Need help with calories and exercise

So I am 9 months post op RNY. I have lost 102lbs and would like to lose another 40lbs before I think about doing plasitcs. Currently I eat around 1200 calories per day. At least 120 grams of protein. My exercise regiman consists of Krav maga classes twice per week for an hour, a fight conditioning class that is an hour and 15 minutes long. I also go to the gym 2-3 times per week and do 30-40 minutes on the elliptical and lift weights. The last time I spoke with my NUT she told me to increase my calories to 1200 and that I will need to increase it more to support my metabolism. I am just not sure how many calories I should increase my intake two. Any advice would be appreciated.

You should take this to the same nut you have been following in the past. It's real simple... Calories in VS calories out (or Burnt). Eat less burn more = weight loss... If you want to continue to lose, you will need to continue to have a caloric deficit. You need to find out what your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is, to give you an idea of what your body burns in the form of calories to keep your systems functioning properly. IMHO, 1200 sounds good if you are still trying to loose.

Also, think of it in these terms.... You need to have a 3500 caloric deficit to lose 1 pound of body fat....

IF your BMR is 1800

Your intake is 1200 Calories

You burn 500 Calories a day excercising

You would burn appx 2 pounds of body fat a week.

Keep in mind that you will probably build MUSCLE along the way, which weighs twice as much as fat, and while you may be burning fat, you may not be losing weight. DO NOT WORRY ABOUT A PLATEAU....

Thanks for the advice.

To add to that.... there are formulas online that can estimate your BMR. IME they tend to estimate it high for chronic dieters though. But they can get you in the ballpark.

To estimate your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) you would use the following formula:

(BMR * activity level) + exercise calories

To lose, subtract 500-1000 off that. (500 should give you a 1 lb. a week weight loss, 1000 should give you 2 lb. a week)

For your activity level, different sites give different descriptions and formulas. I like this one:

http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/harris-benedict-equation/

Some people include their exercise when they pick their activity level. If you do that, then you don't add your exercise calories to your daily total.

Hope that helps!

So my BMR is 1715.

Using the Harris Benedict equation, I would multiple my BMR x 1.55 because I am moderately active..??

That total would give me 2658 and in order to lose two pounds per week, I would subtract 1000...


Is this correct?

When you say you are moderately active, are you including exercise? If so, then that's correct.

Also, if you do this and over the course of a month, you don't lose 2 pounds a week, then probably your BMR isn't really 1715. So then you should adjust based on reality.