How many calories should I really consume?

Sara__Beth

Hello everyone! I've just started using MyFitnessPal again after a long while and I've recently gotten my husband interested in using it as well. Whenever I had first joined I remembered seeing a post about how to accurately calculate how many calories you should consume, it was a little formula you had to do. Now I can't remember what it was called or how you do it, could anyone help me?

jemhh

There are a plethora of different calculators and formulas. All are going to be estimates. I suggest you fill out your MFP profile and see what calorie goal it gives you. If you follow it, you should log your exercises and eat at least a portion of the exercise calories in addition to your base goal. Many people find that starting out by eating 50% of exercise calories is a good method. Eat like that for 4 weeks and then look at your progress and adjust calories up or down if necessary.

ashliedelgado

That's the easiest way to do it, starting out. Be honest about your activity level though!

FarewellBlues

Agree with the above posters - all the formulas are rough estimates, figuring out your maintenance calorie level takes some trial and error.

But, the most commonly used estimation (and I think the one MFP uses) is the Mifflin - St. Jeor formula. You can google it, there are some alternatives as well but they give roughly the same estimate.