General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Do you think I'm in the right ballpark? (calorie needs for weight loss) Rss Feed  
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2009-07-09 8:03 AM

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Subject: Do you think I'm in the right ballpark? (calorie needs for weight loss)
Looking for a little guidance/input here.... I THINK I'm on the right track, but could use some reassurance/confirmation, or if I'm NOT on the right track - suggestions!

My current weight is about 155 (+/-). I would ultimately like to loose about 10 - 15 lbs.

I'm a 46 year old woman, just under 5' 9" (we'll call it 5' 8.5"). I'm pretty consistent with my tri training. MOST days I do 2 workouts a day, usually 1 in the am & 1 in the pm, and my weekly tri training is typically in the 7 - 10 hours per week range. It can vary a bit this time of year with the kids home from school, but that's what I shoot for. My workout logs on BT are pretty accurate, though I don't always record supplemental strenght training, which is fairly limited and incositent at this point (but something I would really like to incorporate more of.... working on that!). Most weeks, I do some kind of training pretty much every day - I tend to prefer "active recovery" to complete rest days, but sometimes life prevents a workout from taking place.

I'm trying to get a good handle on what my daily caloric needs are. I've looked at various calculators, etc. Daily Plate, if I set the default to very active, says somewhere around 2,400 calories per day to loose 1.5 lbs/week. FitDay, if I set the activity level to active, says I burn around 2,800 calories per day (that's without adding any extra activities in). These seem like somewhat general estimates of caloric expenditure based on activity level - I mean, to one person, extremely active might mean one three mile run 5 days/week, to another, it could mean 3 hours of exercise/day!

Anyway, I'm currently using FitDay to track calories consumed, and trying to stick to around 2,000 - 2,300 calories per day. My diet is pretty clean, with very little processed food of any kind. If anyone cares to look, you can see my FitDay Journal here: http://www.fitday.com/fitness/PublicJournals.html?Owner=jsnowash(though prior to this week, not all entries are complete, so ignore those days that look like something like 1,500 or 1,700 calories total....). I eat pretty much all day long - LOL! But small portions and pretty healthy stuff... It seems like my diet is breaking down to generally something like 50 - 60% carbs, 25 - 30% protein, the rest fat (mostly what is naturally in the foods I eat, plus a little cooking oil or dressing of some sort here and there).

Does this seem like a good target for calories per day based on my profile (age, gender, height, weight, and activity level) to achieve my weight loss goals?

Also, do most of you keep your calories per day pretty consistent on days when you are more active vs. less active? It seems if I try to restrict my calories more on my less active days I am famished. I figure if I keep the calories pretty consistent, as long as my weekly activity is at about the same level, it will all sort of balance out....

Sorry this got so long, but thanks for any advice you can offer!


2009-07-09 12:18 PM
in reply to: #2272309

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2009-07-09 1:06 PM
in reply to: #2272309

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Subject: RE: Do you think I'm in the right ballpark? (calorie needs for weight loss)

I always set up each day differently since it keeps you from chewing your hand off the day after a huge workout.

Don't set up the activity level on there, individually add your activities and shoot for 500 below that. 

Some days it'll be 2000, some days 2500.  If you only eat 2300 on a big workout day, you'll suffer until you get a rest day as fatigue can accumulate faster while dieting. 

2009-07-09 3:41 PM
in reply to: #2272309

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Subject: RE: Do you think I'm in the right ballpark? (calorie needs for weight loss)
At 2 work out a day, start with 2300 kcal for couple weeks. Your protein intake should be 1 grm per 1 lb lbm, 10-15% of fat (healthy fats of course), and fill up the remaining with complex carbs like sweet potato and yam.

Measure your self again after 2 weeks and see how much you lost. Do not loose more than 2 lb a week, most of that weight is muscle!

I measure my workout to around 500 kcal per session, so if I have 2 sessions in a day I just add 1000 kcal from my BMR.
2009-07-09 5:30 PM
in reply to: #2273346

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Subject: RE: Do you think I'm in the right ballpark? (calorie needs for weight loss)
wgraves7582 - 2009-07-09 1:18 PM

FWIW - By your avatar picture I would not worry about the 10-15lbs - you look great!



wellll.... aren't you sweet!?! Just let me say this... 1) that picture was taken a couple years ago - I'm up a little in weight from when it was taken; 2) it's far away and grainy - BELIEVE ME I could show you some MUCH less flattering race photos!!! and 3) 15 lbs would probably be a little over-kill, but 10 - 12 would make me very happy (and hopefully FASTER)

Thanks, everyone for your feedback! Very helpful!!!!
2009-07-13 5:49 AM
in reply to: #2274430

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Subject: RE: Do you think I'm in the right ballpark? (calorie needs for weight loss)
jsnowash - 2009-07-09 5:30 PM
wgraves7582 - 2009-07-09 1:18 PM  it's far away and grainy - BELIEVE ME I could show you some MUCH less flattering race photos!!!!


I am so tempted to get into my work out clothes and have a picture taken of me running...do this each month so I can see how I look. I am probably not nearly as fat as I feel and the scale shows (most people cannot believe I weigh as much as I do).

Re: FitDay....I wouldn't put to much stock into that. I used it for 6 months last year and it consistantly over estimates the calories you take in and underestimates the calories burned. FWIW.


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General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Do you think I'm in the right ballpark? (calorie needs for weight loss) Rss Feed