Confused by the web

antonygrosvenor
antonygrosvenor Posts: 9 Member
edited November 30 in Health and Weight Loss
Help people :blush:

I am a 39 year old male, 248lbs and into my second week of training for a triathlon (750m, 26km, 6km). I train 5-6 days a week for around 45mins to 1hr depending on the activity.

I use MFP to log food and it is set to a calorie consumption of 1890. This is manageable and comprises most days of 3 meals and some fruit. So far so good.

However, whilst reading information on my training, I see many different opinions about calorie consumption. Using the various formulas out there I should be eating way more, even without considering the 350-700 calories I burn training (I use a HR monitor and Garmin Fenix 3).

So after all the waffle above, the question to you all - what is the right amount of calories? Is 1870 ok, too high, or does it not really matter as long as it isn't, lets say, 3000?

Appreciate any insight into this and thanks for the help.

Ant

Replies

  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    If you're using TDEE calculators, exercise calories are already included in the calculation, which is why they run higher than MFP's goals where exercise is added after.
  • antonygrosvenor
    antonygrosvenor Posts: 9 Member
    edited March 2016
    Some of the calculators have me needed 3500 calories to live, some have that with exercise. MFP has 1870. Then add exercise, although as the expended calories are low 350-700, then I don't normally eat back the calories - even if I did add them in I'd still only be at 1870+500(average)=2370.

    So I'm trying to understand is MFP correct, or is it too low?

    And should i eat 1870 or 2370 - if it is correct.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    Are you trying to lose weight ?
  • lemonychild
    lemonychild Posts: 654 Member
    i'm confused by your post - what exactly are your goals?
  • antonygrosvenor
    antonygrosvenor Posts: 9 Member
    Goal is to lose weight and train for a triathlon - which is in September.
  • antonygrosvenor
    antonygrosvenor Posts: 9 Member
    Reading some other people's posts it seems I need to eat less - how low do I need to go?
  • antonygrosvenor
    antonygrosvenor Posts: 9 Member
    I've now read the pinned thread and used the tools on fattifitradio as it suggests.

    Based on exercise being light / moderate (5/6 days a week for 45-60mins) I need the below. So I guess I up my calories and eat some more.

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  • blues4miles
    blues4miles Posts: 1,481 Member
    You can set up MFP a few different ways...

    1) Tell MFP how many lbs you want to lose per week and set your activity level to sedentary. It will develop the deficit for you. Since you told it you were sedentary, you need to now add in every exercise you do. Add in your swimming/biking/running and EAT BACK those calories in addition to the baseline MFP gives you (you will stay in the green if you are doing fine)
    OR
    2) Tell MFP how many lbs you want to lose, guess at your activity level based on your activity (say moderately active) and DON'T manually add in the exercise. Again, if you stay in the green you are good.
    OR
    3) Eat to your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure). Go to a TDEE calculator site (like this one http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/) enter in your info, your activity level, and choose what kind of cut you want, 10%, 20% etc. and it will tell you how many calories to eat a day. Then you manually put that number into MFP as your goal to eat every day. You DO NOT add in exercise if you told the calorie calculator an activity level other than sedentary.

    Since you are training for a triathlon, I recommend you choose .5 lb a week and NO MORE on MFP goals if you go with option 1 or 2. Yes you want to lose weight but your training will really suffer if you cut too much. And I don't mean you won't be as fast, I mean you will be too tired and fatigued to continue your workouts. On Scooby recommend no more than 10% if you are training.
  • DeadLift5
    DeadLift5 Posts: 16 Member
    If you're training 5-6 days a week I would bump it up. I find that 2200 is always a good number for men to start at, assess at the end of the week and make any adjustments (up or down) from there.

    Bit of a juggling act for you. You're trying to train (increase endurance, strength etc) for a triathalon all while having a calorie deficit (which in simpler terms, is basically depriving your body of fuel).

    Find a balance that will satisfy both goals.
  • Yi5hedr3
    Yi5hedr3 Posts: 2,696 Member
    1870 good. Cut back on cardio. Start pumping iron.
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