Please explain this to me???

I have only been calorie counting for about 4 weeks and do not understand the calorie in calorie out system.   I have read about it and asked people - but still am confused!   If someone could explain it in "stupid" terms - that would greatly help.    I want to know how many calories to burn each day?  And how to read the burn meter?

Here are my stats:

Female, 27 years old

Starting Weight 198

Toady's Weight 191

Lost 3 lbs week 1 and 4 pounds week 2 = 7 total

Nothing the past 2 weeks - stayed at 191

Daily Calorie Target - 1250 per CC  (Very dedicated to meet not exceed this #)

Exercise - Work at a Desk all day - Do not belong to Gym.   Started Bike Riding and Walking with Family at night.    I will be adding exercise videos to this.   Already have weights at home.

Thank you for your help!!  

okay lower your calories to 1,200 calories. Try calorie shifting 1,200 calories one day 1,300 another on and off. If you have the wii fit start jogging for 40 minutes three times a week or just jog outside. On this low of a calorie diet you do not need to burn more then you eat. Since you are so low on calories your body stores the calories you eat for energy. Don't worry about how much you are burning. Your body is burning calories natually though out the day. Hope I helped.

I am new to this too but I think you are trying to do is to take the total calories consumed, add your 1250 calories for weight loss, and that gives you the amount of calories that you need to burn in that day.

1250 calories eaten

+

1250 calories need for weight loss

=

2500 the total number of calories that you need to burn in order to lose for that day.

I hope this helps...and that I am right... if not can someone else explain cause that would mean that I am really...really...really lost..  LOL

Heather

No, the previous posters are mistaken. You should not drop your calories to 1200, and you do not need to burn 2500 per day to lose weight.

In order to lose weight you need to eat less than you burn, or more specifically between 500-1000 calories less than you burn. 1200 is the minimum number of calories for a short, light, sedentary woman. You didn't mention your height in the original post, but simply based on your weight alone you'll need more than 1200 to fuel your body. CC is probably underestimating your calorie goal because you've set yourself at sedentary, even though you're working out. You should check out this website: http://www.phord.com/cc/ 

It will give you a good idea of how much to eat, and likely that's more than 1250 calories. Guessing that you're about average height (5'5"), the site recommends 1600 calories, and assuming you're exercising somewhere around 3-5 times a week, you should lose around 1.5 pounds per week, eating 1600 calories.

It sounds like what's happening is that you're undereating. That would explain the large drops in your first weeks and then your stall--because your body assumes there is a food shortage, so it's storing fat and lowering your metabolism. It seems counterintuitive, but you have to eat enough to lose weight. Think of your body as a car--it can't run without enough fuel. I'd recommend upping your calories to 1500-1600 a day and see if that jump-starts your weight loss.

Original Post by ladyzirk:

I am new to this too but I think you are trying to do is to take the total calories consumed, add your 1250 calories for weight loss, and that gives you the amount of calories that you need to burn in that day.

 

1250 calories eaten

+

1250 calories need for weight loss

=

2500 the total number of calories that you need to burn in order to lose for that day.

I hope this helps...and that I am right... if not can someone else explain cause that would mean that I am really...really...really lost..  LOL

Heather

 

Heather, it sounds like you're a bit confused! You don't want your calorie deficit (the difference between what you eat and what you burn) to exceed 1000 per day. Just from living the average woman burns probably between 1800-2000 calories a day (the burn meter should have your exact number at the top of the box, assuming you've set your activity level properly), so most people can easily lose a pound per week eating 1300-1500 calories, or a bit more if you exercise. If your daily calorie deficit is over 1000, you're more likely to enter "conservation mode," where your body slows down your metabolism to compensate for the lack of food. That's why it's a good idea to never chronically undereat, because it's counterproductive.

hello.... if you give us your height we would be glad to do some calculations for you and give you some more explination.

I am 32 year old, 5'6" tall and I weigh 209 lbs and I live an active lifestyle.  I was trying to figure out the burn meter.  which number should I use when calculating my calories burned?  The total Estimate located at the top, the number below that or the total calories burned in the activity log section?  Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks everyone for your help.

Heather

Burn meter: The small number at the top of the burn meter tells you what you will burn by the end of the day (so at midnight).  The large number underneath tells you what you've burnt up until now (whatever time you are looking - so it goes up throughout the day until midnight when it resets itself). You don't really need to concern yourself with the big number. Both numbers include anything you add to your activity log and are dependent on the level of activity you set for yourself when you created your account, i.e. sedentary or light activity etc. (you can change this at 'My account'). So, the small number is the one that you need to make sure you are eating less than each day.

Eat meter: The small number tells you how many cals you have set for your daily intake (when you created your account and/or used the 'tools' functions). This is supposedly what you are aiming for each day so it should be lower than the small number on your burn meter (i.e. if you are burning 2000 cals each day your eat meter should be set at 1500, for instance). You want this deficit to be between 1000-500 cals for weight loss (though if you haven't got a lot to lose 300 might be fine). The large number adds up what you've been logging throughout the day - you want this number to equal the small number above before the end of the day so you meet your calorie target for weight loss and don't undereat.

Hope that helps. I'd go through all the 'Tools' pages and this will help you to decide the deficit you want to set etc. on your 'My account' page.

bebe_66,

Thank you SOOOOO much!!!  I was a lot confused.  That helps me tremendously!  I have a lot to lose, so I think I should be shooting for about 1000 cal less then my daily total, does that sound correct to you?  or does it work the other way around, if I have a lot to lose I should be shooting for the 500 cal less mark?

Heather

Thank you.   I finally get it now!   I am only 5' 2" - So I am guessing I need to up my calorie intake - especially since I am now exercising.

Ladyzirk, if you have a lot to lose you can safely have a 1000 deficit.  However, that is for very obese people.  Its a bit safer to just have about a 500 calorie deficit.  You will still lose weight just at a slower and more maintainable rate.

Kerrid, I am 5'4" 145lbs female and I eat aprox 1800 to2000 cals to lose weight!  Good for you for not being afraid to up your calories.  So many on this website fight tooth and nail before eating enough.  You gotta eat to lose. 

Good luck to the both of you!

not a problem - glad I could help ladyzirk. yes, i think if you have a lot to lose you can manage a larger deficit - esp. if you are active. remember not to drop below 1,200 cals for your daily intake. if you go to 'tools' there is a function that will work out your ideal deficit in order to reach your goal weight at a healthy and manageable pace - a healthy pace is 1-2lbs a week. I would highly recommend sticking to this rate of loss - if you try to lose too quickly you will be over-restricting and that will probably lead to binging or getting fed up. you need to make sure your calorie intake is low enough for weight loss but high enough to make it manageable - this is gonna take a while so you don't want to be making yourself miserable by over-restricting! use the tools, see what they recommend and then try it out. if you feel you need to adjust the deficit a little you can - it isn't an exact science. as long as you are gradually losing and not starving all the time then you are doing just fine. good luck. remember, slow and steady wins the race!

agana & bebe_66,

I am VERY active and I am currently listed as Severely Overweight.  I need to lose about 70 LBS.  The issue for me is that for todays count, just with sleep, getting dressed and work, I am at around 3880 Cal Burned.  Which would mean that my deficit should be at around 2880?  The computer recommended that I be at around 1950 Cal intake but I think I need to readjust my activity level to a higher average.

I have been trying to lose weight for a few years and a friend recommended this type of strategy because we think it is a matter of burning too much and not eating enough.  So, thank you all for your advice... I am really hoping that this helps me.

Awesome post bebe-66!!!  I guess I missed what was being asked lol!!! sorry!!

actually if your burn is about 3880, then you need to eat at least 2880.   your probably better off around 3000 calories to give yourself a buffer for miscalculations as the burn meter is an estimate (( though fairly accurate when used right)) and human error... or campany printing error can effect your eat meter totals.

if you subtract your eat meter from the small number on your burn meter that is your deficit.  And that should never be over 1000 calories.. so:

   Burn - eat = deficit < 1000

You must be really active.   That is great!! good luck!

I have the same type of question ladyzirk.  I'm having a hard time figuring out what my calorie amount should be.  I'm 5'7, age 37 and I weight 243 pounds.  I put the meter as sedentary although I do a half hour to one hour of exercise a day.  Currently CC says that I should eat 1450 calories a day.  Does that seem accurate.  I would be grateful for any help.