Water jogging

improvedchristine
improvedchristine Posts: 39 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Im a 54 yr old, 6'tall woman that has over 200 lbs to loose. I want to do this right so I need advice. MFP has put my calorie goal at 2400 calories. I'm finding it hard to eat that much. My question is.... a couple times a week I do water jogging. Because of my size MFP says im burning about 1600 calories in an hour. How am I supposed to eat back at least half of that??? That's 3200 calories in one day!!!! I can't imagine eating that much healthy food. (BTW I am working hard to hit my 122 protein and other nutrients goals every day)
Any thoughts?

Replies

  • gentlygently
    gentlygently Posts: 752 Member
    Just a couple of thoughts - you have become 200lbs overweight so you have been regularly eating over 2400 cals. I am also a fairly tall female and would have no problem at all eating that much (large pudding, some biscuits, maybe genrous portion of cheese on thick toast....). Are you sure you are logging accurately (most people underestimate portion size...)?

    But if you want to eat less - as long as you are sensible and dont eat daftly small amounts - fair enough. But my guess is you are already eating more than you think....

    Water jogging caloroes burned on mfp is almost bound to be over-estimated in my experience. Are you really managing to keep up a good pace for all of the hour? Are you going fast or slow?? Does it feel like you are working hard or doing gentle excercise? 1600 looks way too high based on what i have seen from other people....(my guess would be more like 300-500! I've never seen a fast water jogger...!) perhaps borrow an heart rate monitor or look at other excercises that seem similar (slow swimming? Slow jogging?). Most of the swimmers i have come across on mfp think the cals burned for swimming is over-rated too. So again adjust down.

    Hope this helps. Have fun in the pool!
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,384 Member
    edited March 2016
    If I were you, I'd try to get close to that 2400 calories and NOT add back exercise calories - for a while. Your main goal should be to drop weight quickly and save your life. Yes, you are burning a lot of calories by exercise, because of having to move that mass. You have plenty of excess fat for your body to use as fuel, you're not going to create any problems by not eating back exercise calories. Just try to make healthy food choices and teach yourself how to prepare meals and learn portion sizes right now. Don't even worry about exercise calories. Stick with 2400. MFP's calculations don't really work well for someone with that much weight to lose. Please get professional advice.

    Have you talked to a medical professional about this? I would try to get on a planned food regimen and stick to it.
  • improvedchristine
    improvedchristine Posts: 39 Member
    yes I am seeing a doctor and made an appointment with a nutritionist. I also went to therapy for a year and no longer feel the need to eat unhealthy food. I'm not tempted by bad foods and I do not graze or emotionally eat anymore. So I feel very positive
    Thank you
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    improvedchristine wrote: »
    yes I am seeing a doctor and made an appointment with a nutritionist. I also went to therapy for a year and no longer feel the need to eat unhealthy food. I'm not tempted by bad foods and I do not graze or emotionally eat anymore. So I feel very positive
    Thank you

    What wonderful progress! Try to find some calorie dense foods like nuts, olive oil, butter, and avocado to boost your calorie consumption. You need that 2400 to sustain body energy at your current weight and help to lose mostly fat, not muscle. You can do this!
  • improvedchristine
    improvedchristine Posts: 39 Member
    gentlygently wrote: »
    Just a couple of thoughts - you have become 200lbs overweight so you have been regularly eating over 2400 cals. I am also a fairly tall female and would have no problem at all eating that much (large pudding, some biscuits, maybe genrous portion of cheese on thick toast....). Are you sure you are logging accurately (most people underestimate portion size...)?

    But if you want to eat less - as long as you are sensible and dont eat daftly small amounts - fair enough. But my guess is you are already eating more than you think....

    Water jogging caloroes burned on mfp is almost bound to be over-estimated in my experience. Are you really managing to keep up a good pace for all of the hour? Are you going fast or slow?? Does it feel like you are working hard or doing gentle excercise? 1600 looks way too high based on what i have seen from other people....(my guess would be more like 300-500! I've never seen a fast water jogger...!) perhaps borrow an heart rate monitor or look at other excercises that seem similar (slow swimming? Slow jogging?). Most of the swimmers i have come across on mfp think the cals burned for swimming is over-rated too. So again adjust down.

    Hope this helps. Have fun in the pool!

    Yes Im running fast for an hour and my heart rate definitely goes up and I feel it in my abs. thank you for the suggestions, I will look into them
  • improvedchristine
    improvedchristine Posts: 39 Member
    lorrpb wrote: »
    improvedchristine wrote: »
    yes I am seeing a doctor and made an appointment with a nutritionist. I also went to therapy for a year and no longer feel the need to eat unhealthy food. I'm not tempted by bad foods and I do not graze or emotionally eat anymore. So I feel very positive
    Thank you

    What wonderful progress! Try to find some calorie dense foods like nuts, olive oil, butter, and avocado to boost your calorie consumption. You need that 2400 to sustain body energy at your current weight and help to lose mostly fat, not muscle. You can do this!

    I like that suggestion. I have been wanting to keep calories low but what you said makes so much sense, thank you
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    Might help to give an idea what you consider unhealthy or bad food.
  • improvedchristine
    improvedchristine Posts: 39 Member
    Chieflrg wrote: »
    Might help to give an idea what you consider unhealthy or bad food.

    you are correct. I was staying away from calorie dense foods and like the post above you, that is not what I should be doing. Thanks and I will be looking into that
  • knitstricken
    knitstricken Posts: 7 Member
    edited March 2016
    I just wanted to peep in to say Atta Girl! and congratulations. :)

    I do agree with the others on these points:

    1. Don't worry so much about adding back in the exercise calories; just don't eat much less than your regularly allotted calories.
    2. I also suspect that the water-aerobic calorie numbers are a bit inflated. To compensate, I "adjust" by logging a reduced duration. For example, if I do an hour and a half in the pool, maybe I'll only log an hour and ten minutes. That way I know I'm erring on the safe side, so to speak.
    3. Periodic check-ins with a nutritionist have been helpful to me because I find it reinforces that the choices I'm making are good... and I always manage to learn something new (or something I should already know suddenly "clicks"). I plan on taking some random MFP reports to my next appointment. Knowing that this is my plan has at times given me the impetus to make healthier choices.

    I hope these insights help! All the best to you!
  • improvedchristine
    improvedchristine Posts: 39 Member
    knitstricken wrote: »
    I just wanted to peep in to say Atta Girl! and congratulations. :)

    I do agree with the others on these points:

    1. Don't worry so much about adding back in the exercise calories; just don't eat much less than your regularly allotted calories.
    2. I also suspect that the water-aerobic calorie numbers are a bit inflated. To compensate, I "adjust" by logging a reduced duration. For example, if I do an hour and a half in the pool, maybe I'll only log an hour and ten minutes. That way I know I'm erring on the safe side, so to speak.
    3. Periodic check-ins with a nutritionist have been helpful to me because I find it reinforces that the choices I'm making are good... and I always manage to learn something new (or something I should already know suddenly "clicks"). I plan on taking some random MFP reports to my next appointment. Knowing that this is my plan has at times given me the impetus to make healthier choices.

    I hope these insights help! All the best to you!

    I will do what you suggested, thanks. I already thought of bringing the print out to the appointment. I thought I knew a good amount about dieting but I found I dont know much. But I am learning so much from people here. lol AND i'm not dieting, I'm changing my lifestyle. 2016 is my year!!! thanks for the suggestions

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