TDEE

What you need is exercise you enjoy or at the very least don't dislike: the best exercise is the exercise you actually do!

As for your maintenance calories, you've gotten the result of a calculator, based on population averages. But how sure are you that you're average, metabolically speaking? Are you losing weight at the expected speed?

Walkywalkerson wrote: »

Hi all I just calculated that at my goal of 140lbs my TDEE will be just over 1500 cals 😔
Which is pretty low for me - I think I'll be hungry!
I'm not sedentary- I walk 4/5 days a week around 15,000 steps ( 6 miles) and I use an outdoor bike in warmer weather often 20+ miles.
My stats at the moment are - Female 46,
5 foot 7
178 lbs
I started at 232 lbs.
I'm starting to wonder if I've set my goal too low - it puts me at BMI 21.
I recently re evaluated my goal to a lower weight.
Anyway- the reason I'm on the exercise forum is because I'd love to know what type of exercise I need at goal to enable me to eat more calories.
Thanks in advance ☺

No one can tell you whether BMI 21 is too low for you, or not. It depends on specifics of your build (for example, broad shoulders, pelvic width, larger breasts, vs. more willowy narrow build, small breasts). It also matters how much muscle you have, what your (sub)culture values, what you personally think looks nice, and more. If with anyone, discuss it with your doctor. It looks like BMI 21 at 5'7" would be around 134 pounds FWIW?

I'm around BMI 21, but shorter (5'5", so around 125). I have broad shoulders, but narrow hips, no breasts (post mastectomies). BMI 21 is good, with me. Body fat is probably mid 20s percent +/- : My BIA scale says around 23%, so does the so-called "Navy Calculator", but I know that's very approximate.

I agree with others that 1500 seems wrong as a TDEE estimate. Maybe BMR + NEAT, i.e., MFP's before-exercise estimate? Just the walking ought to put you around 2000 for TDEE, before the biking.

At 5'5" and BMI 21, I maintain someplace in the lower 2000s (varies with exercise, can go to mid-2000s in summer). I'm older, but mysteriously a good calorie burner for my age.

I think it's kind of odd to react to a number in the abstract, at least when it's a middling number rather than a clearly extreme one: For me, it matters what I eat, when I eat, how I fit eating in around exercise, how sleep & stress are, etc., as to whether I'm going to feel more hungry or less hungry on X calories.

I'm with sijomial, if you want to maximize calorie intake via more exercise while maintaining, long format non-fatiguing (moderate intensity) cardio is a good plan.

However much time you have to devote to cardio (while maintaining good overall life balance), spend it doing something fun that gets your heart rate up a bit. Use the time for a short warmup at lower intensity, the body of the time at steady state at the maximum intensity you can sustain without incurring excess fatigue, and a short cool down at the end. You should feel energized, not wrung out for the rest of the day, other than maybe a few minutes "whew" feeling right after the exercise.

What activity? Dunno what's fun, for you. I row and bike (both of those indoor in Winter, outdoor (water & trail respectively) in less harsh seasons. Some people run, walk, swim, skate, kayak, dance, play tennis or basketball or something, . . . lots more options . . . ?

Do fun exercise. An exercise we enjoy (or at least tolerate cheerfully), so that we actually do it routinely, burns 100% more calories than an exercise we hate and procrastinate or avoid every chance we get. Life balance, happy stuff - not forced marches - that's a good spot to aim, IMO.

'Scuse me, I gotta go machine row now. 😉

Ah, strength training.
Well, I have to admit I struggle with motivation too! It's certainly not for the calories that I do it (it doesn't burn many at all). I do it for health, better body composition and because I do enjoy feeling myself get stronger. But the workouts themselves don't really motivate me, I much prefer running.

I think it might be a matter of finding something you enjoy (or dislike less): classic free weights, kettle bells, circuit training, bodyweight exercises at home, there are options to strengthen your muscles...

Ultimately, for me, I just think it's a matter of accepting that I won't absolutely love everything I do (whether that's exercise or other parts of my life - I don't enjoy brushing my teeth, but it's something I should do anyway).

I know I don't strength train frequently enough and that my program is suboptimal, but it's better than forcing myself to follow programs I really don't like, which would mean not doing it at all in reality.

Walkywalkerson wrote: »

Thanks everyone- I was looking at 'sedentary ' 😄
I've changed it to lightly active - and it's come up with more calories.
I will change it in the summer months when I'm exercising more.
I recently changed my goal weight from 160 to 140 - I'm not sure how I will feel/ look at that weight but I want to lose around 15 /18 lbs and assess it from there.

Take what seems to be your current TDEE at these activity levels you plan to keep.

Current TDEE?
Your eating goal plus how much deficit you seem to have in place for the rate of loss.

Now take that TDEE divided by your current stats BMR.
There's your personal activity multiplier.

Now take goal weight BMR x that PA figure - goal weight TDEE at current activity level.

Pretty close anyway.