the right amount of calories to eat?

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labberto
labberto Posts: 18 Member
in Getting Started
Hi, new to MFP (after re-logining in).
Aim to lose 60lbs, or there about depending on how i feel. A few stats about me, I'm 5ft 3.5in
currently 178lbs :neutral: and i am relatively active, i.e I'm moving around at work and I'm doing the C25K so run/walking 3 times a week, now Ive currently set my goal to 1200 calories per day (and losing at a steady rate) (i do sometimes go over this intake) i.e first week 5lb, second week 1.5lb, this week 1.5lbs -I've calculated my BMR as 1550 per day.
Now I'm wanting to add small weights into my routine to try tone as i go but unsure how many calories extra i need as i don't want to starve my body but i also want to create a deficit for all this extra fat to shift at a continuing steady rate, do i need to do weights every day? if i did the 30DS as well as C25K would this help?
Basically I'm clueless, I've read about Macros but i don't really understand it all. Is anyone able to help.
I want to do this as sensibly as i can.

Thanks.

Replies

  • ZoneFive
    ZoneFive Posts: 570 Member
    edited September 2017
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    Go to My Home, Goals, and then click "view guided setup". Fill in your information, and MFP will give you a calorie goal and a basic macro split. This may or may not be the exact right fit for you, but unless you have medical reasons otherwise that's a really good place to start. Get hold of a food scale and log your intake daily -- and see where you are in two weeks. Then tweak your macros as you go.

    Lots of people feel more satiated (I hate that word, but I don't know an alternative other than not-hungry) with more protein; others feel better with more carbs. The only way to know for yourself is to experiment. And since this is meant to be an on-going project, take all the time you want to make it right for you.

    Meats and fish and/or vegetarian alternatives; vegetables and fruits; whole grains when you can; fats are essential, don't leave them out; and remember to add treats from time to time. Drink water. This is YOUR life -- make the way you eat comfortable for YOU.
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 9,994 Member
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    I would add 100 to 200 calories a day, not so much because the weights are going to burn that much extra (it's difficult to say how much extra, without knowing more details about your additional workouts -- I'm thinking "small weights" means those colorful rubber dumbbells that only go up to 15 lbs?) as because 1200 is awfully low for someone who is "relatively active," and three weeks in you're still losing 1.5 lbs a week, which is a tad aggressive -- the bigger your deficit, the more likely you are to be losing more lean mass than you need to, as opposed to maximizing fat loss as a percentage of your overall loss.

    Don't do weights every day, unless you're doing different muscle groups each day. You need a rest day in between working the same muscle groups. You build muscle on rest/recovery days, not on lifting days.

  • labberto
    labberto Posts: 18 Member
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    thanks for your comments, will see about adjusting this. I didn't realise you build muscle on rest days.
    And yes the small weights are the bright (pink) dumbbells in my case, beginning with 2lbs hehe :smiley:
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,488 Member
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    labberto wrote: »
    thanks for your comments, will see about adjusting this. I didn't realise you build muscle on rest days.
    And yes the small weights are the bright (pink) dumbbells in my case, beginning with 2lbs hehe :smiley:

    Your purse probably weighs far more than those weights. You're not going to be building muscle by using tiny weights and not eating in a surplus. What you want to do is try and preserve any muscle mass you already have.
  • labberto
    labberto Posts: 18 Member
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    what weights would you suggest to start with for arms? x
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,488 Member
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    labberto wrote: »
    what weights would you suggest to start with for arms? x

    You're fine to start there just don't want you thinking you'll get big and bulky or anything :)
  • Kwoconnor
    Kwoconnor Posts: 39 Member
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    Right or wrong here's what I did:

    1. Find out my BMI (online calculators everywhere).
    2. Use 1500 as my base calories (I am on a calorie deficit for approx 6 months)
    3. Work out 6 days a week with same program each week (Daniel Craig Workout
    4. lost 20kg so far (about 44lbs) wil prob leave it there at that and move to maintenance

    I have 2 cheat meals a week.
  • aeloine
    aeloine Posts: 2,163 Member
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    Keep in mind that you should be eating ABOVE BMR and BELOW TDEE to create a "healthy" deficit.
  • squirmmonster
    squirmmonster Posts: 98 Member
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    Ready2Rock206 wrote: »
    labberto wrote: »
    thanks for your comments, will see about adjusting this. I didn't realise you build muscle on rest days.
    And yes the small weights are the bright (pink) dumbbells in my case, beginning with 2lbs hehe :smiley:

    Your purse probably weighs far more than those weights. You're not going to be building muscle by using tiny weights and not eating in a surplus. What you want to do is try and preserve any muscle mass you already have.

    Don't listen to this. Small weights do add a significant burn if you're doing a lot of movement. I thought this would be the case, too, but unless you want arms you can do nothing with later, stick with lighter ones and work your way up. There's a reason they sell so many of these small weights, and it's because if you're doing a long period of cardio with them, they WILL tire you out and make it harder. If it didn't, nobody would use them.
  • aeloine
    aeloine Posts: 2,163 Member
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    squirmmonster wrote: »
    Ready2Rock206 wrote: »
    labberto wrote: »
    thanks for your comments, will see about adjusting this. I didn't realise you build muscle on rest days.
    And yes the small weights are the bright (pink) dumbbells in my case, beginning with 2lbs hehe :smiley:

    Your purse probably weighs far more than those weights. You're not going to be building muscle by using tiny weights and not eating in a surplus. What you want to do is try and preserve any muscle mass you already have.

    Don't listen to this. Small weights do add a significant burn if you're doing a lot of movement. I thought this would be the case, too, but unless you want arms you can do nothing with later, stick with lighter ones and work your way up. There's a reason they sell so many of these small weights, and it's because if you're doing a long period of cardio with them, they WILL tire you out and make it harder. If it didn't, nobody would use them.

    Not sure that she's planning on doing weighted cardio, though.
  • labberto
    labberto Posts: 18 Member
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    thanks for all the comments. x

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