Help setting a calorie goal, please?

Arrica
Arrica Posts: 166 Member
edited December 18 in Health and Weight Loss
So I'm not one to just post a thread without doing a little leg work but I am kind of at a loss and am just hoping some more experienced people can help me figure out where I need to be. I am about half way to my goal. Started at 205, currently weighing in around 165-167 and would like to get somewhere between 120-140 (just not sure where yet). My body seems to want to rest comfortably around 150ish, or so it has in the past. I am 5"3.5' and 37 yrs old.

I recognize I am (according to another thread I read) at that point where I am stalling out a bit. My body is getting comfortable with the changes and it's starting show via the scale. I was doing well at about 1200 calories and having a few good days with cheat treats and I was losing pretty well. Since about Easter I decided that I should increase my calories a bit so that I would avoid the whole eating low calorie, losing then going back to eating more normally and gaining. I have had days where I am eating up to 1900 calories and then I have had some low days. At this point I am not losing, maybe gaining a little, just not sure. My eating patterns are so random. I work nights and some days I am awake longer and more hungry and some days I sleep more then go to bed early so I just don't eat as much. My profile and diary are public. Yes, I know I eat junk. Not all the time, but I don't like living a life of deprivision so if I have room in my calories for something not healthy and I want it, I eat it. But that being said I try to eat a large salad most days and fruit for breakfast.

As for activity I mostly do 30 day shred, Zumba and/or run on the treadmill. Here lately I have been doing Zumba more than anything. I completed the full 30DS and now I just do a level here and there to get in some strength training, or if I don't feel like seeing Jillian's face I will just do some of the strength exercises and abs on my balance ball. I am a mom of a toddler so I am up and down quite a bit. I work in the nursing field. Some nights I am busy most of the night, others I have a generous amount of down time. I don't sit around and watch a lot of TV during the day. I mostly follow the tornado around and do damage control, sprinkled with some dishes and laundry and sweeping...blah blah blah. Not sure where that would put me?? Lightly active?

Ok, tried not to make that too long, yet give enough info for some help. I guess what I am wanting is for some advice on what kind of calorie goal I should be shooting for? What kind of small changes can I make to keep me losing but at a healthy rate? (I say small because I am not great at making big sweeping changes.) Is this little gain I am seeing a temporary effect of uping my calories or am I really eating too much? Help, please?

Replies

  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,423 Member
    Don't overthink it.
    Go back to your MFP goals and set yourself up for 1/2 pound weight loss a week. Make sure you set your activity level accurately (most people really aren't sedentary).
    Eat the cals MFP recommends, plus those you burn from exercise.
    Do this for a month and see how your body responds. If you need to change up or down a little you will have a good baseline.
    Good luck.
  • Martucha123
    Martucha123 Posts: 1,089 Member
    Don't overthink it.
    Go back to your MFP goals and set yourself up for 1/2 pound weight loss a week. Make sure you set your activity level accurately (most people really aren't sedentary).
    Eat the cals MFP recommends, plus those you burn from exercise.
    Do this for a month and see how your body responds. If you need to change up or down a little you will have a good baseline.
    Good luck.

    great advice
    you can get your BMR and TDEE from other websites, but MFP will do it for you, just set your goal to half a pound, and ready!
    Don't forget to eat back your excersise cals!
  • Arrica
    Arrica Posts: 166 Member
    Ok I had it set at 1 lb so I set it to 1/2 lb. Had it set at lightly active too. Is this little bit of a gain I am seeing a temporary thing from uping my calories here lately? I weigh myself daily but I don't freak out when I see the number go up and down because I understand water weight and stuff, but this increase I have seen has been consistant over that last few days, whereas usually I will see the number fluctuate and sometimes go under the weight I have listed as my weight. Basically the lowest I have seen these last few days is 165 and I was weighing in at 164 but seeing 163 here and there.
  • Phoenix_Angel
    Phoenix_Angel Posts: 68
    Here's one small change that could make a big difference: try an app called fooducate. U can type in any food and look for healthier alternatives. U can also see a rating on those foods. I know it's hard to avoid junk food, so if you have to have a bag of chips (for example), there may be better ones out there and maybe even tastier.
    Also, up your protein and fiber to help feel fuller. Rubybelle has great advice. As we become lighter, our bodies need fewer calories.
    Other factors: when we raise our calorie intake, we also tend to raise sodium intake, therefore retaining more water. I've retained as much as 5 pounds from a cheat day. This is also why when people first diet they lose so much instantly and when they eat normal they gain it back. If I diet and reach my goal, I go slightly beyond that goal to compensate for the extra water retention I will gain when I am ready to maintain.
    I won't go thru the list (drink lots of water, eat a balanced meal). Take baby steps. You are smart to make the small changes. It makes each new step towards your beautiful future more each exiting and each one will give you that confidence and emotional boost to get you to the next step.
  • Arrica
    Arrica Posts: 166 Member
    Here's one small change that could make a big difference: try an app called fooducate. U can type in any food and look for healthier alternatives. U can also see a rating on those foods. I know it's hard to avoid junk food, so if you have to have a bag of chips (for example), there may be better ones out there and maybe even tastier.
    Also, up your protein and fiber to help feel fuller. Rubybelle has great advice. As we become lighter, our bodies need fewer calories.
    Other factors: when we raise our calorie intake, we also tend to raise sodium intake, therefore retaining more water. I've retained as much as 5 pounds from a cheat day. This is also why when people first diet they lose so much instantly and when they eat normal they gain it back. If I diet and reach my goal, I go slightly beyond that goal to compensate for the extra water retention I will gain when I am ready to maintain.
    I won't go thru the list (drink lots of water, eat a balanced meal). Take baby steps. You are smart to make the small changes. It makes each new step towards your beautiful future more each exiting and each one will give you that confidence and emotional boost to get you to the next step.

    I will look at the fooducate site. I know healthier options and when I started I was doing better about eating things like rice cakes in place of chips, I just haven't bought any in a while and have been eating what is in the house and whatever I am feeding hubby. Guess I better start buying the rice cakes again!!

    I expected the quick (water) weightloss and I knew it would slow down I'm guess I am just anxious about uping my calories. A part of me knows it's the thing to do but the other part of me worries that I won't continue to lose unless I continue to eat around 1,200 calories. I erally don't want to back slide. At least not too much anyway.
  • Phoenix_Angel
    Phoenix_Angel Posts: 68
    I will look at the fooducate site. I know healthier options and when I started I was doing better about eating things like rice cakes in place of chips, I just haven't bought any in a while and have been eating what is in the house and whatever I am feeding hubby. Guess I better start buying the rice cakes again!!

    I expected the quick (water) weightloss and I knew it would slow down I'm guess I am just anxious about uping my calories. A part of me knows it's the thing to do but the other part of me worries that I won't continue to lose unless I continue to eat around 1,200 calories. I erally don't want to back slide. At least not too much anyway.
    [/quote]

    Here is a site that I used on a regular basis before I joined MFP
    http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm
    You just put in ur stats and it will help u set goals. I recommend reading the tips that are included on the page. After putting in ur stats it looks like 1900 calories in food may be about how many your body needs to maintain your weight given your activity level. This may be the reason ur not seeing much change on the scale. I would definately check it out for yourself tho. And remember that these are just estimates. U may need more or less. Just check your weight once a week shortly after waking.
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
    I took a look at your food diary. I don't think you are really eating enough - you have days where you have 700,800 or even 1000 calories remaining at the end of the day. Your net calories are very low, I would suggest focusing on getting your calories remaining (bottom number) as close to zero as possible each day. If you are struggling with healthy foods that are higher in calories - go with a medium size apple and 2 tablespoons of peanut or almond butter (around 300 calories total for this). Or try some Greek yogurt, a handful of almonds and/or a banana (that will be between 400-500 calories). Having too large of a deficit is actually counter productive to weight loss. Our bodies NEED fuel (food) in order to feel comfortable enough to lose weight.
  • earlyxer
    earlyxer Posts: 240 Member
    I would suggest using a Katch-Mcardle calculator, there are many online. Use it's calorie recommendation and manually enter it in MFP, and set your ratios to 40/40/20. MFP is too carb-rich IMO. High protein is the way to go.
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
    I would suggest using a Katch-Mcardle calculator, there are many online. Use it's calorie recommendation and manually enter it in MFP, and set your ratios to 40/40/20. MFP is too carb-rich IMO. High protein is the way to go.

    Not everyone has an issue with carbs and not everyone can go high protein either. I consume a large quantity of carbs in a day (usually around 250-300g) and I've found my body does best when I keep my protein around 100g. I've lost nearly 60lbs and have kept it off for almost 2 years. Different things work for different people. Not enough carbs makes me a complete and utter GRUMP and too much protein causes me to have terrible kidney pain.
  • salxtai
    salxtai Posts: 341 Member
    This might consolidate everything people are saying.

    the only difference is that you factor in exercise across the week so you don't have any big surprises in terms of big exercise hits on one day or not enough cals because you didn't exercise the next etc.

    Its explained better here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/477666-eating-for-future-you-method


    Its what I used to get over my plateau and hit goal weight :)
  • ili_s
    ili_s Posts: 66
    I put your numbers into the Fat2Fit calculator and it says that your BMR is 1500calories and that you should be eating either Sedentary (little or no exercise, desk job) 1721
    Lightly Active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/wk) 1972
    Moderately Active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk) 2223
    Very Active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/wk) 2474

    Clearly you are underfeeding yourself and that is your main issue.
  • Arrica
    Arrica Posts: 166 Member
    Ok so I read everyone's responses and tried to take a little from everything. I think the general concensus is I need to be eating around 1900 calories? Or is 1900 calories what a make a deficit from? The whole net calories thing confuses me no matter how many times I have read and reread it. To make your net 0 is that basically eating all you alloted calories and your exercise calories? I like the idea of eating for a future you, or just picking one number and trying to stay close to that number as opposed to figuring in exercise calories and dealing with the whole net thing.

    There was a response from someone about increasing my protein intake. That makes sense especially since I am diabetic, so maybe I'll try throwing in a protein shake or extra piece of chicken or something in there. As far as actually getting in 1900 calories I have no problem with that (I love me some food!!), I've just been a little hesitant for fear of eating too much. I'm willing to make changes and accept that the scale will go up, I just wonder how long you let it go up before you say ok this isn't working?
  • salxtai
    salxtai Posts: 341 Member
    Ok so I read everyone's responses and tried to take a little from everything. I think the general concensus is I need to be eating around 1900 calories? Or is 1900 calories what a make a deficit from? The whole net calories thing confuses me no matter how many times I have read and reread it. To make your net 0 is that basically eating all you alloted calories and your exercise calories? I like the idea of eating for a future you, or just picking one number and trying to stay close to that number as opposed to figuring in exercise calories and dealing with the whole net thing.

    That's precisely why I chose the "future you" method - it saves me having to eat back calories at the last minute because otherwise I'll be undercutting my BMR / daily cal limit too much.
    Also means I know I'm always above my BMR, and 1700 for me personally is a much more reasonable goal than trying to stick to 1400, which is what MFP thought I should eat.

    Plus if for some reason you know won't exercise for a week or two (sickenss, holidays etc), you can cut back on your daily limit back to around 200 - 300 above your BMR and ignore your "normal" "future you" number.
    I just wonder how long you let it go up before you say ok this isn't working?

    This will vary depending on what route you take but I can only comment that for "future you" I gave it a month and saw results.
    Mind you I was about 1kg away from my goal weight, and well within my ideal weight range already, so any results were going to happen slower for me anyways.
    I've also started doing heavy lifting so the weight itself isn't something I track as consistently anymore in comparison to my measurements
  • SpankyBuns
    SpankyBuns Posts: 24 Member
    You might want to try a digestive enzyme, you can get them online or at a health food store. They say everyone should be taking them, some say that it has even helped the lose weight. When you get a chance please research it. Best of luck to you. :flowerforyou:
  • Arrica
    Arrica Posts: 166 Member
    You might want to try a digestive enzyme, you can get them online or at a health food store. They say everyone should be taking them, some say that it has even helped the lose weight. When you get a chance please research it. Best of luck to you. :flowerforyou:

    I will look into it. I was taking CLA and a thermogenic and a detoxifier but it all ran out and I can't afford anymore right now.:cry: I think it was helping though.
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