Confused

30more2go

There is SO much information out there, and most of it is conflicting. Some calorie calculators tell me to eat 1200 cals a day, some say more. I want to make sure I'm setting myself up for success- but clearly I have eaten too much in the past to get to where I am today. I have 40lbs to lose. I am 33, and go to the gym 4-5 days a week and do a mix of cardio and weight machines. I have a digital scale for my food & generally eat lots of chicken & veggies. I do eat some carbs but am a bit hesitant to eat a lot of them- but I'm not sure if that's right either. Any tips or advice is more than welcome and I thank you in advance for anything you share.

StaciMarie1974

You get different results because different sites use varying methods to arrive at a calorie goal.

MFP gives you a calorie goal based on your stated activity level & your desire to lose X pounds per week. If you put in a 2 pound per week goal, and you're female, you're almost certain to be assigned 1200 calories per day. You can always change to 1 pound per week, to get more calories. You also need to understand that the MFP activity level is based on your job, hobbies, lifestyle but does NOT consider exercise. If you exercise you can log it, and earn additional calories. Just be careful because it is easy to overestimate calorie burn.

Other sites factor in your regular activity AND exercise in giving you a calorie goal. If you use one of them, you would not eat more due to 'exercise calories'.

At best, its a guessing game to be honest. Pick a plan that seems like something you can sustain, and give it 4, 6, 8 weeks. Assess how you feel, how you're doing in the weight loss department, and then decide if changes are needed.

serindipte

Rather than use MFP's calculator, I went to tdeecalculator.net and used that to determine my TDEE. I then created my deficit from there. Take off 500/day for 1 lb a week, 1000/day for 2 lbs a week.

rybo

Pick a reasonable calorie intake level. Monitor weight for 4-6 weeks. If it goes up or holds, reduce intake. If you lose, great. If you lose too fast and are unable to maintain energy levels, eat more.

happysherri

Sometimes it's trial and error. I found that if I eat too many carbs later in the day I seem to go up in weight. However I still need carbs to fuel my workouts, so I've learned when and how much and which ones work for me. I've learned what training programs that my body responds too the best and which cardio that I get the most results from. For me I have to eat every couple of hours so I plan my day and meals out (and am lucky that my desk job allows for this many meals). I still play around with the my calorie intake - gaging it by how long I've been eating at this deficit, when to place my refeed day, if my macros need adjusted, etc... Everyone is different, it does take time but you can find what works for you Goodluck

Need2Exerc1se

There is a lot of conflicting opinions and advice because different things work for different people. You need to have a calorie deficit for weight loss. You need to exercise for fitness and health. Beyond that it mostly comes down to person preference unless you have a medical condition that affects weight/diet/activity (if so, consult your doctor).

You may nee to try several different methods of diet and exercise before finding the one that fits your personality and schedule. IMO the goal should be to make it as comfortable and enjoyable as possible. Because that's what makes it easier to stick with during weight loss and maintenance.

MrsDan1667

serindipte wrote: »

went to tdeecalculator.net and used that to determine my TDEE.... Take off 500/day for 1 lb a week, 1000/day for 2 lbs a week.

Need2Exerc1se wrote: »

There is a lot of conflicting opinions and advice because different things work for different people.

My TDEE is 1512 so I can't reduce by 500/day and definitely not 1000/day. I personally put my info in mfp and go by what it says, which is 1200 for me.

bisky4

use IIFYM and get a more accurate Macros for yourself. They will tell you exactly what you need to eat every day (your rest days will be exactly the same as your gym days).