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Looking for Guidance Regarding Workout Calories

CoryDoolittle
Posts: 3 Member
Howdy folks, my name is Cory and I'm a 35 y/o male at ~194lbs. I started working out again and focusing on my meals in May, but I've only been using MFP again for the last 40 days or so.
Based on my height, weight, age and sex my BMR is ~1900 calories per day for homeostasis.
On an average day I tend to walk ~5000 steps at work as a teacher. I do weight training every other day for ~60-90 minutes followed by 30 minutes on a treadmill using an interval incline setting that burns ~190-230 calories.
Usually this adds up to ~300-500 calories burnt. On non-workout days I tend to stay around or below 1700 calories to have a deficit. The problem is that within the last 40+ consecutive days that I've logged I've only lost two lbs.
When I "complete" my meal listing for the day it gives an estimated 5 week weight loss, which I am now 8 lbs short of. I know I've gained mass from my workouts. My arms, shoulders and chest show it, but there's no way I've gained eight pounds of muscle mass.
So I'm thinking it's one of two things and this is where I need some assistance. Either the coffee creamer that I use in my protein shakes (a great way to make them more palatable) is throwing my calorie count off on the days that I work out; as I don't log them since I honestly don't measure it, or that I'm eating too many of my workout calories on workout days. I do acknowledge that for a complete and transparent calorie count I should log those creamer calories, and now that I type this.... I will...
Otherwise, I use the app to scan every barcode of everything I eat and weigh everything else that's "loose" via grams on my kitchen scale.
For example: My workout macro goal is as such for today:
2,492Cal, 312carb, 83fat, 125protein, 2,300Sodium, 93sugar - How many of those calories should I eat?
2,000Cal, 250carb, 67fat, 100protein, 2,300Sodium, 75Sugar - Non-workout day, I aim for 1,700 calories.
I usually make an effort to not eat my workout calories, but I'm thinking I may need to be eating more than I do on workout days.
While sometimes I don't make the best meal choices; like a can of pringles yesterday, I try my best to stay in a deficit and meet my protein goals. If you view my log, please don't consider 9/2 to be the norm
It was an outlier lazy day.
Suggestions, observations and constructive criticism is welcome. I know I should fixate on appearance rather than a number on the scale, but it's beginning to irk me that I'm so far away from the estimate and I figure that any advice nutrition wise could be useful as well.
-Note: I take BCAAs before and after workouts, as well as glutamine powder in my shakes. Those are the only supplements I bother with.
Thank you in advance!
Based on my height, weight, age and sex my BMR is ~1900 calories per day for homeostasis.
On an average day I tend to walk ~5000 steps at work as a teacher. I do weight training every other day for ~60-90 minutes followed by 30 minutes on a treadmill using an interval incline setting that burns ~190-230 calories.
Usually this adds up to ~300-500 calories burnt. On non-workout days I tend to stay around or below 1700 calories to have a deficit. The problem is that within the last 40+ consecutive days that I've logged I've only lost two lbs.
When I "complete" my meal listing for the day it gives an estimated 5 week weight loss, which I am now 8 lbs short of. I know I've gained mass from my workouts. My arms, shoulders and chest show it, but there's no way I've gained eight pounds of muscle mass.
So I'm thinking it's one of two things and this is where I need some assistance. Either the coffee creamer that I use in my protein shakes (a great way to make them more palatable) is throwing my calorie count off on the days that I work out; as I don't log them since I honestly don't measure it, or that I'm eating too many of my workout calories on workout days. I do acknowledge that for a complete and transparent calorie count I should log those creamer calories, and now that I type this.... I will...

For example: My workout macro goal is as such for today:
2,492Cal, 312carb, 83fat, 125protein, 2,300Sodium, 93sugar - How many of those calories should I eat?
2,000Cal, 250carb, 67fat, 100protein, 2,300Sodium, 75Sugar - Non-workout day, I aim for 1,700 calories.
I usually make an effort to not eat my workout calories, but I'm thinking I may need to be eating more than I do on workout days.
While sometimes I don't make the best meal choices; like a can of pringles yesterday, I try my best to stay in a deficit and meet my protein goals. If you view my log, please don't consider 9/2 to be the norm

Suggestions, observations and constructive criticism is welcome. I know I should fixate on appearance rather than a number on the scale, but it's beginning to irk me that I'm so far away from the estimate and I figure that any advice nutrition wise could be useful as well.
-Note: I take BCAAs before and after workouts, as well as glutamine powder in my shakes. Those are the only supplements I bother with.
Thank you in advance!
0
Replies
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I haven't done what you're trying to do, lose weight, build muscle and re composition all at once.
But my impressions from reading other discussions here and on a macro board I follow are these. 1) what you are doing is not easy. There's little margin for error. 2) 2 lbs lost in 6 weeks is not bad. Half pound per week would be pretty good. But as you note, your eating program is not completely tight.
Try to find a guy on here- usmcmp. I think he is in a position to advise you. Maybe he will find your thread on his own.
Keep going.1 -
Hey! Can't believe how hard you go in one session! Are you mixing it up at the gym? I'm no good at the numbers game so have been following the lean in 15 recipe (Joe Wick but without the coconut oil) of reduced carbs then carbs and proteins post workout. Goes into a lot at the beginning about what to eat and when etc.
Includes protein supplements too! Has help me lose body fat whilst gaining muscle. If you find the answer let me know!0 -
Hey! Can't believe how hard you go in one session! Are you mixing it up at the gym?
I have a core 9-10 exercises that I always do in my routine. Otherwise I mix in jackknife leg lifts on an inclined sit-up bench, push-ups, shrugs, dumbbell side bends and sumo high pulls. The ones listed I do to keep things a little different while ensuring I hit my preferred routine. Pain, aches and fatigue are something I'm used to as a teacher.
I just want to make sure I'm eating properly to get the right results from the effort I'm putting in. Especially when I don't see the weight loss I'd expect. Which is honestly just love handles at this point.
My goal isn't to be "buff", I just want to get rid of my love handles and thin out my frame a bit. My arms/chest/shoulders have responded really well so far, but I just can't seem to trim my abdomen.0 -
I haven't done what you're trying to do, lose weight, build muscle and re composition all at once.
But my impressions from reading other discussions here and on a macro board I follow are these. 1) what you are doing is not easy. There's little margin for error. 2) 2 lbs lost in 6 weeks is not bad. Half pound per week would be pretty good. But as you note, your eating program is not completely tight.
Try to find a guy on here- usmcmp. I think he is in a position to advise you. Maybe he will find your thread on his own.
Keep going.
I appreciate the feedback! To be honest, my primary goal isn't to build muscle. I simply focus on weight training as my form of primary workout since it's accessible to me via a gym in the building where I live. Building muscle is more of a bi-product of the process and isn't necessarily a focus. But I do recognize the benefits of burning calories/fat through the creation of lean muscle mass, so I go with it. I just want to be "fit", I'm not worried about the "gains."0 -
If you are close to goal, it's even tougher. Like I said, 1/2 lb per week would be pretty good. You're almost there.0
This discussion has been closed.
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