Daily goal/exercise/calories remaining? HELP

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xxheath728xx
xxheath728xx Posts: 10 Member
edited February 2019 in Getting Started
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Hi everyone! I’m new to the app. I started my weight loss journey in October by starting to eat healthier. I have dropped 33lbs since starting. I joined a gym about 3 weeks ago and started off using cardio machines for 30 minutes, then 1 hour and some days even 90 minutes. I am trying really hard! I am pretty confused on what my deficit should be. My daily goal being 1200 calories I understand. I do not understand the calories remaining portion which i assume is my calories burned from exercise. Can someone please break it down for me in dummie terms lol If i exercise, should i still only eat 1200 calories per day? I am aiming to loose 2lbs a week as I have a lot to loose. Any and all feedback appreciated. Thank you!
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Replies

  • xxheath728xx
    xxheath728xx Posts: 10 Member
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    I should also mention that my weight loss has stopped since i joined gym. 3 weeks of nothing to show for all my hard work. Gaining muscle? I guess...
  • xxheath728xx
    xxheath728xx Posts: 10 Member
    edited February 2019
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    I started at 236lbs. I am 34 years old and 5’2”. I am currently 203lbs. I’d like to be 136lbs.
  • xxheath728xx
    xxheath728xx Posts: 10 Member
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    Thank you! I have been doing Adaptive Motion Trainer/ Eliptical/open stride, for 90 minutes Monday-Saturday. I take Sundays off. When I started the AMT eliptical, I was doing 5 miles a day. I am now doing a little over 7 miles a day.
  • MichelleSilverleaf
    MichelleSilverleaf Posts: 2,028 Member
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    Are you weighing your food with a food scale?
  • xxheath728xx
    xxheath728xx Posts: 10 Member
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    I am not. I will have to start. I have been basing almost everything off of barcodes/serving sizes.
  • MichelleSilverleaf
    MichelleSilverleaf Posts: 2,028 Member
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    I am not. I will have to start. I have been basing almost everything off of barcodes/serving sizes.

    Yup, once you start weighing and tracking that way you should start to see your weight go down as you expect. You're likely eating more than you think. Just also remember two that 2lbs won't be sustainable for too long, eventually you'll have to drop it down as your weight drops. With 67lbs to go you could drop it to 1lb/1.5lb a week if you find that you're struggling on 1200cal.
  • BearDown78
    BearDown78 Posts: 4 Member
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    Somebody else can probably weigh in with better insight, but it looks to me like, when a two-pound-per-week weight loss goal puts you below the 1,200-calorie floor, the calorie goal MFP gives you ends up working out to less than two pounds per week.

    This doesn't affect me, so I don't know what indication MFP gives that it's doing this but it really should be explicit, so that people don't think they're going to lose faster than they actually are.

    Example:

    34F, 5'2", 203 lbs, sedentary TDEE of ~1,900. Losing two pounds per week would be a daily goal of 900 calories. However, MFP will only "let" you have a daily goal of 1,200, which is a deficit of only 700 calories. That works out to 1.4 pounds per week, not 2.

    OP, out of curiosity, what does MFP say for you calorie goal if you set your weight-loss goal to maintenance (0 pounds gained/lost per week)?
  • xxheath728xx
    xxheath728xx Posts: 10 Member
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    I really appreciate you breaking that down for me. Here is what it shows for maintenance. zz33igomu1iy.png
  • MichelleSilverleaf
    MichelleSilverleaf Posts: 2,028 Member
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    I think your exercise calories are getting severely over-estimated. Burning that many calories seems unusually high.
  • ceiswyn
    ceiswyn Posts: 2,256 Member
    edited February 2019
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    1 lb is about equivalent to 3500 calories. That means that in order to lose a lb, you have to eat 3500 calories less than your maintenance.

    Losing 2 lb per week requires undereating by 7000 calories in just one week, or undereating by 1000 calories every single day! In order to sustain that sort of rate of loss you need to be significantly obese.

    In your case, OP, in order to lose 2 lb per week you would have to eat only 900 calories a day, which is not safe. MFP has given you the minimum safe calorie intake, which is 1200, and on that you’ll lose about 1.5 lb per week. Don’t be tempted to use exercise to try and lose weight faster; you risk draining your body’s reserves and getting all sorts of unpleasant side effects that would take a while to recover from.

    I understand the desire to lose all the weight as fast as possible, but this is about changing your thinking and habits for a lifetime. You need to be able to go the distance.
  • jackiec164
    jackiec164 Posts: 2 Member
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    Hi I'm much the same weight and height as u 205lbs and 5ft 0 I started 2 weeks ago mfp worked out my daily cals to 1380 and I've been sticking with that the first week I lost 6lbs today I've lost another 5lbs with no exercise I weigh everything I eat and really cut back on the carbs and drink plenty of water exercise will follow with some walking .
  • xxheath728xx
    xxheath728xx Posts: 10 Member
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    Can anyone weigh in on what fat, carb and protein percentages i should be using? I wanted to do Keto, but I’d say I’m doing more of a dirty Keto, if that makes sense. I’m just looking to get the most weekly weight loss benefits and I am open to suggestions.
  • vetklep88
    vetklep88 Posts: 7 Member
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    My advice would be to go for something sustainable. Not too many people can do keto for a longer period of time. When working out it is essential to get enough proteins and carbs. Just eat healthy foods you enjoy. When you eat the right things, it’s very hard to over eat when you work out as well.

    As stated before the calories burned in 90 minutes seems a high estimation. However as a beginner it is possible you are buidling muscle and cutting fat at the same time. Try to keep record of your waist measurement. This can be a good indicator for fat loss.
  • xxheath728xx
    xxheath728xx Posts: 10 Member
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    Thank you!! I haven’t done measurements but I’ve dropped 3 sizes! I am going to start measurements tomorrow! I wish i started that in the beginning but better late than never!
  • ceiswyn
    ceiswyn Posts: 2,256 Member
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    Can anyone weigh in on what fat, carb and protein percentages i should be using? I wanted to do Keto, but I’d say I’m doing more of a dirty Keto, if that makes sense. I’m just looking to get the most weekly weight loss benefits and I am open to suggestions.

    The MFP defaults are fine. Start with those, then adjust them as you figure out the balance that best satisfies you.
  • xxheath728xx
    xxheath728xx Posts: 10 Member
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    So the cardio machines on “fat burner” setting isn’t actually burning fat? This is so confusing to me. So I’m wasting my time at gym for 90 minutes a day/ 6 days a week?