Calories

[TigerCub]

Hi Everyone,

 

So last week I started using FitDay to log all my food and count my calories and stuff.

 

I know that what I eat is more important than just counting calories, but I was curious to see how many calories I consume in a day.

 

So...After I entered my age, height, and current weight.

The program tells me that I need 2,006 calories a day.

That seems like a lot to me.

 

From last week's trends, I consume about an average of ~1500 a day.

 

I assume that I would need a deficit to lose weight, and right now it's saying that for today for example, I should get upto 1734 (to have enough deficit to lose weight)

 

But then I exercise (stationary bike and that's around ~450 calories) - so, do I have to make that up too?

 

How many calories are too little calories?

 

I keep hearing about "you have to eat enough calories so you're not in starvation mode), but I don't think I am, and I'm just confused.

 

So the question is: How far away from the allotted daily calories is ok to get away with?

 

Thanks

[Arabella]

The VERY minimum for a woman not to enter starvation mode is 1,200. For men, it's 1,500. These amounts are considering that you don't work out.

 

May seem low, but it's quite sustainable. I did it for a couple of years and lost 170 lbs.

 

Do bear in mind, however, that if you are extremely strict with your caloric intake and always eat 1,200, your body will get used to it and weight loss will slow down. It's best to mix it up a little while staying within the 1200-1400 range, and even have the occasional (once weekly) higher calorie day, say 1,800.

 

You should make sure to account for expenses of energy so that if you eat 1200 but then work out and burn 400, you should definitely make up for that to stay above 1200. Otherwise, you will soon begin to feel very fatigued and your health will be at risk.

 

-A

Edited January 21, 2013 by Arabella

[TigerCub]

The VERY minimum for a woman not to enter starvation mode is 1,200. For men, it's 1,500. These amounts are considering that you don't work out.

 

May seem low, but it's quite sustainable. I did it for a couple of years and lost 170 lbs.

 

Do bear in mind, however, that if you are extremely strict with your caloric intake and always eat 1,200, your body will get used to it and weight loss will slow down. It's best to mix it up a little while staying within the 1200-1400 range, and even have the occasional (once weekly) higher calorie day, say 1,800.

 

You should make sure to account for expenses of energy so that if you eat 1200 but then work out and burn 400, you should definitely make up for that to stay above 1200. Otherwise, you will soon begin to feel very fatigued and your health will be at risk.

 

-A

 

Thanks Arabella.

 

so ~1200 is the number I was wondering about. Thanks for that info.

 

I appreciate your advice on mixing it up as well - that makes a lot of sense.

[tman666]

I agree with Arabella that you probably don't want to go below 1,200. There is such a thing as causing metabolic damage to yourself by chronically under-eating. Trust me, you don't want to go down that road.

 

As far as FitDay and other similar calorie tracking websites go, bear in mind that the formulas used to calculate BMR and caloric use due to activity are approximate and can vary highly from individual to individual.

 

The other thing to keep in mind is how easy it is to under/over estimate calorie intake. Most people tend to under estimate how many calories they're consuming. I'm convinced (not that I have any scientific evidence to back this up) that one of the reasons that the Western World is getting so fat is in no small part due to a "go out to eat" culture. Restaurants, as businesses, try to do everything they can to minimize their overhead costs. This means replacing spices with high salt loads, replacing quality meats with fattier cuts, and minimizing fresh veggies. It is so much easier to control one's caloric intake and macronutrient breakdown when you cook the majority of your meals with whole ingredients (versus using primarily pre-packaged, pre-made ingredients). "From scratch" almost always tastes better too, in my opinion.

 

/rant.

[TigerCub]

I agree with Arabella that you probably don't want to go below 1,200. There is such a thing as causing metabolic damage to yourself by chronically under-eating. Trust me, you don't want to go down that road.

 

As far as FitDay and other similar calorie tracking websites go, bear in mind that the formulas used to calculate BMR and caloric use due to activity are approximate and can vary highly from individual to individual.

 

The other thing to keep in mind is how easy it is to under/over estimate calorie intake. Most people tend to under estimate how many calories they're consuming. I'm convinced (not that I have any scientific evidence to back this up) that one of the reasons that the Western World is getting so fat is in no small part due to a "go out to eat" culture. Restaurants, as businesses, try to do everything they can to minimize their overhead costs. This means replacing spices with high salt loads, replacing quality meats with fattier cuts, and minimizing fresh veggies. It is so much easier to control one's caloric intake and macronutrient breakdown when you cook the majority of your meals with whole ingredients (versus using primarily pre-packaged, pre-made ingredients). "From scratch" almost always tastes better too, in my opinion.

 

/rant.

 

Thanks for your input. I do love reading your responses

 

Funny enough, I found that I over estimate calories in food.

 

I also found that by keeping the log, I'm really so aware of what I'm eating and that alone is helping me make healthier choices.

 

I've been making thing from scratch (starting last week ) and I have to agree, it does taste better. It takes way more time, but its worth it.

 

p.s. saw your reply in the other thread. I get what you're saying and I agree that eating all the good food is better than reaching the quota with the junk - but still boggles my mind that one could theoretically lose weight on a pizza diet

 

But I totally get what you're saying.

 

Thanks for being so full of knowledge!!

[TigerCub]

oh yes...and don't even get me started on portion sizes in restaurants!!

[ooglesnboogles]

Yep, just keeping track of the intake can be a big motivator. I started with the MyFitnessPal app on my phone. I didn't set the bar very low, I didn't want to change very much, but as I saw how much crap I was eating, I started thinking of ways to lower the portions. Two years later, I've dropped almost all the soda from my diet (when it was 2-3 cans a day, sometimes more!), dropped a lot of the sugar stuff, and now I'm watching my fat and sodium levels. I don't really have goals, except to see how low I can get them on a given day. This is usually higher than the recommended average, mind you, because I'm still not eating very good foods. But I have switched from fried to grilled, and from frozen to some fresh.

 

I don't really like cooking, nor do I like waiting for food. I like to eat when I get hungry but oftentimes it's hard to predict. I might be hungry now, through something in the oven and in 25 minutes when it's ready, I don't really feel like eating. So I like stuff that can be cooked fast. Recently, I found frozen grilled chicken in my grocery store that is very healthy in terms of fat and only takes about 8 minutes to cook on the stove. Through it on some bread with a slice of watermelon and/or a yogurt and I'm good to go. I'm thinking that'll be my dinner tonight =D

[FitChick]

I've used FitDay for years. There are things I dislike about it but I don't know if any other software would be any more accurate. Searching for foods is difficult. Things that you'd think were common aren't listed yet they have the most obscure activities (hanging storm windows) but not basic ones like pilates. Foods, same thing. No basic pasta listing. But it's better than nothing. I go by how my body reacts. If I eat 1800 calories and continue normal exercise, I will lose a pound or two per week. It's more useful for me to show how much protein, fat and carbs I'm eating.

 

Make sure you have measuring cups, spoons and scales to be accurate. Otherwise create a custom food and copy the label on the package.

[ooglesnboogles]

I really like MyFitnessPal. It's got a ton of items, it has a barcode scanner (so you don't need to search), and you can create your own meals, items, exercises, and foods. So if you cook a dish from scratch, you can put that in. If your typical exercise isn't in there or you want to add something, you can (I added my daily morning routine with a low-ball guess on how much it burns). You can also select your nominal activity level, so if you sit in a chair all day it'll note that as opposed to being a salesman or package courier who would burn more in a normal day.

I've sent in a bunch of things to make it better, and it seems like their team is on top of the ball, so I'm looking forward to more from it. It's one of the Apple Store's top apps and I think they claim to have the greatest selection of foods.

 

That said, I also used a simpler app when I first started. But it was stubborn to use and didn't have the same selection. I probably sound like a salesman. But since it's helped me so much, I try to pass it on.

 

Really, anything that works well for your needs should help.

[PogoStick]

I think MyFitnessPal is pretty well done.

 

You can try several calorie calculators to get a rough guess of your needs. In the end, only way you will know is by closely tracking your food intake and weight, then adjusting monthly based upon your results. I suggest aiming for about 500 calorie defecit per day = 1lb fat per week. More than that is pretty stressful.

 

Without knowing your age, weight, height; your calorie needs are just speculation.

[TigerCub]

Yep, just keeping track of the intake can be a big motivator. I started with the MyFitnessPal app on my phone. I didn't set the bar very low, I didn't want to change very much, but as I saw how much crap I was eating, I started thinking of ways to lower the portions. Two years later, I've dropped almost all the soda from my diet (when it was 2-3 cans a day, sometimes more!), dropped a lot of the sugar stuff, and now I'm watching my fat and sodium levels. I don't really have goals, except to see how low I can get them on a given day. This is usually higher than the recommended average, mind you, because I'm still not eating very good foods. But I have switched from fried to grilled, and from frozen to some fresh.

 

I don't really like cooking, nor do I like waiting for food. I like to eat when I get hungry but oftentimes it's hard to predict. I might be hungry now, through something in the oven and in 25 minutes when it's ready, I don't really feel like eating. So I like stuff that can be cooked fast. Recently, I found frozen grilled chicken in my grocery store that is very healthy in terms of fat and only takes about 8 minutes to cook on the stove. Through it on some bread with a slice of watermelon and/or a yogurt and I'm good to go. I'm thinking that'll be my dinner tonight =D

 

I agree - keeping track helps in the sense that its there to see how good or bad it is and make adjustments.

 

Last night for example, I made a chicken wrap for dinner - measure everything, but I added slivered almonds - and saw just how much they "cost" me...it's an eye opener and fun to learn that way.

 

I'm loving logging.

 

As for eating right when you're hungry. I'm like that too - But lately I've been keeping little snacks to tide me over handy (ex. a few counted out almonds, little babybels, cut up celery - to go with a lil almond butter etc.) Those are good to tide me over till I prepare & cook my meal.

[TigerCub]

I've used FitDay for years. There are things I dislike about it but I don't know if any other software would be any more accurate. Searching for foods is difficult. Things that you'd think were common aren't listed yet they have the most obscure activities (hanging storm windows) but not basic ones like pilates. Foods, same thing. No basic pasta listing. But it's better than nothing. I go by how my body reacts. If I eat 1800 calories and continue normal exercise, I will lose a pound or two per week. It's more useful for me to show how much protein, fat and carbs I'm eating.

 

Make sure you have measuring cups, spoons and scales to be accurate. Otherwise create a custom food and copy the label on the package.

 

I found that its lacking in the listing of some things as well, so I made a bunch of custom foods too. Overall its good for now.

 

Oh yeah, suddenly I have measuring cups and spoons out all the time

 

Oh yeah, and I agree the activity log is lacking too. But oh well - its a minor frustration, but overall still good...

[TigerCub]

I think MyFitnessPal is pretty well done.

 

You can try several calorie calculators to get a rough guess of your needs. In the end, only way you will know is by closely tracking your food intake and weight, then adjusting monthly based upon your results. I suggest aiming for about 500 calorie defecit per day = 1lb fat per week. More than that is pretty stressful.

 

Without knowing your age, weight, height; your calorie needs are just speculation.

 

I just tried the calculator you linked to.

 

Yeah, according to it (given my info).

I need 1999 to maintain

1599 for fat loss and..

1199 for EXTREME fat loss

 

...I think its almost par with fitday give or take a few calories.

 

Keewwwl.

 

Thanks for the link

[TaraMaiden]

read this link.....?

[TigerCub]

read this link.....?

 

Thanks Tara,

 

I read the article, but now I'm even more confused

 

Here's my confusion:

- I don't eat to my calorie level normally and I've always had weight issues.

- Now I'm logging and its helping to see the breakdown of my calories.

- I had my thyroid tested and I'm fine.

- I exercise ~4-5 days a week

 

so I'm just getting confused on the calorie issue.

I wanted to know more about "starvation" mode and I learned what it is here and how many calories I would need to be below my allotted daily calorie range to lose weight - but now the idea of eating more confuses me.

 

I understand that the article isn't saying 'hey go pig out on junk food' but I still get confused on how much I should be eating now.

[TaraMaiden]

I think the article is saying simply that the calorific calculations were incorrect, you need more calories, but still need to balance your diet correctly and take exercise.

 

Don't stress over it.

The bottom line is - How good do you feel?

Are you healthy?

Fit?

Do you feel you eat enough?

is your diet balanced?

Do you compensate when you might have a little binge by just cutting back a little the next day?

Are you happy and content, in general?

 

This is far more important than calorie-counting and trying to make head-or-tail of figures....

[TigerCub]

I think the article is saying simply that the calorific calculations were incorrect, you need more calories, but still need to balance your diet correctly and take exercise.

 

Don't stress over it.

The bottom line is - How good do you feel?

Are you healthy?

Fit?

Do you feel you eat enough?

is your diet balanced?

Do you compensate when you might have a little binge by just cutting back a little the next day?

Are you happy and content, in general?

 

This is far more important than calorie-counting and trying to make head-or-tail of figures....

 

Thanks Tara

 

Honestly, I can answer Yes to all your questions.

 

I just hate that my tummy is my problem. Yesterday I was looking @ myself in the mirror as I was doing my weights and everything else about me is fine and I look fit and good and its just my stupid tummy and I know that - to lose the tummy I would need to lose the fat and that's why I'm trying to learn all I can to see what I can do to achieve that.

 

Overall happy and will keep trying.

 

Thanks again

[tman666]

I think the article is saying simply that the calorific calculations were incorrect, you need more calories, but still need to balance your diet correctly and take exercise.

 

Don't stress over it.

The bottom line is - How good do you feel?

Are you healthy?

Fit?

Do you feel you eat enough?

is your diet balanced?

Do you compensate when you might have a little binge by just cutting back a little the next day?

Are you happy and content, in general?

 

This is far more important than calorie-counting and trying to make head-or-tail of figures....

 

I don't know about the accuracies or inaccuracies of the "scientifically accepted" calculations for caloric requirements, but I do agree with TaraMaiden's post here.

 

Calorie counting, in my opinion, is only so useful. Depending on how accurate you're records are, it can be a useful tool, but it's far from the end all-be all. A calorie is simply a unit of energy. Without correlating it to actual results, its significance is minimal.

 

I advocate carefully logging calories for a little while (1 or 2 weeks) at the beginning of a diet. Provided that your body weight and composition have been stable for a while, this should give you a fair idea of how many calories your body is using to maintain its current state. From there, you can adjust up or down depending on your goals.

 

RMR/BMR calculations, just like most calculations of the sort, have been empirically derived from experimental results in an environment where variables and controls are closely monitored. As such, individual results can vary quite a bit depending on 1) the accuracy of the variables you put in to the formula and 2) which formula is being used.

 

My personal belief is that RMR/BMR calcs are a fine way for the layperson to get a general idea of where they should be calorically, but that it's far from a magic number.

 

Basically what I'm saying is that I have found that stressing over formulaic results, at least when it comes to this stuff, isn't all that useful. I think it's far more useful to get a strong sense of how you're fueling your body, and then use self experimentation to determine what works for you and what doesn't.

 

Either way, stressing about it is counter intuitive, and I think TaraMaiden's checklist above should be evaluated.

[TaraMaiden]

Thanks Tara

 

Honestly, I can answer Yes to all your questions.

 

I just hate that my tummy is my problem. Yesterday I was looking @ myself in the mirror as I was doing my weights and everything else about me is fine and I look fit and good and its just my stupid tummy and I know that - to lose the tummy I would need to lose the fat and that's why I'm trying to learn all I can to see what I can do to achieve that.

 

Overall happy and will keep trying.

 

Thanks again

 

You need to do crunches and strengthen two sets of muscles - your abs but also your lower back. believe it or not, your lower back muscles play a big part in supporting your abdomen and not letting it 'sag'.

Weights aren't effective, but movement, crunches and the right exercises for specific muscle groups, are.

[TigerCub]

Thanks tman,

 

Last week my logging was to get a picture of what I'm eating and what its really adding up to.

 

This week, I'm more experimenting in how to get the circle to be almost equal parts of protein, carbs and fats.

 

I do understand and agree with what you and Tara are saying.

 

I am generally pretty happy with my health and my fitness, etc...

 

But to be perfectly honest, I am frustrated at the tummy issue. So that's why I'm trying to find ways to eat better and keep the carbs portion of the circle to be smaller than before.

 

I dunno. I'm not "stressing" just trying to find my solution.

[TigerCub]

You need to do crunches and strengthen two sets of muscles - your abs but also your lower back. believe it or not, your lower back muscles play a big part in supporting your abdomen and not letting it 'sag'.

Weights aren't effective, but movement, crunches and the right exercises for specific muscle groups, are.

 

I do crunches but I've also always heard that crunches don't really show results when there is a layer of fat on the tummy.

So I do them and other tummy exercises I learned in pole dancing class, but although i feel the muscles ache later, I still don't have much hope in them to give me a good flat tummy.

 

Wouldn't weights (deadlifts) be good for the lower back muscles?

 

ETA - oh and I also hoola hoop sometimes. I like doing that one and I always hope that it helps the waist line in some way.

[TaraMaiden]

I should know, but I don't.... what's your age group.....? (How old are you?)

[TigerCub]

I should know, but I don't.... what's your age group.....? (How old are you?)

 

I'm 31

 

..........

[TaraMaiden]

Hmmmm..... I was thinking you might be peri~menopausal, but way too early for that, I guess....

 

 

Look at genes... No, not jeans, Genes....!

 

What shape is your mum?

 

I hate to say it, but that's what we follow, and if your mum - has a tum - then it's possible you're just following in her footsteps, morphically speaking.....

[tman666]

Compound lifting movements (squats, deadlifts, rows, pressing, lunges, etc.), when done properly engage your "core" muscles considerably.

 

Believe it or not, jumping rope is one of my favorites for combined cardio/ab/shoulder work. If you do it with enough intensity and focus on clenching your abs and rotating the rope with straight wrists, you can really do some work.