Opinions Please?

[dollface33]

I'll give you as much info as I can. I'm currently 5'7" and 180lbs at about 29% bodyfat. My goal for the time being is to lose 30 lbs. of that fat and I'd like to try and lose 1.5 lbs per week.

My lifestyle is that I have a desk job and walk around a little bit but don't do a whole lot else other than my exercise. I'm just starting out doing full body workouts 3x week (they last about an hr. each), cardio about 45 min. the other 3 days and 1 rest day. (The cardio really is just for extra calorie's burned to reach my goal.)

After reading the sticky, I came up with the following..
Using the simplest method, maintenance would be 2520 cals. (15x 180lbs.) using the moderate activity factor.

Using the Katch- McArdle method for BMR, I came up with 1622 cals for my BMR.
1622x 1.5 (moderately active)= maintenance cals are 2433.

Currently I'm eating 1600 cals/ day and I follow the sticky as far as how much protein, fat & carbs.
(I realize this may be too low, but I'm trying to figure out if I should go for 1700 cals or maybe 1800 cals and STILL be able to average about 1.5 lb/ week weight loss.) I don't feel that at my height and weight, that 1.5 lbs per week is asking too much.

Also, with a desk job and only really exercising the amount I mentioned, should I consider this sedentary or moderately active? If my maintenance really is about 2400 and I eat 1800 cals/ day and burn about 400 cals a day for 5 days each week, I should be able to lose about 1.7 lbs per week.

Basically, I'm curious about your opinions and I think mainly I'm trying to figure out what activity factor I should use, now that I've written all that down...

[bethtwenty4]

Trial and error. Be consistent with your diet for a month and see what happens.

[girl81]

I think that's a great plan. Good for you for getting healthy.


Small additional suggestions:

RE exercise: I would aim for 20min cardio post w/o.

RE diet: I would aim for all whole foods; at least 5 servings fruits and veggies daily, along with healthy fats, and wild/grassfed protein sources.

[Sawa3]

You have a desk job so you should put your activity lower. When I was about 180 I ate about 1700 for calories. I went in spurts with weight loss. Cardio is essential with weights to lose weight. Eat plenty of protein and fiber and you will feel fuller longer. Stay with it.. it may go slower than you want... but you can tweak your numbers then too. I hope this helps some.

[oregonchick76]

I'm pretty sure the 1.7 multiplier would be for someone who gets over an hour or two of physical activity every day. But the best thing to do is start high and work your way down from there. If you don't lose at the higher intake, you can start bringing it down to find the sweet spot. Better to lose at the highest level possible, so that when the weight loss stalls, you can make another adjustment.