I should know, but I need calorie advice

mandy_lynn
mandy_lynn Posts: 165 Member
edited October 3 in Health and Weight Loss
I have lost a bunch of weight already and I should know the answer to this, but I'm not sure what I should do. The weight isn't coming off anymore and I'm not sure how many calories I should be eating in a day. I run 3-4 days a week, spin 2 days a week and do some kettlebell and ab workouts too. Average weekly calorie burn is about 3100, according to my Polar.

Today I ate 1350, but is that enough? I want to have enough energy to do my workouts and still get through my day if that makes sense. Some days I feel like I need a nap after my workout. What would your calorie goal be if you were me? I'm about 5'5" and 156lbs. My goal weight is ultimately 140.

Replies

  • Rompa_87
    Rompa_87 Posts: 291 Member
    With the amount you are working out I probably wouldn't recommend eating less than 1800-2000 calories a day...
  • Lizzy_Sunflower
    Lizzy_Sunflower Posts: 1,510 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/23912-links-in-mfp-you-want-to-read-again-and-again

    There is So much information in that link!

    I particularly like the one called your bodies thoughts on calories. You are the perfect example of someone who should try eating their calories back. Your body needs more fuel to aide your weightloss!

    Remember that if it doesn't work you can always try something else

    Best of luck to you
    :flowerforyou:
  • terriepage
    terriepage Posts: 17 Member
    I don't know if this will work for you but my trainer has me eat my regular calorie intake 3 days per week (whatever that is for your body) and then eat about 250 more for 2 days per week and 250 less on the other 2 days. This causes confusion so your body is less prone to storing fat. It works on the same principal as muscle confusion for your workouts. Hope this helps.
  • Awkward30
    Awkward30 Posts: 1,927 Member
    So, the way to calculate this is to find out your basal metabolic rate (I just googled a random one and put in your stats) which is about 1500. That is how many calories you burn by just being alive. Then you multiply that by an activity modifier:
    1. If you are sedentary (little or no exercise) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.2
    2. If you are lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.375
    3. If you are moderatetely active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.55
    4. If you are very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.725
    5. If you are extra active (very hard exercise/sports & physical job or 2x training) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.9


    Since you are nearing your goal, you should not run too much of a deficit. Common opinion around here seems to be that for the last 15 you should run a calorie deficit of ~250 calories, which would be 1/2 a pound per week. So subtract that many calories from your total after activity modifier.

    If you count your exercise in the activity modifier, than you should not log your exercise and just eat that many calories. I get a feeling of accomplishment from logging exercise, so I say sedentary and eat back my exercise calories. Either way is valid.

    This is more or less how MFP calculates your calories, so you could just make sure your information is accurate and you should get about the same number.

    PS: We weigh the same :)
  • trelm249
    trelm249 Posts: 777 Member
    You are getting close to your goal weight. That right their means weight loss will slow as your body tries to find homeostasis.

    Your activity describes a significant amount of aerobic activity primarily. I interpret that as 5 to 6 days of significant cardio with some resistance work done on 2 of those cardio days. Is that correct?

    Personally, I think it is time to change some stuff up to shock your system into continuing to change.
    First, I don't think your are getting enough calories to support your activity level. If your were, you would have the energy. Are you eating back your exercise calories or not? If not, you are depriving your body of the fuel it needs to recover from your activity and rebuild those cells.

    Second, I would drop to only three days of cardio on alternating days to give your body time to recover from that. On the alternating other three days, do some serious heavy resistance training to build strength and promote lean tissue development. That will serve to increase your resting metabolic rate. It will also shock your system with new stimuli that it has to adapt to. As a mom, I am sure some additional strength would be helpful. I have seen many of the ladies endorse a book called "The New Rules of Lifting for Women". From what I have looked at from it, it makes sense.

    I am not a health professional of any sort. I am just a geek who reads and researches, because I have my own fitness goals. Take it for whatever it is worth.
  • mandy_lynn
    mandy_lynn Posts: 165 Member
    Thank you for your replies! I can't cut my cardio, I'm training for some races, including a half marathon. I am going to try upping my calories closer to the 1700-1800 range for awhile and see what happens. Thanks!
  • trelm249
    trelm249 Posts: 777 Member
    If you are a competitive runner, that level of cardio makes sense. Best of luck.
  • slimkitty
    slimkitty Posts: 418
    I agree on increasing the calories and also changing the amount of calories you eat every day. I am 5'5" and currently weigh 146. We have the same goal. I speed walk/run 4 days a week for 30 to 40min, kickboxing 2 days a week for 60min, yoga (sometimes relaxing, sometimes intense) for at least 20 min at least 5 times a week. I am having a tough time with my calories below 1700. Sometimes I eat 1900. My weight loss has slowed down quite a bit, but it's still happening.
    Also, try eating smaller meals every 2 hours. I personally don't like doing that, but I tried it for a couple of weeks and lost a lot of weight during those 2 weeks. Another thing to try is drinking protein water during the day. Just get a bottle of water and mix in some proteing powder in it (I like Jay Robb vanilla whey protein) and sip it during the course of an hour in the morning and in the afternoon. Protein is very thermogenic (speeds up the metabolisam) and it might help with the weight loss and also help your muscles recover after your intense workouts.
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