BrendaElaine's Journal, 04 January 2018

Well done 🙂 

How many calories do you consume each day? I can’t get close to what the app is telling me to consume 

I don't actually take any notice of how many calories Fatsecret tells me to eat. I aim for under 1,200 calories a day. Seems to work. Likewise I don't take any notice of the calories it tells me I'm burning either - I can't exercise much at the moment anyway, so I'm just putting in how many hours I sleep - for my own record more than anything. Don't get me wrong, I love Fatsecret and the support from my friends/followers on here, and I meticulously weigh and measure everything to put in the food diary. That is the key to weight loss I think. After a while, you get to know what foods and amount of calories works for you. Sometimes, I go over 1,200 so I have to cut back for a few days - sometimes to as little as 900 calories, but that's OK. It's the average that matters. 

Thanks for your input. A friend told me to eat lots of protein and keep my calories up. Just have a hard time eating that much “healthy” food I totally feel stuffed. Fingers crossed 

Well the good thing is, if you feel stuffed, you won't have any room for all the unhealthy food 🙂. Keep going - you're doing well. You've lost just over 3 lbs in a month which is fine. 

What Doobrie says; it's not an exact science, and even if you log everything here (which taught me a LOT), your body is still the final judge of what works. On advice of trainer I've started consulting (remote bc she's not close enough to train with), I adjusted types of food and times I was eating over the last month, which brought my needed maintenance intake down from what it is on strict keto with short eating windows. Seems it's not an even path; like Doobrie's not being able to exercise much right now. 

Don’t eat the number of calories the app tells you to eat!!🙅🏻‍♀️ Those are your supposed maintenance calories!!! You will NOT lose on those unless you increase your exercise immensely! Google weight loss RDI calculator. I think there is a good explanation on Web MD and educate yourself about where you should place your recommended daily input of calories to start. For most sedentary females it is at 1200-1800 with it coming down as you lose weight if you stay sedentary. If you are active and exercising large muscles groups you can get away with eating more.🙋🏻‍♀️ 

I am new to the FatSecret app and I am so confused. The calories the app has given me for the day is not accurate? I won't lose weight if I follow really? I don't understand why it would do that . Please help. 

I have found the FS calculator to be more than a bit generous with calories in coming up with the RDI. 🤦🏻‍♀️ If you are expecting consistent and reasonable results look into it a bit more. Start with theirs, but educate yourself. I’ve seen a few people on the list mention that the calories the calculator set were way too high. 🙇🏻‍♀️ I know that it set mine 600 calories a day higher than my nutritionist and bariatric doctor wanted them. 🤷🏻‍♀️ I’m now increasing them as I’m adjusting to try to approach a lifetime of a lifestyle, but it is still something to be aware of. I just went and recalculated again and they come out for sedentary and losing weight to be at a level where I gain weight. So, it is still very individual. 💁🏻‍♀️Good luck! 

Lumpy2 - work it out as you go along. You could start with their calories, then if you don't lose weight, lower them. As Smprowett says - it depends on your activity level. Mine's sedentry, I'm 5ft 3ins - which also makes a difference, and I don't have many pounds to lose so I have to stick to under 1,200 calories a day. Aim to lose 1 to 2 lbs a week (you may lose more in the beginning). 

I’m 5’2”. Can’t figure out what I’m missing with this app. I do 4 exercise classes a week but not losing much weight 2 classes are Zumba and 2 are tone and stretch. Non stop for an hour each. This is depressing. Usually around 900-1000 calories. Don’t really care for “treats” so that is not my problem 

Are you weighing and measuring accurately everything that you eat and drink? Exercise doesn't really help a lot, I find. Worth doing but it's diet that has the most impact.