Another calorie question

[Stephanie0523]

OK, I'm confused... again... I've been tracking my food on the nutrition manager, and apparently, I should be eating between 1200-1695 calories per day. 1200 ain't gonna happen. My daily intake usually is right around 1800. So... how does working out fit in? Is the suggested caloric intake supposed to be before or after the calories burned during my workouts?? PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE say after!!! I'm thinking my weightloss stall indicates otherwise though.

 

[buffettgirl]

Stephanie, I think you know the answer! I've always assumed the guideline for calorie intake to be before workout. In other words, you should be eating about 1500/day AND working out to drop poundage. Sorry.

 

[JodelleFitzh20]

First, I'm sorry that calorie figuring can be so confusing! It sure can be a struggle to figure out where you need to be. Every body is a scientific experiment and we all have to find out what works for our bodies based on our daily needs!
You can figure your own BMR (basal metabolic rate) or the amount of calories you need just to function without any activity. Then the formula below will help you determine your AMR (Active Metabolic Rate) or the amount of calories you need to be able to meet all your needs for your activity level. Here's the formula for doing that, and also I've included a link below of a website you can go to and just enter your info and it will figure it for you....

To determine your BMR:
Women: BMR = 655 + ( 4.35 x weight in pounds ) + ( 4.7 x height in inches ) - ( 4.7 x age in years )

To determine your total daily calorie needs, multiply your BMR by the appropriate activity factor, as follows:

1. If you are sedentary (little or no exercise) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.2
2. If you are lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.375
3. If you are moderatetely active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.55
4. If you are very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.725
5. If you are extra active (very hard exercise/sports & physical job or 2x training) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.9

http://www.internetfitness.com/calculators/bmr.htm

Then once you figure your AMR, you want to eat about 300 calories below that to create a calorie deficit and start to lose wieght. Eating at your AMR will just allow you maintain your weight, while eating above it will definately cause you to gain.

BE careful on the days you don't exercise. Your calories will need to be less on non-workout days. Many people struggle with wieght loss, because they workout all through the week and eat less, and then on the weekend, they take time off from their workouts and rest more and also eat more and then come Monday they can't figure out why the scale is reading higher! Your calorie intake needs to match your calorie output! You'll get it, girl. It just takes being aware. Once you have that awareness of where you need to be, it gets easier. Let me know if I can help you tally all this. I love helping people achieve their weight loss goals!

 

[Stephanie0523]

To determine your BMR:
Women: BMR = 655 + ( 4.35 x weight in pounds ) + ( 4.7 x height in inches ) - ( 4.7 x age in years )

To determine your total daily calorie needs, multiply your BMR by the appropriate activity factor, as follows:

1. If you are sedentary (little or no exercise) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.2
2. If you are lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.375
3. If you are moderatetely active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.55
4. If you are very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.725
5. If you are extra active (very hard exercise/sports & physical job or 2x training) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.9

http://www.internetfitness.com/calculators/bmr.htm

Then once you figure your AMR, you want to eat about 300 calories below that to create a calorie deficit and start to lose wieght. Eating at your AMR will just allow you maintain your weight, while eating above it will definately cause you to gain.

Thanks so much for the info! The only problem with these calculations is that they tell me to eat between 1100 and 1250 calories per day. My activity level fluctuates, and I exercise between 5 and 6 times per week. 1100-1250 calories isn't going to cut it. And that's BEFORE I figure in the AMR you talked about. That would put me below 1000 calories, and that's crazy. I must have calculated this wrong because I think anyone who works out with heavy cardio and heavy weights even if it's just five days a week, needs at least 1500 calories. I think if I cut it down to 1600 (instead of the current 1800) and add another day of cardio, I should see some results.... Hope so, at least .

 

[Shantabulous]

Zig Zagging

Here is a very interesting article I found that may be of help to you as well. I, too struggle with the whole calorie counting. I have been doing 1500 for the last year and have dropped 42lbs, but I still want to lose 10 more, so I've upped my workout time from 50-60 mins to 75-90 mins and the scale has still not budged ONE POUND!. In addition to being a hardcore Cathe junkie, I incorporated Insanity into my workouts, which is what led me to this blog. To me it makes total sense, though I have to admit, it has been hard for me to eat 2000 calories a day when I've been so used to 1500. I figured I'd give it a try for a few weeks and see if It produces any results. I think if you do Cathe's most intense work outs, Like the HiiT training, drill max, IMAX, etc, then you may need more calories!

http://steve-edwards.blogspot.com/2010/05/zig-zag-dieting-and-listening-to-your.html

Shannon
Proud fit mom to a 7 year old and 4 year old TRIPLETS!!

 

[Stephanie0523]

Here is a very interesting article I found that may be of help to you as well. I, too struggle with the whole calorie counting. I have been doing 1500 for the last year and have dropped 42lbs, but I still want to lose 10 more, so I've upped my workout time from 50-60 mins to 75-90 mins and the scale has still not budged ONE POUND!. In addition to being a hardcore Cathe junkie, I incorporated Insanity into my workouts, which is what led me to this blog. To me it makes total sense, though I have to admit, it has been hard for me to eat 2000 calories a day when I've been so used to 1500. I figured I'd give it a try for a few weeks and see if It produces any results. I think if you do Cathe's most intense work outs, Like the HiiT training, drill max, IMAX, etc, then you may need more calories!

http://steve-edwards.blogspot.com/2010/05/zig-zag-dieting-and-listening-to-your.html

Shannon
Proud fit mom to a 7 year old and 4 year old TRIPLETS!!

That's really interesting. Thanks! That blog also gave a different measurement for BMR which seemed much more reasonable. So now I'm not stressing over needing to eat 1100 calories any more. Thanks again! I'll try this approach. Couldn't hurt, right?

 

[Fitnessfreakk366]

Stephanie, I have that formula here at work, give me your age, height and weight and I'll figure up what your range should be. 1100 is WAY too low. Also, what is your workout intensity? 5 days a week, 6 days a week? You can PM me if you want.

 

[JoanC]

You might want to think about getting a GWF armband. It really opened my eyes. On a nonexercise day I use about 1400 calories. With an hour of STS and regular activity I only use a total of 1800 calories. Also the calculations for calories is much more accurate if you know your bodyfat %. Everyone is different. Because I am old and fat, I can only eat 1100-1200 calories a day with a higher maintenance calorie day every 4th day. This should allow me to lose 1lb of fat a week.

Tom Venuto in BFFM says you should eat the number of calories that you would need for your normal day without exercise and use exercise only to lose weight. In that case you would need to put down sedentary or lightly active to get computation. If you use moderate or very active it will include your exercise.

Joan

 

[Stephanie0523]

Debbie-I sent you a pm. Thank you!!

Joan-I don't want to buy a GWF just because I'll slip into obsessiveness if I do that. I can easily become obsessed with calories/weight and I don't want that to happen. I just want to know my caloric needs as they pertain to exercise so I can better plan my meals on the nutrition manager...If that makes sense. I don't see how you can do STS on 1100 calories a day. Wow! Isn't your energy zapped? I work out at night and need high energy otherwise my workouts fall flat and I am zombie mommy for the rest of the evening.

Thanks everyone for all of the info!! I have a lot of things to try out now. I realized today that I think the most important thing I need to do is stop mindless eating. Those calories add up and you don't even realize you ate them. I'm bad to give the kids crackers/snacks and eat a couple myself before putting the box away or eating the crust off their sandwiches... I'm a pretty bad "sampler" and I have been VERY mindful of that today. Maybe it's as simple as that.

 

[JodelleFitzh20]

Hi, Stephanie...maybe I confused you with the formula...based on your 1100 workup of your BMR, I multiplied that as stated in the formula above for your Active Metabolic Rate and I came up with about 1800 for your activity level, not 1000. So I would say if you wanted to lose some pounds you would just create a small deficit from that 1800, say about 200 calories which would put you at 1600 calories a day and allow you to eat a decent amount to stave off hunger, but still be in a deficit to see weight loss! Hope that makes more sense!