An easier way to setup goal calories - eating for who you wi

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  • devincl1
    devincl1 Posts: 19 Member
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    Still having a hard time understanding this whole concept. I posted already but can you please suggest what you think i should be actually consuming a day regarless if i work out or not. I'm currently at 191 (lost 15lbs this month) and I'm 5'5. I was eating 1500 calories a day but I just started eating 1200 per day. I sleep 7 hours and work at a desk four days a week for 10 hours. Those four days I work out for over an hour a day. (60 mins elliptical and 30 mins weights). I'm losing the weight really fast but I want to be able to keep it off! Thanks in advance!
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    So, as someone who is far off from goal, calculating it on the low side (activity wise) is OK as long as we are eating back enough to cover the BMR?

    You have enough stats on your profile page.

    So for 10 hrs resting, and 14 light, and no exercise, that shows 1932 maintenance at future self.
    But that barely covers your current BMR - if you do NO exercise.

    But realistically, if you say 0.35 hr Moderate (perhaps Heavy actually for 500 cal in 30 min) for your 5 days of 30 min exercise, that makes 2009 maintenance. A whole 75 more calories.
    And in the back of your mind, you know 5 days a week you are doing about 500 worth of calorie burn, so coming in under your BMR by decent amount, not great. The other two days a week may help. Automatic calorie cycling.

    But be honest with that workout. If it is pretty regular now, include it.
  • pickulz76
    pickulz76 Posts: 41
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    This is different from the Olivia method in one of the other threads?
    Correct?
    Just trying to read through both threads..so slightly confused..
  • iamMaLisa
    iamMaLisa Posts: 278 Member
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    bump
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Still having a hard time understanding this whole concept. I posted already but can you please suggest what you think i should be actually consuming a day regarless if i work out or not. I'm currently at 191 (lost 15lbs this month) and I'm 5'5. I was eating 1500 calories a day but I just started eating 1200 per day. I sleep 7 hours and work at a desk four days a week for 10 hours. Those four days I work out for over an hour a day. (60 mins elliptical and 30 mins weights). I'm losing the weight really fast but I want to be able to keep it off! Thanks in advance!

    Well, you know of course you did not lose 15 lbs of fat, but mainly water weight. You can do the math of 3500 cal/lb of fat energy to see you could not have done that.

    I'm going to have to guess age because you don't give it anywhere, and I found your goal in previous post.

    Age - 25
    Height - 5'5"
    Goal - 155 lbs
    Resting - 9 hrs (sleep and TV/reading, increase if more TV time on days off. Use weekly total/7)
    Very light - 14.17 hrs (4x10 work, and the rest since not mentioned activity on day off. If walking around a lot, goes under Light)
    Moderate - 0.33 hrs (4x 30 min weights)
    Heavy - 0.5 hrs (4x 60 good cardio - this may belong under Moderate if you aren't really pushing yourself)

    So I show 2228 maintenance calories for future self if you keep up this good routine. Adjust the other hrs I don't know about above. You may do more than sit around those other 3 days. You may sleep more to make up for 10hr days, ect.

    So that is everyday goal to hit, no differences on day of exercise. If you throw in an extra 30 min exercise every once in a while, no problem. If you start walking farther in parking lot/stairs type stuff, no problem.

    If you start doing a 2hr endurance cardio every week on one of the 3 days off, then re-adjust.

    And just to assure yourself of what may appear to be a high figure, take your normal estimate of calorie burn (750-1000 perhaps on those 4 days), and you'll see that 2230 is not actually that high. You are just spreading the the calories around better.
  • gillleeman
    gillleeman Posts: 397 Member
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    bump
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    This is different from the Olivia method in one of the other threads?
    Correct?
    Just trying to read through both threads..so slightly confused..

    Yes.

    Same protection for not eating below the BMR, nor making too big of a deficit (though this method does allow it if very obese).

    This method perhaps simpler if you have an established routine of exercise, and just want to see one goal to eat to, and not mess with worrying about accurate exercise calories, or big days small days, or exercise credits to eat up, ect.

    If exercise is very non-routine, or you like seeing the green numbers for calories left over each day, and doing some computations depending on your workouts, Olivia's method could work for you.

    If the only thing you want to change is activity levels and times when you have major change in routine, this might be easier.
  • devincl1
    devincl1 Posts: 19 Member
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    Thank you so much for your suggestion. I figured most of it was water weight that's why i want to get a healthy habit formed now. I will try my hardest to consume those extra calories (It will be hard). I just feel like i was probably eating those amout of calories before but I was not losing weight. BTW I'm 34, wish i was 25 again (I'd be 130 lbs) LOL~! Thanks again, it seems you are a very nice person to take your time and answer all of our questions. Have a Great Day!
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Thank you so much for your suggestion. I figured most of it was water weight that's why i want to get a healthy habit formed now. I will try my hardest to consume those extra calories (It will be hard). I just feel like i was probably eating those amout of calories before but I was not losing weight. BTW I'm 34, wish i was 25 again (I'd be 130 lbs) LOL~! Thanks again, it seems you are a very nice person to take your time and answer all of our questions. Have a Great Day!

    For those that are trying to learn and asking questions, and listening to advice of others, it's easy to want to help.

    Oh, at young 34, that changes to 2166 maintenance. Because as we get, uh, older, the metabolism usually goes down a bit.
  • lilmisslanna
    lilmisslanna Posts: 104 Member
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    bump to read later
  • slimmerchick
    slimmerchick Posts: 189 Member
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    Please forgive me if this is a stupid question, and I don't want to come across as insensitive at all (because I have suffered with an eating disorder before) but how come people get anorexic? I am so confused because I've been trying to stick to 1300 or thereabouts (give or take lots of ups and downs) to try and lose a few pounds, yet people talk about starvation mode, plateaus and messing up the metabolism all of which stop weight loss.

    People who become anorexic don't eat do they? Did they have to overcome weight gain and slow metabolism and no weight loss, prior to this?

    I am going to try the OP's method, and try to up my intake to 1800, but I have been gaining on less so I can't really see how this is going to work, and my question is always in the back of my mind.
  • pupcamper
    pupcamper Posts: 415 Member
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    bump :drinker:
  • sarahmaryfearnley
    sarahmaryfearnley Posts: 366 Member
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    I am very intrigued by this method for several reasons. At first (back in Aug) I followed MFP guildlines and ate at ~1300cals/day and had sucess but really haven't seen ANY movement on the scale since early Nov. After the holidays, I up'ed my net cals to 1500 but usually eat 2000-2200, with ~600cals burned/day on average. I exercised everyday this month :) some days just an easy dog walk for an hour but most days actual exercise and still no movement on the scale or with the measuring tape.

    So here's my stats. I'ld love to here your opinion heybales.

    Age: 32
    CW: 170
    GW: 130

    MFP calculates my BMR at 1447 and the other one you recommend calculates it at 1523. This makes me think even at 1500 net, I'm below my BMR and that's the problem.

    I have a FitBit and looked at my activity graph for the past month, which averages as follows per day:
    Lightly Active: 5hrs
    Fairly Active: 2hrs
    Very Active: 1hrs
    Leaving 16hrs/day as Resting.

    I would translate this into the other activity categories as follows:
    Resting: 10hrs (8 sleeping and 1-2 sitting, watching tv, etc.)
    Very Light: 7hrs
    Light: 6hrs
    Moderate: 1hrs
    Heavy: 0hrs
    It doesn't seem to make a huge difference when I change around the Very Light and Light distribution.

    This leaves me with BMR (1523) + Activity (1047) = 2570cals/day for maintainance of future me at current activity level. That seems like a HUGE amount of calories but your methodology seems logical and the math is right there.

    Hmmmm.

    Should I really be eating more like 2500cals/day? Never netting under ~1550?
  • osorio1
    osorio1 Posts: 63
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    bump
  • NicolioRussell
    NicolioRussell Posts: 273
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    I am SO confused about this.

    Here's my stats if anyone wants to help me:

    Age: 23
    CW: 285
    GW: 200
    Height: 5'4"
    Activity: 8-9hrs resting, 12-14 very light, 1-2 light, 1-2 moderate, 0 heavy. ((depends on the day))
  • InTenn
    InTenn Posts: 99
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    Bump for next time I get stuck. The logic works. The math? We'll just have to see how well I can guess my activity/effort/portions.
  • becjerami
    becjerami Posts: 80
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    Hi, your system seems sensible to me, it's basically what my Mum and Dad always told me - the best way to lose weight is eat sensibly (i.e. a bit less but not too little) and move more. MFP tells me to reach my goal I can only consume 1200 calories a day, but I aways felt that was too low and usually eat at least 1400, occassionally more and very occassionally I eat at maintenance for my current weight. Would you say that was also a good way to keep the metabolism up by not constantly eating low?

    Since reading your post I've rejigged my calorie limit. My stats are:
    Age: 31
    Current Weight: 161 lbs
    Goal Weight: 136 lbs (maybe not that low but I'll see how I look/feel when I get closer)
    Height: 172cm

    The ExRx system tells me that my BMR at goal weight would be 1413 with calories at 2178. I have a desk job but I do walk to work most days which is about 4mph for 1.5hours. Then I often walk a bit after work which is another 35 minutes. I might play tennis or go for a jog weekends, but lately this has been sporadic so I haven't included it and I don't walk as much on the weekends. The rest of my day is made up of resting and very light activity.

    I'm not really comfortable eating 2178 a day as to be honest this makes me feel I am overeating. So.... I changed my calorie goal to around 1700 a day which is still over my BMR even at current weight, and I use my exercise to create most of the calorie defecit. I actually had to hunt out extra things to eat today to reach 1700 which was novel!

    Does that seem sensible or should I still be eating more than that?

    Many thanks!
  • danascot
    danascot Posts: 100 Member
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    bump
  • dvcab
    dvcab Posts: 78
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    bump - until i lose another 5 kilos
  • gyte
    gyte Posts: 5
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    bump

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