Ok. I am one of "those" people who only eat 1200 calories a day. I have done this for over a year and have lost 135 lbs. I still want to lose about 10 more pounds. I workout (running and lifting) 5-6 days a week and burn about 400-650 calories per wrokout. I have been doing lots of research about "eating more to lose weight" b/c I want something that I can live with for the rest of my life. and eating 1200 calories every day for the rest of my life isn't going to happen. I've worked too hard to let myself gain back the weight I've lost. Through my research, I've come across this group. I went to the scooby's website and entered my info. Now comes the ?......what do I do now?
Here are my numbers:
BMR: 1428
TDEE: 2213
Daily Calories based on goal on step 6 (-15%): 1881

so which is the number of calories I want to eat per day?
what do I do on workout days? I usually do cardio and lifting on the same day...should I seperate and only one or the other?
do I add back calories on workout days? how do I know how many to eat back?

thanks for the help, I appreciate it

Chris

Eat 1881 every single day and on workout days if you burn over 450 eat the excess over the 450.

thank you!!! Since I am only eating 1200 a day I am going to gradually increase this to get to the 1881. Cant wait to start giving this a try.... I appreciate your time and help

Thanks, the cut value I used is 15% = 1591. Sorry this amount just seems so high. I'm gonna give it a try.

Hello and I want to thank you for doing all of this great work and sharing with us all. I believe I am going to be putting myself in that 'confused' group too, but only for a short bit I hope. I am wanting to see if I understand things right so I have it ok for both myself and my daughter.

For me I have:
BMR=1632
TDEE=2244
TDEE -20% = 1795
(I chose to do the 20 percent since we both have quite a bit to lose, I hope that is ok?)

Daughter:
BMR=2078
TDEE=2858
TDEE -20%=2286

So We would set our calorie Goals for:
Me: 1795 on workout days
Daughter: 2286 on workout days
and we would Eat that many food calories? Do we consider the net at all or disregard it?

Also What about on non workout days if we have any?
would it be like for
Me: 1632
Daughter: 2078?
or do we eat the amounts I first listed of 1795 and 2286 no matter what each and every day whether we work out or not?

Thanks so much for your time, help and patience!! :-)

If you figured out your activity level correctly then you eat the same calories every day because exercise calories are already figured into the cut calories #'s. But if you have a strenuous workout that takes you below your BMR then you will have to eat extra calories to net your BMR.


For example your calories for the day are 1795 and your workout was 500 calories that would take you below your BMR of 1632, so you would need to eat a extra 337 to net your BMR. 1795-500=1295,1632(BMR) - 1295= 337 So you have to 1795+ 337 = 2132 for that day. Make sense?

Yes, I believe it does. I went back and did our numbers again, based on working out 3-5 hours a week. So our numbers look like this:
My daughter:
BMR=2074
TDEE=3214
TDEE-20%=2571.
Her workouts are usually 500 to 1000 calorie burns (depending on how long she works out) and from what I understand She would eat 2571 every day unless she works out over 500 calories? (2571-2074=491, rounded up to 500) and if she does, then she would eat back anything over the 500? So on 1000 calorie burn days she would eat (or try to eat) 2571 + 500=3071?

For me I got
BMR=1630
TDEE=2527
TDEE - 20%=2021
My workouts run around 300-350 calories per burn now, sometimes more on days I feel better. So I eat 2021 every day unless I burn more than 400 calories a day? 2021-1630=391 (rounded up to 400)?

I hope I have it right now? Thanks again! :-)

Hi all *waves*, another newbie here. Just wanna make sure what I think I'm understanding and doing is actually right. I used Scooby's workshop to calculate my numbers:

Gender: female
Weight: 140
Height: 74 inches
Age: 32
Activity: desk job with little exercise
Goal: 5% calorie reduction (see notes below)

BMR: 1453
TDEE: 1744
Calories based on goal: 1657

I've messed around with the calculator a bit, seeing what numbers are given with varying activity levels. It appears that when I change the activity setting, for each new level, my TDEE jumps 2-300 calories, which is about right for an average workout (as opposed to a going-for-the-gold fat burning workout). Also, I set the activity level at "desk job" because that would be the equivalent of my "rest day", an absolutely non-active, sleeping-in, doing-what-I-want-instead-of-exercising day.

My understanding? No matter what, I need to net 1744. That means if I don't do anything at all, I should eat 1744 calories. If it's a workout day, I need to eat 1744 calories PLUS whatever it was I burned off. Right?

NOTES:

I'm eating for my goal weight, figuring that if I can get it right early on, then it will be that much more easy to maintain once I get there. That 5% reduction thing isn't actually applicable in the calculations above. I don't have a ton of weight I'm trying to lose, I'm 165 at the moment. If I calculate with my current weight and a 10% calorie reduction, I get:

BMR: 1563
TDEE: 1875
Calories based on goal: 1688

Hi all *waves*, another newbie here. Just wanna make sure what I think I'm understanding and doing is actually right. I used Scooby's workshop to calculate my numbers:

Gender: female
Weight: 140
Height: 74 inches
Age: 32
Activity: desk job with little exercise
Goal: 5% calorie reduction (see notes below)

BMR: 1453
TDEE: 1744
Calories based on goal: 1657

I've messed around with the calculator a bit, seeing what numbers are given with varying activity levels. It appears that when I change the activity setting, for each new level, my TDEE jumps 2-300 calories, which is about right for an average workout (as opposed to a going-for-the-gold fat burning workout). Also, I set the activity level at "desk job" because that would be the equivalent of my "rest day", an absolutely non-active, sleeping-in, doing-what-I-want-instead-of-exercising day.

My understanding? No matter what, I need to net 1744. That means if I don't do anything at all, I should eat 1744 calories. If it's a workout day, I need to eat 1744 calories PLUS whatever it was I burned off. Right?

NOTES:

I'm eating for my goal weight, figuring that if I can get it right early on, then it will be that much more easy to maintain once I get there. That 5% reduction thing isn't actually applicable in the calculations above. I don't have a ton of weight I'm trying to lose, I'm 165 at the moment. If I calculate with my current weight and a 10% calorie reduction, I get:

BMR: 1563
TDEE: 1875
Calories based on goal: 1688

We actually recommend that you figure your activity in, rather than selecting sedentary, because eating a consistent amount of cals is pretty crucial in the beginning. And since the calculator figures in all of your activity for the week, the cals are already spread out for you, so you don't need to adjust up or down depending on whether you are active that day or not. Once your body has become accustomed to the higher level of cals, then if someone wants to adjust based on activity level, it's fine to do so. But doing so in the beginning can cause your body to just see the "high" days as binges and store all the excess cals because a "low" day is around the corner.

If you choose to do it the way that we recommend, then you'll not be eating back exercise cals, because they are already figured in.

But if nothing else, even if you decide to continue with the method that you've chosen, just be sure to never net below your BMR.

~Kiki

Ok here's my question. When should you do a metabolism reset?? And what does it involve? Below are my numbers


My BMR = 1637
TDEE = 2537
TDEE -15% = 2156

Be sure to check out the vid on the metabolism reset. It's def a personal thing, you kinda just "know." If you've been low cal for longer than you can remember. Or if you up your cals and see no response after 6 wks or so, then your body has probably decided for you that it needed to take one, lol.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COzMKkXeiFo


~Kiki

I just joined the group and I want to know if my numbers are correct.

BMR= 2013
TDEE= 3121
TDEE -20% = 2496

So I am supposed to eat 2496 everyday with and without exercise? Also, how many lbs does that help me lose? I have quite a bit weight to lose and I've been on a plateau for over a month. I've been eating about 1000-1300 and I never eat my calories back. I do Zumba for an hour 5x a week.

I would really appreciate some help to get me going again. Great information on this group!

Hi, welcome to the group!

Yep. Eat the same amount every day. Your exercise cals are already figured in, so you won't need to eat them back. Because your cals were so low, you want to gain your bodies trust by feeding it the same amount daily.

Be sure to read the "what to expect" sticky (the first post, not necessarily all of the responses), as it will help you tremendously to fully understand the process.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/521728-upping-cals-what-to-expect-why-you-need-patience

Thank you very much. I read the post and yeah I am going to need a lot of patience. Before finding your group I had started eating more and toning down the exercise. I'm happy to say that as of this morning I'm down 1.6lbs. Thank you so much!

I am going to attempt this. I find it difficult to eat 1200 calories on most days. :ohwell:

Ok, please confirm I'm doing this correctly:

According to this...

BMR: 1347
TDEE: 2088

I should eat my TDEE (2088) - 15% = 1775 to lose weight.

I run 4 days a week (3mi on Monday, 5mi on Tuesday, 3mi on Wednesday, and a long 10 or so mi run on Saturday). I walk 3 miles 5 days a weeks as well (1 mi on each of my breaks and 1 on my lunch break with some co-workers). So... I said I was moderately active (3-5 days a week)... or would I choose something more?

Also, I eat 1775 every day whether I run or not and add calories when I'm running to make sure I reach the BMR in my net value on the days I do run? Am I looking at this correctly?

Another question: Is it smart to use the -15% or should I be picking another one? Does it matter? Why would I choose one and not the other?

Ok, please confirm I'm doing this correctly:

According to this...

BMR: 1347
TDEE: 2088

I should eat my TDEE (2088) - 15% = 1775 to lose weight.

I run 4 days a week (3mi on Monday, 5mi on Tuesday, 3mi on Wednesday, and a long 10 or so mi run on Saturday). I walk 3 miles 5 days a weeks as well (1 mi on each of my breaks and 1 on my lunch break with some co-workers). So... I said I was moderately active (3-5 days a week)... or would I choose something more?

Also, I eat 1775 every day whether I run or not and add calories when I'm running to make sure I reach the BMR in my net value on the days I do run? Am I looking at this correctly?

Another question: Is it smart to use the -15% or should I be picking another one? Does it matter? Why would I choose one and not the other?

You are the next level up from moderate. If you have consistently having to eat back excess cals to meet BMR because of your burns, then bump up and cut the 15%. We suggest 15% for a small deficit...you want the body fueled, but a small enough cut to burn off some fat while trying to maintain muscle mass at the same time.

Is there any way for you to start adding weights into your regimen? It will help tone your muscles. Cardio is great, but doesn't tone the muscles.

I don't own any weights except for a machine similar to a BowFlex...? (or some little 5lbers. ) I'm looking to get some heavy weights by the end of June, but until then, does a BowFlex work similarly... is it worth using? I'm confused (and honestly, just need to go and buy NRoLfW). I'm doing a lot of running 'cause I'm training for a 20k in June and the Ragnar 200-mi relay in Sept.

So, I bumped up from moderate to "strenous" the one right above and it puts me at
TDEE: 2327
Daily Goal: 1978

That's my net calories??

I am soo nervous to try this I have been dieting for about 7 months now having one cheat day aweek where I eat between 3000 to 4000 calories then only eating 900 calories for the rest of the week this has been working for me I was losing 1 kg a week but things sare slowing down. I walk my dog 5 times a week for 30 mind only burning about 100 calories what level would I put myself at when trying to figure out my tdee
Thanks

YES!!! I ate three loaded tacos tonight, 5 egg whites, and a greek yogurt parfait (homemade) and I am not stuffed at all! I feel comfy and cozy.