Fitday - calorie count questions

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-21-2005
Fitday - calorie count questions
10
Wed, 07-11-2007 - 8:19am

Good morning,

Well I started using Fitday again yesterday to keep track of my calories burned and taken in.
I’m not really sure how to calculate what kind of calories I should be taking in though. Obviously it works with how much you exercise…but exactly how much? I do exercise quite a bit, always have. I change my routines often and do a good bit of cardio along with weight lifting.

I’m posting in the iJournal section so you can see what I do, but in the meantime does anyone know the best way to figure out a way to calculate your calories required to keep fit yet lose 2 lbs a week?

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-04-2003
Wed, 07-11-2007 - 1:17pm

Hi Jessica!


If you want to lose 2 pounds per week you have to create a calorie deficit of 7,000 calories per week. Which means you have to take in 1,000 calories less than you burn every day for a week.


Each pound is equal to 3,500 calories. So look at what you normally burn (in the section on Fitday) and aim for 1,000 lower than that. Or aim for between 500, and 1,000 to lose 1 to 2 pounds.


Does that make sense?


iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Wed, 07-11-2007 - 1:31pm

Here's a link where you can figure out your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate

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iVillage Member
Registered: 12-21-2005
Wed, 07-11-2007 - 1:47pm
I do understand the 3500 calories out system but i'm still not sure what my starting point should be. You mentioned there's a spot to help me out in Fitday...do you know where it is offhand?
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Wed, 07-11-2007 - 4:43pm
Hey Jessica- did you check out the link I posted? When you do the calculations there it will tell you how many cals you should be taking in, and then you can figure out how many you want/need to decrease that by for weight loss.






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iVillage Member
Registered: 12-04-2003
Wed, 07-11-2007 - 10:10pm

Hi jessica, IG posted a great link to tell you your basal metabolic rate. When you are in Fitday, you can also hit "Home" and put in your height, weight, and activity level. Then when you are on the "activity" tab it will show you how many calories you burn doing nothing, and how many more you burn with your activities and lifestyle.





June 11 – July 16

The WeatherPixie
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-12-2001
Wed, 07-11-2007 - 11:55pm
I


iVillage Member
Registered: 12-21-2005
Thu, 07-12-2007 - 7:48am
One more little question - how is the 'moderatly active/very active' determined? I am at an office all day and spend most of the day at my desk however I do walk througout the day, take the stairs every opportunity I get. At home, I garden, walk the dog - stuff like that. I do exercise 5-6 days a week, regularly would that make me 'very active' or the exercise doesn't really count?
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Thu, 07-12-2007 - 11:24am

Ok...I think this is how it's set up Jessica-


Go to the 'HOME' page when you've signed in.


Fill in your height and age- this works out your BMR (This is your 'BASAL')


Fill in your activity level (basic every day- ie. for me I did standing work, as I'm a teacher and not the kind who is sitting at her desk all day)- depending on how active you think you are on a normal day, not including exercise, is what you'd click on. (This is your 'LIFESTYLE')


Then in the 'ACTIVITY' tab you'd click on your exercise for the day, editing distance and minutes (This is your 'ACTIVITY')


Then you will see your results for the day. Here's an example from mine- with a 30minute (2 mile)

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iVillage Member
Registered: 12-04-2003
Thu, 07-12-2007 - 11:32am

I have some problems with that as well. I figure that I'm "Seated Work". That way any extra exercise I do I input into the activity page. ALSO I figure I'm better off underestimating how many calories I burn rather than over estimating.

Generally I do take stairs, walk around a bit, and am not totally sedentary, but by putting in seated work (which is mostly what I do for 7 hours a day) then any major walking or exercise I do I put in separately.





June 11 – July 16

The WeatherPixie
Last week I exercised for 535 minutes!
iVillage Member
Registered: 05-07-2003
Fri, 07-13-2007 - 8:05am
Mathematically speaking, you would need to burn/cut 7000 calories a week or a 1000 calories a day; You can either cut 500 calories and burn the other 500.