EXERCISE CALORIES (AGAIN!!)(FITBIT)
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emmajunesmith19
Posts: 11 Member
Hi everyone, I’m sure it’s been mentioned on here almost daily but I can’t find what I’m looking for!
I have a fitbit charge 2 - and I do do a lot of steps (between 13,000-20,000) but I don’t do any vigorous exercise so to speak. I do strength training Tuesday (upper body) & Friday (lower body) mornings for around 40 mins each which doesn’t even show up on my fit bit! And circuits on a Thursday morning again around 40 mins & again doesn’t show as calories burnt just active minutes.
Basically, MFP is linked, and it’s always giving me at least 400 calories over my 1300 allowance! I feel like that’s a lot of calories over. I never eat them back I stick strictly to my 1300 but after reading about “Refeed” days on here I’ve decided to incorporate 2 days at maintenance (1650) .
My question is, does everyone eat back the calories given to them on MFP? I don’t feel the need to most of the time but recently I’ve been hungry and Weight loss has come to an almighty halt.
I have another 5lb to lose until I’m at target weight. Eating more scares me after dieting hard for 3 months - I’m actually pretty sure I’ve developed some kind of ED because I’m already putting off my two days at maintenance each week.
Thanks in advance for any help!
I have a fitbit charge 2 - and I do do a lot of steps (between 13,000-20,000) but I don’t do any vigorous exercise so to speak. I do strength training Tuesday (upper body) & Friday (lower body) mornings for around 40 mins each which doesn’t even show up on my fit bit! And circuits on a Thursday morning again around 40 mins & again doesn’t show as calories burnt just active minutes.
Basically, MFP is linked, and it’s always giving me at least 400 calories over my 1300 allowance! I feel like that’s a lot of calories over. I never eat them back I stick strictly to my 1300 but after reading about “Refeed” days on here I’ve decided to incorporate 2 days at maintenance (1650) .
My question is, does everyone eat back the calories given to them on MFP? I don’t feel the need to most of the time but recently I’ve been hungry and Weight loss has come to an almighty halt.
I have another 5lb to lose until I’m at target weight. Eating more scares me after dieting hard for 3 months - I’m actually pretty sure I’ve developed some kind of ED because I’m already putting off my two days at maintenance each week.
Thanks in advance for any help!
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Replies
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If you are concerned about an ED, you should focus on that first.
10 -
MFP is designed for you to eat back your exercise calories or calories earned through regular movement. If the steps are from non-exercise activities, then you need to be sure you have your activity level on MFP set to appropriately account for those. You sound like you should be a active or very active. Additional exercise calories from deliberate exercise should also be consumed. Since burn estimate tend to be high, eat back at least half of them.
If you think you have or are developing an eating disorder please seek help from a professional.6 -
No one can answer that based on what little you've given us.
The last five pounds are vanity weight. I wouldn't get too anxious about it. It will come off when it comes off. Slowly.
Here's the Fitbit group. You may find answers there: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/1290-fitbit-users3 -
FWIW I always ate every delicious exercise calorie. Still do. But then I've worked out my own numbers long ago. It's a process we all have to go through.2
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emmajunesmith19 wrote: »My question is, does everyone eat back the calories given to them on MFP? I don’t feel the need to most of the time but recently I’ve been hungry and Weight loss has come to an almighty halt.
I agree how MFP is finicky in what it considers exercise. I do a lot of lifting and get a little irked how my sets don't count as calories lost. But! I think whether you choose to eat back your calories or not is entirely up to you. If your MFP settings already show a calorie deficit, than eating back your calories should still keep you on track to stay within whatever your weight loss goal is.
At the end of the day if you're still hungry and see you have 200 cals left to go, treat yourself to something healthy and filling. You've earned it girl!
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JaimeJaimeM wrote: »emmajunesmith19 wrote: »My question is, does everyone eat back the calories given to them on MFP? I don’t feel the need to most of the time but recently I’ve been hungry and Weight loss has come to an almighty halt.
I agree how MFP is finicky in what it considers exercise. I do a lot of lifting and get a little irked how my sets don't count as calories lost. But! I think whether you choose to eat back your calories or not is entirely up to you. If your MFP settings already show a calorie deficit, than eating back your calories should still keep you on track to stay within whatever your weight loss goal is.
At the end of the day if you're still hungry and see you have 200 cals left to go, treat yourself to something healthy and filling. You've earned it girl!
@JaimeJaimeM
Log your strength training under the CV part of the diary to get a calorie estimate.3 -
JaimeJaimeM wrote: »emmajunesmith19 wrote: »My question is, does everyone eat back the calories given to them on MFP? I don’t feel the need to most of the time but recently I’ve been hungry and Weight loss has come to an almighty halt.
I agree how MFP is finicky in what it considers exercise. I do a lot of lifting and get a little irked how my sets don't count as calories lost. But! I think whether you choose to eat back your calories or not is entirely up to you. If your MFP settings already show a calorie deficit, than eating back your calories should still keep you on track to stay within whatever your weight loss goal is.
At the end of the day if you're still hungry and see you have 200 cals left to go, treat yourself to something healthy and filling. You've earned it girl!
@JaimeJaimeM
Log your strength training under the CV part of the diary to get a calorie estimate.
I've done that a couple times before by accident and saw it did add a massive amount of calories - do you find it's accurate? I typically go low reps of a couple sets, maybe 5 or 6 different lifts, with a LOT of volume.
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JaimeJaimeM wrote: »JaimeJaimeM wrote: »emmajunesmith19 wrote: »My question is, does everyone eat back the calories given to them on MFP? I don’t feel the need to most of the time but recently I’ve been hungry and Weight loss has come to an almighty halt.
I agree how MFP is finicky in what it considers exercise. I do a lot of lifting and get a little irked how my sets don't count as calories lost. But! I think whether you choose to eat back your calories or not is entirely up to you. If your MFP settings already show a calorie deficit, than eating back your calories should still keep you on track to stay within whatever your weight loss goal is.
At the end of the day if you're still hungry and see you have 200 cals left to go, treat yourself to something healthy and filling. You've earned it girl!
@JaimeJaimeM
Log your strength training under the CV part of the diary to get a calorie estimate.
I've done that a couple times before by accident and saw it did add a massive amount of calories - do you find it's accurate? I typically go low reps of a couple sets, maybe 5 or 6 different lifts, with a LOT of volume.
I doubt you are doing it right then as it's a very modest estimate.
Here's an example....
2 -
JaimeJaimeM wrote: »JaimeJaimeM wrote: »emmajunesmith19 wrote: »My question is, does everyone eat back the calories given to them on MFP? I don’t feel the need to most of the time but recently I’ve been hungry and Weight loss has come to an almighty halt.
I agree how MFP is finicky in what it considers exercise. I do a lot of lifting and get a little irked how my sets don't count as calories lost. But! I think whether you choose to eat back your calories or not is entirely up to you. If your MFP settings already show a calorie deficit, than eating back your calories should still keep you on track to stay within whatever your weight loss goal is.
At the end of the day if you're still hungry and see you have 200 cals left to go, treat yourself to something healthy and filling. You've earned it girl!
@JaimeJaimeM
Log your strength training under the CV part of the diary to get a calorie estimate.
I've done that a couple times before by accident and saw it did add a massive amount of calories - do you find it's accurate? I typically go low reps of a couple sets, maybe 5 or 6 different lifts, with a LOT of volume.
I doubt you are doing it right then as it's a very modest estimate.
Here's an example....
I appreciate you taking the time to provide the screenshot, I'll give it a try. I guess what makes me leery is I take about a 2-3 minute rest between sets so it's hard to think I'm actually burning as many calories as MFP says. Usually I've just been logging my cardio.0 -
JaimeJaimeM wrote: »JaimeJaimeM wrote: »JaimeJaimeM wrote: »emmajunesmith19 wrote: »My question is, does everyone eat back the calories given to them on MFP? I don’t feel the need to most of the time but recently I’ve been hungry and Weight loss has come to an almighty halt.
I agree how MFP is finicky in what it considers exercise. I do a lot of lifting and get a little irked how my sets don't count as calories lost. But! I think whether you choose to eat back your calories or not is entirely up to you. If your MFP settings already show a calorie deficit, than eating back your calories should still keep you on track to stay within whatever your weight loss goal is.
At the end of the day if you're still hungry and see you have 200 cals left to go, treat yourself to something healthy and filling. You've earned it girl!
@JaimeJaimeM
Log your strength training under the CV part of the diary to get a calorie estimate.
I've done that a couple times before by accident and saw it did add a massive amount of calories - do you find it's accurate? I typically go low reps of a couple sets, maybe 5 or 6 different lifts, with a LOT of volume.
I doubt you are doing it right then as it's a very modest estimate.
Here's an example....
I appreciate you taking the time to provide the screenshot, I'll give it a try. I guess what makes me leery is I take about a 2-3 minute rest between sets so it's hard to think I'm actually burning as many calories as MFP says. Usually I've just been logging my cardio.
The estimate (which comes from studies) assumes you are taking 2-4 minute recovery time between sets.
It's really not a "massive" amount of calories.
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JaimeJaimeM wrote: »JaimeJaimeM wrote: »JaimeJaimeM wrote: »emmajunesmith19 wrote: »My question is, does everyone eat back the calories given to them on MFP? I don’t feel the need to most of the time but recently I’ve been hungry and Weight loss has come to an almighty halt.
I agree how MFP is finicky in what it considers exercise. I do a lot of lifting and get a little irked how my sets don't count as calories lost. But! I think whether you choose to eat back your calories or not is entirely up to you. If your MFP settings already show a calorie deficit, than eating back your calories should still keep you on track to stay within whatever your weight loss goal is.
At the end of the day if you're still hungry and see you have 200 cals left to go, treat yourself to something healthy and filling. You've earned it girl!
@JaimeJaimeM
Log your strength training under the CV part of the diary to get a calorie estimate.
I've done that a couple times before by accident and saw it did add a massive amount of calories - do you find it's accurate? I typically go low reps of a couple sets, maybe 5 or 6 different lifts, with a LOT of volume.
I doubt you are doing it right then as it's a very modest estimate.
Here's an example....
I appreciate you taking the time to provide the screenshot, I'll give it a try. I guess what makes me leery is I take about a 2-3 minute rest between sets so it's hard to think I'm actually burning as many calories as MFP says. Usually I've just been logging my cardio.
Thank you for replying. I didn’t know you could log that, that would then we loads of extra calories on top of the load fitbits already given? I agree though, I think I do need to try and find what’s right for me.
I never add any exercise I do in on here, always assumed Fitbit accounted for it due to the high number of calories it gives (but doesn’t ever show my strength training boooo!)
I sometimes like to jog but I never add that on here, again would that be extra?
Sorry for the lack of info.
I’m 5ft 0, I weigh 119lbs but I have been strength training - muscle is definitely more defined - bfp is 25% and I’m trying to get down to 20% as for me I feel the extra fat around my tummy. As I’m so short, the extra weight shows on me and I feel it too so I know where I need to be to be back to my normal weight. I started at 130lbs in December but again, I’m only 5ft, this took a toll on me!
When I say ED, I don’t mean I need professional help. I mean, I’ve started to become obsessive with every last thing. I weigh to the last blueberry! I log it all and I don’t really give myself a break. I had an almighty binge once and punished myself for it by undereating the next day. I know where I’m going wrong though so I know I need to change, but it’s difficult when you’ve had good loss on those calories and all of a sudden the information in front of me is telling me to eat more to lose more!
That’s why I’ve decided to refeed on my training days thurs & fri.
On the TDEE calculator based on my personal - I am 1663 cal TDEE 1331 cal deficit (20%)
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I should also say, I’ve been on strict 1300 for 5 weeks which is where I lost 4lb - before that Dec/January I was around 1300-1500 (not too strict on myself) & lost the first lot. It seems being stricter is having less of an affect now. 1lb a week was great, but now it seems to be going up if anything I’m anywhere between 119&121 & when I think how quickly I lost in the beginning it’s very disheartening not losing and even gaining with such strict calories0
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Your step estimate of over 15k puts you above MFP's very active setting.
If you were setup on MFP as very active your adjustment would be smaller.
You don't need to confide the issue too much with too many estimates.
You already have a consistent external and reasonable estimate for your burns that you are ignoring completely.
Start by moving MFP to very active and, as a minimum, eating based on that. (By all accounts your total burn SHOULD be coming in higher than that).
As to your weight loss you are already at a spot where your weight level change can take months.
Are you using a weight trend application to help you better see where your weight level is at?
As to an ED... when I hear of a person who is normal weight and applies a huge deficit and has ED type ideation the easiest way forward is by seeing whether immediately stopping the application of the deficit resolves most of the issues they've encountered. If the issues do not resolve with the elimination of the deficit, or if they're already affecting quality of life, then it would make sense to seek more immediate help!0 -
Your step estimate of over 15k puts you above MFP's very active setting.
If you were setup on MFP as very active your adjustment would be smaller.
You don't need to confide the issue too much with too many estimates.
You already have a consistent external and reasonable estimate for your burns that you are ignoring completely.
Start by moving MFP to very active and, as a minimum, eating based on that. (By all accounts your total burn SHOULD be coming in higher than that).
As to your weight loss you are already at a spot where your weight level change can take months.
Are you using a weight trend application to help you better see where your weight level is at?
As to an ED... when I hear of a person who is normal weight and applies a huge deficit the easiest way forward is by seeing whether stopping the application of the deficit (or at the very least reducing it to something of the order of 250 calories a day or even less) resolves most of the issues they've encountered. If the issues do not resolve with the elimination of the deficit, or if they're affecting quality of life, then it would make sense to seek help!
Thank you for your reply. I used an online calculator and measured my own body fat and it came up with 25% if that’s what you mean about a weight trend app?
I will try that, I’m at around 20% deficit which is 1331 (I eat 1300) my TDEE is 1663 based on the calculator so if I added 250 it wouldn’t be much under that.
I genuinely didn’t realise a step count of 15k was considered very active? I thought to be very active it means actually working out at least 1 hour 4-5 days a week! Which I definitely don’t do, but am always on the move.
So you think that my Fitbit estimate showing on MFPsounds about right as to the “extra calories earned” - it’s always at least 400+0 -
The apparent accuracy of your Fitbit caloric expenditure statistcally based estimate is affected both by how close to the mean you are and by the accuracy of your food intake loging.
You verify the accuracy of your loging by seeing how your weight trend reacts to your apparent caloric balance over a period of 4-6 weeks that include a complete hormonal cycle given that water retention affects weight.
Happy scale for iPhone libra for Android and trendweight.com are my go to weight trend applications. The last one connects to your Fitbit account and deals with data automatically.
At **around** 15,000 steps which represent more than 2 and 1/2 hours of non static activity per day you exhaust the 1.8x BMR activity factor that mfp denotes as very active.
Subject to verifying your logging, of course!
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You can't force the speed of loss.
A small consistent loss beats spurts of losses based on unsustainable pushes that then end up backfire-ing every single time!
If you do things sustainably and the way you intend to continue on after you've reached your goal weight (because if you don't intend to continue how are you planning on keeping to your goal weight???).... well if you're doing things sustainably it really doesn't matter much whether you recorded a loss in a particular week as long as, in general, you're continuing to move towards your eventual goals!0 -
The apparent accuracy of your Fitbit caloric expenditure statistcally based estimate is affected both by how close to the mean you are and by the accuracy of your food intake loging.
You verify the accuracy of your loging by seeing how your weight trend reacts to your apparent caloric balance over a period of 4-6 weeks that include a complete hormonal cycle given that water retention affects weight.
Happy scale for iPhone libra for Android and trendweight.com are my go to weight trend applications. The last one connects to your Fitbit account and deals with data automatically.
At **around** 15,000 steps which represent more than 2 and 1/2 hours of non static activity per day you exhaust the 1.8x BMR activity factor that mfp denotes as very active.
Subject to verifying your logging, of course!
Thank you, I will try that weight trend application that links to fitbit.
Ok, I really didn’t realise that. I’ve noticed today that my steps go up when I move my arm around a lot which is very annoying! I’ve just got the new SE charge 3 and it’s still doing it so it wasn’t my old model.
Anyway thanks for you help.
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You can't force the speed of loss.
A small consistent loss beats spurts of losses based on unsustainable pushes that then end up backfire-ing every single time!
If you do things sustainably and the way you intend to continue on after you've reached your goal weight (because if you don't intend to continue how are you planning on keeping to your goal weight???).... well if you're doing things sustainably it really doesn't matter much whether you recorded a loss in a particular week as long as, in general, you're continuing to move towards your eventual goals!
That is very true. I do intend on carrying on, and once I get to my goal weight (I have 4/5lbs to go) I am going to raise my calories slightly every week until I get to a place where I’m at maintenance. I will still carry on with logging as number one I’m awful with portion sizes and could eat more then any human willingly! And number 2 I actually enjoy logging all the data & seeing where I’m at. I’m a bit of a control freak I think!
Your right in that it needs to be sustainable, I don’t intend on trying hard to drop pounds all my life. There will be a point where I know I am where I want to be physically.
Thanks for your reply!
1 -
emmajunesmith19 wrote: »JaimeJaimeM wrote: »JaimeJaimeM wrote: »JaimeJaimeM wrote: »emmajunesmith19 wrote: »My question is, does everyone eat back the calories given to them on MFP? I don’t feel the need to most of the time but recently I’ve been hungry and Weight loss has come to an almighty halt.
I agree how MFP is finicky in what it considers exercise. I do a lot of lifting and get a little irked how my sets don't count as calories lost. But! I think whether you choose to eat back your calories or not is entirely up to you. If your MFP settings already show a calorie deficit, than eating back your calories should still keep you on track to stay within whatever your weight loss goal is.
At the end of the day if you're still hungry and see you have 200 cals left to go, treat yourself to something healthy and filling. You've earned it girl!
@JaimeJaimeM
Log your strength training under the CV part of the diary to get a calorie estimate.
I've done that a couple times before by accident and saw it did add a massive amount of calories - do you find it's accurate? I typically go low reps of a couple sets, maybe 5 or 6 different lifts, with a LOT of volume.
I doubt you are doing it right then as it's a very modest estimate.
Here's an example....
I appreciate you taking the time to provide the screenshot, I'll give it a try. I guess what makes me leery is I take about a 2-3 minute rest between sets so it's hard to think I'm actually burning as many calories as MFP says. Usually I've just been logging my cardio.
Thank you for replying. I didn’t know you could log that, that would then we loads of extra calories on top of the load fitbits already given? I agree though, I think I do need to try and find what’s right for me.
I never add any exercise I do in on here, always assumed Fitbit accounted for it due to the high number of calories it gives (but doesn’t ever show my strength training boooo!)
I sometimes like to jog but I never add that on here, again would that be extra?
Sorry for the lack of info.
I’m 5ft 0, I weigh 119lbs but I have been strength training - muscle is definitely more defined - bfp is 25% and I’m trying to get down to 20% as for me I feel the extra fat around my tummy. As I’m so short, the extra weight shows on me and I feel it too so I know where I need to be to be back to my normal weight. I started at 130lbs in December but again, I’m only 5ft, this took a toll on me!
When I say ED, I don’t mean I need professional help. I mean, I’ve started to become obsessive with every last thing. I weigh to the last blueberry! I log it all and I don’t really give myself a break. I had an almighty binge once and punished myself for it by undereating the next day. I know where I’m going wrong though so I know I need to change, but it’s difficult when you’ve had good loss on those calories and all of a sudden the information in front of me is telling me to eat more to lose more!
That’s why I’ve decided to refeed on my training days thurs & fri.
On the TDEE calculator based on my personal - I am 1663 cal TDEE 1331 cal deficit (20%)
I'm responding mainly to the bolded points, just as context.
Fitbit should be accounting for your exercise, if your set-up is correct. (Fitbit group recommend can help.) The adjustment will be based on comparison to what MFP thinks you're burning based on your activity setting in your profile, though. If you set at sedentary, and are actually active (in its terms), then you'll get a big adjustment.
But PAV is right: Fitbit will be reasonably accurate if you're close to the mean of research its algorithms are based on (most people are, by definition). It's still just a statistical estimate of your calorie burn, not a measurement of it, though. It can be wrong. It isn't very wrong for very many people, typically.
At this stage, 119 pounds and (estimated based on a not very accurate method) 25% body fat, weight loss is likely to be slow, and it should be, if you're also trying to maintain/build muscle . . . or "tone". Half a pound a week or less would be a good plan, and it will definitely take one of the apps PAV recommended to see a loss rate that slow amongst one's normal, healthy multi-pound water weight fluctuations. (Even recomposition, eating at maintenance while weight training conscientiously, could be a good strategy for you at this point.)
You might also want to visit this thread, if you never have: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10689837/does-this-uterus-make-my-stomach-look-fat
As far as "needing" professional help: Maybe not. But we go for other kinds of professional help, ideally, when symptoms are mild: When we have a little cavity in the tooth, not a full-blown painful abcess; when we have some abdominal pains, not a ruptured appendix. Professional counseling is not different. Reading your posts just on this thread:
"I've started to become obsessive with every last thing."
". . . I don’t really give myself a break."
" I had an almighty binge once and punished myself for it by undereating the next day"
"Eating more scares me"
"I’m actually pretty sure I’ve developed some kind of ED"
"I’m already putting off my two days at maintenance each week"
" I’m awful with portion sizes and could eat more then any human willingly!"
"I’m a bit of a control freak I think!"
Maybe you just speak hyperbolically. But, if not a chat or two with a professional, I think it could be good to give all of this a bit of a think, and maybe do some reading about the psychological side of this. Self-treating can be OK (in many scenarios where a professional could help but isn't essential, not just dieting issues). But just saying there's not really a problem, and marching on? Hmm.
I don't intend to be mean or harsh here. Think of me as your concerned internet auntie (I'm old enough
). I just want to see you be strong and healthy! :flowerforyou: 6 -
emmajunesmith19 wrote: »JaimeJaimeM wrote: »JaimeJaimeM wrote: »JaimeJaimeM wrote: »emmajunesmith19 wrote: »My question is, does everyone eat back the calories given to them on MFP? I don’t feel the need to most of the time but recently I’ve been hungry and Weight loss has come to an almighty halt.
I agree how MFP is finicky in what it considers exercise. I do a lot of lifting and get a little irked how my sets don't count as calories lost. But! I think whether you choose to eat back your calories or not is entirely up to you. If your MFP settings already show a calorie deficit, than eating back your calories should still keep you on track to stay within whatever your weight loss goal is.
At the end of the day if you're still hungry and see you have 200 cals left to go, treat yourself to something healthy and filling. You've earned it girl!
@JaimeJaimeM
Log your strength training under the CV part of the diary to get a calorie estimate.
I've done that a couple times before by accident and saw it did add a massive amount of calories - do you find it's accurate? I typically go low reps of a couple sets, maybe 5 or 6 different lifts, with a LOT of volume.
I doubt you are doing it right then as it's a very modest estimate.
Here's an example....
I appreciate you taking the time to provide the screenshot, I'll give it a try. I guess what makes me leery is I take about a 2-3 minute rest between sets so it's hard to think I'm actually burning as many calories as MFP says. Usually I've just been logging my cardio.
Thank you for replying. I didn’t know you could log that, that would then we loads of extra calories on top of the load fitbits already given? I agree though, I think I do need to try and find what’s right for me.
I never add any exercise I do in on here, always assumed Fitbit accounted for it due to the high number of calories it gives (but doesn’t ever show my strength training boooo!)
I sometimes like to jog but I never add that on here, again would that be extra?
Sorry for the lack of info.
I’m 5ft 0, I weigh 119lbs but I have been strength training - muscle is definitely more defined - bfp is 25% and I’m trying to get down to 20% as for me I feel the extra fat around my tummy. As I’m so short, the extra weight shows on me and I feel it too so I know where I need to be to be back to my normal weight. I started at 130lbs in December but again, I’m only 5ft, this took a toll on me!
When I say ED, I don’t mean I need professional help. I mean, I’ve started to become obsessive with every last thing. I weigh to the last blueberry! I log it all and I don’t really give myself a break. I had an almighty binge once and punished myself for it by undereating the next day. I know where I’m going wrong though so I know I need to change, but it’s difficult when you’ve had good loss on those calories and all of a sudden the information in front of me is telling me to eat more to lose more!
That’s why I’ve decided to refeed on my training days thurs & fri.
On the TDEE calculator based on my personal - I am 1663 cal TDEE 1331 cal deficit (20%)
I'm responding mainly to the bolded points, just as context.
Fitbit should be accounting for your exercise, if your set-up is correct. (Fitbit group recommend can help.) The adjustment will be based on comparison to what MFP thinks you're burning based on your activity setting in your profile, though. If you set at sedentary, and are actually active (in its terms), then you'll get a big adjustment.
But PAV is right: Fitbit will be reasonably accurate if you're close to the mean of research its algorithms are based on (most people are, by definition). It's still just a statistical estimate of your calorie burn, not a measurement of it, though. It can be wrong. It isn't very wrong for very many people, typically.
At this stage, 119 pounds and (estimated based on a not very accurate method) 25% body fat, weight loss is likely to be slow, and it should be, if you're also trying to maintain/build muscle . . . or "tone". Half a pound a week or less would be a good plan, and it will definitely take one of the apps PAV recommended to see a loss rate that slow amongst one's normal, healthy multi-pound water weight fluctuations. (Even recomposition, eating at maintenance while weight training conscientiously, could be a good strategy for you at this point.)
You might also want to visit this thread, if you never have: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10689837/does-this-uterus-make-my-stomach-look-fat
As far as "needing" professional help: Maybe not. But we go for other kinds of professional help, ideally, when symptoms are mild: When we have a little cavity in the tooth, not a full-blown painful abcess; when we have some abdominal pains, not a ruptured appendix. Professional counseling is not different. Reading your posts just on this thread:
"I've started to become obsessive with every last thing."
". . . I don’t really give myself a break."
" I had an almighty binge once and punished myself for it by undereating the next day"
"Eating more scares me"
"I’m actually pretty sure I’ve developed some kind of ED"
"I’m already putting off my two days at maintenance each week"
" I’m awful with portion sizes and could eat more then any human willingly!"
"I’m a bit of a control freak I think!"
Maybe you just speak hyperbolically. But, if not a chat or two with a professional, I think it could be good to give all of this a bit of a think, and maybe do some reading about the psychological side of this. Self-treating can be OK (in many scenarios where a professional could help but isn't essential, not just dieting issues). But just saying there's not really a problem, and marching on? Hmm.
I don't intend to be mean or harsh here. Think of me as your concerned internet auntie (I'm old enough ). I just want to see you be strong and healthy! :flowerforyou:
What a loving and wise advice Ann! I wish when I was in weighloss mode I participated on this forum to receive advice like yours and PAV's. I learned it the haaaard way through my own experience...still am learning. You both have so much wisdom on this topic. I would be honored to have an auntie like you! 😊3
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