Choosing the right calorie targets - advice needed

CRIMSONTRACER
CRIMSONTRACER Posts: 11 Member
edited November 21 in Getting Started
I had a couple month hiatus from my good habits - long story but nothing to really worry about.

But I'm back on this thing and really need some input. I'm an office worker. I'm an office worker that likes being active but I'm sitting 8 hours a day regardless.

For that reason I have my settings set at sedentary. I have some pretty aggressive goals but im feeling like it might not be healthy. I'm 6'2" and about 250. I'm looking to get down to 230 and reevaluate. I have my setting to lose 2 pounds a week and I log all my exercise and eat back the calories.

But the fact of the matter is I lost 7 pounds in the last 9 days and I'm feeling foggy most of the time.

Is is possible that I'm more "lightly active" and not sedentary and I need more calories?

I'm not trying to get out of the hard work... but if I'm starving myself I want to correct it.

Replies

  • khhregister
    khhregister Posts: 229 Member
    I really wish there was an option between "sedentary" and "lightly active." If I pick sedentary, I'm starving (lightheaded, stomach growling all day). If I pick lightly active, I'm not losing and even slowly gaining.

    My job now is sitting in front of a computer for ~ 6 hours a day, and ~ 2 hours of walking/lifting things. Then I also exercise ~ 30 min a day. This seems like more activity than "sedentary." But the "lightly active" description includes teachers, and I used to teach and was WAY more active then I am now (I sat down for 20 minutes to eat lunch if I was lucky).

    I added 100 calories to the sedentary suggestion and went with that (1300 instead of 1200). Now I'm losing, but not starving. The margin for me seems really tight. I'm relying heavily on weighing and measuring all my food.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    sedentary and eat back you exercise calories like you're supposed to with this method (make an allowance for estimation error). Set a less aggressive rate of loss goal...2 Lbs per week is for people who are overly fat, not for people trying to drop 20 Lbs.
  • JanelleG0122
    JanelleG0122 Posts: 323 Member
    It also depends on the types of foods that you are eating when you eat your exercise calories back. While I completely agree that there are no 'bad' foods, depending on what you're eating some foods can make you feel groggy. I personally never eat all my exercise calories back, but that's because MFP and even machines over estimate the calories burned. If you are using a HRM then it will be a lot closer to your actual calories burned. Be careful with your food choices, especially when working out. Make sure you are getting enough protein which should help with the groggy feeling. If you truly feel sick and tired, then try upping your calories by 100-200 a day for a week and see if that helps. Losing two pounds per week is not that important. Being healthy and loving your body is. Good Luck!
  • CRIMSONTRACER
    CRIMSONTRACER Posts: 11 Member
    Thanks for your feedback all.! I hadn't checked back because I thought i would be notified of replies but was not. Didn't think anyone saw this.
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