question for IIFYM pro's or if you are at least knowledgeable on this...

JenniferIsLosingIt
JenniferIsLosingIt Posts: 595 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Due to the fact that I have been on this journey for 3 years and I literally maintained the entire year last year, I am looking for change. MFP is killing me with these super low calorie suggestions. So I used an IIFYM calculator. My numbers are as follows: Total Calories 2360: Protein 177 Fat 103 Carbs 177 Fiber 44

I work out 3-6 days a week lifting and cardio. I cycle 5-15 miles a week (you know actually getting on a bike and riding it lol) I walk the treadmill at the gym on the days I go for 30 minutes (3-5 days). Lifting consists of upper body one day lower body next with a rest the next day then repeat this cycle.
My body stats are 5 foot 5 295 lbs (beginning weight was 414 3 years ago). I have a fairly sedentary job because I am in my car a lot. I do a type of social work.

SO my question is do the numbers look good to you and let me hear some success stories as well please...I am stuck in this rut and i have got to get out of it.

Replies

  • cityruss
    cityruss Posts: 2,493 Member
    Unless your workouts are persistently of the ultra hardcore variety I'd say that's too many calories to lose.

    As with all this personal data is far more accurate than generic calculators.

    Choose a calorie goal, accurately track and monitor intake and weight over 4 or so weeks and adjust up or down.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,876 Member
    What did you put for your activity level? When choosing an activity level you need to consider the number of days you workout but also the intensity...your workouts look pretty light and there's a pretty big difference between 3 and 6 days. Your numbers seem a bit high to me, but as cityruss stated, pick a target and watch the trends...if you're not losing, adjust down...use your real world data.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,372 Member
    I'd select 'lightly active' as setting with what you're doing.
  • emlynley
    emlynley Posts: 7 Member
    (not an expert) What I notice with those numbers is that the carbs are very low. You'd probably have trouble hitting that calorie count with so few carbs, if you are trying to keep to the carb limit. I think that's the main area these numbers differ from MFP. My IIFYM gave me less than half the # of carbs MFP is allowing even though it gave me more calories per day.
  • KickboxFanatic
    KickboxFanatic Posts: 184 Member
    I like to use a TDEE calculator (such as at http://zstrengthfit.com/wp/rmr-tdee-calculator/) and then compute my macros by multiplying my lean body mass times .8 for protein, current body weight times .4 for fat and the remaining calories coming from carbs. This allows me to hit a standard protein and fat macro and increase/decrease carbs based on my training. If life gets in the way and I only get to the gym 2 out of my scheduled 5 sessions then I can decrease carbs to make a bigger deficit and make up for the missed session.

    For example (using calculator in link): 40 year old female, 65 inches tall, weighing 250 lbs with a activity level of "Light" with no gym sessions (start with zero gym, use your gym burns for health, and bonus calorie burns) and an estimated body fat of 35% (tons of picture charts online to help guesstimate body fat if you don't have calipers). This gives our lady an average BMR of 1801 and an average TDEE of 2698. This is our range without added exercise.

    To compute macros, first we want to multiply her current bodyweight by her estimated body fat percentage.

    250 x .35 = 87.5, giving her a lean body mass of 162.5. We are going to compute her protein macro from this weight. 162.5 x .8 = 130 grams (= 520 calories)

    Then we compute her fat grams using her current body weight. 250 x .4 = 100 grams (900 calories)

    Figuring out carb intake is where it gets tricky. Her non-exercise TDEE is 2698 and we want a daily caloric deficit of 20% from her TDEE. 2698 - 20% = 2158

    Her BMR is 1801 and we don't want to go lower than that.

    We are already giving her 1420 calories from protein and fat leaving her with an additional 381 calories to meet BMR or 738 calories to meet her non-exercise TDEE deficit. This leaves her a range of 95-185 grams of carbs a day to play with depending on her activity and hunger levels.

    I would start this woman at 2158 calories with 130g P, 100 g F and 185 g C for 4 weeks. If the scale isn't moving more than .5lb a week, drop Carbs 100 calories or down to 160g, leaving Protein and Fat macros the same. Test again at 4 weeks.
  • JenniferIsLosingIt
    JenniferIsLosingIt Posts: 595 Member
    KickboxFanatic wrote: »
    I like to use a TDEE calculator (such as at http://zstrengthfit.com/wp/rmr-tdee-calculator/) and then compute my macros by multiplying my lean body mass times .8 for protein, current body weight times .4 for fat and the remaining calories coming from carbs. This allows me to hit a standard protein and fat macro and increase/decrease carbs based on my training. If life gets in the way and I only get to the gym 2 out of my scheduled 5 sessions then I can decrease carbs to make a bigger deficit and make up for the missed session.

    For example (using calculator in link): 40 year old female, 65 inches tall, weighing 250 lbs with a activity level of "Light" with no gym sessions (start with zero gym, use your gym burns for health, and bonus calorie burns) and an estimated body fat of 35% (tons of picture charts online to help guesstimate body fat if you don't have calipers). This gives our lady an average BMR of 1801 and an average TDEE of 2698. This is our range without added exercise.

    To compute macros, first we want to multiply her current bodyweight by her estimated body fat percentage.

    250 x .35 = 87.5, giving her a lean body mass of 162.5. We are going to compute her protein macro from this weight. 162.5 x .8 = 130 grams (= 520 calories)

    Then we compute her fat grams using her current body weight. 250 x .4 = 100 grams (900 calories)

    Figuring out carb intake is where it gets tricky. Her non-exercise TDEE is 2698 and we want a daily caloric deficit of 20% from her TDEE. 2698 - 20% = 2158

    Her BMR is 1801 and we don't want to go lower than that.

    We are already giving her 1420 calories from protein and fat leaving her with an additional 381 calories to meet BMR or 738 calories to meet her non-exercise TDEE deficit. This leaves her a range of 95-185 grams of carbs a day to play with depending on her activity and hunger levels.

    I would start this woman at 2158 calories with 130g P, 100 g F and 185 g C for 4 weeks. If the scale isn't moving more than .5lb a week, drop Carbs 100 calories or down to 160g, leaving Protein and Fat macros the same. Test again at 4 weeks.


    Thank you so much! This was incredibly helpful!!!


    emlynley wrote: »
    (not an expert) What I notice with those numbers is that the carbs are very low. You'd probably have trouble hitting that calorie count with so few carbs, if you are trying to keep to the carb limit. I think that's the main area these numbers differ from MFP. My IIFYM gave me less than half the # of carbs MFP is allowing even though it gave me more calories per day.

    Thank you. I thought they were high! lol! But I used to do lowcarb...
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    What did you put for your activity level? When choosing an activity level you need to consider the number of days you workout but also the intensity...your workouts look pretty light and there's a pretty big difference between 3 and 6 days. Your numbers seem a bit high to me, but as cityruss stated, pick a target and watch the trends...if you're not losing, adjust down...use your real world data.

    Sedentary, then entered my workouts...(which never feel light to me lol. I leave sweaty and redfaced lol)
    cityruss wrote: »
    Unless your workouts are persistently of the ultra hardcore variety I'd say that's too many calories to lose.

    As with all this personal data is far more accurate than generic calculators.

    Choose a calorie goal, accurately track and monitor intake and weight over 4 or so weeks and adjust up or down.

    Thank you so much. I am going to take all of this information into account. get going good...and check back in with you all...

    anyone mind a friend request?

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