Confused about calories...
05-20-2010, 09:21 AM
#11
FitDay Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 305
Hi Guys,
I agree with all that's been said except for at the beginning of the thread when you were going to add on 300 calories to the 2166 calories. That 2166 is calculated already expecting you to work out 3X per week, since that is what you have the calculator set on. Maybe I'm missing something? But I would not add on extra cals unless you are working out a lot more than 3X a week. 2466 is likely an overestimate of your calorie needs.
Sorry, hope I didn't add to the confusion. Let me know if I've got it wrong!
I agree with all that's been said except for at the beginning of the thread when you were going to add on 300 calories to the 2166 calories. That 2166 is calculated already expecting you to work out 3X per week, since that is what you have the calculator set on. Maybe I'm missing something? But I would not add on extra cals unless you are working out a lot more than 3X a week. 2466 is likely an overestimate of your calorie needs.
Sorry, hope I didn't add to the confusion. Let me know if I've got it wrong!
05-21-2010, 08:40 AM
#12
FitDay Premium Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Riverside, CA
Posts: 2,042
I don't add sleep
Hi Jenny,
A lot of this is just plain old experience. For me, the 1900 cals or so calculated is about right. And I just know that after several years of working with calorie calculators and my body. That being said, I think that I am actually more active during the day than the "seated with some movement" category. So I have, in effect, lowered my calories requirement by choosing a lower acitvity level.
Here is my thinking: I would much rather think that my calorie requirement was lower than it really is and end up losing fat a little faster. As opposed to thinking that the requirement was higher and not lose weight because I was eating too much.
One other reminder, the calorie requirement calculation is based you the weight you have entered into your profile. So as you get closer to your goal, make sure to record that in FitDay. Sadly, and this totally pisses me off, the small you get, the less you get to eat. Seems so unfair
A lot of this is just plain old experience. For me, the 1900 cals or so calculated is about right. And I just know that after several years of working with calorie calculators and my body. That being said, I think that I am actually more active during the day than the "seated with some movement" category. So I have, in effect, lowered my calories requirement by choosing a lower acitvity level.
Here is my thinking: I would much rather think that my calorie requirement was lower than it really is and end up losing fat a little faster. As opposed to thinking that the requirement was higher and not lose weight because I was eating too much.
One other reminder, the calorie requirement calculation is based you the weight you have entered into your profile. So as you get closer to your goal, make sure to record that in FitDay. Sadly, and this totally pisses me off, the small you get, the less you get to eat. Seems so unfair
05-21-2010, 11:47 AM
#13
FitDay Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Michigan
Posts: 687
If the calories burned is too confusing to figure out, ignore it completely. An easier solution is to pick a number of calories you think you should be eating to lose weight, and stick with it for 2 weeks. If you aren't losing weight (or aren't losing fast enough), decrease that number by 10%. Rinse and repeat as needed until you reach your goal.
05-21-2010, 03:26 PM
#14
FitDay Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 334
just wanted to say, i'm really proud of you people! you always come up with something smart to say. compare to your posts, mine looks like a damzel in stress and not the voice of a strong, motivated woman that i'd like to be!
man, weight loss wasn't stressfull enough!!!!!!!!
man, weight loss wasn't stressfull enough!!!!!!!!
05-21-2010, 04:46 PM
#15
FitDay Premium Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Riverside, CA
Posts: 2,042
Yup, bottom line... lizzy's right
It is all about losing the pounds. Some of us just love the geeky parts of the process - it somehow makes it more tolerable, even entertaining. But the whole idea is to come up with a method that works for YOU and only YOU.
BTW thanks Farah, I'm not sure that we're any smarter, just been around the block a few more times. (Perhaps I should just speak for myself. Ahem, Lizzy and the Rhino are tots compared to me
)
BTW thanks Farah, I'm not sure that we're any smarter, just been around the block a few more times. (Perhaps I should just speak for myself. Ahem, Lizzy and the Rhino are tots compared to me
)
05-21-2010, 06:53 PM
#16
FitDay Member
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 1
I'm also confused about calories
Hi all, I'm new to Fitday and just completed my profile. According to Fitday, I should be eating almost 2200 calories a day. On another website, I calculated calories and that one said 1600. Another said 1500. A couple of years ago I had my BMR tested and that said 1350.
It's no wonder weightloss is such big business. It's annoying when you get different calorie targets, because you don't know which one is closest to your actual needs.
If I got 2 responses the same, I'd use that number, but unfortunately, they are all over the place. To complicate things, I'm on medications that have weight gain as a side effect and am hypothyroid.
It's no wonder weightloss is such big business. It's annoying when you get different calorie targets, because you don't know which one is closest to your actual needs.
If I got 2 responses the same, I'd use that number, but unfortunately, they are all over the place. To complicate things, I'm on medications that have weight gain as a side effect and am hypothyroid.
07-27-2010, 06:08 AM
#17
FitDay Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 4
Jenny,
Spend approximately 75-130 bucks and buy a Heart Rate monitor that includes Calories Burned. I recommend one that is "Coded" at the very least. This means that if you are next to soemone else with a HR monitor it will rea only yours. Then wear it for one entire day from when you wake until when you sleep - BOOM - Calories counted. It will be the best money you've ever spent and as fo the HR monitors REAL use (working out) it will tell you EXACTLY the deficits you've now created - THE BEST MONEY YOU'LL EVER SPEND. The entry level "coded" Polar brand (CS-100 or FS-100) is perfect but there are literally hundreds of options.
As for your question on counting sleep or not counting sleep. NO - do not count it in your calc's PERIOD.
Spend approximately 75-130 bucks and buy a Heart Rate monitor that includes Calories Burned. I recommend one that is "Coded" at the very least. This means that if you are next to soemone else with a HR monitor it will rea only yours. Then wear it for one entire day from when you wake until when you sleep - BOOM - Calories counted. It will be the best money you've ever spent and as fo the HR monitors REAL use (working out) it will tell you EXACTLY the deficits you've now created - THE BEST MONEY YOU'LL EVER SPEND. The entry level "coded" Polar brand (CS-100 or FS-100) is perfect but there are literally hundreds of options.
As for your question on counting sleep or not counting sleep. NO - do not count it in your calc's PERIOD.
07-28-2010, 01:39 AM
#18
FitDay Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 23
Great answer RunbikeSki. 
Hi Jenny,
The calorie burn thing is confusing, both in theory and the way Fitday applies it. Here's what works for most people. When you set up your profile pick a level of activity that does not include your exercize routines. For me, most of my day is either at my desk or stand/walking in the laboratory. So "seated with some activity" is appropriate for me. The "calories burned" in the table now reflect the amount of calories you use just to do the things you need to do in your every day life.
Now, when you exercize you will add those activities independently. For example, my daily calorie need is about 1900, or about 80 calories per hour on average. Then I add a 2 hour run at 10 min miles. Fitday will calculate the calories burned for those 2 hours and replace 2 hours at 80 calories with 2 hours at about 500 calories burned per hour. So my calories burned for that day will be around 2740.
That is the value that will be used to calculate my daily calorie deficit. So if I eat 1700 calories and burn 2700 calories, I will have a deficit of 1000 calories - which is really good, almost a third of a pound of fat at 3500 calories per pound of fat.
What can get confusing is that the calorie burned calculations are only a rough estimate. There are many, many factors that go into exactly how many calories an individual burns. And a program like Fitday just can't account for all of those factors.
Many of us believe that our profiles over estimate the number of calories we require for our day-to-day activites. That is why some people add "sleep" or other activities to lower the number. Lots of folks also find that the calories burned doing an activity doesn't match other data they have available like the calculators on elliptical machines or GPS equipment. Therefore you will probably read recommendations on how to adjust those numbers in Fitday by changing the time spent doing and activity or the intensity of that activity.
The calorie deficit calculations can be really helpful for planning meals and exercize. But not everyone likes them or can use them, so the bottom line is: Whatever works for you... stick with it.
The calorie burn thing is confusing, both in theory and the way Fitday applies it. Here's what works for most people. When you set up your profile pick a level of activity that does not include your exercize routines. For me, most of my day is either at my desk or stand/walking in the laboratory. So "seated with some activity" is appropriate for me. The "calories burned" in the table now reflect the amount of calories you use just to do the things you need to do in your every day life.
Now, when you exercize you will add those activities independently. For example, my daily calorie need is about 1900, or about 80 calories per hour on average. Then I add a 2 hour run at 10 min miles. Fitday will calculate the calories burned for those 2 hours and replace 2 hours at 80 calories with 2 hours at about 500 calories burned per hour. So my calories burned for that day will be around 2740.
That is the value that will be used to calculate my daily calorie deficit. So if I eat 1700 calories and burn 2700 calories, I will have a deficit of 1000 calories - which is really good, almost a third of a pound of fat at 3500 calories per pound of fat.
What can get confusing is that the calorie burned calculations are only a rough estimate. There are many, many factors that go into exactly how many calories an individual burns. And a program like Fitday just can't account for all of those factors.
Many of us believe that our profiles over estimate the number of calories we require for our day-to-day activites. That is why some people add "sleep" or other activities to lower the number. Lots of folks also find that the calories burned doing an activity doesn't match other data they have available like the calculators on elliptical machines or GPS equipment. Therefore you will probably read recommendations on how to adjust those numbers in Fitday by changing the time spent doing and activity or the intensity of that activity.
The calorie deficit calculations can be really helpful for planning meals and exercize. But not everyone likes them or can use them, so the bottom line is: Whatever works for you... stick with it.
07-28-2010, 04:41 AM
#19
FitDay Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Lexington, SC
Posts: 27
Personally, I go by the advice that you should get at least 5 hours of moderate to intense exercise per week to lose weight. If you work out 5 days per week then that is an hour per day. If you do this and eat healthy, you shouldn't have to give yourself a headache over the numbers.
I do track my calories on here for periods of time to keep myself on track (or get myself back on track..lol) and sometimes I log my calories burned that the elliptical machine gives me, but I don't worry about it much as long as I continue to lose. I've lost almost 50 pounds since starting my workout routine and changing my eating habits in January.
I do track my calories on here for periods of time to keep myself on track (or get myself back on track..lol) and sometimes I log my calories burned that the elliptical machine gives me, but I don't worry about it much as long as I continue to lose. I've lost almost 50 pounds since starting my workout routine and changing my eating habits in January.
