Wondering if I messed up my BMI...

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Now, when I first started this, I said I was sedentary. Basically other than my daily walk, I sit around a lot. HOWEVER, my daily walk is about 1.13 miles a day on average now a days (and it's about to go up again; I just added another lap/time down the road. I'm hoping to up it to 2 miles, which should get me 10-11k steps according to Personal Trainer Walking.)

Was I right or wrong? And yes, I'm planning on looking into some bodyweight strength training once I get that protein powder.
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  • maryadavies4667
    maryadavies4667 Posts: 58 Member
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    I mean to! I just figure since I cannot afford weights or the gym atm, a bodyweight strength training regimen would be the way to go three times a week as well to add to this. Just going to have to do it downstairs b/c of space reasons..
  • TrishSeren
    TrishSeren Posts: 587 Member
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    It depends on if you log your daily walk. I put myself at sedentary but I log my walk as exercise (and usually eat the calories back).
  • maryadavies4667
    maryadavies4667 Posts: 58 Member
    edited September 2018
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    I log my walk but am ignoring the calories :smile: As in I try not to eat'em back unless it's a cheat day, which I have been trying to allow once in a while.

    But yeah, I'm not sure how that affects my goals, or if that makes me lightly active instead of sedentary. Goal there is totally MyFitnessPal there.
  • maryadavies4667
    maryadavies4667 Posts: 58 Member
    edited September 2018
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    Apullum; I mean to do that as I up the walk. Right now it's like 100 calories, so better not to, at least that's what I think. If it gets to more than that, THEN i"ll eat some back.

    Right now i'm keeping track with a linked app + Personal Trainer Walking, so yeah, it does log. Personal Trainer Walking is just how I'm keeping track of the total, so I can figure out my goal distance.
  • apullum
    apullum Posts: 4,838 Member
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    Assuming you're already meeting your MFP calorie goal, then burning an extra 100 calories and not eating them back is probably fine. However, you need to make sure you get at least net 1200 calories per day, and if you have a lot to lose, then your body likely needs more calories than that. Remember, the purpose of exercise isn't to create a larger deficit. The purpose is increased physical fitness, better mental health (for some folks), and getting to eat more.
  • maryadavies4667
    maryadavies4667 Posts: 58 Member
    edited September 2018
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    Luckily even at my worst, I was eating 1200-1300 calories a day MINIMUM. If you saw the other thread tho, I'm also having trouble meeting my protein goals; unfortunately the peanut butter available isn't that high in protein for the calories. (7 grams of protein for 180 cals per 2 tablespoons)

    Hence why I'm thinking, get the bleeping protein powder. I just special ordered it from Wal-Mart; either I'll have a certain brother take me so I can pick it up or I'll have the married brother pick it up for me.

    But yeah, I'm going to adjust after I have a word with my doctor as it is, want to make sure I'm doing this right. ^^ Last thing I want is to get sick.
  • apullum
    apullum Posts: 4,838 Member
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    Peanut butter is excellent for getting lots of calories in a small amount of food. It's unfortunately not so great for protein. However, at your current calorie goal and intake, I would still eat it. It's fairly cheap for the calories, and you do need to be eating more than 1200-1300. Just for comparison, I'm under 5 feet tall and maintaining in my optimal BMI range. I lost 100 pounds eating 1200 plus exercise calories. I would still lose, albeit very slowly, if I went back down to 1200. You can (and should) definitely eat more than I can.

    It does sound like your Dollar General might have some protein possibilities, like tuna and cheese. They might even have a few protein bars, though it's been a year or two since I was in a DG. Can you order things online? Amazon sells many protein bars and powders for far less than you can get them at the grocery store, and you can get them delivered right to your house rather than needing someone to pick it up for you...or have it delivered to your brother's house if that would cause a problem.

    I do hope your family situation improves soon. It sounds very upsetting to have someone else exerting so much influence over what you eat.
  • maryadavies4667
    maryadavies4667 Posts: 58 Member
    edited September 2018
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    I hope so too apullum; as it is I do not have Prime, but I use Amazon a lot anyway b/c I don't always want to whine to get to the store. (Because I don't, I usualy use it for games/things I can wait a week for.) If things get really better (since you CAN do this if you're on medicare/medicaid) I'm going to pounce on it and get the medicare discount for it. I just don't have the income coming in atm to justify Amazon Prime.

    I think that shows you this; I can order things online. With the powder, I actually ordered it from Wal-Mart online and had them ship to store b/c I didn't want to pay the shipping and I figured I could ask my married brother to get it for me, worst came to worst. (Yes they ship stuff now, but I don't see a reason to get it shipped unless I'm buying enough to justify it; and I wasn't.)

    I also do swagbucks/perk./Bing for gift cards which has helped with the spending money, but that's a discussion for a different day..

    (Just so you know, I DO have a credit union account and a debit card, but that's my personal money.)
  • maryadavies4667
    maryadavies4667 Posts: 58 Member
    edited September 2018
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    Thanks Charlie. But yeah. I don't think it'll hurt to talk to the doctor; I was going to ask for a flu shot anyway. And yes, at this point since I'm obese, I'm aiming for ideal weight, but if I get more muscle..well. Good going and screw the scale. ^^

    I just wanted to be sure I set up the app correctly, just prolly phased it wrong. I'm 5'7 1/2 btw, large frame. Had to do some checking since it actually had me at 190 for goal when I need to lose more than that really..
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    edited September 2018
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    Thanks Charlie. But yeah. I don't think it'll hurt to talk to the doctor; I was going to ask for a flu shot anyway. And yes, at this point since I'm obese, I'm aiming for ideal weight, but if I get more muscle..well. Good going and screw the scale. ^^

    I just wanted to be sure I set up the app correctly, just prolly phased it wrong. I'm 5'7 1/2 btw, large frame. Had to do some checking since it actually had me at 190 for goal when I need to lose more than that really..

    you wont get much if the way of muscle in a deficit. its hard enough for women to gain muscle in a surplus of calories. you probably will get some but its not going to be enough to really notice even with weight lifting/training but it will change how your body looks.
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,009 Member
    edited September 2018
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    Deleted, because this wasn't the thread I thought I was posting on .
  • maryadavies4667
    maryadavies4667 Posts: 58 Member
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    I can tell you right now pav: So far this week, even tho it was Fast Sunday week, I haven't lost any weight at all. (That's a religious thing that comes once a month) But we'll see Friday.

    That's why I spent the $20 to get that powder; I think I'm WAY overdoing it now. Maybe even the mail scale I'd been using malfunctioned a bit. >< I'm going to be getting a real food scale tho in a few days.

    Also my resources are VERY limited; heck, last i looked, THERE IS NOT MUCH GOOD STUFF at that Dollar General. And even then, it's three prices for that stuff. (read: too expensive) Also I'm having to donate plasma for spending money, it's that bad. (I only do that two weeks out of the month to protect my health but it's still bad.)

    But yeah, I'm going to try to get ahold of the doctor and get this right.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,121 Member
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    I log my walk but am ignoring the calories :smile: As in I try not to eat'em back unless it's a cheat day, which I have been trying to allow once in a while.

    But yeah, I'm not sure how that affects my goals, or if that makes me lightly active instead of sedentary. Goal there is totally MyFitnessPal there.


    First, your BMI is based on your height and weight.


    Second, here's what MFP says about activity level:

    How would you describe your normal daily activities?
    -- Sedentary: Spend most of the day sitting (e.g. bank teller, desk job)
    -- Lightly Active: Spend a good part of the day on your feet (e.g. teacher, salesperson)
    -- Active: Spend a good part of the day doing some physical activity (e.g. food server, postal carrier)
    -- Very Active: Spend most of the day doing heavy physical activity (e.g. bike messenger, carpenter)


    Therefore, "basically other than my daily walk, I sit around a lot" means that you're sedentary.

    Going on a short 1-2 mile walk doesn't change your activity level, however, you can log it and eat half your exercise calories back.


    Third, you don't need protein powder to do bodyweight strength training. You can start that now, without it.
  • maryadavies4667
    maryadavies4667 Posts: 58 Member
    edited September 2018
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    Gotcha. I will, tho I'm cutting the peanut butter out of my breakfast for a while. To be blunt; I think with that, I'm eating TOO much.

    That's the problem. It's either too much or not enough..Trying to find Goldilocks here. Not too much, not too little. That's the other problem ><. I'm hoping with the powder, I can make it JUST enough.
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
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    Gotcha. I will, tho I'm cutting the peanut butter out of my breakfast for a while. To be blunt; I think with that, I'm eating TOO much.

    That's the problem. It's either too much or not enough..Trying to find Goldilocks here. Not too much, not too little. That's the other problem ><. I'm hoping with the powder, I can make it JUST enough.

    the protein powder isnt going to make a difference in anyting except for upping your protein intake and it will add calories as well of course.if you arent losing weight and Im guessing thats what you are trying to say.too much or too little isnt really telling us anything. if you eat too much you wont stop losing unless it puts you into mainteance calories and if eating too little you will still lose weight,its just not healthy to eat too little long term.

    upping your protein if you are not getting enough will help prevent lean mass loss but other than that its nothing special really. its not going to help with weight loss or anything like that