercise calories. Honestly, it's no wonder you are tired, you're not eating enough to properly fuel your activity level.

    Have you read through this and links within it? It's very helpful:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • millie740
    millie740 Posts: 28 Member
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    Thanks very much, I appreciate it
  • futuremanda
    futuremanda Posts: 816 Member
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    I replied to your other post but also wanted to mention Blogilates. (I didn't notice you ask for exercise recs.) You can go to the website and sign up for the newsletter for free, and get passwords to the calendars.

    You start on the Beginner 2.0 calendar. Every day, it tells you which videos to do. Check calendar, load up video! There's even a site that has them all on the page for you:

    http://www.blogilates.com/blog/2014/12/30/new-beginners-calendar-2-0-for-2015/

    (Not sure if it shows fully before you sign up. But it shows the calendar at the top, then links to each day below. You click on the link for the day, and it has all the day's videos embedded on the page, no need to even search YouTube. So you can get right into it.)

    Usually they are not time consuming. And usually it is several short ones (5 to 15 mins) so you could always just not do them all, or do them at different times during the day. (The beginner calendar does have a 28 min video, which teaches you good form.)

    Once you finish beginner, you hop on over to the monthly calendar. New calendar every month, so it's always fresh and fun. Plus, there are often other challenge calendars that you can layer. I think Feb is butts? Anyway, I'm really loving it so far. And the instructor, Cassey, is super positive. (I've already gotten one of my friends hooked on this!)

    It may not be for you, but if it sounds interesting, give it a shot. Ultimately, you'll want to find something that not only works how you need it to -- fits into your time and energy requirements, for example -- but is something you enjoy, that lifts you up, that you even look forward to most days.

    Good luck :)
  • millie740
    millie740 Posts: 28 Member
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    Thank you so much! Both of your posts really help, and I really appreciate it :)
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
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    You might try getting up just 20 min earlier to get a short workout in then. It helps to get you going in the morning:) Then, you don't have to wait until the end of the day when you are already tired to try to do something else. Of course, you CAN do another short workout at the end of the day, if you want. There are many days that I do 2 workouts. Try increasing your calories to at least 1200 per day. If you can't get to a track, put your son in his stroller and go for a walk/jog. Put in a video and workout while he naps. There are lots of options, find something you enjoy.

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