Maintenance calorie help needed please

Gska17

Yup, one of those threads so thank you in advance!

I'm 5'8 on a good day, 132 pounds, and I think I'm ready to begin experimenting with maintenance. Someone a while ago suggested I bump from 1,300 calories to 1,520 which I've done for two weeks. Now I'm wondering if that's too much. I just checked the SailRabbit BMR calculator and came up with 1,309 TDEE. Scobby says 1,652. Should I just play around between the two and see what works? By the way I have a desk job and am training for a 10K.

Thanks.

cwolfman13

if you're training for a 10K, you aren't sedentary...most people, even if they have a desk job aren't sedentary...there's no way in hell your TDEE is 1309...that's probably your BMR which is the calories you "burn" merely existing. Your TDEE includes your TOTAL energy expenditure...which is going to include your BMR + daily hum drum + exercise.

My wife is 5'2" and has a TDEE (maintenance) approaching 2,300 calories per day.

SuggaD

1520 is way low. I'm 5'6, 120-124, have a desk job, but am always training for something and at 1520, I'd literally starve. 2200 for me is like starving. I'm happy at 2600-3500.

Gska17

Ugh, sorry. You're right...BMR of 1,383, TDEE of 1,660. I get them mixed up.

cwolfman13

Gska17 wrote: »

Ugh, sorry. You're right...BMR of 1,383, TDEE of 1,660. I get them mixed up.

I think you are putting "sedentary" as your activity level...set your activity level appropriately...I can 99.9% guarantee that 1,660 is too low given your height. Hell, the average female maintains on roughly 1,800 - 2,000 calories per day with minimal deliberate exercise.

Don't be scared to put in actual, accurate information...garbage in, garbage out.

Gska17

"Slightly active" puts me a 1,902. That sounds like a really fun number!

(I'm not going balls out. Right now I run 3 days per week, 5K each at most.)

cwolfman13

Gska17 wrote: »

"Slightly active" puts me a 1,902. That sounds like a really fun number!

(I'm not going balls out. Right now I run 3 days per week, 5K each at most.)

that's probably closer to right. you also have to consider that even though you have a desk job, you probably do other stuff right? I have a desk job and even without exercise I'm light active...I have two kids to chase around, cleaning to do, things need fixed around the house, yard work, etc...I might sit most of the day at the office, but I'm still up and moving and doing stuff for another 4-5 hours of my day. You have to take all of that into account.

Beyond that, these calculators are just good starting points...they aren't gospel, and in reality, you don't have a TDEE of exactly whatever calories...your TDEE is going to fluctuate day to day and will ultimately be a range of calorie intake. People get way too wrapped up in it being some exact number and it's just not. Your weight is also going to fluctuate...your body weight isn't static. I currently weigh about 184ish as an average trend...but I fluctuate anywhere from 182 - 186 any given day.

Gska17

I appreciate everyone's input!

nxd10

If the MFP calculator is working for you, I'd use that. Put in your current stats. Say you don't want to gain or lose. Log your food and exercise. Viola! If you are losing, up your activity level. If you are gaining, drop it.

StaciMarie1974

Try the 'TDEE' of 1660, which will be a step-up from the 1520 you've done for the past 2 weeks. Then after 2-3 weeks, considering bumping it up more. 1900-2000 is probably about right on your normal days, higher on your training days.

TimothyFish

1660 is fine for a starting point, but watch your weight and if you are losing weight you definitely need to eat more. You can keep increasing your calorie intake every few weeks until you start to see a weight increase. At that point, you would need to back off on the calorie intake. At some point, you'll find a calorie intake that results in no weight gain or loss, or at least, it takes several weeks before you see a significant change on the bathroom scale.