Can someone please confirm my calculations are correct for weightloss??

N

nzindian

New member
Hey,

Ive been doing a bit of research to kick-off my weight loss plan, so far Ive calculated the following for my daily energy usage and usage - I would appreciate if some of you guys could double-check my calculations to make sure they are correct:

Duration(minutes) Activity KiloJoules

15 Shower 155
60 Breakfast/TV 310
7 Walking to Lyall Bay bus 72
8 Standing waiting for bus 50
40 Sitting in Bus 206
5 Walking from bus to work 52
150 Sitting/Working 1393
10 Walking to New World 103
260 Sitting/Working 2415
10 Walking to New World 103
70 Sitting/Working 650
10 Walk to gym 103
90 Gym:
Weights - 30min 464
Treadmill - 10min 444
Cycling light - 10min 284
Rowing Mod - 10min 361
Stretching etc (walking) -15min 194
5 Getting changed 40
10 Walking to Bus 103
45 Sitting on bus 232
150 Watching TV 774
495 Sleeping 2299

Total Kilojoules Used: 10807

And the following kilojoule consumption:

Breakfast 1200
Subway(mid morning) 1527
Subway(mid afternoon) 1527
Coffee 150
Coffee 150
Protein Shake 1250
Dinner? 2000

Total Kilojoules consumed: 7804

So Im running a daily defect of: 3003

Is this correct?
Should I be using my Basal Metabolic Rate(10,934) somewhere in calculation?
If this deficit to big?

Cheers - thanks in advance for any help!
 
In my opinion, you can't calculate it that fine. Everybody's metabolism is a little different, and I don't put much faith in the published tables of calories consumed during exercise. It will also change as you lose weight and your body adapts. I think you just have to count your calories for a while and see how much weight you lose. Adjust it up or down as necessary.
 
I also adore math...

I found this site to be MEGA helpful, it covers everything so you can just find your BMR and then determine your activity level without having to break your day down into a minute by minute calorie burn count.

Once you find your calories necessary to maintain, eating 500 calories less than that each day for a week should result in about 1 lb. of weight loss, and so on, and so forth! :willy_nilly:
 
The link PlumpHope posted is basically the same thing I was going to post, just a different site. Your BMR is the absolute minimum calories you should consume per day to "just function", and the Harris Benedict Formula will help you determine the amount of calories you need to consume to maintain your current weight based on your current activity level.

Since you're aiming for weight loss, you'll want to try between 500-1000 calorie deficit per day (that translates to 3500-7000 calories a week, or 1-2 lbs). You shouldn't go below your BMR since that is the minimum required calories you need per day. Your weight loss is most likely stall if you go below your BMR. But, it you stay a little above that, you should do fine.

Good luck!

Lizabell
 
Cool - thanks guys.

What I was concerned about was that based on my calculations I was running quite a big deficit - probably double what it should be, so I thought I had done something wrong.

But if you compare my calculations, the total kilojoules I calculated I used in a day (10,807) is pretty close to my B.M.R (10,934 (moderate activity)), now I'm confident that they're accurate.

Looks like the reason Ive had trouble losing weight is my large kilojoule deficit - I have to eat more!

FYI -this is the website I was using (similiar to PlumpHopes):


Cheers
 
I used this website and just calculated my BMR. It says my BMR is 1,554 which seems really high to me.. I have been eating a diet of about 1,000 calories for the past 4 months and have lost an average of 10 pounds a month. I'm not starving myself or anything I just eat very healthy foods and eat small snacks throughout the day so I'm not hungry. So if I'm eating 500 calories below my BMR is that dangerous? I have been doing this for the past 4 months and have actually been feeling better than ever since I'm actually eating healthy foods instead of junk food and the weight I've lost has given me a lot more energy! I still have about 25 pounds to lose to get to my goal weight so now I'm concerned that this large amount below my BMR will stall my remaining weight loss since it will be much harder to lose.. any advice?

Also, I'm not sure if I did it right because it says that if I just sit around all day my body will need 1,865 calories. and then it says to decrease that amount by 500 calories a day to lose a pound a week.. but 500 calories less than that amount would be below my BMR as well, am I not calculating this correctly? Thanks for any help! =)
 
I used this website and just calculated my BMR. It says my BMR is 1,554 which seems really high to me.. I have been eating a diet of about 1,000 calories for the past 4 months and have lost an average of 10 pounds a month. I'm not starving myself or anything I just eat very healthy foods and eat small snacks throughout the day so I'm not hungry. So if I'm eating 500 calories below my BMR is that dangerous? I
Click to expand...

First of all, most people get confused about what BMR is. Your BMR is the amount of calories you burn if you do nothing else but lie around in bed and breathe. It doesn't take into account your regular daily activity, which would give you a higher number to MAINTAIN your current weight.

You don't want to subtract calories from your BMR, you want to subtract them from your maintenance calories.

You shouldn't be eating below about 1200 calories unless you're under the care of a doctor or professional. Even if you are feeling ok (and if you're eating more healthily, it's likely that you will be), it's really hard to get in the nutrients you need when you're eating so few calories. Also when you cut so drastically, you're increasing the amount of lean muscle you lose along with fat. And lean muscle is something you want to keep.

The idea behind cutting calories is to cut as few as possible to keep muscle mass and metabolism up, while cutting enough to lose weight steadily.
 
Oh okay thanks! Yeah I was confused about what the BMR was, the website that gave me the formula said that it was the minimum amount of calories your body uses for internal purposes, pretty much just keeping your body alive and functioning. And then it gave different formulas, and you pick the formula for your activity level and use your BMR in the formula, and then that number was supposed to be the number of calories your body burns everyday.

So it showed that my maintenance calories if I had little to no activity everyday would be 1,865. For light exercise it would be 2,137 calories, and for moderate exercise it would be 2,410 calories. I want to lose 2 pounds a week, so therefore I would have to have a daily calorie deficit of 1,000 calories. I would classify myself as light exercise, so my daily caloric intake would have to be about 1,100 calories. So I'll try to up my calorie intake to this level, which feels weird because you get into the mindset that less calories is best but learning that it can actually slow weight loss has caused me to try raising my calorie intake and see if that actually might speed it up a little bit! Thanks for the help!
 
christina01 said:
...which feels weird because you get into the mindset that less calories is best but learning that it can actually slow weight loss has caused me to try raising my calorie intake....
Click to expand...

Exactly!!! I'm actually struggling to consume enough calories - unfortunately Ive gotten into the the habit of surviving on a couple of coffees and some toast :)
 
nzindian said:
Hey,

Ive been doing a bit of research to kick-off my weight loss plan, so far Ive calculated the following for my daily energy usage and usage - I would appreciate if some of you guys could double-check my calculations to make sure they are correct:

Duration(minutes) Activity KiloJoules

15 Shower 155
60 Breakfast/TV 310
7 Walking to Lyall Bay bus 72
8 Standing waiting for bus 50
40 Sitting in Bus 206
5 Walking from bus to work 52
150 Sitting/Working 1393
10 Walking to New World 103
260 Sitting/Working 2415
10 Walking to New World 103
70 Sitting/Working 650
10 Walk to gym 103
90 Gym:
Weights - 30min 464
Treadmill - 10min 444
Cycling light - 10min 284
Rowing Mod - 10min 361
Stretching etc (walking) -15min 194
5 Getting changed 40
10 Walking to Bus 103
45 Sitting on bus 232
150 Watching TV 774
495 Sleeping 2299

Total Kilojoules Used: 10807

And the following kilojoule consumption:

Breakfast 1200
Subway(mid morning) 1527
Subway(mid afternoon) 1527
Coffee 150
Coffee 150
Protein Shake 1250
Dinner? 2000

Total Kilojoules consumed: 7804

So Im running a daily defect of: 3003

Is this correct?
Should I be using my Basal Metabolic Rate(10,934) somewhere in calculation?
If this deficit to big?

Cheers - thanks in advance for any help!
Click to expand...

In my opinion, you're getting waaaaay too detailed with everything.

Some people have already mentioned it, but everybody is different. Your body won't react to things as mine would, or his, or hers, etc. So, getting THIS detailed with your energy consumption/usage is just a complete waste of time, in my opinion.

Try to just focus on watching what you eat and try to exercise, at least a little bit, every single day. There's no need to dissect your daily routine like this. As long as you eat healthily and regularly exercise, you'll see the weight start to come off. Personally, I think that's what you need to focus on; not the math.
 
try running 45 mins in the am and 45 mins in the pm, before breakfast and 2 hrs or so after dinner, 35 mins of weights, for 5 days,.. man cardio is the keys
 
Can you help me Lizabell?

I am really having a hard time understanding what you are trying to say. Mostly because everyone seems to have a different opinion.

I need your help on how many cals. to take in everyday. I'm a 41 yr. old male. 210 pounds, 65 inches tall. I started a food log on Fitday.com a month ago and I have been eating around 1500 to 1600 cals. a day.
I workout with weights 3 times a week and I just bought a treadmill. I walk 30 mins. a day when I'm not hitting the weights. I have calculated my BMR 2 dozen times, but I still don't fully understand how many cals. I should be eating to lose 1 to 2 pounds a week. Most people are now telling me I am not eating enought cals. and that is why I haven't lost any weight yet. Please help. Thanks.
 
Hi Nolliabed,

I hope I can, :) I will try.

First off, asking a bunch of people their thoughts, you're gonna get different answers...even if those answers are generally saying the same thing overall. So, don't let that frustrate you. You (as well as us all) are here to learn. Make sure to take what you can from it all and figure what works best for you. We're all looking to lose weight, and some are better at it than others, but not everyone's "diet" or strategy is one size fits all.

Basically, what I wrote above was for the difference between two formulas: the BMR and Harris Benedict Equation. BMR calculates your basic metabolic needs and HBE calculates your maintenance calories.

BMR- This will give you the baseline amount of calories your body needs to function on a daily basis (this includes your basic bodily functions ie. living, breathing, digesting, growing, etc). If you were to go below this figure, you could understand how you'd be starving your body, right? These are just the basic calories you need for your body to do its thing day in and day out. Sure, it is possible to lose weight by eating so few calories, but it is mostly going to come from lean tissue- you don't want to lose this. Besides, if you continue to eat below this figure, your body will adapt to it and then where do you go from there? This is what most people are going through when they say their metabolism has slowed. It means that your body has adapted to surviving on only X amount of calories. For myself, I do not go below my BMR as much as I can help it.

HBE- When talking about maintenance calories, this equation comes into play. This helps you figure out (based on your activity level-- you notated that you lift 3xweek and walk 30min on the other days) how many calories you'd need to consume each day in order to maintain your weight at your current activity level (my perception is that you're currently "moderately" active). This already includes your BMR since that figure is used in the equation. What this means is that if you're exercising, let's say 5 days a week, your body would need additional calories above and beyond your BMR to fuel the level of activity you're performing.

So, you'll come out of these two equations with two numbers: BMR and HBE.

I used the BMR calculator on this site under "fitness calculators" and calculated your BMR based on the info you wrote: I got 1,921. This is your baseline caloric intake each day.

I also used the HBE calculator (I googled it) to find your maintenance level. I used "moderately active" for you--since you lift 3x and you do some walking, so the multiplier is 1.55 X your BMR-- and it gave me 2,978. This would be the number of calories you'd need to consume if you wanted to stay the same weight you are now and at the current activity level now (your 3x lifting and walking). This means, in theory, you could eat anywhere between 1921-2978 calories a day and not gain weight.

But, you don't want to maintain your current weight; you want to lose 1-2lbs a week. To do this, you'll need to drop 500-1000 calories a day off the HBE figure. That would mean you should eat between 2000 and 2400 calories a day. IMO, this is the window of calories you should be aiming for everyday to achieve your goal. For me, I stay within my figures daily while I'm trying to lose weight.

Again, this has been working for me. I don't meticulously count calories, I just figured out the foods I want to eat in my meal plan-- personally, I follow the food pyramid--so my focus is making sure i fill out the food groups. Understand, too, I cook 95% of our meals. For you, if you do not make your own meals, tracking calories may help you stay on track until you got the routine down. For me, if I start eating something I'm not familiar with calorie-wise, I look it up just so I know. The further along you get, the better you'll get at this. Just don't drive yourself crazy. Just stay within your 2000-2400 calorie window and you'll probably lose quite well.

Good luck!

Lizabell


P.S.- the Stickies around this site have been sooo helpful and have opened my eyes ALOT. I reread them often. I highly recommend :)
 
nolliabed said:
Most people are now telling me I am not eating enought cals. and that is why I haven't lost any weight yet. Please help. Thanks.
Click to expand...
I really doubt that. By that theory, anorexics and starving Africans should be overweight because they are not eating enough. It is true that your body will go into a starvation mode which will slow down, but not stop, the weight loss. I seriously doubt you are in a starvation mode without even having lost any weight.

More likely, you are underestimating your calorie intake, as most people do.
 
Lizabell said:
Hi Nolliabed,

I hope I can, :) I will try.

First off, asking a bunch of people their thoughts, you're gonna get different answers...even if those answers are generally saying the same thing overall. So, don't let that frustrate you. You (as well as us all) are here to learn. Make sure to take what you can from it all and figure what works best for you. We're all looking to lose weight, and some are better at it than others, but not everyone's "diet" or strategy is one size fits all.

Basically, what I wrote above was for the difference between two formulas: the BMR and Harris Benedict Equation. BMR calculates your basic metabolic needs and HBE calculates your maintenance calories.

BMR- This will give you the baseline amount of calories your body needs to function on a daily basis (this includes your basic bodily functions ie. living, breathing, digesting, growing, etc). If you were to go below this figure, you could understand how you'd be starving your body, right? These are just the basic calories you need for your body to do its thing day in and day out. Sure, it is possible to lose weight by eating so few calories, but it is mostly going to come from lean tissue- you don't want to lose this. Besides, if you continue to eat below this figure, your body will adapt to it and then where do you go from there? This is what most people are going through when they say their metabolism has slowed. It means that your body has adapted to surviving on only X amount of calories. For myself, I do not go below my BMR as much as I can help it.

HBE- When talking about maintenance calories, this equation comes into play. This helps you figure out (based on your activity level-- you notated that you lift 3xweek and walk 30min on the other days) how many calories you'd need to consume each day in order to maintain your weight at your current activity level (my perception is that you're currently "moderately" active). This already includes your BMR since that figure is used in the equation. What this means is that if you're exercising, let's say 5 days a week, your body would need additional calories above and beyond your BMR to fuel the level of activity you're performing.

So, you'll come out of these two equations with two numbers: BMR and HBE.

I used the BMR calculator on this site under "fitness calculators" and calculated your BMR based on the info you wrote: I got 1,921. This is your baseline caloric intake each day.

I also used the HBE calculator (I googled it) to find your maintenance level. I used "moderately active" for you--since you lift 3x and you do some walking, so the multiplier is 1.55 X your BMR-- and it gave me 2,978. This would be the number of calories you'd need to consume if you wanted to stay the same weight you are now and at the current activity level now (your 3x lifting and walking). This means, in theory, you could eat anywhere between 1921-2978 calories a day and not gain weight.

But, you don't want to maintain your current weight; you want to lose 1-2lbs a week. To do this, you'll need to drop 500-1000 calories a day off the HBE figure. That would mean you should eat between 2000 and 2400 calories a day. IMO, this is the window of calories you should be aiming for everyday to achieve your goal. For me, I stay within my figures daily while I'm trying to lose weight.

Again, this has been working for me. I don't meticulously count calories, I just figured out the foods I want to eat in my meal plan-- personally, I follow the food pyramid--so my focus is making sure i fill out the food groups. Understand, too, I cook 95% of our meals. For you, if you do not make your own meals, tracking calories may help you stay on track until you got the routine down. For me, if I start eating something I'm not familiar with calorie-wise, I look it up just so I know. The further along you get, the better you'll get at this. Just don't drive yourself crazy. Just stay within your 2000-2400 calorie window and you'll probably lose quite well.

Good luck!

Lizabell


P.S.- the Stickies around this site have been sooo helpful and have opened my eyes ALOT. I reread them often. I highly recommend :)
Click to expand...


Thank you SO much Lizabell. You have explained it in such a way that I really understand the concepts of it now. I do 100% of the cooking in my house and never eat out. I have bought a digital food scale and joined Fitday.com to follow how many cals. I eat. I know exactlly what goes in my body. What I could not figure out was how many cals. I needed to eat to lose weight, but at the same time have energy to work out and not feel dizzy and week during the day. You have been very helpful and I can't thank you enough. Have a wonderful day and I will keep you updated with my progress. :Angel_anim:
 
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