people who have had success by upping their calories!

I upped mine last week after several people advised me that it would help break my plateau. I was up when I weighed this morning so I'm a little nervous but I'm willing to weight a while to see what happens. :-/

This, but after gaining 2.8 lbs. last week, I lost 3.8 so far this week.

yay! how many calories are you netting?

About 1450!

Heybales, thanks so much for your reply to my query! in fact all of your replies are super interesting and its really nice of you to take the time to answer everone with such in depth answers, it seems your pretty knowledgable on this stuff, so high five for sharing it with us!!

so do i have this right, i either hang out at around 1500 cals and log and eat my exercise cals and stick my activity levels at sedentary. OR i up my activity levels to active, and dont log or eat my exercise cals! eeeek that would make me anxious in case i had a super busy week and didnt get all my exercising done, then i'd be over eating at those levels right.

in general as well though, its been so interesting reading this topic, thanks to everyone for thier input!

I have been fascinated reading this thread, but am still a little confused. I am 5ft 3 and weigh 150lbs my goal is 120lbs. not only do I want to lose weight (the healthy safe way) but I want to tone up my wobbly bits and be able to see some muscle definition (but NOT be muscly/bulky I want a soft yet defined body) I currently do at least 30 minutes a day of 30DS (on day 6 of level one) plus at least 2 times a week I will do Zumba for between 20 - 45 minutes plus most evenings I do some work on my arms with weights (only 2.5lbs weights) plus ab work. I have been fighting with the same 2-3lbs for the past few months now, so need a kick start, and thought this may help IF I know what to do properly.

MFP puts me at 1200 a day, but when I work out my BMR is states 1360. I have also worked out my TDEE I was not sure what activness to put as Mon - Fri I am sitting at a desk all day, so I worked it out for little or no exercise and that was 1743 (*0.8) 1394, light exercise was 1990 (*0.8) 1592 and moderate was 2243 (*0.8) 1794.

In all of your opinions what would you recommend I do? Apologies if this is a repeat of what somebody else has asked, I am pretty new here and getting slightly confused lol Jen x

You are not at Sedentary level with that much exercise. Definitely Moderate level. Could round down to nearest hundred.

What site did you use for TDEE estimate, because those values don't work out?
For instance, Moderate is BMR * 1.55, which ends up 2108 * 0.8 = 1686 (or round to 2100 * 0.8 = 1680).

Then you would eat to that every day, workout or not. You would NOT eat back exercise calories since already in there. And if you spot checked calories burned with HRM, would likely be at or slightly under BMR for those days. Rest days allows recovery.

And since you have been so underfeeding your system for that workout level - you will see great body improvements first, weight loss will come later until body catches up with what you are asking it to do.

I think it was fitness frog?! But my BMR I also got on here?!

You may want to go to this link and ask Helloitsdan to run your numbers - should help with the confusion.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/538381-in-place-of-a-road-map?

You just need to give the stats data asked for in the first post in the thread.

Think I've worked it all out now lol oh and it looks like I've lost 2.5% body fat since starting lol x thank you x

Dan has said

"visit http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/
Do the Military Body Fat Calc first, then the BMR tool.
The Military BF calc is accurate up to about 2%.
The BMR tool will give EXACT calories to eat on a daily basis.
This number is static and I only recommend eating back so your NET is at least 200 above BMR.
Add 20% to suggested calories to know your TDEE.
Use the Katch McGardle BMR number to know your BMR.
Never eat at or below BMR.
For Fat loss plans set up macros at 30% Protein/Fat.
This % is only because MFP wont allow single %."

So if I take my KM BMR 1332 and add 20% to get my TDEE that makes 1598, yet on the fat2fitradio website it 2051, I also read that I can or should minus 15% -20% and aim to eat that to lose weight? (Can't find where it was now) if that is so 2051-15% = 1743 or 2051 - 20% = 1640

Do I change my base calories on MFP as 1332 and then eat back all my exercise calories? I average betwwen 220 and 440 a day?!?!? I am a bit confused HELP!!!! Lol

I am 32 years old, 5ft 3 and weigh 150lbs at present. My BF% was 34.9% last Monday (will not be checking it again till beginning of next week) Katch-MaCardle gave me a BMR of 1332 the TDEE that was given from the fit2fatradio website was 2051 (moderate) I work out 6-7 days a week for at least half an hour to an hour (doing 30 day shred, Zumba & some strength with weights) normally do half hour 1 day and then an hour the next (am doing 30 Day Shred every day for half hour)

Jen x
HELPPPPPPPP lol

Bump for later

people like u get on my nerve LOL jkk I have to k ill myself at the gym and eat very little to drop a couple lbs and the worst part is IM ten lbs away what can b more frustrating than that nothing that I Know of. So any tips would b great . I do exercise daily 30 min in the gym and of course everyday cleaning for about an hour not sure if that counts but it says it does anywho Im to the point of screaming if this plateu don't break soon.

I have been fascinated reading this thread, but am still a little confused. I am 5ft 3 and weigh 150lbs my goal is 120lbs. not only do I want to lose weight (the healthy safe way) but I want to tone up my wobbly bits and be able to see some muscle definition (but NOT be muscly/bulky I want a soft yet defined body) I currently do at least 30 minutes a day of 30DS (on day 6 of level one) plus at least 2 times a week I will do Zumba for between 20 - 45 minutes plus most evenings I do some work on my arms with weights (only 2.5lbs weights) plus ab work. I have been fighting with the same 2-3lbs for the past few months now, so need a kick start, and thought this may help IF I know what to do properly.

MFP puts me at 1200 a day, but when I work out my BMR is states 1360. I have also worked out my TDEE I was not sure what activness to put as Mon - Fri I am sitting at a desk all day, so I worked it out for little or no exercise and that was 1743 (*0.8) 1394, light exercise was 1990 (*0.8) 1592 and moderate was 2243 (*0.8) 1794.

In all of your opinions what would you recommend I do? Apologies if this is a repeat of what somebody else has asked, I am pretty new here and getting slightly confused lol Jen x

You are not at Sedentary level with that much exercise. Definitely Moderate level. Could round down to nearest hundred.

What site did you use for TDEE estimate, because those values don't work out?
For instance, Moderate is BMR * 1.55, which ends up 2108 * 0.8 = 1686 (or round to 2100 * 0.8 = 1680).

Then you would eat to that every day, workout or not. You would NOT eat back exercise calories since already in there. And if you spot checked calories burned with HRM, would likely be at or slightly under BMR for those days. Rest days allows recovery.

And since you have been so underfeeding your system for that workout level - you will see great body improvements first, weight loss will come later until body catches up with what you are asking it to do.

I think it was fitness frog?! But my BMR I also got on here?!

You may want to go to this link and ask Helloitsdan to run your numbers - should help with the confusion.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/538381-in-place-of-a-road-map?

You just need to give the stats data asked for in the first post in the thread.

Think I've worked it all out now lol oh and it looks like I've lost 2.5% body fat since starting lol x thank you x

Dan has said

"visit http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/
Do the Military Body Fat Calc first, then the BMR tool.
The Military BF calc is accurate up to about 2%.
The BMR tool will give EXACT calories to eat on a daily basis.
This number is static and I only recommend eating back so your NET is at least 200 above BMR.
Add 20% to suggested calories to know your TDEE.
Use the Katch McGardle BMR number to know your BMR.
Never eat at or below BMR.
For Fat loss plans set up macros at 30% Protein/Fat.
This % is only because MFP wont allow single %."

So if I take my KM BMR 1332 and add 20% to get my TDEE that makes 1598, yet on the fat2fitradio website it 2051, I also read that I can or should minus 15% -20% and aim to eat that to lose weight? (Can't find where it was now) if that is so 2051-15% = 1743 or 2051 - 20% = 1640

Do I change my base calories on MFP as 1332 and then eat back all my exercise calories? I average betwwen 220 and 440 a day?!?!? I am a bit confused HELP!!!! Lol

I am 32 years old, 5ft 3 and weigh 150lbs at present. My BF% was 34.9% last Monday (will not be checking it again till beginning of next week) Katch-MaCardle gave me a BMR of 1332 the TDEE that was given from the fit2fatradio website was 2051 (moderate) I work out 6-7 days a week for at least half an hour to an hour (doing 30 day shred, Zumba & some strength with weights) normally do half hour 1 day and then an hour the next (am doing 30 Day Shred every day for half hour)

Jen x
HELPPPPPPPP lol

We already did what he said. Reread those posts I wrote, go by my numbers I gave you.
You are confusing several things you've read and putting them together, missing step above, and you gotta read that site page if you are looking at those numbers.

I started at 1200 cals. I'm currently at 1770. I was losing steadily at 1500. Currently i'm focused on toning and seeing my muscles pop through! I say slowly add and let your body do it's thing. Some people zigzag calories. Try a bunch of things until you learn what's right for you!

What's nice with eating the same amount every day, which includes a weekly exercise estimate, is you get an automatic zig-zag.
On heavy days, your net is at or below BMR, light days above, rest days is recovery (even a mini-spike day as far as net calories is concerned).

So what your body has to work with after the exercise takes it's energy, is a zigzag of calories.

bump

I was eating no more then 2200 a day yet burning between 600-1000. I swim... a lot. I was at a complete stall on weight loss/fat loss. I didn't lose inches or have any change in exercise performance. I was completely exhausted and only kept up my exercise through sheer will power. I was stalled for 2 months. During that two months I averaged 800 calories burned a day but never exceeded 2200 calories consumed. The last week of the 2 months I had actually gained 1/2 lb.

After examining all the data of calories burned, consumed I finally took the time to figure out my BMR and TDEE.

I'm 6'3" and 270 lbs as of this morning. My BMR is ~2400 calories a day. I upped my calories to a minimum of 3400 on every day I worked out and a mimimum of 2600 on recovery days. I gained 3 lbs over the first 4 weeks but lost an inch off my waist.

I've now lost a total of 12 lbs since I upped my calories and dropped 4 pant sizes and I'm on the verge of another pant size loss. I've gained a lot of performance in exercise as well.

Excellent!

bump

@candicejn

According to all the calculations, I should be eating a minimum of about 1850 (for sedentary - so I would eat back exercise cals), up to around 2100 (moderately active - if I including exercise). I increased to 1600 from 1290 this week; I want to do this in steps since I don't know how my body will react (I"m hypothyroid).

So how long do you suggest staying at one level before re-evaluating? I was thinking a full month?

Good idea steps, about 200 per day for a week, like a snack associated with your workouts. Then another 200 next week, ect.

How long did it take for for metabolism to lower? Some ladies notice they had like 2 months of constantly diminishing loss until they stalled, some notice 3 weeks of loss before stall.

Month is good. Actually eating 200 more each week and making your way up to 2100, will take about a month, so good timing. Body should be starting to get everything it needs for the exercise you are giving it, and during that ramp up you'll start seeing body improvements, even if no weight loss. That comes after the body is done recovery/rebuilding what it has been unable to do so far.

Thank you!!

I actually didn't have a stall, really. I ate badly for a few weeks around Xmas and stalled out, but to be honest I've lost more in the past few weeks than I have any other 3 week period since I started MFP in October. I really think that was because I bought myself a Polar HRM and had real numbers to go by. (plus I starred C25K right about then) BUT I don't want to lose muscle mass, and I was getting cranky easily and finding I would run out of energy halfway through my workouts. So I figured I should fix it now, before I did too much damage.

bump

I have been upping my calories by 200 every few weeks. I haven't put on any body fat, infact i have lost some while gaining strength in my lifts.
Always helps me break out of plateaus too.

I have been upping my calories by 200 every few weeks. I haven't put on any body fat, infact i have lost some while gaining strength in my lifts.
Always helps me break out of plateaus too.

It does help you to breakout of plateaus too - I have done that quite a few times.

I just joined and just wanna say "85 lbs lost!" That is incredible. What an accomplishment. Keep up the good work