High calorie target - will I lose weight?
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rachaelgifford
Posts: 320 Member
Hi there!
I have tried and failed MFP many times, and it has all been down to me trying to beat the system... under eating, over exercising and generally just hating it.
So, this time in an effort to actually make it work I have set my goal to losing 1lb per week and I have set myself a gym routine to ensure that I am working sensibly in the gym.
However, my calorie goal has come up at 1920 calories, and this seems like quite a lot to me when losing weight. However, I am determined to do this properly, so am trying to eat around that, and exercise on top.
I exercise 4/5 times a week. 2 weight sessions and 2/3 cardio depending on how I feel. I am normally pretty active day to day as well.
I don't think I will be eating back my exercise calories though, as I am going from about 1300 to 1900.
Could someone please reassure me that I will actually lose weight this way???? Obviously, I wouldn't be sad losing more than 1lb per week... but I need to start doing something that will work so if slow and steady is the key, than that is what I will try!
I have tried and failed MFP many times, and it has all been down to me trying to beat the system... under eating, over exercising and generally just hating it.
So, this time in an effort to actually make it work I have set my goal to losing 1lb per week and I have set myself a gym routine to ensure that I am working sensibly in the gym.
However, my calorie goal has come up at 1920 calories, and this seems like quite a lot to me when losing weight. However, I am determined to do this properly, so am trying to eat around that, and exercise on top.
I exercise 4/5 times a week. 2 weight sessions and 2/3 cardio depending on how I feel. I am normally pretty active day to day as well.
I don't think I will be eating back my exercise calories though, as I am going from about 1300 to 1900.
Could someone please reassure me that I will actually lose weight this way???? Obviously, I wouldn't be sad losing more than 1lb per week... but I need to start doing something that will work so if slow and steady is the key, than that is what I will try!
2
Replies
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Depends. How tall are you and how much do you weigh? And how old are you?
I'm 5'9, currently 177 lbs, 42 years old, and can lose on 1960 calories.6 -
The goal is based on the information that you input (your stats and goals), so assuming you entered it correctly then it's probably a reasonable goal.
If it is a deficit for you, then you'll lose weight. No matter how many calories you're eating, you will lose weight if it is less than your body is using.4 -
Hi, sorry. Didn't mention my height or weight - I suppose that is quite useful for you to know.
I'm 5ft 4 and incredibly over weight at 16st 11. I am 32.
It just seems such a lot for a diet!
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Keep in mind that there are 2 ways to use MFP.
1. Set your activity level to Sedentary and manually log exercise calories
2. Set your activity level to your actual activity level (Lightly Active, Active, etc) and NOT log exercise calories8 -
I'm 5'4 so we're the same height, 193lbs currently and 27 years old. My TDEE is 1950 and to lose 1lb a week I have to eat 1450. Is MFP telling you to eat that much?
And also are you sedentary or pretty active throughout the day? Your activity level affects how much you should eat to lose weight. I work a desk job so I'm pretty sedentary throughout the day.1 -
Keep in mind that there are 2 ways to use MFP.
1. Set your activity level to Sedentary and manually log exercise calories
2. Set your activity level to your actual activity level (Lightly Active, Active, etc) and NOT log exercise calories
People with non-sedentary jobs/daily lives outside of exercise can choose a third option: Set the activity level to their daily non-exercise activity level (which will be higher than "sedentary") and still log exercise calories.16 -
janejellyroll wrote: »Keep in mind that there are 2 ways to use MFP.
1. Set your activity level to Sedentary and manually log exercise calories
2. Set your activity level to your actual activity level (Lightly Active, Active, etc) and NOT log exercise calories
People with non-sedentary jobs/daily lives outside of exercise can choose a third option: Set the activity level to their daily non-exercise activity level (which will be higher than "sedentary") and still log exercise calories.
Good point!0 -
Keep in mind that there are 2 ways to use MFP.
1. Set your activity level to Sedentary and manually log exercise calories
2. Set your activity level to your actual activity level (Lightly Active, Active, etc) and NOT log exercise calories
Hi, I have mine as lightly active and I log exercise calories... but haven't been eating them back. Do you think i need to drop it to sedentary? I like logging the calories as I like seeing the number even if I don't eat any of them back.0 -
dinadyna21 wrote: »I'm 5'4 so we're the same height, 193lbs currently and 27 years old. My TDEE is 1950 and to lose 1lb a week I have to eat 1450. Is MFP telling you to eat that much?
And also are you sedentary or pretty active throughout the day? Your activity level affects how much you should eat to lose weight. I work a desk job so I'm pretty sedentary throughout the day.
I'm quite active - in a nursery most days running about. I don't really know what TDEE is, but the 1920 I got was generated by MFP for loss of 1lb per week. I'm 40lbs heavier than you, and currently set to lightly active.3 -
rachaelgifford wrote: »Keep in mind that there are 2 ways to use MFP.
1. Set your activity level to Sedentary and manually log exercise calories
2. Set your activity level to your actual activity level (Lightly Active, Active, etc) and NOT log exercise calories
Hi, I have mine as lightly active and I log exercise calories... but haven't been eating them back. Do you think i need to drop it to sedentary? I like logging the calories as I like seeing the number even if I don't eat any of them back.
As @janejellyroll mentioned, your job/natural activity level definitely comes into play too. I work a desk job, so I set mine to Sedentary and manually log my exercise and eat back 50-75% of them.
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janejellyroll wrote: »Keep in mind that there are 2 ways to use MFP.
1. Set your activity level to Sedentary and manually log exercise calories
2. Set your activity level to your actual activity level (Lightly Active, Active, etc) and NOT log exercise calories
People with non-sedentary jobs/daily lives outside of exercise can choose a third option: Set the activity level to their daily non-exercise activity level (which will be higher than "sedentary") and still log exercise calories.
I guess this is what I do. I am set to lightly active, as I am on my feet most of the day running about.0 -
At your current weight, eating 1920 calories will make you lose weight.
But that assumes that you're really eating 1920 calories, and not more, which is easy to do unless you log correctly, with no leaving out, estimating, picking way too optimistic database entries (not just for exercise, also foods) or forgetting, and that you do it every day, with no cheat days, and no giving up when you don't see a drop on the scale, no rewarding yourself with more food for "being good" or seeing a big drop on the scale, and no panic and giving up when you make a mistake.
1920 calories isn't that much. I'm maintaining on around that, and I'm just one inch shorter than you, but at goal weight.
Losing weight is not about starving yourself. Gaining weight, you've been eating too much, but not by a lot each day. Now you'll just have to reverse that trend, you're even most likely going to lose weight faster than you gained weight.
I don't want to make you doubt your decision, which is a good decision, just make sure you are aware that at your current weight, 2 pounds is also a reasonable weekly goal. This will give you a lower calorie target than 1920, but if you stick to that target, you will lose weight faster, and still healthily. 1% of your body weight is a good weekly goal, so be prepared to adjust both calorie target and expectations, as you lose weight.7 -
rachaelgifford wrote: »dinadyna21 wrote: »I'm 5'4 so we're the same height, 193lbs currently and 27 years old. My TDEE is 1950 and to lose 1lb a week I have to eat 1450. Is MFP telling you to eat that much?
And also are you sedentary or pretty active throughout the day? Your activity level affects how much you should eat to lose weight. I work a desk job so I'm pretty sedentary throughout the day.
I'm quite active - in a nursery most days running about. I don't really know what TDEE is, but the 1920 I got was generated by MFP for loss of 1lb per week. I'm 40lbs heavier than you, and currently set to lightly active.
You're definitely more active than me so that would explain the difference. TDEE is Total Daily Energy Expenditure, which is basically a method of calculating how much your body naturally burns during your normal daily activities to figure out how much you need to eat to either gain or lose weight.
I'm also trying to lose 2lbs per week, which is easier for me because I don't typically eat much. My weight gain downfall was overconsuming calories in alcohol. So I had to cut that out.
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kommodevaran wrote: »At your current weight, eating 1920 calories will make you lose weight.
But that assumes that you're really eating 1920 calories, and not more, which is easy to do unless you log correctly, with no leaving out, estimating, picking way too optimistic database entries (not just for exercise, also foods) or forgetting, and that you do it every day, with no cheat days, and no giving up when you don't see a drop on the scale, no rewarding yourself with more food for "being good" or seeing a big drop on the scale, and no panic and giving up when you make a mistake.
1920 calories isn't that much. I'm maintaining on around that, and I'm just one inch shorter than you, but at goal weight.
Losing weight is not about starving yourself. Gaining weight, you've been eating too much, but not by a lot each day. Now you'll just have to reverse that trend, you're even most likely going to lose weight faster than you gained weight.
I don't want to make you doubt your decision, which is a good decision, just make sure you are aware that at your current weight, 2 pounds is also a reasonable weekly goal. This will give you a lower calorie target than 1920, but if you stick to that target, you will lose weight faster, and still healthily. 1% of your body weight is a good weekly goal, so be prepared to adjust both calorie target and expectations, as you lose weight.
I'm definitely not perfect, and I have had some pretty bad days when I have been on here before. I Am careful with my logging though, and weigh and measure everything (unless it is pre packaged).
I have dropped my activity level down to sedentary which has reduced me to 1700 ish, so I will try that for a week or so and see how I go.
I think my mindset is if it isn't 1200 it isn't a diet (which is why I keep failing, and why I don't want to lose too much per week).
Thank you for your help!6 -
dinadyna21 wrote: »rachaelgifford wrote: »dinadyna21 wrote: »I'm 5'4 so we're the same height, 193lbs currently and 27 years old. My TDEE is 1950 and to lose 1lb a week I have to eat 1450. Is MFP telling you to eat that much?
And also are you sedentary or pretty active throughout the day? Your activity level affects how much you should eat to lose weight. I work a desk job so I'm pretty sedentary throughout the day.
I'm quite active - in a nursery most days running about. I don't really know what TDEE is, but the 1920 I got was generated by MFP for loss of 1lb per week. I'm 40lbs heavier than you, and currently set to lightly active.
You're definitely more active than me so that would explain the difference. TDEE is Total Daily Energy Expenditure, which is basically a method of calculating how much your body naturally burns during your normal daily activities to figure out how much you need to eat to either gain or lose weight.
I'm also trying to lose 2lbs per week, which is easier for me because I don't typically eat much. My weight gain downfall was overconsuming calories in alcohol. So I had to cut that out.dinadyna21 wrote: »rachaelgifford wrote: »dinadyna21 wrote: »I'm 5'4 so we're the same height, 193lbs currently and 27 years old. My TDEE is 1950 and to lose 1lb a week I have to eat 1450. Is MFP telling you to eat that much?
And also are you sedentary or pretty active throughout the day? Your activity level affects how much you should eat to lose weight. I work a desk job so I'm pretty sedentary throughout the day.
I'm quite active - in a nursery most days running about. I don't really know what TDEE is, but the 1920 I got was generated by MFP for loss of 1lb per week. I'm 40lbs heavier than you, and currently set to lightly active.
You're definitely more active than me so that would explain the difference. TDEE is Total Daily Energy Expenditure, which is basically a method of calculating how much your body naturally burns during your normal daily activities to figure out how much you need to eat to either gain or lose weight.
I'm also trying to lose 2lbs per week, which is easier for me because I don't typically eat much. My weight gain downfall was overconsuming calories in alcohol. So I had to cut that out.
I love alcohol, but now that I have got passed the last wedding of the season I am saying a temporary farewell to it.
Thanks for the info on TDEE. I also don't eat much (as in large portions) I just eat too much of the wrong stuff and drink too much.
That is why I am struggling with the high target - it is harder to get to with healthy food!3 -
Yes!! I thought I was the only one doing this lol, Once I started making better food choices and being selective of what I ate I realized how hard it is to meet your target. I started weight lifting which helped some but on days I don't lift I have very little appetite2
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rachaelgifford wrote: »It just seems such a lot for a diet!
That's the thing. It's not "a diet." Those of us who got fat did it by eating more calories than we needed to maintain a healthy weight. We are now learning to eat a number of calories that helps us get to and maintain a healthy weight. We are not "on a diet." What we eat is our diet. A pet cat has a diet of whatever you feed it. Same with us. Our diet is whatever we eat.
So, yes, it's true. You can lose weight eating any number of calories as long as it is less than you burn. If you put the right information into MFP or into a TDEE calculator, it will come up with a number of calories that should, over time, bring the results you seek. Also, note that the number of calories goes down as you lose weight. This is normal. If you are smaller, your TDEE is lower. (Same is true if you are older, which really hurts when you are my age.)
Now, what you eat is your choice as much as how much you eat. For weight, the number of calories is pretty much the only important factor but for health the story is a good deal different. Again, the choice is yours. You can survive on Twinkies but be sick as a dog or you can eat a well-balanced, nutrient-rich diet and glow with health.
The one thing you can't do is think that after you lose weight "on a diet" you can go back to how much you ate before and stay thin. Before, you were eating at maintenance for that heavy person. To stay slim, you have to eat at maintenance for the slim person. That means, what and how much to eat as you lose weight should be looked at as part of a life-long plan.
The more you look at it as a life-long commitment to miserable eating choices, the more likely you are to quit and regain whatever you lost. So, work on figuring out what is an enjoyable and satisfying eating pattern for you that resides within your calorie count. You are not "on a diet." You are finding your "new normal."13 -
I think that if you challenge this, you'll have a much easier time. No foods are wrong and right, it's about balance and moderation. Yes, it is indeed true that socalled healthy food is more "filling", and that's why it's promoted when losing weight, but as you've already discovered, eating too little, as in too few calories, eating boring food (probably), demonizing food you like (if I'm interpreting this correctly), is not going to work in the long run. At 1700 or 1900 calories, you have enough to play with to get in good nutrition and a few occasional treats. If you make this endeavour into some kind of punishment, you'll only want to quit. It's easy to quit. But quitting is a moot point if you're already eating the way you want to eat.rachaelgifford wrote: »I also don't eat much (as in large portions) I just eat too much of the wrong stuff and drink too much.
That is why I am struggling with the high target - it is harder to get to with healthy food!6 -
kommodevaran wrote: »
I think that if you challenge this, you'll have a much easier time. No foods are wrong and right, it's about balance and moderation. Yes, it is indeed true that socalled healthy food is more "filling", and that's why it's promoted when losing weight, but as you've already discovered, eating too little, as in too few calories, eating boring food (probably), demonizing food you like (if I'm interpreting this correctly), is not going to work in the long run. At 1700 or 1900 calories, you have enough to play with to get in good nutrition and a few occasional treats. If you make this endeavour into some kind of punishment, you'll only want to quit. It's easy to quit. But quitting is a moot point if you're already eating the way you want to eat.rachaelgifford wrote: »I also don't eat much (as in large portions) I just eat too much of the wrong stuff and drink too much.
That is why I am struggling with the high target - it is harder to get to with healthy food!
You are so right, and telling me all the things I know but need to hear.
I am fully aware that I am my own worst enemy, and need to change my mindset as much as my eating habits. This is why it has never worked for me before, and a cycle I am determined to break!
Thank you!
Also, I have looked at my 2lb per week loss target which is 1210 (I've dropped my activity to sedentary in case I am less active than I think). I think I will have a week at eating to 1700 with no exercise calories back, and a week at 1210 with eating back and see which way I prefer.
Like you said, it is a long game... so I have to find out what works for me.3 -
Keep in mind that there are 2 ways to use MFP.
1. Set your activity level to Sedentary and manually log exercise calories
2. Set your activity level to your actual activity level (Lightly Active, Active, etc) and NOT log exercise calories
This is like:
1. Paying with cash. You can't buy things until you can afford them.
2. Paying with a credit card. You can buy things immediately on the promise that you'll earn them later. Some people can get into trouble this way. "I'm an active person generally, so I can eat this" can be dangerous because people have a natural tendency to over estimate the level of exercise they do and under estimate the food they eat.
I'm not saying nobody should ever do #2, just be aware of the danger.8
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