Help with my calorie intake and exercise

lilmissdiet
lilmissdiet Posts: 7 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I am 24.. female lol currently weigh 10st 11, 5ft 4.

I've been eating around 1400 calories a day for the past week and exercising 4 times a week. Typically 20/30 minutes of cardio and 20/30 minutes of weights. Not always on the same day.

I'm trying to lose weight and not be so wobbly, Not aiming to be a super fit athlete. Just taking a steady approach to a healthier life style.

I roughly burn between 200/300 calories per gym session

I've just worked out my BMR which came out at 1500 without counting for activity during the day.

I have a desk job with a bit of walking, not really active. Outside of this i go to the gym but thats about it. Can someone give me advice on the calories i should be eating? on this link http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/harris-benedict-equation/ it says i should multiply it by 1.2 for little or no exercise or 1.375 for light exercise sports. But this makes the calories super high.

Anyone care to share there opinion on what would be best for me?

Thanks in advance

Replies

  • ishtar13
    ishtar13 Posts: 528 Member
    Ok, setting it to lightly active would give you ~2062 to MAINTAIN your weight.

    To lose a pound per week, subtract 500, so 1562. That's slightly above your BMR (good) and well below your maintenance. Don't think you should go much below this.

    To lose half a pound per week, subtract 250, so 1812.

    If you eat between 1550-1812, you should lose .5-1 lbs per week.

    However, the Harris Benedict calculation (the one you used) sets my BMR higher than the Klatch-McArdle formula, since HB doesn't take body fat percentage into account.

    My BMR is 1541 by HB, but only 1401 by KM. That is almost 150 cal different.

    Anyway, I have my goal set at 1400 (90 higher than MFP recommended), and I usually eat over that.

    I'm lifting heavy weights, and my average cals for last week were 1414 (wow, less than I thought! I had a couple of high days), and I'm losing about a pound per week. MFP tells me I should lose 0.8 lb per week.

    You may want to try http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/ It will give you both Harris Benedict and Klatch McArdle.
  • lilmissdiet
    lilmissdiet Posts: 7 Member
    Doh. Forgot that a pound was 500 calories lol.

    Thanks for your help. I'll try out the other link you gave me. Im losing fine, 3lbs this week which is probably because its my first week. Just wanted to make sure im not under eating. I usually eat around the 1400 mark, some days are over and some under but averages about that.
  • ishtar13
    ishtar13 Posts: 528 Member
    No, a pound is 3,500 calories.

    1 pound per week is 3,500 calories divided by 7 (days in the week) = 500/day.

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