Weight Loss

okay so I'm suppose to consume 1250 cal a day now, and on average I come really close.  My profile is set to lightly active, so when I add my daily walks and burn 500-800 cal, my burn meter jumps to 2510 on 500 burned.

If I've understood all this correctly, I'm suppose to be eating more than 1250??  I read and read, but weight loss is so confusing...help me understand

I posted this on fitness the other day also and no responses... so I'll ask here:

I walk 75 min every morning=2.8 miles........The road I walk per my car odometer is .1 mile uphill and .1 mile downhill.  When logging this, do I log seperately 37 min walking uphill and then 37 min walking downhill? I walk just as hard downhill as going up, my speed doesn't seem to change.  Just not sure if logging it right... Been logging it 75 min uphill.

Any input appreciated.

I think you just put in that you're walking at a pace of about 2.25MPH. At that pace, you're probably not getting much extra burn because of the road gradient. Are you getting an elevated heart rate? Is it a lot?

There is the walking to school or class designation and that seems to fit what you're doing.

Keep track of your weight and calories (or at least what you're eating) over time. If you're getting those right, you should be able to figure out if your activity level is high enough to create a calorie deficit.

I rechecked my heart rate this morning after, can't remember what it was now, but it was elevated quite a bit.  I increased my walk time over the past 2 weeks, I've lost 20 lbs since may 12th, so I'm assuming I'm doing right, I just wanted to make sure :)  Would love to eventually be able to start running, but arthritis in my hip prevents that, so I guess walking is better than nothing.  I log everything that I eat, most days I show 1000 cal deficit, but was still unsure on the calorie/burn thing and how it worked.

First, reset your actvity level to "sedentary" and log exercise separately, because "light activity" takes into account some walking already.

Eat more on any day your burn meter goes up 1000 more than your "eat meter." Otherwise, don't worry about it.

I agree with durgy about how to log it--just as 2.25 mph for 75 minutes. Don't worry about the uphill/down. Get a heart rater monitor if you really want to know exactly what you burn in that 75 minutes. At the speed you are going, the estimate is probably pretty close, however.

Good luck and congrats on the success you've already had.

Light activity means you walk up to 2 hrs a day - that's already included in the burn amount it gives you.  The walking you're adding....is that in excess to the 2 hours?  If it is, then you're doing it right.  If it isn't, then you're counting that exercise twice, and you either need to stop adding it, or move to sedentary and log it as per usual.

As for the amount you eat, you want to keep your deficit at no more than 1000 calories a day.  So, if you really are burning 2500 calories, then you want to eat at least 1500 calories on those days.

I would log your walks seperately, if there is a log for both uphill and downhill.  Even though your speed is the same, the calories burned might be slightly different.  The difference might be really small though, so that might not really matter that much.

Hope that helps!