Calorie calculator help, please

Tatarataa

Hi,

I need help to calculate my calories, please. There is one method where you eat around 20%-25% of your TDEE for weight loss. I tried to calculate my TDEE online. However, the calorie estimates of the calculators online differ a lot for me and I am unsure what to use. I had a look at:

1)http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/
2)http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

Which calculator would you recommend? Or would you recommend eating 1200 (my BMR) plus half of my exercise calories (I heard eating all of them as recommended by MFP is too much especially as I do not have a HRM or so the sports calories are usually overcalculated...)?
I know I asked a bit about that already but I am quite confused....another method I heard of is just to eat the calories of your goal weight TDEE to lose (and maybe a bit less close to maintenance). I remember there was also a webpage to calculate that one...does anyone know it again, please?
And summing up what would you recommen? What are you doing? Note that I am also intending to cycle calories over the week/do a zig zag rotation/track over the week.

And finally: can I directly start with my calculated calorie goals or do I have to up calories slowly first?


Many thanks for any advice!

LKArgh

MFP is designed to eat a set number of calories and then eat your exercise calories back, I have found that this ends up on average being the same as what iifym calculator estimates. At least for me, being female and not overweight, scooby's calculator gives me an insane number of calories, way above maintenance.

malibu927

Your ticker says you only have 2kg to lose? If that's the case, don't go above a 10% deficit from TDEE (maybe even 5% since you're so close). I think more people recommend IIFYM's calculations over Scooby's, so go with that.

TimothyFish

I don't know where Scooby is getting his numbers, but his seems high for me. IIFYM may be a little low. Funny that MFP falls between the two (for me, anyway).

Tatarataa

Thank you, malibu! I am also not sure how much "down" my metabolism was from dieting before MFP (I only joined recently). So I thought I would have to start at a lower level and gradually add in order not to gain? On the other hand side I am a binge eater (argh just had 3 days of binges...) and therefore my metabolism got and gets a "kick" frequently...

kbaker001

They use two different equations for BMR. IIFYM uses the Mifflin-St Jeor (1990) model and the Scooby calculator that you posted the link to uses the Harris-Benedict equation form 1919. Scooby also has a calculator that lets you choose between the models: http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/

Tatarataa

Thank you very much!!