Upping my calories...

peggymdellinger

So, yeah... I've been reading a lot around here lately, and from other sources, about all of this BMR and TDEE business. Well, I'm going to up my calories from the 1,440 that MFP calculated for me (250 lbs, but down to 239 now, 5' 5", 32 yrs old, and wanted to lose 2 lbs per week, lightly active, working out 2 days per week). My average TDEE, based upon the data from 3 websites is 2550, subtract 30% b/c I want to lose 100 lbs, and I get 1,785 cals per day. I understand that this will change as my weight drops. Well, I'm not sure how to set that up on MFP, but if I change my weight loss goal to 1.5 lbs per week, MFP ups my intake to 1,690. Close enough???... or should I figure out how to change the cals, macros, etc... ??? Thanks in advance!

AmyRhubarb

You can custom set your calories and macros - go to your home page, then Goals> Change Goals> Custom and change the values.

And if you haven't seen this thread in your searching for TDEE info, give it a read - it has been very helpful for me, and what I used to set up my own TDEE and macro goals here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/974889-in-place-of-a-road-map-short-n-sweet

Good luck!

peggymdellinger

You can custom set your calories and macros - go to your home page, then Goals> Change Goals> Custom and change the values.

And if you haven't seen this thread in your searching for TDEE info, give it a read - it has been very helpful for me, and what I used to set up my own TDEE and macro goals here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/974889-in-place-of-a-road-map-short-n-sweet

Good luck!

Thanks! That's one of the posts that I used, along with a few others. If I change my calories to custom will MFP calculate the macros to go with the calories? That's where I'd be completely stumped.

Lleldiranne

MFP will calculate your macros to go with the custom calories.

It also allows you to customize your percentages for the macros. A lot of people want to set it for a higher amount of protein and lower carbs than the default.


Just keep in mind that, if you're doing TDEE - 30%, your exercise is already taken into account, so you DON'T eat back your exercise calories. (Which generally means you get close to the same amount as MFP would give eating back exercise calories, but some people still prefer TDEE - 20% or -30%, myself included )

peggymdellinger

Great! I was wondering about the exercise calories as well. Thank you so much!

BenchPressingCats

Another suggestion: you should either up your calories slowly (+100-200) per week or up them all at once and *do not* touch the scale for a little while. When you up your calories, you scale will freak out and give you numbers that are not true. It's best to give the process 6-10 weeks (probably closer to 10) for your body to adjust. You may lose right away, you may not.

You are supposed to recalculate your TDEE with every 10 lbs you lose, from what I read on a TDEE site.

peggymdellinger

I think I'm going to take it slow anyway. It's taken me over 6 weeks to get used to eating 1,440 calories, and you KNOW that most people think the less food they're eating while trying to lose weight the better. It'll take time to get my head wrapped around it anyway AND to figure out how to turn the veggies and fruit that I've added to my diet into 300 more calories per day. I'm thinking more legumes (beans, lentils, etc...).