Can I eat more than I thought? :)

estycki · August 2016

Hi there! I'm new here and this is my first post! But I'm not new to calorie counting, I've just used other websites before.
I switched to My Fitness Pal because I got a Polar Heart Rate Monitor A300 and it syncs the activity data perfectly!

In the last few years I've been maintaining my weight it's been bugging me... how much do I REALLY burn throughout the day? Especially now that I'm much leaner (I've lost 50lbs), I'm much more sensitive to a calorie deficit to the point where I get chest pain and insomnia if I haven't eaten enough. I try not to eat more than 2000 calories a day, worried that even over 1800 calorie on a rest day would cause weight gain...

So I got this new HR monitor the A300 (with the chest trap to monitor my heart rate during exercise) because it has a 24 hour fitness tracker and I can finally get an estimate of calories burned for 24 hours! Now I know these are all estimates, and it's not a perfect science because it tracks energy based on your wrist movements (and I am one of those annoying people that talk with their hands a lot hehe). It also doesn't seem to track much activity if I'm on a bike or pushing around a shopping cart. But anyways, I wanted to try!

I've had this watch for about a week and this is what I've gotten so far:

On sunny days where I bike to work (it's a simple 20min bike ride, there and back) I've personally estimated I burn about 2200 calories. My watch estimated about total 2500 calories!

On days where I've biked to work, and then did 5 sets x three rounds of calisthenics training, I burned a whopping 3000 calories! I never thought I was able to even burn that much! Now, to be fair, it's summer and I am active and the sun is shining and this is a lot of activity in one day.

Today was a rest day (Sunday) and I needed to sit at my desk at home and do paperwork. My watch estimates about 2000 calories (big difference).

I also wanted to make a note that this new watch estimates I burn a lot more calories in one hour that the FT4, I wonder if it's because it takes into consideration your VO2 max, your resting heart rate and max heart rate etc. So I'm still skeptical if this is really accurate (what do you think? I've always been wary of machines that over-estimate at the gym).

So there you go - If this is indeed true I am so happy that I can finally be at peace and eat over 2000 calories when I'm active. I've heard so many stories of girls saying "eat more!" now I get it

MrsT440 · August 2016

I'm no expert, but based on how sensitive you are to calorie deficits, it seems clear to me like you can eat more, especially on active days. Experiment a little. Try eating more on active days and see what happens. Your body will tell you the truth. ...and remember, you can gain weight and still be going in the right direction, as long as you're losing fat & inches & replacing it with muscle!

sijomial · August 2016

You won't know until you try!
By the way your calorie balance estimates are just that - estimates, just a bit of inaccuracy throws all your calculations out.

If you bump your base calories up by a couple of hundred and don't get a very slow upward rise in weight over a period of weeks you will have your answer.

LivingtheLeanDream · August 2016

It all sounds good and its likely you can indeed eat more but you'll not know til you try..... up your cals by 100 per day and so on, it takes trial and error to find our true average TDEE.
I use Fitbit and I know from experience its never far away from my actual burn. I can rely on those numbers now but it took me a while to figure it all out and trust the numbers.

zoeysasha37 · August 2016

Here's the simple way to find out-
Eat more but log every single bite. Weigh everything. Be as accurate as possible. Monitor your weight, if it starts to creep up more then just daily fluctuations then your eating at a surplus.
If your weight stays the same, your at maintenance
If your losing, your at a deficit.
Remember that our weight will fluctuate so try using an app like trend weight if you have problems finding your base line.
This will take time and patience but you will be able to figure out what calorie goal is best. Just be accurate and weigh all your solids. Measure liquids

Vegplotter · August 2016

I'd say don't trust your exercise calculators. Trust the scales and keep logging your calories.
Don't suddenly up your calorie intake by more than 100 calories per day - unless you want to risk metabolic meltdown! (Binge eating, emotion storms, depression etc). It's at maintenance that all these ghastly things started happening to me last time - so be very cautious.
Add 100 extra calories per day per week and weigh yourself EVERY day. If you continue to lose weight add another 100 (healthy) cals the next week and so on.
By the way 40minutes of cycling isn't 2200 calories. (Or do I misunderstand you?) I'd be surprised if it's much more than 220!

Erik8484 · August 2016

You say you've been maintaining the last few years. How many calories have you been eating per day, and how has the scale moved? Ive you've been eating 2,000 per day and you haven't lost or gained weight, then that is your maintenance calories. If you have been eating 2,000 per day and losing, eat more...

Christine_72 · August 2016

Vegplotter wrote: »

I'd say don't trust your exercise calculators. Trust the scales and keep logging your calories.
Don't suddenly up your calorie intake by more than 100 calories per day - unless you want to risk metabolic meltdown! (Binge eating, emotion storms, depression etc). It's at maintenance that all these ghastly things started happening to me last time - so be very cautious.
Add 100 extra calories per day per week and weigh yourself EVERY day. If you continue to lose weight add another 100 (healthy) cals the next week and so on.
By the way 40minutes of cycling isn't 2200 calories. (Or do I misunderstand you?) I'd be surprised if it's much more than 220!

I think the 2200 calories is her Total daily burn-TDEE, not the calories she burned just by cycling.

BikeTourer · August 2016

Vegplotter wrote: »

I'd say don't trust your exercise calculators. Trust the scales and keep logging your calories.
Don't suddenly up your calorie intake by more than 100 calories per day - unless you want to risk metabolic meltdown! (Binge eating, emotion storms, depression etc). It's at maintenance that all these ghastly things started happening to me last time - so be very cautious.
Add 100 extra calories per day per week and weigh yourself EVERY day. If you continue to lose weight add another 100 (healthy) cals the next week and so on.
By the way 40minutes of cycling isn't 2200 calories. (Or do I misunderstand you?) I'd be surprised if it's much more than 220!

I ride and I can tell you if you ride with intensity you'll easily burn more than 220 calories on a 40 min ride. I'm 50, female,, 5'6", 135lbs on a moderate route at 14 mph (which is not fast) I'd burn in the 300s. I eat my calories my tracker gives me and have been maintaining, when I don't I lose. I know trackers don't work for everyone but they do work well for many others. I would recommend the person with the new tracker to up slowly calories to figure out how accurately it reflects their body. For many people it works very well and allows them to be less up tight about gaining it back.

estycki · August 2016

I assumed my TDEE was 1800 on rest days since that's what all the online calculators suggested if all I did was drive to work and sit at my desk all day. It's good to know that 2000 calories is not overeating because I used to beat myself up about it in the winter time. It's funny how much harder it is to be in a deficit now, I used to have an easy time eating around 1600 calories to lose weight. Now I can't seem to eat below 2000 without feeling anxiety. I'm going to stick to 2000 as that's what I'm comfortable with, with balanced macros and nutrients etc and I'll just be active for fun and strength training.

Can I eat more than I thought? :)

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