How Many Calories... What's the Magic Number??

klhain

Hi:-) I was wondering how to determine how many calories to eat. Do you watch your protein and carbs too or just calories in vs calories out? I know that there are many calorie calculators out there that will give you a number, but I'm just curious about how YOU do it. I've tried every range from 1200-1679....

malibu927

Enter your stats into MFP, eat what it says while logging everything accurately (including using a food scale, if need be) plus half of your exercise calories. Once you have that down, then determine a good macro ratio for your diet. CICO is for weight loss, macros are for nutrition.

Tubbs216

How many calories does MFP tell you to eat? It sets automatically to 50% carbs, 30% fat and 20% protein I believe (or maybe 20F, 30P, not sure), but you can tweak those if you want to. I wouldn't worry about these macros to start with, just concentrate on meeting your calorie goal and work on the macros as you get more confident with your eating.

If you're struggling to lose, the question will be asked: Do you use a food scale. This is the major reason why people don't lose as expected - because they are underestimating how much they are eating.

Laurend224

I'm using the calculation that MFP gave me. It's working.

ETA: I play around with my rate of loss a bit. I will switch it up and down depending on how I am feeling, and leave it there for a while.

Machka9

I enter my info into MFP (that's what it is here for), set my goal to 0.5 kg per week, and let MFP decide how many calories I needed to consume.

I also let MFP set my nutrients, although I only give them a cursory glance. My main focus is calories in < calories out.

lemurcat12

I started at 1250 but ate back exercise calories (once I realized that's how it worked). Then I moved to 1400 and ate back some exercise calories. Then I moved to TDEE method and did around 1600. Now I'm at 1850, which I think would be a small loss (I have 5 lbs to go) if I could manage to comply with it, but I'm not that motivated at present and have been eating at maintenance.

When I started and had fewer calories I did 35% protein and fat, 30% carbs, because that's how I'd been eating before starting MFP (I realized that after I started logging--I lost 20 lbs pre MFP). After I started raising my calorie level I switched to 40% carbs, 30% protein and fat, which I like and feel good on, although I don't worry much if it's not perfect every day.

I'd play around with the macros if you feel hungry or low energy, but it's really pretty individual.

Liftng4Lis

Did you input your information into MFP yet?