Not 100% sure that my info is set right?

Seajolly
Seajolly Posts: 1,435 Member
edited September 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Can someone please help me figure out my settings for my weight loss? I want to make sure I'm getting the right amount of calories, mainly. So advice is very much appreciated!

I currently am eating 1,200 calories a day. I'm 5'4 and currently at 165 pounds and want to get down to around 110-115. I have my activity level set at "Sedentary: Spend most of the day sitting (e.g. bank teller, desk job)" as I have an office job and am at my desk doing emails and phone calls most of my workday.

My workouts vary during the week. Sometimes I'll workout 5 days a week, sometimes 7, and it varies from hiking 4 miles for 2 hours on the weekend to playing tennis for 1-2 hours a few times a week to doing cardio workout DVDs or jogging... So I really have no idea what to put for the amount of exercise I do?

Can someone please give advice as to what my cals for the day should be set at if I want to lose as quickly as I can healthily, and also what my workouts should be set to if it varies?

Thanks!

Replies

  • Forensi
    Forensi Posts: 56 Member
    I personally think that the Activity Level setting on this system isn't really correct. When you look at other websites and systems that use the Harris Benedict equation (Activity Level equation to determine daily caloric needs) they all talk about the amount of exercise you get during the week meaning Sedentary is 0 times a week, Lightly Active is 1-3 times a week etc....

    I also work in an office job (IT) but I play touch football and do a fair bit of long distance running. I put my setting down as Lightly Active and I'm still losing weight. If you're working out 5-7 times a week you can probably afford to put Lightly Active or even the next level up and still be losing weight. Just make sure you eat back your calories otherwise you will go into starvation mode. Never let your daily calories drop below 1200.

    Hope this helps.
  • sarah44254
    sarah44254 Posts: 3,078 Member
    Try putting your goal as -1.5 lb/week instead of -2lb/week. Also move your activity level up to lightly active or even active. Eating more calories has really helped me lose weight more steadily. In March, I was at 1200, working out every day, starving, angry, had my activity set as sedentary. Lost 0 lbs that entire month. In April, moved up to active setting, worked out 5 or 6 days a week (a little less than in March) and ate between 1500 and 1700 calories a day. I lost 5 lbs in April :smile:

    Experiment with it! See how you feel if you eat more, or try different exercises. I suggest anyone who does any kind of exercise regularly (something to log each week) be at least lightly active. Sedentary would be like Forensi said, 0 activity.
  • Seajolly
    Seajolly Posts: 1,435 Member
    Thank you both! I'm going to make a couple of slight tweaks... I'll try doing 1.5 lbs a week and 1,250 cals/day and see how it goes.
  • jessicazanebell
    jessicazanebell Posts: 67 Member
    Try putting your goal as -1.5 lb/week instead of -2lb/week. Also move your activity level up to lightly active or even active. Eating more calories has really helped me lose weight more steadily. In March, I was at 1200, working out every day, starving, angry, had my activity set as sedentary. Lost 0 lbs that entire month. In April, moved up to active setting, worked out 5 or 6 days a week (a little less than in March) and ate between 1500 and 1700 calories a day. I lost 5 lbs in April :smile:

    Experiment with it! See how you feel if you eat more, or try different exercises. I suggest anyone who does any kind of exercise regularly (something to log each week) be at least lightly active. Sedentary would be like Forensi said, 0 activity.

    Did you gain weight when you first increased your calories in April? I work out 5-7 days a week and I am currently on 1200 cal a day. I haven't been losing any weight (my current weight is 124). Also are you eating back the calories you burn?
  • xraychick77
    xraychick77 Posts: 1,775 Member
    never ever go on this 1200 cal myth. its bogus.

    go on you bmr and reduce from there..your body adapts to what you do to it. and in order to stave off plateaus we need to start higher in the calories and reduce as time goes by.
  • Oishii
    Oishii Posts: 2,675 Member
    I'm a teacher, so put lightly active, and then lost more than mfp said I would each week, so upped to active... Same story! Now I'm trying to maintain, I'm having to eat over what mfp says I would if I was very active, or I lose weight!

    Maybe I just log too many calories in... Or maybe we are all just different... :smile:
  • robin52077
    robin52077 Posts: 4,383 Member
    I had to choose VERY active in order for it to be accurate, and I am not an athlete, I just am on my feet all day at work.

    Set it at ONE pound per week. Slower is healthier, and if you try for too fast you can stall out and give up.
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