Working out after hitting weight loss goal

PrincessMelodyj
PrincessMelodyj Posts: 14 Member
edited December 22 in Health and Weight Loss
I have been using the app to track things, and doing 1100-1200 calories a day. I've lost 25 pounds in just over 6 months. I don't exercise much beyond walking for 20-30 minutes a few times a week, but now I really want to tone up so I am going to join a gym and hopefully start working out regularly. I am wondering if I need to change my caloric intake once I start? Or just leave it at 1200? Thank you for any help or recommendations. :)

My current stats: Height 5'10" - Current weight 136 lbs.

Replies

  • koalathebear
    koalathebear Posts: 236 Member
    Hi there, if you're working out you're going to need to eat more. MFP will give you 'exercise calories' when you enter in the exercise you've done and you should be eating those. I'm five foot tall, 56-57kg right now and have lost 30kg since Jan this year. I started out at 1200 a day but am definitely eating much more each day now because of all the exercise and as I approach maintenance.
  • PrincessMelodyj
    PrincessMelodyj Posts: 14 Member
    koalathebear wrote: »
    Hi there, if you're working out you're going to need to eat more. MFP will give you 'exercise calories' when you enter in the exercise you've done and you should be eating those. I'm five foot tall, 56-57kg right now and have lost 30kg since Jan this year. I started out at 1200 a day but am definitely eating much more each day now because of all the exercise and as I approach maintenance.

    Thank you for that! And congrats on your weight loss :)

  • MikePTY
    MikePTY Posts: 3,814 Member
    Are you attempting to maintain your weight now? Then you are going to want to up your calories to maintenance calories. Set your goal in MFP to "maintain my current weight" and eat at the goal it gives you, us eat back a reasonable estimate of your exercise calories. 1200 is going to be far too low for you going forward.
  • PrincessMelodyj
    PrincessMelodyj Posts: 14 Member
    MikePTY wrote: »
    Are you attempting to maintain your weight now? Then you are going to want to up your calories to maintenance calories. Set your goal in MFP to "maintain my current weight" and eat at the goal it gives you, us eat back a reasonable estimate of your exercise calories. 1200 is going to be far too low for you going forward.

    Hi, Yes I want to maintain where I'm at...or if I lose a few more I won't be mad ;)

    I will change my goal. I just have to wrap my brain around eating more! I fear gaining, but I don't want to undereat either.
  • PrincessMelodyj
    PrincessMelodyj Posts: 14 Member
    MikePTY wrote: »
    PrincessMelodyj wrote: »
    MikePTY wrote: »
    Are you attempting to maintain your weight now? Then you are going to want to up your calories to maintenance calories. Set your goal in MFP to "maintain my current weight" and eat at the goal it gives you, us eat back a reasonable estimate of your exercise calories. 1200 is going to be far too low for you going forward.

    Hi, Yes I want to maintain where I'm at...or if I lose a few more I won't be mad ;)

    I will change my goal. I just have to wrap my brain around eating more! I fear gaining, but I don't want to undereat either.

    You are at close to the bottom of a normal BMI for you height. In general, losing more weight would not be advised. You could however work on recomping your body: eating st maintenance, lifting weights, and slowly building muscle and losing fat.

    Thank you for the advice! I will definitely work on those things :)
  • TallGent66
    TallGent66 Posts: 84 Member
    edited August 2019
    PrincessMelodyj wrote: »
    I have been using the app to track things, and doing 1100-1200 calories a day. I've lost 25 pounds in just over 6 months. I don't exercise much beyond walking for 20-30 minutes a few times a week, but now I really want to tone up so I am going to join a gym and hopefully start working out regularly. I am wondering if I need to change my caloric intake once I start? Or just leave it at 1200? Thank you for any help or recommendations. :)

    My current stats: Height 5'10" - Current weight 136 lbs.

    Congratulations on your success! Way to go.

    Yes, you'll want to "eat back" a certain percentage of your excercise calories. Some say 100%, some less. I target around 50%. Why? 1. These online apps and formulas are all over the map on how many calories I really burn when I excercise. 2. I'm still a ways away from goal weight.

    You also need to account for if you desire to build muscle. (Most do.) If yes, that takes adequate protein! Similar to yourself, I started at a very low calorie intake (700-1,000 CPD), then hit a wall. MFP folks urged me to eat more, so I upped the protein. Have a ways to go, but making progress.

    Random goodies to consider: egg whites, Greek yogurt (look for low sugar), sprouted seeds (alkaline, orotein & vitamins!), Chilly Cow low cal ice cream treat (with big protein & fiber; small containers; I get on discount @ Grocery Outlet).

    Side note: enjoying my odd-shaped, garden-grown cucumbers. Fresh!

    SW: 315
    CW: 271
    GW: 245? / 235? (6'6", broad shoulders)
    Timeframe: 3.5 months
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    PrincessMelodyj wrote: »
    I have been using the app to track things, and doing 1100-1200 calories a day. I've lost 25 pounds in just over 6 months. I don't exercise much beyond walking for 20-30 minutes a few times a week, but now I really want to tone up so I am going to join a gym and hopefully start working out regularly. I am wondering if I need to change my caloric intake once I start? Or just leave it at 1200? Thank you for any help or recommendations. :)

    My current stats: Height 5'10" - Current weight 136 lbs.

    Like others have said, you don't want to leave it at 1200 (which is for very very short women anyway, not someone 5'10") so do change it to maintenance and start eating back your exercise calories.

    If this number seems scary, boost your calories up 100-200 a week.

    Unlike other sites which use TDEE calculators, MFP uses the NEAT method (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis), and as such this system is designed for exercise calories to be eaten back. However, many consider the burns given by MFP to be inflated for them and only eat a percentage, such as 50%, back. Others, however, are able to lose weight while eating 100% of their exercise calories.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/818082/exercise-calories-again-wtf/p1
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    If eating more calories freaks you out a bit, @PrincessMelodyj, walk them up slowly rather than jumping to your maintenance number. This week eat 1300 calories per day. Next week 1400 calories per day, and so on until you are at your maintenance number.

    Just FYI, I'm female, 44 yoa, 5'9, and I maintain my weight on ~2300 calories per day.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    PrincessMelodyj wrote: »
    MikePTY wrote: »
    Are you attempting to maintain your weight now? Then you are going to want to up your calories to maintenance calories. Set your goal in MFP to "maintain my current weight" and eat at the goal it gives you, us eat back a reasonable estimate of your exercise calories. 1200 is going to be far too low for you going forward.

    Hi, Yes I want to maintain where I'm at...or if I lose a few more I won't be mad ;)

    I will change my goal. I just have to wrap my brain around eating more! I fear gaining, but I don't want to undereat either.

    If you want to maintain, you have to eat more...1200 calories is an aggressive weight loss calorie target for sedentary females who are short...you're 5'10"...your maintenance calories are much more than 1200 calories. You're also at the bottom end of a healthy BMI...losing more weight would not be advisable...being under weight isn't healthy.
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