Confusion on Calorie Calculator

[LoCo84]

I'm a 26 year old female 5'6 188 lbs and if you believe the "wrist" test, a small frame.

My highest weight was 240, so I've lost about 52 lbs, but I still have about 50 more pounds to go.As my boyfriend and I have both started power walking together, I've recently become more scientific in my weight loss approach and have started focusing on my macro nutrient's with a ratio of 15% carbs 35% fat and 50% Protein with a daily caloric total of 1300 calories. When I first got on bodybuilding.com I found the calorie calculator in "The Female Training Bible" and it says that I should consume a whopping 2820 calories a day! I'm confused b/c in nutrition class in college I estimated my Basal Metabolism to be around 1700 and my daily caloric needs at about 2400 to maintain, so I have been doing about a 1300-1500 calorie diet, Should I be upping my calories? Anytime I up my calorie over 1500 tho I seem to either not lose any weight or actually gain a pound or two, I power walk (heart rate to 130) 40 minutes 7 days a week, and have probably light daily active. I have not started a weight training program but am planning on adding that in this week, does this make a difference? Am I missing something in all this? lol Thanks in advance!

[erinlee01]

1300 is definitely too low for your height and weight. That said, 2800 seems way too high! I'd say 2400 sounds about right for maintenance with the walking you were doing AND if you add in weights.

When you up your calories, you will notice a slight weight increase as the body adjusts. If you stick with it for a while, you will even out and start losing again. The key is to not up it all at once, but to move up in small calorie increments.

Kim is more of an expert on this, so hopefully she will chime in.

I think once you add in weight training, you will notice a big difference when combined with the healthy diet. Best of luck to you!

[crouton]

The calorie calculators go by your body weight which they assume is a healthy weight. They don't come out with numbers that are realistic for people who are overweight, so the 2800 is definitely too high.

That said, 1300 is also too low. When you figured your basal metabolic rate, were you power walking? If not, you need to refigure it for your new lifestyle. And yes, weight training will help. Weight lifting creates an afterburn that continues to burn calories for at least an hour after you stop exercising, and some articles I read recently said that afterburn may even last 24 hours after you stop.

I would say start at 1500-1700 and stick with it for 4-6 weeks when you start your weight training program. See how you do. Then you can always drop it little by little, like 100 calories at a time, until you see how you do. But I think that once you add weight training and up your calories you will be surprised. I was in a plateau at 1500 calories, upped them to 1600, and started losing again.

Based on everything I've read, while doing a weight training program I would not go below 1500 calories. Your body will need the protein and the energy in order to keep up with the workouts.

[Adelaide.]

My story is very similar to yours. I'm 5'6'' and started at ~245. I'm also "small" going by the wrist test. Right now I'm around 142, with my lowest being 134. I hit 140 and then it took several weeks to sort out my maintenance cals before I stopped losing and started gaining again. When I did my calculations my BMR was in the 1700s I think, and I've found my maintenance to be around 2200-2300. I'm eating at 2300 right now, and I the scale has been holding pretty steady for the last few weeks. If I am gaining on 2300 it's very slowly.

For what it is worth, here is my advice. Aim for around 1900 cal/day, as you will need to lower as you continue to lose weight. Also, why that particular macro breakdown?

[LoCo84]

Thanks for the input girls. I picked these particular macro nutrients b/c I had previously been eating higher carbs with the same amount of calories, exercise, ect and not only didn't lose weight, but gained a pound. It was suggested to me since I have a strong family history of blood sugar problems (dad, sis, aunt have diabetes) that I may be insulin resistant and that eating a lower carb diet might help. After trying that, I've lost about 10 pounds over the course of the last month, which is much better progress without being overboard IMO.

Ade, thanks so much for posting, it's inspiring to see someone who was as big as I was reach a goal weight that is (IMO) relatively low. As long as I have actually been concerned and observant of my weight (6th grade) I've never been below about 155 and with all my family being big, I used to wonder if it was possible. Now I just realize it's about the mindset and I can be as big or as little as I want to be if I'm willing to put in the work. I do have a question for you tho. My arms,face and legs have all slimmed down, put my stomach seems as large and saggy as ever (lol! gross I know) I'm concerned that even when I reach my goal weight I will have a saggy little pouch there. Do you? Is there a way to get rid of this without surgery? I've already realized from other threads that I'm more than likely going to have to kiss my 36DD's goodbye, ha! 1 bad thing about losing I guess.

[Adelaide.]

You may not have to kiss them goodbye, I went from a 40DD to a 34D. Smaller yes, but still bigger than average. I do have some loose skin but it is hardly noticeable when I'm standing up. From the research I have done there really isn't anything you can do aside from either waiting and seeing how it does on its own, or surgery. I figured since I am pretty young (and thus have better skin elasticity) I would give it some time before I even considered surgery.

[kimm4]

I'm a 26 year old female 5'6 188 lbs and if you believe the "wrist" test, a small frame.

My highest weight was 240, so I've lost about 52 lbs, but I still have about 50 more pounds to go.As my boyfriend and I have both started power walking together, I've recently become more scientific in my weight loss approach and have started focusing on my macro nutrient's with a ratio of 15% carbs 35% fat and 50% Protein with a daily caloric total of 1300 calories. When I first got on bodybuilding.com I found the calorie calculator in "The Female Training Bible" and it says that I should consume a whopping 2820 calories a day! I'm confused b/c in nutrition class in college I estimated my Basal Metabolism to be around 1700 and my daily caloric needs at about 2400 to maintain, so I have been doing about a 1300-1500 calorie diet, Should I be upping my calories? Anytime I up my calorie over 1500 tho I seem to either not lose any weight or actually gain a pound or two, I power walk (heart rate to 130) 40 minutes 7 days a week, and have probably light daily active. I have not started a weight training program but am planning on adding that in this week, does this make a difference? Am I missing something in all this? lol Thanks in advance!

Anytime you increase calories there will always be an initial weight gain. It's water weight and you need to give you body a few weeks to adjust before everything levels off. You should be around 1800-1900 calories for steady fat loss. You def want a weight training program. The more muscle you have, combined with the right diet and you'll be able to lose more body fat.