Should I change my fitness goals?

kooshajan
kooshajan Posts: 174 Member
edited September 30 in Health and Weight Loss
I am debating between changing my fitness goals to sedentary and 1.5lbs a week. It is currently set to light activity and a 2lb loss per week. I bike to and from work and go for a 30-60 min walk in the evening. As of tomorrow I am also starting 30 day shred (20 minute workout video). Oddly enough both fitness settings on my page leave me with a 1200 calorie net. And does the BMR calculator on this site take in the activity factor? I am 5ft3, 185lbs and trying to lose 2lbs per week for a 40lb-45lb goal loss. Maybe this is too much?

Replies

  • notsoskinnyminnie
    notsoskinnyminnie Posts: 14 Member
    Hi kooshajan!

    I am 187 pounds and also looking to lose 40-45 pounds. When I set my page to 1.5 pounds loss I have 1280 calories; when I set it to 2 pounds loss it is about 1200. I have my description as sedentary because left to my own devices I am :wink: But my goals are 45 minutes exercise 5 days a week...

    So I guess I am thinking, it might not make that much of a difference for you. :indifferent:

    How long have you been working at it? Have you seen any results with the settings you have?
  • kooshajan
    kooshajan Posts: 174 Member
    Hi kooshajan!

    I am 187 pounds and also looking to lose 40-45 pounds. When I set my page to 1.5 pounds loss I have 1280 calories; when I set it to 2 pounds loss it is about 1200. I have my description as sedentary because left to my own devices I am :wink: But my goals are 45 minutes exercise 5 days a week...

    So I guess I am thinking, it might not make that much of a difference for you. :indifferent:

    How long have you been working at it? Have you seen any results with the settings you have?

    Hello! Ive been working at it for about a month now. I get so confused by all of this that it becomes quite discouraging and I just give up, so technically Ive been off and on for about a month. I have had no results yet which is causing even more stress but I know a few people who are following this site and are getting fantastic results. I am just not sure I have my settings correct in order for me to lose efficiently and safely.
  • kleavitt1992
    kleavitt1992 Posts: 592 Member
    I am debating between changing my fitness goals to sedentary and 1.5lbs a week. It is currently set to light activity and a 2lb loss per week. I bike to and from work and go for a 30-60 min walk in the evening. As of tomorrow I am also starting 30 day shred (20 minute workout video). Oddly enough both fitness settings on my page leave me with a 1200 calorie net. And does the BMR calculator on this site take in the activity factor? I am 5ft3, 185lbs and trying to lose 2lbs per week for a 40lb-45lb goal loss. Maybe this is too much?

    your bmr is the calories you'd burn if you laid in bed all day long and never got moved or anything so no it does not
  • notsoskinnyminnie
    notsoskinnyminnie Posts: 14 Member
    Hi kooshajan!

    I am 187 pounds and also looking to lose 40-45 pounds. When I set my page to 1.5 pounds loss I have 1280 calories; when I set it to 2 pounds loss it is about 1200. I have my description as sedentary because left to my own devices I am :wink: But my goals are 45 minutes exercise 5 days a week...

    So I guess I am thinking, it might not make that much of a difference for you. :indifferent:

    How long have you been working at it? Have you seen any results with the settings you have?

    Hello! Ive been working at it for about a month now. I get so confused by all of this that it becomes quite discouraging and I just give up, so technically Ive been off and on for about a month. I have had no results yet which is causing even more stress but I know a few people who are following this site and are getting fantastic results. I am just not sure I have my settings correct in order for me to lose efficiently and safely.

    That is pretty much exactly the boat I'm in... I'm kind of sad because I've not had the exciting results I see others post in the forums.

    Maybe you are right and tweaks are in order... I'm just not sure what. :frown: But I like leaving the pound loss set to 1.5 pounds; then I can aim a little higher and achieve the 1200 calorie goal and be on track for 2 pounds (theoretically), but if I don't quite make it it's still "good". Maybe that's a bad plan.
  • kooshajan
    kooshajan Posts: 174 Member
    I realize the repetitiveness of this and I must be driving you all crazy with my questions!! I just want my settings to be right and healthy. Someone mentioned that my deficit should be deducted from my TDEE (BMRx1.2 for sed or 1.55 for lightly active) according to MFP my BMR is 1543. if I multiply it by 1.2 it is 1851.6. How the heck does MFP give me an 880 deficit from this (as shown on my goals page)?!

    Im just ready to give up at this point. Ive never been so stressed about anything (and I work in accounting!!!). Do you recommend I stay with my 2lb loss per week goal at 1200 cals net? Mind you I burn about 400 a day on exercise so I eat 1600. Am I even still getting my 880 deficit if I eat my cals back? How can I make certain that I am burning more than I consume? Please advise me on this as I am SO stressed about this!
  • kooshajan
    kooshajan Posts: 174 Member
    I understand that my BMR is what i need to just get by if I stayed in bed all day. I'm guessing then that my BMR is higher than the net and MFP has calculated the difference between the two to allow for weight loss, depending on how much I want to lose (in my case, 2lb per week?) If thats the case than my net is 1200 and my bmr is 1543 (according to this site). How am I getting the 880 deficit that it claims I am getting if I am only working out 300-400cals??
  • ChantalGG
    ChantalGG Posts: 2,404 Member
    MFP will not drop you calories under 1200 and if you want to drop 1 lb or 2 it will still give you the same calories to eat. are you eating back your calories?
  • av8rblond
    av8rblond Posts: 140
    It is so confusing and I have basically given up on the technical part of this site and am only really using the diary parts of it. I think that I automatically lost 5 pounds when I decided I wasn't going to stress. I like the body I am creating and all the other parts and weight loss' if any will just be bonus.
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,423 Member
    OK, let's see if I can set this straight:

    MFP works out your calories by calculating your BMR (ie. how many cals you would burn if you were comatose). Then it takes the info you have given about your daily activities (this means your work and daily routine, without planned exercise like running or cycling or DVDs) and multiplies the BMR to get a number that reflects how many cals you would burn each day doing regular stuff like walking around, breathing plus the regular daily activities around the house or at your work.

    This number is your maintenance calories - ie. if you ate this many cals you should stay the same weight.

    MFP then subtracts calories to give you a deficit to allow you to lose weight. If you choose to lose 2lbs a week, it will subtract 1000 cals a day. BUT, MFP doens't give a daily calorie allowance less than 1200, as this is considered a safe minimum for most women.

    This is your basic calorie allowance for the day.

    NOW you add your exercise, and this gives you extra calories to eat each day. Remember, even if you eat all these calories, you still have the deficit in there to allow you to lose weight.

    So, you should set your activity level at sedentary, lightly active, active etc based on your regular daily routine, NOT your planned exercise, this gets added later.

    And yes, 2lbs a week might be too large a deficit for the weight you have to lose.

    Does this help, or have I just confused you more?
  • kooshajan
    kooshajan Posts: 174 Member
    ChantalGG, yes I eat them back. I cant afford not too if my intake is only 1200. Anything I burn lowers me below 1200 than.

    Rubybelle, thank you for the explanation! I selected a 2lb loss but MFP wont give it to me. The max I can acheive on this site is 1.8lbs loss per week...thus the 880 deficit.
    I have 45lbs to lose, should I lower it to 1.5? Even though I know a few people who have it set for 2lbs and they way less than me and are having success.
    Yet even if I lower it, it only goes to
    What I am confused about is what level my calorie intake should be. Should I put it at sedentary or lightly active with all my activities and 1330 calsnet?
    And how can I calculate my fitness calories to make sure they are over my food intake???
  • kooshajan
    kooshajan Posts: 174 Member
    So what do you recommend than? Keep it at lightly active or just put it to sedentary (which automatically lowers me to a 1.5lb loss) and add on my exercise calories to my maintenance or BMR? I feel like Im stuck and no one will help me!!!!

    I stand alot at work. I bike 30 mins total to/from work. I do the 30day shred in the eve and will occasionally go for a 30-60 min walk.
    If I change it to sed, it tells me my net is still 1200/day. Cal burn daily activity is 1930 for a 730 deficit.

    All I would love to know is
    a.) SHOULD i change my lifestyle to the lightly active setting?
    b.) If I eat back my exercise cals, am I still getting my deficit?
    c.) How does MFP program exercise calories so you can see how you take in less food calories than you burn?????
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