Weight Loss

I've been here long enough and certainly read enough that I should know how it all works by now. Some things I understand really well, and on other things I'm clueless!

I'm 32, 5'6", small frame, 120pds. My BMR is 1338.

Here's my question:

Today I ate 1790 calories and have burned 1587 calories through exercise, how much more would I need to eat to keep a 500-1000 cal deficit? Do I add 1530+1200=2730-500 (or 1000)=2250 (or 1730) so would therefore need to eat 200 to 500 more to keep my deficit in check?

Am I right or way off??

Thanks! :)

You burned 1587?  What did you do?  Or is this where your burn meter is right now?

Yeah, I burned 1587 on my recumbent bike, which has a digital calories burned display.

On an average day I'll eat about 1500 and burn 900.

You would have to ride something like 2.5 hours to get that, but that is beside the point.  What you want to do is take your sedentary burn for the day which should be a bit above 1500 calories add your major activities like the bike riding and then subtract 500 from that. 

I went http://www.phord.com/cc/ for a calculator and this is what I get:

Burn (1529) + exercise (1587) - 500 = Daily intake (2616)

So you should be eating around 2600 calories on the days you ride to lose 1 pound a week.  If you aren't riding that day or doing any other exercise you should only eat about 1300.  At your weight, you shouldn't try for much more than a pound a week since you will burn fat slowly.

I ride at least 2.5 hrs per day, the exception being the weekends when I might ride for only 1.5-2 hrs. I ride when online (2 birds with one stone kind of thing), and sometimes slow to a crawl or even stop if I'm typing or really into what I'm reading. Or ride when reading a book. So it can take awhile to add up the burned calories because I'm not riding hard and steady most of the time.

That really makes sense to me, thank you!!!

Just as an aside, do you think my body has been in starvation mode on the days that I bike due to only taking in 1500 roughly but burning off 1000 in exercise? Do you recommend a 1000 deficit or stay with 500?

Thanks again :)

How long have you been eating 1500?  Starvation mode takes a couple of weeks to kick in.  If you have been doing it for longer than that, it is a possibility.  If so, you will see some weight gain when you first start eating a healthy amount.  Keep the faith, it will start coming off again.

The body will only burn a certain percentage of your total body fat in a week.  You can use 1% of your body weight for a rough estimate of how much fat you can burn.  At 120, you can only burn 1 pound of fat a week (1.2 to be precise) so 500 calories should work well for you. 

Also, I can't help but think that 5'6" and 120 is pretty thin already?  Perhaps you should just focus on toning if you have some flabby parts and forget dieting.  I would strongly suggest that you take up weight training.

It has been a few weeks that I've been eating and exercising that way. About keeping the faith, oh, how I'd like to eat more because I'm exercising more, but brains seem to be so programmed with the thought that eating more means gaining :S

Today I feel so bloated and uncomfortable, I don't think it's because of something that I've eaten, I've eaten all normal meals. PMS doesn't come a week and a half ahead of TTOM does it?

I had been doing weight lifting, but haven't for over a month now. I really enjoy it and have all of my own equipment, but I am severely lacking in discipline and motivation to do it! It's very nature is to not do the same routine daily, and for me that's how I would form the habit. Any tips? Other that to just do it? ;)

At your size, you shouldn't be so worried about gaining.  I would love to be 120 again.  I haven't weighed that little since high school and I am an inch shorter than you.

What are you really trying to accomplish?  Is it all about a number on the scale or a look you are going for?  You are already at the low end of your recommended weight and BMI range, so there will be no health benefit.  Looking at your picture and stats you posted, you do not need to lose a thing for the sake of appearance.

If I were you, I would forget dieting and focus on toning.  Build up some muscle everywhere, not just your legs.  That should give you some nice curves.  You will probably gain some weight while doing that, but you can afford to.  Since strength training is hard to push yourself to do, joining a class might be beneficial.  There is the social benefit of getting out and meeting with people and you have the instructor pushing you to work out.  I am going to a Woman's Boot Camp, but there are all kinds of classes available.  Just look for something that includes weights or resistance training.

Original Post by queenmedia:

I ride at least 2.5 hrs per day, the exception being the weekends when I might ride for only 1.5-2 hrs.

WHY?

clharr, all of my life I've never had to try to maintain, it just happened. And I ate like crap and didn't lift a finger to exercise. Before I started gaining (a year ago), I was 115. I felt good, looked good (I thought, anyways!). I would like to get back there, but if I can tone up I could probably achieve the same effect I'm looking for at my current weight.

I would really like joining a gym or class, unfortunately, I live in the country and the nearest gym is one hour away! And I have 2 kids not yet in school.

Thank you so much for the help with understanding deficit et all. I don't know why I wasn't getting it before...

spirochete, lol- weird sounding, I know it! Seems normal as can be when I do it and then to read it, I'm like "hmm that seems a bit nuts". Truth be told, I really like doing it. I never used to do any form of exercise, and then when I got this bike, I thought "gee, I can sit on the couch and read, or sit on the bike and read". Even at this very moment I've got 154 calories burned showing. I'm not pedaling hard or anything. My feet would just be on the floor doing nada otherwise, so why not?
 

There are also videos.  There are a million of them out there.  You will find discussions about them on the Fitness forums.  I have used them and rather enjoyed them.  Get several so you can vary your routine.  And get little weights for the kids so they can play along. 

In any case, eat more!

yes ma'am! :D

today I am following your calculations- I ate 1645 so kind of worked it the other way around to figure out how much exercise I'd need to get my 500 cal deficit...616

Yay for finally knowing what on earth I'm doing!

As we get older, our metabolism slows down so we have to slow the eating down too, or boot up the exercise.  It is good that you are on top of it now instead of waiting until it becomes a real problem.  Happy exercising