Not sure if I'm doing this right

aggelikik wrote: »

jissellc wrote: »

I know people have many ways going about weight loss, but I would like to make sure my method is viable and healthy. I guess I would consider myself active, not exactly sure though. I workout 5-6 days a week for at least 30 minutes. My exercise includes 3 days of circuit/strength and 3 days of 30 min walking/running and some added fitness blender workouts varying in time. I was running for a couple months and completed the C25K program but it got boring, so I changed it to circuit training which I like much better. I spend all of my work shift on me feet and walking (retail). I'm just not sure how many calories I should eat a day to eat at a deficit. MFP first started me out at 1,200 and for me that's hard. I haven't noticed any weight loss in the past few months, but no weight gain either. I have noticed inches lost and pants are loser. If anyone can explain how or why this happens that would be great. I've read some say the scale doesn't matter and some say it does, so that's confusing. Right now I eat about 1,300 to 1,400 calories a day and I'm not sure if that's too much or too little. I eat fairly healthy, no soda at all, no candy (except for some dark chocolate), and I rarely eat out. I plan on buying a scale to measure my foods, but if someone could help me with the calorie issue that would be fantastic. I'm 5'0", age 22, female, and I weigh 150.
Also some friends have suggested I have my thyroid checked, so I will probably have that done in my coming up yearly check up.

If you are neither losign nor gaining, you have figured out your maintenance calories. If you want to lose weight, you will have to eat less. Exercise is great for your health, and it looks like you are also seeing good results in the mirror. Eating healthy is again great and definitely a good lifestyle. But still, you can eat over your calories while making healthy choices. So, if the scale is bothering you, you will have to eat less. Right now you are eating exactly as much as you need to maintain your weight. Are you sure your measurements are correct? Because of your height, you do not need a huge amount of calories to maintain a healthy weight, and you are not starting as someone who has hundreds of lbs to use, so just being off by only 200 calories per day could make all the difference between maintaining and losing weight.

emdeesea wrote: »

If you're using the Scooby calculator, for example, then you eat the calories recommended because the exercise is built-in to the equation. I plugged in your information and I did get the recommendation of eating 1,835 a day. That's assuming you really are exercising as much as you say you are - you do have to be honest about that, otherwise the calories in/calories out won't work. But if you really are working out 3-5 times a week, then that's what you should eat, otherwise you'll run out of fuel for your workouts.

You do have to update the calculator every so often, like every 5-10 pounds lost (I forget what it recommends), because your calorie intake needs will change the smaller you get.

svirds wrote: »

Couple of things that have worked for me...I aim for 1200 calories per day when I am trying to lose. I've learned that 1400 keeps me maintaining, not losing. That little bit makes a difference. I run, walk, strength train, swim, etc 6 times a week for 45-60 min each day - I usually fuel with a banana pre-workout. Even though I log the exercise, I don't count those calories toward my intake. That way I can lose. Calories in/calories out thinking. Losing 1-2 pounds a week is a healthy lasting loss, but sometimes it might be even a little less. I measure everything - scale, measuring spoons, and measuring cups - it makes a huge difference! Make sure you are drinking a lot of water as well. That is a huge aid in weight loss. and watch your sodium intake if you eat any processed foods, soups, take out at all. If you are drinking a lot of water and eating a lot of sodium, your body will hold on to the water, instead of using it to hydrate and flush your body. Also watch to see that you are staying within your tracking guidelines for sugar, carbs, etc. When these are out of whack, your weight loss can be as well.

futuremanda wrote: »

jissellc wrote: »

futuremanda wrote: »

Yep, definitely get the food scale. You could easily be actually eating, say, 1600, or even more. So instead of trying to go lower using inaccurate measuring, get the scale, see what's up, and then adjust a little at a time downward if needed.

I put your info into a calorie calculator, which seems to think that 1634 at sedentary would be maintenance. Meaning true maintenance would be that + eating back your exercise calories. Eating 1134 + exercise calories would get you 1 lb loss per week. (However, the calculators are a starting point. Your metabolism *could* be slower, which you learn by tightening up logging and then giving it a good trial to see.)

So I'd definitely start with the scale and checking that against how you've been logging, to see what you've truly been eating.

I do think that since you've lost inches and your clothes fit differently, you're having some success!

Do you mean eating 1134 calories and logging my exercise and eating those calories back? I am excited to get a scale, just to see how horrible I guesstimate haha. Thank you for your comment.

That's the math for 1 lb per week if you are sedentary, yes. Bumping to lightly active, because you're on your feet for your job, is 1373 for 1 lb per week.

The thing is, it's not recommended for women to eat below 1200. You ARE quite short... but you also said 1200 was really tough (and I'd agree).

The reason I like the math is that it explains to you more what to actually expect.

1873 calories + eating exercise calories = maintenance at lightly active lifestyle
1634 calories + eating exercise calories = maintenance at sedentary lifestyle

(Your lifestyle is your calories burned outside of basic life functions and exercise. So your daily movements like showering, working, making food, etc.)

Deficits go like this:
0.5 lb/wk --> need 250 cals off per day
1.0 lb/wk --> need 500 cals off per day
1.5 lb/wk --> need 750 cals off per day
2.0 lb/wk --> need 1000 cals off per day

MFP takes your goal and gives you a calorie target that doesn't count exercise. So if you tell it you are lightly active, and would like to lose 1 lb per week, it'll give you a number similar to (but maybe not exactly, as different calculators differ a bit):

1873 - 500 = 1373

And when you log an exercise, say, 200 calories burned, it asks you to eat those back. Meaning you could then eat 1573 and still lose 1 lb a week. Or if you burn 400, you could eat 1773 and still lose 1 lb / wk. Or you could choose not to eat them back, or eat back some only, and lose slightly quicker. (If you feel well doing this.)

No one recommends eating less than 1200 on a regular basis. And probably you should NET over 1200 regularly as well (meaning after you subtract exercise).

I think you should figure out what's reasonable for you in terms of having energy and such. DO eat enough to fuel your workouts. Look at the math and see what the projected rate of loss is if you stick to it. Make small adjustments as needed... even if what you're adjusting is your expectation. Maybe 0.5 lb / wk is best for you, and you kick butt at your workouts and feel good and that's that. It would still be 24 lbs in a year, plus you'll be getting fit!

But definitely get accurate food logging going. Otherwise you could over or under eat, which is no fun.