I've been counting calories for 3 months now and have been losing weight as a result of keeping my calories at 1428 and going to the gym 3 times a week (2 days of running 3.1 miles + lifting and 1 visit of running 60 minutes straight).
a couple weeks ago i bought a bodymedia fit as an aid to find out approximately how much I am burning. It didn't really change my plan as i stuck to my 1428 calorie and usual workout plans but I have felt like being more active and have started jillian michaels ripped in 30/ dancing with my kinect on my off gym days.
I'm getting antsy to lose a little faster than 6 lbs a month which is what i've been averaging so far.
I do not want to cut my calories any more as I know I would not be able to stick to eating less and calculated that if i continue to burn more through exercise that I should theoretically get to about an 8 lb a month loss, which would be ideal.
is this true? could I burn more through exercise and expect a faster loss?
Theoretically, it's possible. In reality, though, it doesn't always work out that neatly. Some studies have shown that when we add more exercise, we inadvertently move less throughout the day---our body's way of compensating, I guess. Also, some people get hungrier when they exercise more, and if you're one of those people, it could be more difficult to stick to your calorie allotment.
However, since you have the BodyBugg & can see how much you're burning, you might be able to avoid the first problem. Also, you may not be the type of person who gets hungrier with more exercise, so perhaps that won't be a problem. It's worth giving it a shot. You have nothing to lose but weight
I exercise about an hour a day, mostly moderate cardio with 2 sessions of weight lifting a week. It brings my net calories to 800-1000/day and I've been losing an average of 2 pounds a week for almost 6 months.
You're closer to your goal, though, so it's going to be harder for you. But like lin43 said, it's worth a shot. For me, the benefits of exercise extend beyond weight loss.
I'm just going to say 6lbs a month is awesome, as JohnP said. And moving more is always a good idea. I agree with ennay: regularly exercising does stabilize hormones and keep me occupied, and thus makes me less hungry with the "fake hunger".
You guys all make very good points. I think that I am going to try to up my activity (but not kill myself over it) and not really expect a faster loss. if it comes, great, if not, at least I am challenging myself activity wise.
why the rush? I am impatient and also am dealing with some personal problems and channeling my anxiety into weight loss.
I also agree, I've had the exact same feelings of channeling anxiety into weight loss. You're doing great though, and I hope things get better for you soon!