OK, I am really really confused!

Hi CC fellows,

The more I read the boards about calories and deficits and calories burned and blah blah etc etc.. the more I get confused!

Now, I don't even know if I'm doing it correctly.

I'm 5'2", 25 yrs old, current weight 135lbs. goal weight 120-115.

I've been treating myself as sedentary, but recently I started doing Pilates twice a week. But bear in mind that the pilates class I'm taking is super basic and we are just learning how to stabilize our core and the breathing with some minor exercises. So I think it's safe to say that I am still sedentary?

A few months ago when I was weighing more I was eating 1350 cals a day... recently as my weigh has been dropping I've been eating 1200 cals a day.

But like I said, with all the reading I've done in the boards I am really doubting myself and I don't know if I'm consuming enough cals.

Ultimately, my goal is to loose 1-2 lbs a week.

Am I doing this right?

Help, please?!

Thank you, thank you!

How many calories you eat is only half of the equation, how many calories do you burn each day?

Good point sully,

My Burn Meter Total Estimate says 1660 cal

Is this what you are asking?

using this site http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/  your BRM is 1416...that is what you burn being alive.  I put you as lightly active...you need 1841 to maintain...  So, they say that you should eat at least your BMR a day so you should eat 1400 a day. 

First, it's fine if you want to keep your activity level set at "Sedentary" and then log your Pilates/other exercise separately.  Even if the Pilates are basic and don't burn a whole lot, that's still activity that's above and beyond what you do in a "normal" day, so I'd log it.

Keep this in mind:  3500 calories = roughly one pound of body weight.  If, over a period of time, you burn 3500 more than you eat, then you will lose roughly one pound.  If you eat 3500 more than you burn, you will gain a pound.

Therefore, this is what you need to do.  Take the total number of calories you burn in a day (the "Burn Meter" here on C-C,) and shoot for eating between 500 - 1000 calories less than that.

If you have a 500 calorie defict per day for one week, that's 500 x 7 days = 3500 calories = 1 pound lost.  Double that to 1000 and that's 7000 calories or 2 pounds lost (approximately.)

Don't be frightened if this means you have to eat more than 1200, or even more than 1350.  If you have too great of a deficit for too long a period of time, your metabolism will slow down in an effort to conserve your body's resources and hold onto the nutrients and minerals that it's currently not getting from food.  When your metabolism slows down, you will not lose weight.

Thanks for taking the time to help me.

Kae03 thanks for the link.. i'm just not sure where you got the 1841 from. If I multiply 1416x1.375 it equals 1947.

 

Laura, so if my burn meter says I burn 1660 then I should eat 1160 calories a day?

There's the thing, you should never eat less than 1200 (granted, that's only a 40 calorie difference so I'm not trying to be picky.) :)

If your weight loss has slowed, and you're fairly certain that you're logging all your food correctly in terms of quantities and stuff, then I'd recommend upping the exercise a little to increase the calorie burn.

And I know it's frustrating, 'cause I'm also at the point where I only need to lose like 10 more pounds, and since I don't burn as much as I used to, my deficits are lower.  So it goes slower, but as long a you keep a deficit, the weight will come off. :)

multiplied by 1.3...

Ok then.. it looks like I'm going to have to exercise more and eat between 1200 and 1400 cals a day.

I'm in the same boat Laura.. I feel like I'm losing the lbs very slowly now that i have less to lose. 

Thank you again! I really appreciate it :) :)

No problem! :)

Also, I know lots of people say this, but it's also true.  If you start exercising regularly, you may not lose weight but lose inches.  Which is a good thing!  So if you aren't already doing so, start taking your measurements regularly.  If the number on the scale doesn't move, but your waist line gets smaller, then you're still winning. :)

Original Post by justlaura:

First, it's fine if you want to keep your activity level set at "Sedentary" and then log your Pilates/other exercise separately.  

I need a little clarification.  If I've set my activity at "moderate activity" because I do a tough workout most days of the week and am fairly active during the day when not working out (I don't do construction for a living, but I also don't sit at a desk all day), does that mean I should or should not log my workouts?

thanks for the question. reading the replies has  helped to clarify some issues for me

unc_ajb:  If you have your activity level set to Moderate and you believe that your level of activity is accurate for that setting, then do not log your regular exercise.  The activity levels (except for Sedentary, of course,) already take into account your exercise.  If you use the "Moderate" setting, then the only time you should log anything is when you go above and beyond your NORMAL workout.

Thank you for that clarification!  Very helpful.