Caloric intake

elizabethcook5
elizabethcook5 Posts: 39 Member
edited November 17 in Health and Weight Loss
How many calories is everyone taking in and how many are you burning off with exercise. I'm still confused on the whole calorie deficit thing. I want to make sure I'm working enough off to loose but I don't want to not eat enough I'm afraid of putting my body in starvation mode..Tips and help appreciated

Replies

  • lemonychild
    lemonychild Posts: 654 Member
    Put in your stats in MFP. Chose your desired weight loss goal per week. My excercise consists of low intensity cardio (walking) and weights...
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    You won't want to go by anyone else's -- why not start with what MFP recommends from you and then evaluate your results? That goal will be based on your starting point, your weight loss goal, and your daily activity (not counting exercise).

    With MFP's goal, exercise is optional for weight loss because it's designed to put you at a deficit without it. If you choose to do exercise, like many people do, you can eat back all (or some) of your exercise calories and still lose weight.

    So let's say you need 2,000 calories a day to maintain your weight(this is just an example). If you wanted to lose half a pound a week, your MFP goal would be 1,750. If you burned 100 calories through exercise, you could eat 1,850 and still be on track to lose that half pound per week.

    "Starvation mode" isn't really a thing you have to worry about. You want to eat enough to maintain your health and energy, but as long as you are in a deficit, you will lose weight. But why be hungrier than you have to?
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    edited April 2017
    What did MFP give you as a goal? Did you try imputing your info? Once you do that then that would be how much you eat. It includes your deficit. If you exercise you can eat more. Exercise for health. Calorie deficit for weight loss. Starvation mode is a myth so don't worry about that. You need to eat enough to get adequate nutrition but you're not gaining weight by eating too little.
  • happysherri
    happysherri Posts: 1,360 Member
    If you have your MFP set correctly you can eat back your exercise calories. However, calories burned is sometimes tricky because I feel MFP over exaggerates the estimates. You may have to do some trial and error and see what works for you.

    I currently have a non aggressive weight loss set for MFP - losing at a rate of 0.5 lbs a week and I am definitely sedentary outside of the gym. So, most of the days I do not eat back my calories burned. I follow a combo of strength training and cardo plan.

    Good luck and keep going
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  • inertiastrength
    inertiastrength Posts: 2,343 Member
    edited April 2017
    I seriously doubt I burn more than 50 calories lifting and I only do it 3x/week so I dont' even count it. I go by my step count and my observed TDEE seems to be about 2100-2300 and I eat 1450 daily and room for a little more on a weekend day (if I need) Your best bet is to use your own data once you have about a month under your belt.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    How many calories is everyone taking in and how many are you burning off with exercise. I'm still confused on the whole calorie deficit thing. I want to make sure I'm working enough off to loose but I don't want to not eat enough I'm afraid of putting my body in starvation mode..Tips and help appreciated

    Your body is burning calories 24/7. Even if you stayed in bed all day this is your basal metabolic rate (BMR). Add your activity level calories (related to your job) to that. Then IF you exercise you would burn even more calories.

    My Fitness Pal (MFP) doesn't assume you will exercise, so the calories they give you are BMR + activity. Then they remove calories based on your weekly weight loss goal. The lowest number MFP will default to is 1200.

    If/when you log exercise you earn more calories. Ideally this keeps the deficit you signed up for. However calorie burns are estimates so most people start by eating back a percentage (say 50%) and then tweak that number over time based on actual weight loss results.
  • WilliamAndersonLMHC
    WilliamAndersonLMHC Posts: 117 Member
    If you eat 2/3 of your burn rate at the weight you want to be, you'll lose weight in a satisfactory fashion and not trigger any starvation response that will reduce your metabolic rate. Use the calculator at calculator.net ( http://www.calculator.net/calorie-calculator.html ) to find your burn rate at the weight you want to be, the "you need---- to maintain" number.

  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    If you eat 2/3 of your burn rate at the weight you want to be, you'll lose weight in a satisfactory fashion and not trigger any starvation response that will reduce your metabolic rate. Use the calculator at calculator.net ( http://www.calculator.net/calorie-calculator.html ) to find your burn rate at the weight you want to be, the "you need---- to maintain" number.

    What? Not heard this one before.............

    2/3's of my maintenance (for my future goal) would be 1,022 calories (Scoobys) or 963 calorie per your website. MFP bottoms out at 1200 net calories for women for nutritional purposes. Not interest in intentional lean muscle mass loss.

    The one-size-fits-all approach isn't appropriate for everyone. I'm guessing this would be more appropriate for obese people.

    Starvation response? Is that like starvation mode?
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/761810/the-starvation-mode-myth-again/p1
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    If you eat 2/3 of your burn rate at the weight you want to be, you'll lose weight in a satisfactory fashion and not trigger any starvation response that will reduce your metabolic rate. Use the calculator at calculator.net ( http://www.calculator.net/calorie-calculator.html ) to find your burn rate at the weight you want to be, the "you need---- to maintain" number.

    FYI: This advice can result in calorie goals that are so low they should only be attempted under medical supervision. This advice would have me trying to survive on about 960 calories a day. Is there a typo somewhere in your post?
  • DamieBird
    DamieBird Posts: 651 Member
    If you eat 2/3 of your burn rate at the weight you want to be, you'll lose weight in a satisfactory fashion and not trigger any starvation response that will reduce your metabolic rate. Use the calculator at calculator.net ( http://www.calculator.net/calorie-calculator.html ) to find your burn rate at the weight you want to be, the "you need---- to maintain" number.

    The 2/3 here, set at moderately active is about the same as what MFP gives me at completely sedentary. It seems way off. There is no way that I could maintain my activity level at that caloric intake.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    If you eat 2/3 of your burn rate at the weight you want to be, you'll lose weight in a satisfactory fashion and not trigger any starvation response that will reduce your metabolic rate. Use the calculator at calculator.net ( http://www.calculator.net/calorie-calculator.html ) to find your burn rate at the weight you want to be, the "you need---- to maintain" number.

    this has me eating 960 calories... there has to be a typo in this post somewhere? If not, please explain in what context a person would be able to attempt doing such a method as this.

    This not only put me dangerously low in nutrition, its very unsafe advice for me as I predict it would be for many others.
  • WilliamAndersonLMHC
    WilliamAndersonLMHC Posts: 117 Member
    @RoxieDawn - What is your age, gender, height, desired weight and activity level?
  • WilliamAndersonLMHC
    WilliamAndersonLMHC Posts: 117 Member
    @TeaBea - Yes, this is for weight loss for people who are overweight. The caloric range you are talking about is very low. What is your age, gender, height, desired weight and activity level?
  • WilliamAndersonLMHC
    WilliamAndersonLMHC Posts: 117 Member
    @janejellyroll - The caloric range you are talking about is very low. What is your age, gender, height, desired weight and activity level?
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,140 Member
    If you eat 2/3 of your burn rate at the weight you want to be, you'll lose weight in a satisfactory fashion and not trigger any starvation response that will reduce your metabolic rate. Use the calculator at calculator.net ( http://www.calculator.net/calorie-calculator.html ) to find your burn rate at the weight you want to be, the "you need---- to maintain" number.

    Where are you getting the theory of 2/3 of daily burn from? That would put a lot of women on a VLCD, which is against MFP rules, and is totally unnecessary for weight loss.

    OP please listen to the advice given by @lemonychild and @janejellyroll. MFP will give you a safe calorie goal for weight loss.
  • WilliamAndersonLMHC
    WilliamAndersonLMHC Posts: 117 Member
    @DamieBird - The Mifflin-St. Jeor equation is the most accurate formula for estimate of energy usage. The only way to get a more accurate read is with direct or indirect calorimetry. Creation of caloric defeats is the only way to lose weight, by eating fewer calories than would fuel your activity.
  • WilliamAndersonLMHC
    WilliamAndersonLMHC Posts: 117 Member
    @tinkerbellang83 - I'd never advise anyone to consume fewer than and average of 1000 calories per day through the week, never fewer than 800 on any given day. And I advise everyone to work with their doctor and get regular check -ups. Most clients average 1000 to 1200 per day. Tiny sedentary women have it really difficult. Men are fortunate. For me, 2/3 is about 1700 calories.
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,140 Member
    edited May 2017
    I am by no means a tiny woman and the method you're advocating puts me at 1200 calories a day, which I have tried before and it's just not sustainable, like many others it results in a miserable binge-restrict cycle. I have been losing quite happily at a loss rate of 1lb per week at 1600 net per day for the last 6 months.

    Please don't over-complicate weight loss for new posters. MFP will set them at a sustainable deficit purely by entering their stats, based on their NEAT and their chosen weight loss rate. It will never give women a goal below 1200 because unless they are very short, thin or old, anything below that would require medical recommendation & supervision.
  • WilliamAndersonLMHC
    WilliamAndersonLMHC Posts: 117 Member
    Nothing succeeds like success. If you are doing well and happy with it, there is no need to change. I offer ideas with the best of intent for those who ask, and no one need to follow me if they don't want to. I advise everyone to work with their doctor and I've had marvelous results for 30 years, not one client without great improvements in their health, never a problem.
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,140 Member
    @WilliamAndersonLMHC Have you acquainted yourself with how the MyFitnessPal app works? I notice you have offered to give advice in the forums but have only been signed up to the site for a short time.
  • WilliamAndersonLMHC
    WilliamAndersonLMHC Posts: 117 Member
    edited May 2017
    @tinkerbellang83 - Many of my clients use myfitnesspal for calorie tracking. Some have looked at the app's other features but I don't think many have gotten too far looking at it. I admit I looked at it, but quickly lost patience. I'm happy with my success, am not very high-tech and my time is already pretty much filled. I volunteer one day a week a week at a clinic for the medically indigent and thought this would be another way I could be helpful to people. It might not be a good fit. I only want to check my email and notification from time to time to see if there is anything I should respond to.
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,140 Member
    @WilliamAndersonLMHC I appreciate that you want to help people but perhaps it would be better to understand the app and how it calculates calorie goals if you're going to give advice in the forum that is populated mostly by users of the app. https://myfitnesspal.desk.com/customer/portal/articles/410332-how-does-myfitnesspal-calculate-my-initial-goals-
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