How many calories to eat? Any nutritionists out there?!

vonalj
vonalj Posts: 124 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I know MFP recommends the 1200-1350 for me. I feel that, that is starving! I need to lose around 30lbs and am having trouble with the scale. I swear the wt is glued to me. I am training for a half marathon and also doing Jamie Eason's livefit program. I have heard mixed things from different body builders. I've heard to take your "goal" wt x10 to get a baseline then add 200 for easy days and 400 for hard days. I've also heard take your "current" wt x10 for your baseline then add 200 for easy days and 400 for hard days. I am so confused. Not sure what do to and I'm frustrated that the scale is not moving nor are my clothes getting looser. Please feel free to check out my diary. I had a slip up today with a bagel and cream cheese but look at previous entries too. I feel that all of my hard work is for nothing. Feeling very frustrated! Help Please!

Replies

  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
    Can't see your diary but I certainly hope you are eating your exercise calories and not netting 1200 calories if you are that active. If so, there is your problem.
  • tuffytuffy1
    tuffytuffy1 Posts: 920 Member
    You need to go to your settings to open your diary up.
  • annieheavrin
    annieheavrin Posts: 47
    I have been having the same problem. After speaking with a few smart fellows on MFP, we have upped my calories. I was also eating only 1200 calories, exercising 7 days a week. I lost quite a bit the past 2 months since I started MFP BUT it has slowed and then STOPPED completely..then started gaining! I just upped my calories to 1500 yesterday and so today is only my 2nd day. Just an option. Like I said, I have spoke to a few of my friends who have done the same and they have been losing consistently since they stopped "starving" themselves. ;) Good luck!!
  • cressievargo
    cressievargo Posts: 392 Member
    Can't see your diary but I certainly hope you are eating your exercise calories and not netting 1200 calories if you are that active. If so, there is your problem.

    ^^this, but if you are training that hard, I'd say go much higher than 1200
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    Not sure what you've got your weight loss goal set at but it might be too high. Shoot for 1/2 pound to 1 pound per week and make sure you eat back at least half of your exercise calories. Make sure you're drinking you water and try eating more protein and fiber as all of those thing help you feel full longer.
  • ThatCindyGirl
    ThatCindyGirl Posts: 26
    MFP told me to consume 1910 calories a day! There's no way I'm going to consume that much and still lose 2+ lbs a week. Going based off of Jullian Michaels Metabolism book I am trying to consume 1400 to jump start and maintain between 1500 and 1700 to keep losing. Its all pretty much trial and error until you find a good fit for your body.
  • vonalj
    vonalj Posts: 124 Member
    Diary is open! And I should say freaking out is really how I'm feeling!
  • New_Atti2ude
    New_Atti2ude Posts: 114 Member
    I have been having the same problem. After speaking with a few smart fellows on MFP, we have upped my calories. I was also eating only 1200 calories, exercising 7 days a week. I lost quite a bit the past 2 months since I started MFP BUT it has slowed and then STOPPED completely..then started gaining! I just upped my calories to 1500 yesterday and so today is only my 2nd day. Just an option. Like I said, I have spoke to a few of my friends who have done the same and they have been losing consistently since they stopped "starving" themselves. ;) Good luck!!

    Great work in only 2 months. Inspirational. I hope you get your mojo back flowing!
    yOU LOOK FABULOUS DARLING!!!!!!!
  • gettinthere
    gettinthere Posts: 529 Member
    I had this same problem, just stuck at the same weight for 2 months, then last week I started the Olivia Method and have lost 3 lbs, thank goodness. It may not work for everyone, but it's working for me right now!! So I am eating 1450 calories per day whether I work out or not. I don't eat back exercise calories unless I burn more than 600. Good luck!!!
  • JoniBologna
    JoniBologna Posts: 653 Member
    Try setting your goals to 1lb/week loss. No more than that if you have about 30lbs to lose. I am 5'6" and 159lbs. I eat about 1800-2500 calories a day (this includes eating back my exercise cals), and I am still losing.
  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,069 Member
    try cutting back on sodium a bit - it may just be water weight :)
  • reaolliemama
    reaolliemama Posts: 483 Member
    You probably do need to eat back your exercise calories. Also, it looks like you need more protein to me, but I only looked a few days worth of your diary. Since I upped my protein I'm losing much more!
  • AmberJslimsAWAY
    AmberJslimsAWAY Posts: 2,339 Member
    we are all nutritionists!!
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    If you're "only" trying to lose 30 pounds, you should have your weight loss goal set to 0.5-1 pound per week. Trying to lose more than that would risk losing lean mass instead of fat.

    Also, if you're training for a half marathon, you really need to be eating back your exercise calories. That's why they are there. You feel like you're starving because you are starving. Starving yourself will not give you the results you desire.

    Also, what's wrong with a bagel with cream cheese?
  • jsapninz
    jsapninz Posts: 909 Member
    Use your CURRENT (as in, how to stay EXACTLY where you are at) Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR, check Tools on MFP), and then cut it by 80%, that should be your daily deficit goal. There are 3500 calories in a pound, so divide your daily deficit by that and you will see how many days it should take you to lose a pound. MFP is a little high on its BMR compared to other sites so I found three calculators online and averaged them. And then recalculate every 10 lbs or so.

    You also NEED to eat back your exercise calories. You are going to send your body into starvation mode if you are limiting your intake and then burning off even more than that.
  • amymeenieminymo
    amymeenieminymo Posts: 2,394 Member
    You need to eat back your exercise calories. You've got way too many calories left over each day.
  • sedosher
    sedosher Posts: 142 Member
    Check out this group, there is a thread discussing this exact topic. Group is great! :)

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/3817-eat-more-to-weigh-less
  • bigredhearts
    bigredhearts Posts: 428
    Use your CURRENT (as in, how to stay EXACTLY where you are at) Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR, check Tools on MFP), and then cut it by 80%, that should be your daily deficit goal. There are 3500 calories in a pound, so divide your daily deficit by that and you will see how many days it should take you to lose a pound. MFP is a little high on its BMR compared to other sites so I found three calculators online and averaged them. And then recalculate every 10 lbs or so.

    You also NEED to eat back your exercise calories. You are going to send your body into starvation mode if you are limiting your intake and then burning off even more than that.

    by these calculations, with a bmr 0f 1645, i should be taking in 329 cals? its calculations like these that confuse and ultimately harm people.

    i would suggest talking to your doctor.
  • Dean31
    Dean31 Posts: 38 Member
    I'm not a nutritionist, but I am in a nutrition class this semester. I haven't looked at your diary, but just as a general rule I do this:

    1) set your net calorie goal between 1200 and 1500

    2) EAT 4 to 5 small meals a day and workout.

    My net calorie goal is set at 1200, but I consume over 2000 a day. They key word is NET. I put in 3 workouts a day basically. I walk 2 miles and jog one in the morning, then I do a 20 minute gentle yoga session (as a warm up) and an Insanity workout mid day. Then, I walk 2 more miles in the early evening.

    It seems that a lot of people aren't quite sure what NET means and what it means to eat your workout calories back or not. Basically, If your goal is 1200 and you eat 1300 calories, then burn 100 of them off thru exercise-then no, you don't eat those back because 1300-100=1200 (your goal). On the other hand, if you eat 1300 and burn off 200, then you'd eat 100 back because 1300-200=1100 and your goal is 1200.

    As far as nutrition goes, well, that's a very broad subject lol. If you have any specific questions on nutrition feel free to message me and ask. On a general nutrition note I can say DON'T neglect carbs!! Carbs=glucose and glucose is your bodies PRIMARY source of energy. It's the ONLY source of energy for many cells. But not all carbs are equal either. You need to eat complex carbs for a slow and steady glucose release. Your body will store excess glucose as fat, so better to have a slow release of glucose into your bloodstream. This way there's just enough for energy and glycogen (storage form of glucose for quick release) and not any extra for fat. A good base to start at would be to set your calories at 45% carbs, 35% protein, and 20% fat. From there you just have to experiment and see what seems to work best for your body. Hope this helps!

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