Caloric intake

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2009-02-19 7:17 AM

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Subject: Caloric intake

Hi,  Since I am new here and to the whole tri thing in general, I was hoping some of you might be able to help me out.  About a year ago I was workign out in the gym 2 hours a day.  About 1.5 hours was cardio and I did not see a difference in weight for about 4 months.  I was eating about 1000 calories a day at the time.  Once I started taking in more calories is when I was noticing the difference.

 Fast forward to now (6 mo away from the gym)...I am just getting back into the gym and have been going 5-6 days a week doing mostly cardio with a little weight training.  It has been about a month and I am not seeing a difference on the scale.  My cardio consists of .75 swim, 1 mi warmup on the treadmill @3.5mph and then 40 min on the elliptical @ 5.5 mph.  I am taking in about 1800 calories a day.  I just got a heart rate monitor but haven't used it yet on a full workout.  I know I burn a good 800+ calories in the workout.  So, my question is.........how many calories is too much OR too little? 



Edited by DolphinGirlMB 2009-02-19 7:20 AM

2009-02-19 9:44 AM
in reply to: #1969988

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Subject: RE: Caloric intake
DolphinGirlMB - 2009-02-19 5:17 AM

 Fast forward to now (6 mo away from the gym)...I am just getting back into the gym and have been going 5-6 days a week doing mostly cardio with a little weight training.  It has been about a month and I am not seeing a difference on the scale.  My cardio consists of .75 swim, 1 mi warmup on the treadmill @3.5mph and then 40 min on the elliptical @ 5.5 mph.  I am taking in about 1800 calories a day.  I just got a heart rate monitor but haven't used it yet on a full workout.  I know I burn a good 800+ calories in the workout.  So, my question is.........how many calories is too much OR too little? 

 

Are you sure of that?  HRM's are not very good at measuring caloric burn, and honestly, most gym/cardio equipment is not very good either.  40 minutes at 5.5 mph probably is only about 300-400 calories, depending on your weight, and the resistance/incline used.  The one mile at 3.5 mph is maybe another 100, and the swim is not all that much more, either.

 

Anyways, caloric intake is based on weight.  I probably take in 4000-5000 calories per day, but I am a muscular (5'11", 210 lbs, 12% BF) guy, and I burn more calories just breathing than a 100 lb woman does jogging at 4 mph.  (Ok, a bit of an exageration, but the point is that caloric intake/out-take is varies greatly depending on sex, weight, body makeup, etc...)  Muscle burns more calories than fat, pound for pound.  There are a number of good caloric computers online, try googling some and see what it gives you.

2009-02-19 10:01 AM
in reply to: #1969988

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Subject: RE: Caloric intake

I would agree you are overestimated your calories burned.

It is a very hard balance to figure out.  I don't see all calories are the same you need to eat healthy food...lean meat, fruits, and veggies and limit sugar, processed food and white stuff.

 

2009-02-19 10:51 AM
in reply to: #1969988

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Subject: RE: Caloric intake

Yes, In the gym I am only doing about 350-400 calories, but the pool portion is were I make it up with the 1400 mtr swim.  I am pretty sure that is good for another 400 calories.

 Sa for food intake.  I normally eat:

Breakfast: bowl of cherios w/banana

snack: banana/orange

lunch: grilled chicken wrap/lean cuisine/subway 6" chick terriaki sub

snack: yogert

5pm snack (before gym): quaker bar

Dinner: more cherios/grilled chicken

 

I did an online math calc and it says I should be eating about 2800 cal and I think that is too high.  I understand it is different for each person by sex, weight, etc.  I just thought it seemed high when I did the calculations.  I know the heart rate monitors are off on the calc...what would you say the percentage of error would be?

I just did an online calories burned and it says I am doing 1,662 cal swimming, walking and elliptical. (I dont agree with the elliptical cal, so I will cut that in half which brings me to 1100 cal burned)



Edited by DolphinGirlMB 2009-02-19 11:08 AM
2009-02-19 3:00 PM
in reply to: #1969988

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Subject: RE: Caloric intake
Try bumping down your calories and seeing what happens.  Or adding in more weight training and less cardio.  The more muscle you have, the greater calories you'll burn at rest.   After having 2 kids, I was a size 10 and dropped to a size 4 in 8 weeks.  And I've maintained it for a year and a half.  I did 70% weight training and 30% cardio.  And I ate 1200 calories/day of a high protein, lower carb diet.  NOTHING processed.  All clean foods.  The majority of people on this site will disagree with how low my calories were and my protein/carb ratio, which is fine.  That's what worked for me.  And it's really about finding out what will work for you.
2009-02-20 11:56 AM
in reply to: #1969988

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Subject: RE: Caloric intake
your calorie burn for 1400 meters (200+calories-unless you are in a dead sprint for the whole thing, then maybe more), 45 minutes on teh elip (350) and the mile on the treadmill (100) is probably closer to 650. Eliptical machines have lots of variables and can be way way off.

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