Advice please!
RoyBeck
Posts: 947 Member
Hi. I'm currently 252 and very active walking 3-8 miles every day.
MFP is set to lightly active and a 2lb per week loss goal. It has my calories at 1940.
I dont input my exercise calories but to lose 2lb a week with just diet that would suggest my maintenance calories would be 2940 no?
According to all calculators it is closer to 2600 so would 1600 not be more accurate?
MFP is set to lightly active and a 2lb per week loss goal. It has my calories at 1940.
I dont input my exercise calories but to lose 2lb a week with just diet that would suggest my maintenance calories would be 2940 no?
According to all calculators it is closer to 2600 so would 1600 not be more accurate?
0
Replies
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What info did you use in those calculators? Also lightly active as your activity level?
And on MFP: are you new here, or did you already lose weight? MFP sometimes doesn't update the calorie goal downwards automatically when people lose weight.2 -
What info did you use in those calculators? Also lightly active as your activity level?
And on MFP: are you new here, or did you already lose weight? MFP sometimes doesn't update the calorie goal downwards automatically when people lose weight.
I used a tdee calculator. I'm on here off and on sadly but plan to use it next time in maintenance.
I updated my progress to show my 5lb loss from the last 2 weeks and it stayed at 1940.0 -
They're all just calculators based on statistical averages and everyone is different. So I would suggest you just choose a number and then monitor your weight trend (using an app like Libra or Happyscale) over 1 or 2 months to see if the estimate is correct for you, and adjust accordingly.4
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They're all just calculators based on statistical averages and everyone is different. So I would suggest you just choose a number and then monitor your weight trend (using an app like Libra or Happyscale) over 1 or 2 months to see if the estimate is correct for you, and adjust accordingly.
Ok will do thank you.
One point about my exercise calories. I'm walking on average 5 miles a day which is roughly 500 calories. Over the week thats 3500 so would I be losing the 2lb per week through diet and 1lb through walking totalling 3lbs if I'm not eating back my calories burnt?0 -
Sure, that's the theory if you are lightly active outside of those 5 miles a day.
But monitoring your weight trend should tell you if that calculation is correct or not.
That is an aggressive rate, by the way, generally speaking 2lbs is considered the maximum and only for people with a lot to lose.5 -
Sure, that's the theory if you are lightly active outside of those 5 miles a day.
But monitoring your weight trend should tell you if that calculation is correct or not.
That is an aggressive rate, by the way, generally speaking 2lbs is considered the maximum and only for people with a lot to lose.
Do you think? I have 80lb to lose. I've lost 16 in 5 weeks so 65lb to go. If I lose 2/3lb this week and next I'll amend it to 1.5lb then see how I go.0 -
What info did you use in those calculators? Also lightly active as your activity level?
And on MFP: are you new here, or did you already lose weight? MFP sometimes doesn't update the calorie goal downwards automatically when people lose weight.
I used a tdee calculator. I'm on here off and on sadly but plan to use it next time in maintenance.
I updated my progress to show my 5lb loss from the last 2 weeks and it stayed at 1940.
If you lost 5 lbs in 2 weeks it would seem to be accurate for you.2 -
Sure, that's the theory if you are lightly active outside of those 5 miles a day.
But monitoring your weight trend should tell you if that calculation is correct or not.
That is an aggressive rate, by the way, generally speaking 2lbs is considered the maximum and only for people with a lot to lose.
As a rule of thumb you shouldn’t lose more than 1% bodyweight per week, so someone starting out at 252 can safely lose 2.5 lbs.0 -
They're all just calculators based on statistical averages and everyone is different. So I would suggest you just choose a number and then monitor your weight trend (using an app like Libra or Happyscale) over 1 or 2 months to see if the estimate is correct for you, and adjust accordingly.
Ok will do thank you.
One point about my exercise calories. I'm walking on average 5 miles a day which is roughly 500 calories. Over the week thats 3500 so would I be losing the 2lb per week through diet and 1lb through walking totalling 3lbs if I'm not eating back my calories burnt?
Sounds good, though maybe your walking calories might be a bit too high. 500 sounds like you're looking at gross calories. Those are the calories your body needs to keep you alive, run your organs, etc (base metabolic rate) and the exercise or whatever you're doing on top. Net calories is what you should be using, which is just the exercise calories. Why? You burn the bmr anyway, regardless of working out or staying in bed all day.3 -
So, Roybeck, looks like you already lost a bunch of weight since joining in 2012 - and maybe regained part of it back?
If that's the case, do you have some of your old numbers (calorie-wise)
I would say, don't overthink it. You'll lose what you lose. If you keep good records of your calories eaten and how many minutes of walking you do, you'll be able to dial this in within a month.
Good luck!3 -
They're all just calculators based on statistical averages and everyone is different. So I would suggest you just choose a number and then monitor your weight trend (using an app like Libra or Happyscale) over 1 or 2 months to see if the estimate is correct for you, and adjust accordingly.
Ok will do thank you.
One point about my exercise calories. I'm walking on average 5 miles a day which is roughly 500 calories. Over the week thats 3500 so would I be losing the 2lb per week through diet and 1lb through walking totalling 3lbs if I'm not eating back my calories burnt?
Sounds good, though maybe your walking calories might be a bit too high. 500 sounds like you're looking at gross calories. Those are the calories your body needs to keep you alive, run your organs, etc (base metabolic rate) and the exercise or whatever you're doing on top. Net calories is what you should be using, which is just the exercise calories. Why? You burn the bmr anyway, regardless of working out or staying in bed all day.
^^^
Agreed, if you are counting just the exercise calories and not calories you burn by just existing, I think 500 might be too high. But monitor and adjust as needed0 -
Thanks. 100 calories burnt per mile walked was pretty standard though I thought?
Yes I've regained from 270 to 210 in 2013. Now back up to 252 although I was 266ish 4 weeks ago.1 -
Depends on weight for calories burned per mile and I like to err on the side of lower for personal preference (and its worked for me losing as expected).0
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Thanks. 100 calories burnt per mile walked was pretty standard though I thought?
I barely get over 40. There's no standard if you move a mass (your body) over a distance as it heavily depends on the weight of that mass. And again, are those 100 calories gross or net calories? Your base metabolic rate is already included in your MFP setting, thus using gross would come down to double dipping.0 -
Thanks. 100 calories burnt per mile walked was pretty standard though I thought?
There is no standard.
At 168lbs roughly 50cals net cals for me per mile, roughly 85cals gross.
(I suspect that the 100 cals/mile myth is a gross calorie myth.
)
I use miles X efficiency ratio of 0.3 X bodyweight in lbs.
This calculator is a another good option, pick the net option - https://exrx.net/Calculators/WalkRunMETs1 -
And TO, if you think this seems low keep in mind that we are upright walking, bi-pedals. Of course we burn very little calories when we do what defines us. I doubt our very far ancestors would have succeeded if walking burned tuns of energy.3
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