Calorie burn for Fat loss?

[WantFit]

I post this question in Rotation session but I did not get any response. I hope I post here again to get some feedback.

I started workout again after almost a year off due to foot surgery. I did 2 weeks of CTX series to get myself familiar with intense pace Cathe offered. I'm currently in 1st week of Cathe's Dec 2006 Rotation - Building strength as well as fat loss
http://69.0.137.118/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=7&topic_id=6390&mesg_id=6390&page=7

My goal is to loss 30lbs and get fit. I checked my HRM each time after I worked out in this rotation. Every time my calaries burning was around 350. And for "Butts and Guts Premix: Standing Glutes plus Abs Timesaver", it only recorded 287. But I felt so tired and out of my breath each time. Is it something wrong with my HRT? I did enter my age, weight and sex in the setting. What were the burning records do you have when you did this rotation. If there is nothing wrong with my HRT, will 300 calories burning each day enough to reach my goal?

Thanks

WantFit

"Become the change you want to see in the world. Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever." - Mahatma Gandhi

 

[CollinsMom]

I am no expert but.... 287 for Butts and Guts sounds right to me. It's a tough workout, but it does not have that intense cardio factor that is going to burn major calories. Cardio and strength training are both essential to reaching your goals.

Also, burning 300 calories a day more than you have been is definitely a step in the right direction. You must also pay close attention to the calories you take in, so eat clean!

 

[Tracey M]

I checked my food diary and 287 is about what I burn with B&G. I agree with the poster above. Tracking what calories you take in is as important as how many you burn. You need a 500 calorie a day deficit to lose one pound a week and a 1,000 calorie per day deficit to lose two pounds per week. Anything more than 2 lbs. a week is not recommended. I suggest creating the deficit with a combination of exericse and eating less. For example the day you burned 287 with B&G you should have eaten 213 calories less than your maintenance calories. That way you aren't exercising too much or eating too little...it's a nice balance!

There are several food diaries online that you can use to calculate your maintenance calories, log your food, exericse and do weekly weigh-ins. I used one in 2005 and lost 60 lbs. I've sucessfully maintained that loss for almost 2 years now (I still log my food and exercise!). If you'd like information on the one I use PM me. I warn you about one thing, it can become a little obessive. Measuring and weighing food portions, wearing your HRM each exercise session and remembering to log every bite that crosses your lips can be time consuming. BUT if you follow it to a "T" you can lose 1-2 lbs a week in a physically healthy way. If you are type "A" like me, mentally it can a bit unhealthy. I've seen several members of the forum supporting the software I use become OCD with calorie counting...I'm definately borderline!

 

[geojill]

Tracey, funny you should mention that...I am also a type "A" and found that I can only track my food intake for about a week at a time...it's enough to make sure I'm on track (or get me back on track) but after that I become obsessive about it so I have to stop. But I still do it now and then because it's a very helpful tool.

 

[WantFit]

Thanks for your feedback, ladies.

I thought when I was out of breath and panting, I should have burnt more than 350 calories. When it was not what I found from my HRT, I thought it might be something wrong with it.

Ok, for deficit calories, how do I know what is the maintain calories for me? I am 40 yr old, 142lbs and 5'3". I used www.sparklepeople.com to track my food intake yesterday. Total food intake for me yesterday came out with 1120 calories. I only burnt 427 calories from my workout. It seems that I am never going to create deficite calories since I can only workout about one hour per day. 427 is the most I can do. Should I reduce my intake? But if I can only eat like 200 calories, from the food table, it seems I could hardly eat anything.

Any suggestions?

WantFit

"Become the change you want to see in the world. Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever." - Mahatma Gandhi

 

[Tracey M]

According to the food diary I use (CalorieKing) your maintenance calories are 1657 based off of an "office job" lifestyle at your current age, height and weight. If you have a more active job add 200 calories. So to lose one pound a week you should NET 1157 calories a day (food calories - exercise calories). So yesterday for example your food calories should have been 1,584 since you burned 427 with exercise. I would suggest that you never eat less than 1,200 calories (even if it's a rest day and you get no exercise) so that you are still providing your body enough nutrition for daily activities.

Also it's important to note the QUALITY of calories you are taking in. If you are calorie restrictive you have to be careful that the calories you are eating are high quality so you can get all the nutrients you need. I've seen too many people stick to weight loss caloires by only eating one McDonalds meal a day or 4 or 5 candy bars. Yes, you'll be under your calories and probably lose weight but your body will not be properly fueled for your workouts and you'll be missing the essential vitamins and minerals you need to be healthy. So please be careful and make sure above all you are getting what your body needs to be healthy.

At 142 and 5'3" I wouldn't say you have 30 lbs to lose. I'm 5'2" and weigh 117-122 (weekly range...depends on my sodium/water intake) and wear a size 2 petite. So maybe focusing on a clothes size instead of a weight is better. I bet you would fly away at 112 lbs! Remember that you don't want to lose muscle weight!!

Good luck!

 

[crazystepr]

Oh dear god, you don't EVER want to eat only 200 calories!! I understand your confusion regarding burning and taking in calories though but you never want to consume so few calories!. Tracey M's advice is right on--you need to NET 1160 calories a day. Read what she wrote carefully--it's perfect.

It's a difficult balancing act but you can learn to manage it. It takes time, though so don't be too hard on yourself!

Allison

 

[WantFit]

Thank you Tracey and Allison. Yes, that is exactly where I got confused. God with the amount I ate yesterday it came out about 1120. I felt hungry during the daytime. I supplemented it with some snacks - dried tart cherry and corn flake cereal. I can not go any lower than that. Thanks for helping me clarify that.

Yes, my job is office work. Mostly I sit in my office. The only activity I did in addition to workout would be about 20 min fast walk from train station to my office in the morning. If the guidline is about 1650 cal a day, that make me feel much better. I can eat some more fruit. I like watermelon. I also can add some protein. Tracey, for the calorie log, is it free website or do I need to buy some special software?

Thanks


WantFit

"Become the change you want to see in the world. Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever." - Mahatma Gandhi

 

[Tracey M]

The site or software is fee based. I purchased both (you don't need both!). I like the desktop diary better, it's easier to use and you don't have to be contected to the internet to use it. It also is just a one time fee for the software (I think it was like $40). The website diary fee is $20 or so a year but it gives you access to the message board and if you travel you can still log your food/exericse from any computer with internet access. So I guess there are pros and cons to both. In my opinion the message board was helpful for the first 3-6 months but after a few months the same topics come up and there is often posts with mis-information so you have to be careful about the advice you follow. Anyway if I were you I'd check out the site, download the free trial of the desktop diary and figure out which works better for you. When my web membership expires in December I am not renewing. I haven't visited the site in over a month and religously log on my desktop diary.