Setting a good net calorie loss

someturtlefan
someturtlefan Posts: 10 Member
edited November 20 in Health and Weight Loss
At my age and weight, MFP says I need to eat 1300 a day to lose a pound a week. I do extensive walking (at least 99 minutes at 3.0MPH and 10% incline) that leads to about a 900 calorie burn according to at least one fitness site. It has definitely helped lose weight, but it isn't enough.

I hate calorie counting and doing it makes me absolutely miserable. Counting to just 1300 is sad making. Yes, I've done it in the past, but the guilt that comes with eating the wrong thing means I just don't eat and use unhealthy things (a prescription drug I take for another reason) to kill my appetite. That in turn leads to a mini binge the next day (around 2,000).

Can I do something that allows for more calories and similar exercise (increasing in intensity over time)? Can I do weekly net calories so the days I don't exercise I don't have to starve? I'm aiming for something like 1000 net calories per day over the course of a week.

Replies

  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    you can account weekly or to any time period. The so called "TDEE method" has you eating each day what you need to average over the week without logging excercise. Or log it at 1 calorie. Set goals manually to the calorie intake you want using "Custom goal setting".

    900 calories in 99 minutes may be an overestimate.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    someturtlefan wrote: »
    At my age and weight, MFP says I need to eat 1300 a day to lose a pound a week. I do extensive walking (at least 99 minutes at 3.0MPH and 10% incline) that leads to about a 900 calorie burn according to at least one fitness site. It has definitely helped lose weight, but it isn't enough.

    I hate calorie counting and doing it makes me absolutely miserable. Counting to just 1300 is sad making. Yes, I've done it in the past, but the guilt that comes with eating the wrong thing means I just don't eat and use unhealthy things (a prescription drug I take for another reason) to kill my appetite. That in turn leads to a mini binge the next day (around 2,000).

    Can I do something that allows for more calories and similar exercise (increasing in intensity over time)? Can I do weekly net calories so the days I don't exercise I don't have to starve? I'm aiming for something like 1000 net calories per day over the course of a week.

    So MFP gives you 1300 calories
    and then you do your walking (that burn is OTT) which means you get an additional 450 - 600 calories to eat

    and you're having problems eating 1950 calories a day?

    2000 would not be a binge on that amount of calories .. it would be eating around your defecit on a day when you walk

    I think you need to get your head round how this works - you have ample calories to have a wide diet and not have to starve and not worry about binging

    and yes you can do it over the week - use the app reports for that .. I always eat more some days and less others and it works over time
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
    As was pointed out above, the 1300 that MFP gives you isn't supposed to be the amount of calories you actually eat. That is just what you eat if you are lazy and don't exercise. But when you do exercise like you are supposed to, your calorie goal increases. If nothing else, it is an incentive to get out and exercise. I would hope that 2,000 calories per day is much more doable than 1300 calories.
  • someturtlefan
    someturtlefan Posts: 10 Member
    10% incline is fairly hefty and for my weight and height, that is the number I get. God knows I feel like I'm dying at the end of it. Does that mean something? :)

    2,000 a day is totally doable but I end up worrying about needing to average it over several days. I will feel less bad.
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