Calorie reccs: MFP vs. my trainer...please help.

MBH3
MBH3 Posts: 30
edited September 20 in Health and Weight Loss
I would really appreciate any input that may be helpful. My slow weight loss has been a source of frustration and I am getting contradicting recommendations from my trainer vs. MFP. Here is a snapshot of my situation.

I have a sedentary job so I am sitting a good deal of the day, however, I am also the mom of 3 (ages 5, and 2 year old twins) so my evenings and mornings are pretty hectic. I am 5'3" and weigh 156 lbs. I want to lose 25-30lbs. I work out 5-6 times per week, making sure I burn in the vicinity of 2500 cals per week (per my HRM) and stay within my target heartrate zone (per my HRM.) For the past 9 weeks, I have been working with a trainer. I do cardio 3-4 days per week for 45-60 minutes and 2 days per week I work with the trainer for 50 minutes (in a group setting w/ about 5 other women.) In my first 6 weeks of training, I lost 0 lbs. BUT I lost 10 inches. I was pretty bummed about it but happy for the inches lost. Here is where the confusion lies. MFP recc I eat 1200 cals per day. My trainer reccomends I eat a minimum of 1516 per day. She says I need the calories b/c of the intensity and frequency of my workouts. She also said that her theory is that my metabolism had 'hit the floor' b/c I was not feeding my body enough and it basically shut down. According to my trainer, I had to retrain my body to understand that I was going to feed it. She PROMISED me that the weight would eventually come off and reminded me that inches are more important that lbs. I get what she is saying BUT I am a scale addict. With 30lbs. to lose, shouldn't I be losing. In the past 2 weeks (8 weeks into my training program), the scale has finally started moving and I lost 2 lbs. I am hoping this is the beginnnig of many more weeks of losing. Now, my trainer recommends I eat back 1/2 of my exercise calories. That would put me eating like 1700 calories per day which seems so high. ( I have not done this yet.) She has also given me some info on carb cycling and I am considering do that, too. It is basically 5 days of low carb diet and 2 days/week of a higher carb diet.

Anyone have any thoughts on whether my calories seem high or if 1516 seems about right? I am so ready to lose this weight. I do have to admit, though, with my trainer's guidance, I feel stronger and healthier than I have in a long time. I am eating cleaner foods and truly enjoying exercise. I like seeing the changes in my muscles (even the subtle ones.) My husband and 5 year old notice and my little boy has even begun asking to go for power walks w/ me (I love that I am leading by example.)

Thanks for listening. I am looking forward to input. I have been a lurker on this site for a long time but have only posted a little. Thanks for listening.

Marcy
SW: 165
CW: 156
GW: 125

Replies

  • BamaRose0107
    BamaRose0107 Posts: 635
    For the amount of exercise you are doing 1500 does not sound high at all. 1200 is the minimum a person needs so if you add exercise to that and don't eat the exercise calories your body can go into to starvation mode just as your trainer said. If you are logging your exercise on here it will up the calories you need to eat each day so that you will consume some of those calories you burn off to prevent your body from going into starvation mode. 1200 calories is probably what it is set at without logging exercise. Your trainer is probably right.
  • LuckyLeprechaun
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member
    are you logging all this exercise on MFP and eating back your exercise calories? It is the key to success....

    it doesn't sound like you are, if you are trying to stick to a 1200 calorie diet, thats fine, but you earn more and your body needs more when you are doing all that extra work. You wouldn't expect to drive cross country with a quarter tank of gas, right? you gotta fill up the tank to keep on burning the calories. Otherwise your body thinks, well, I have to do all this work, and I am not getting enough fuel, gonna hang on tight to the reserves (fat).
  • mszSHOGAN
    mszSHOGAN Posts: 2,277 Member
    I would stick with what you're trainer says, she knows your body better than a computer program. Also, if you've noticed positive results then that should tell you all you need to know.

    Anywho - WAY TO GO on losing all those inches!!!! :drinker:

    I know its hard to not see the pounds go down but this is all about how you feel and 10 inches should definitely have you feeling better! Keep up the great work!
  • debnu1
    debnu1 Posts: 1,568 Member
    For the amount of exercise you are doing 1500 does not sound high at all. 1200 is the minimum a person needs so if you add exercise to that and don't eat the exercise calories your body can go into to starvation mode just as your trainer said. If you are logging your exercise on here it will up the calories you need to eat each day so that you will consume some of those calories you burn off to prevent your body from going into starvation mode. 1200 calories is probably what it is set at without logging exercise. Your trainer is probably right.

    I agree, go to the reports and see what your net calories are. They should be at about 1200, any less and you will be in starvation mode. If I exercise enough I can have 2000 cals a day and still lose weight. Eat at least 1/2 your exercise calories if not more--you may be surprised at what happens.
  • CinthyNair
    CinthyNair Posts: 261
    The scale may not show changes, but you have lost inches!! that is a good sign, you are building muscles. The important thing to remember is to eat enough to fuel your body. Listen to your trainer, she is the best person to guide you step by step.

    Good luck!
  • AuntB29
    AuntB29 Posts: 1 Member
    Thanks for posting this...I've been going through the same thing. I only wanted to lose about 10-12 LBS...after 4 weeks, I lost about 3.5-4 LBS. I am also sedentary with my job and I have increased my workouts alot. since I've started MFP a month ago. Overall I try to workout 4-5 hours/week. For instance I worked out tonight for 1.5 hours, says I burned a little over 700 calories. MFP says I should have 1330. I ate about 1475 today, but I'm still at a big deficit when you account for exersice...which I thought was good. I agree with your trainer that inches are more important than pounds...and muscle does weigh more than fat. I too am confused about how many calories I should actually be consuming. I don't see much difference, I don't really know where those 3.5 LBS came from. I had never heard about eating back half of your calories that you burned. For my case based on today's workout, would that mean I would eat 1330 + 350 (from exercise)= 1680 cals/day? And is that everyday, or just the days I workout? Any thoughts?
  • BamaRose0107
    BamaRose0107 Posts: 635
    Thanks for posting this...I've been going through the same thing. I only wanted to lose about 10-12 LBS...after 4 weeks, I lost about 3.5-4 LBS. I am also sedentary with my job and I have increased my workouts alot. since I've started MFP a month ago. Overall I try to workout 4-5 hours/week. For instance I worked out tonight for 1.5 hours, says I burned a little over 700 calories. MFP says I should have 1330. I ate about 1475 today, but I'm still at a big deficit when you account for exersice...which I thought was good. I agree with your trainer that inches are more important than pounds...and muscle does weigh more than fat. I too am confused about how many calories I should actually be consuming. I don't see much difference, I don't really know where those 3.5 LBS came from. I had never heard about eating back half of your calories that you burned. For my case based on today's workout, would that mean I would eat 1330 + 350 (from exercise)= 1680 cals/day? And is that everyday, or just the days I workout? Any thoughts?

    The extra 350 calories would just be for the days when you work out. If you only eat 1330 calories a day then burn 350 with exercise your body is really only getting 980 calories but if you eat 1330 without exercise your body is getting 1330. dropping below 1200 can possibly cause starvation mode. This is when your body starts to store fat instead of burn it. Hope this helps.
  • Mama06
    Mama06 Posts: 110 Member
    If possible, you should look into seeing a dietician (someone who is a registered nutritionist). Your insurance may cover it. As far as the healthiest amount of calories for you, that would be the best person to talk to. The website can only give you estimations based on numbers and not based on your personal needs and a trainer may be educated in fitness and nutrition but unless your trainer is a registered nurse or dietician he/she can only offer advice. A dietician will be able to evaluate you and guide and recommend to you what is best for your body.

    When my sister reached a plateau in her weight loss I urged her to see a nutritionist and she made a breakthrough and was able (while also working with a trainer) to lose her last 50 or so pounds and to identify some eating issues that she had.
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