1200 vs. 1800+ cal/day?

alysslyss7
alysslyss7 Posts: 53 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi all, I'm new here :)

So myfitnesspal calculation says I will need an intake of 1200 calories/day to lose weight. What I don't understand about the breakdown of "activity" is that on here it is states as how "active you are during the day" rather than the "level of activity" you do throughout the week (though it is mentioned later in the form). On most calculations, the section that is the former, is rather stated as working out 1-2x/wk, 3-4x/wk, and so on... So I suppose what I'm saying is, I don't understand how it calculated to 1200 calories.

Why I am wondering is because I just received the Insanity program today, and if it's calorie count weren't too off (say, 1300/1400) I wouldn't be so confused or questioning what to do. But it calculates my calorie intake at 1800+cal/day. To lose weight. That seems far too high to me, then again I haven't yet tried it out and seen the level of intensity it holds (though I am sure it's quite a bit).

Does anyone have thoughts or suggestions on what I should determine as my caloric intake? One or the other - somewhere in the middle? I've done calculations before and it usually lands me around 1400 cal/day..

Replies

  • Morgaath
    Morgaath Posts: 679 Member
    Read through this, and see if it explains things
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/912920-in-place-of-a-road-map-3-2013
  • spiritcentral
    spiritcentral Posts: 14 Member
    That threw me of inthe beginning. Here is what I learned- 1200 may be too low. calculate your BMR, and eat that as a minimum.
    Some sites quote the TDEE as the BMR which is wrong. You will find the BMR calculator under apps.
  • lisajsund
    lisajsund Posts: 366 Member
    The general activity it is asking for is what you would normally do doing the day without exercise. For example, if you work a desk job, you'd be sedentary or very light. If you worked a job that kept you moving, it could be moderate or heavy depending on the type of work you are doing. I'm also new to MFP, and I have stuck to a goal of losing one pound a week, making my calorie goal 1720 for my height and weight.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    you are comparing apples to oranges: Once you exercise and add it into MFP then you get to eat those cals so at the end of the week your total cals should be similar under either approach:

    As an example say MFP gives you 1450 calories to lose 1 lb/week, and you plan on exercising 5x/week for an average of 400 cals per workout. well MFP will tell you to eat 1450 on the days you don't workout and 1850 on the days you do whereas a "professional" may tell you to eat 1700 everyday regardless if you workout.

    So for the week MFP will have you eat 12,150 (1450*2+1850*5) whereas doing it the other way will have you eat 11,900 (1700*7) almost the same number of cals for the week (250 dif). The issue in not following MFP is if you don't workout the full 5 days or burn more or less than planned. If that is the case you may lose more or less than your goal, whereas MFP will have you lose your goal amount regardless how much you actually workout.

    What many MFPers do is take the low 1450 and not eat back exercise calories which is wrong, if you are not eating them back then your daily activity level should reflect the higher burn with would be covered in the 1700/day above.
  • Stronger_Diva
    Stronger_Diva Posts: 149 Member
    MFP pretty much tells everyone trying to lose weight to consume 1,200 calories per day. However, logging workouts will tack on more calories to consume through the day. In other words if you burn it you earn it. Insanity can burn major calories so it makes sense the program would suggest intake of about 1,800 calories per day.

    HTH :)
  • sakuragreenlily
    sakuragreenlily Posts: 334 Member
    Doesn't the Insanity meal plan also assume that you'll be doing the Insanity workout program? If so, it stands to reason that you'll need to be eating more.
  • alysslyss7
    alysslyss7 Posts: 53 Member
    Thank you all. Should I, then, Custom set my calorie intake instead?
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    What ever is easiest for you. 6 of one, half a dozen of the other
  • alysslyss7
    alysslyss7 Posts: 53 Member
    Yikes. It's going to be HARD to keep up with that 1800+, i.e. 5 meals at 300-400 each. Since it's just the first couple of days I still need to go pick up food to make meals, so I'm choosing meals that are still reasonably healthy yet keeping them at not too high of calories. Assuming the calories I just burned during my workout, I'm at a loss of how much to still eat today. 1200 is barely doable, let alone 1800. Part of my issue is staying up late and waking up around 10:30AM. And I don't want to eat past 8:30 or so, so fitting 5 meals in there is tough. I'll probably have to just start waking up earlier, and finally getting my sleep schedule in check.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    # of and meal timing is irrelevant, you can eat 1 big meal or 10 small snacks it comes down to calories and macros. If you have trouble eating that much I would suggest eating full fat products, no diet or lite versions, add peanut or other nut butters to your day, and even drink more calories, as they will not fill you up the same as eating solids

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