How would you log....and how many calories?

Options
HappilyLifts
HappilyLifts Posts: 429 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
One week into logging my activity her on MFP and I have a couple of questions. My trainer has set me a new routine (my third this year, and this one is a REAL challenge!) to raise my metabolism but there are some activities that I'm not sure how to log.

I see elliptical trainer is in the datatbase but how do you log if you aren't doing a steady pace? I'm doing just 4 minutes on the elliptical doing tabata training (10 secs recovery : 20 secs max speed)

3 minutes of cardio wave. I can't see this in the database, it's similar to a stepper or elliptical I suppose, do you think it would burn the same calories?

rowing machine - I do 500 metres in 2.25 minutes, three times, with 60 secs recovery time between each set. Do I just log 6.75 minutes at moderate effort....not sure it's moderate though, I'm gasping after the second set and have to push hard to do the final set :-)

And then there's strength training. I do a cicruit with little rest between sets and it's definitely aerobic, or even anaerobic, as again, I'm gasping and don't really enjoy it , LOL. I notice that you don't get a figure for calories burned on MFP for strength training, but that there is a weight training option which does give you calories burned.I just wondered which I should use when I'm logging it.

I do:
plank, side plank and superman for 20 secs each, 2 sets.
(then off to one of the machines above)
lunges and squats. 15 left leg, 15 right leg and 15 squats. 2 sets.
(off to another machine)
12 tricep extensions overhead, 8 pressups on my knees (yes, poor isn't it!), 12 bicep curls which I then extend over my head (I don't know what this is called), 12 of those. 2 sets.

My exercise/food diary is public (I think) but as you can see I haven't yet settled on how to log the exercise).

One last question. My nurse says that I should eat 1500 cals. My trainer thinks this is too low for all the activity I am doing (I do the above 3 times a week, do pilates or lighter cardio twice a week, and stay active at weekends doing gardening or a bike ride or walk), so in total probably 6-7 hours activity on top of jobs around the house which I don't count. So far I have been eating my exercise calories as it's been an eye-opener to try and drop to 1700 cals as I've been an over-eater for many years. My main aim is fat loss, to change my shape. I would love to see the weight on the scales come down, but I wouldn't care if I weighed alot but looked trim.

Sorry this is such an in depth post. I'm pretty new to all this and really want to get the math right as I haven't lost any significant weight (maybe 1-2 pounds) or inches (maybe a cm or two off my tummy) since I started working out religiously at the beginning of the year. If it helps, I'm 5 ft 7, in my forties, weigh 207 pounds and have a BMI of 32 :frown:

On the plus side my blood pressure has dropped from 140/95 to 140/80 :smile:

Any advice? I'd really appreciate it.

Replies

  • Mamoonie
    Mamoonie Posts: 328
    Options
    Hi there,
    You're quite active. WOW!

    Well, I can relate, working out with a trainer too :-)

    I'm 41, 5'7 and 192 lbs with a BMI of 30.8. MFP has set me to 1470 calories, but with so many workouts, that's far from being enough. I usually eat around 2000 calories a day, I almost never get under 1500. I know I could change my food choices to lower that number, but so far I didn't want to.

    With all that activitiy, it would be best to invest in a HRM which shows you how many calories you burn during all your workouts. As for your cardio, your machines should show that number too, unless they are terribly old. I can't help for the strength training though.

    I'd say (without taking a look at your diary), listen to your trainer and start eating some more. You can still cut back again if nothing changes within a month.
  • blissmanifesto
    blissmanifesto Posts: 37
    Options
    I think you just log it all as moderate effort. If you want more accurate calorie counts, you'll probably need to invest in one of those fancy heart-rate-monitor gadgets that give you more accurate numbers, and then you can input those numbers when you log your exercise. I have the same issue with strength training. . . I dunno, I just don't worry about it too much. I log it as "strength training" under the Cardiovascular category and call it a day. As far as calories go, yeah, I think I'm with your trainer. Based on the stats you give, it looks like your BMR - the calories you burn just to stay alive on the couch - is 1673 cals. Then we have to add activity and exercise on top of that. So yeah, 1700 calories at a bare minimum. Probably closer to 2000 would be a good bet I expect. As you lose weight, you'll need to reduce your intake as you go. But for now you can eat quite a lot.
  • Peta22
    Peta22 Posts: 377 Member
    Options
    Definitely the best way to record what your doing would be with a heart rate monitor if you can get one. Mine has been invaluable and has shed new light on what is really going on when I'm exersizing.
  • newlife4cindy
    newlife4cindy Posts: 44 Member
    Options
    I agree - go with the HRM! You'll probably find you are burning more than they calculate on here. I bought a Polar FT4 for about $65 on amazon. totally worth it. you definitely need a HRM that will calculate the calories for you and not just give you the HR. I bought a cheap one the first time and returned it, because it would give me my HR, but i had no idea what my average HR was or for how long, so it was really difficult to calculate calories burned - which was the whole point!

    And I looked at your diary. I think your carbs are too high and your protein too low. You can change your goals on here under settings to change the percentages (you have to do it from the website and not your phone). Minimum, you should be at 40% protein, 30% carb, 30% fat. I set mine to 50% protein, 30% carb, 20% fat. When my carbs are high, i do not lose. when my protein is high (even if my carbs are over some), i lose. i am still struggling to meet my goals and finding the right foods without breaking the bank. slowly but surely, all these little changes will add up. for example, this week - instead of eating yogurt, i will eat cottage cheese. not a big difference in calories - but a huge difference in carbs and protein.
  • HappilyLifts
    HappilyLifts Posts: 429 Member
    Options
    I would definitely like to get a HRM, I just need to figure out which one and how they work. There are lots on amazon UK's website, all with good and not so good reviews, I can't decide! And do they show under gym clothes? I haven't noticed anyone else wearing one at the gym. How do they work? Do you just check what it says at the end of the workout, or do you look at yours throughout?

    I'm glad to hear maybe 1500 cals isn't the way to go. I already feel tired most days without cutting back on the cals!
    Cindy, I keep messing with my protein allowance. I keep researching on the internet and did have it set higher.....but then I read that you need carbs for energy, and most days I feel tired by just after lunch, so I upped the carbs! Confused? Yeah, that's me!
  • HappilyLifts
    HappilyLifts Posts: 429 Member
    Options


    On the plus side my blood pressure has dropped from 140/95 to 140/80 :smile:

    Any advice? I'd really appreciate it.

    Typo! That second BP reading should be 120/80!
  • newlife4cindy
    newlife4cindy Posts: 44 Member
    Options
    It doesn't show up under your clothes. You wear a chest strap where the base of your bra goes and then it transmits to a watch. Usually, the numbers are pretty big and you don't have to check it, but you will :) It also beeps at you if you are not within your range (you put your personal numbers in there so it knows where you should be). But i silence that because it drives me nuts.
  • HappilyLifts
    HappilyLifts Posts: 429 Member
    Options
    It doesn't show up under your clothes. You wear a chest strap where the base of your bra goes and then it transmits to a watch. Usually, the numbers are pretty big and you don't have to check it, but you will :) It also beeps at you if you are not within your range (you put your personal numbers in there so it knows where you should be). But i silence that because it drives me nuts.

    Clever piece of technology! \what range does it bleep at? Over 85% heart rate or something?

    I am tempted!

Categories