Using online calorie calculators vs MFP

LotusCass

The calorie intake I get when I use MFP based on light activity and losing 0.5-1 lb a week is only 1300. When I go into online calculators to work out my TDEE and then calorie intake to lose 1 lb (I've done 8 different ones) the amount is 1450-1550. Some of these take a lot of different things into account, such as body fat %, more details on exercise etc. Why such a difference?

jemhh

MFP doesn't include exercise. You add it in daily rather than having it as part of your base goal.

As for other differences, they are all just estimates. Pick one and use it for a month and then adjust based on results.

beanz744

the above!

tsortsor

They are all just a guide

SeikoMonster

As stated calculators here or any other are just general guidelines. Some use different formulas to come up with an answer.
Use whatever guideline you desire for a month (seriously logging calories everyday) then do the math yourself to see where you work out to.
Calculators tell me I should be burning 3117-3456 per day. My actual burn rate is around 3600.

Important,this will not work in the first month or so of weight loss because of water weight etc.
Take number of pounds lost x 3500 / by number of days. Add that number to the number of calories per day.
So lets say you loose 8 pounds in 30 days and eat 1400 calories per day.
8 x 3500 = 28,000
28,000 / 30 = 933
933+1,400 = 2,333 calories per day.

cwolfman13

Most other calculators are TDEE calculators which include an estimate of your exercise in your activity level and thus accounted for in your calorie targets. MFP is a NEAT calculator which only takes into account your day to day in your activity level and exercise and thus calories to account for that exercise are logged after the fact.

Also, any of these calculators are just meant to be a reasonably good starting point...they use algorithms based on population statistics...they aren't gospel...you have to just go with it and make adjustments as needed.

LotusCass

SeikoMonster wrote: »

As stated calculators here or any other are just general guidelines.

Important,this will not work in the first month or so of weight loss because of water weight etc.
Take number of pounds lost x 3500 / by number of days. Add that number to the number of calories per day.
So lets say you loose 8 pounds in 30 days and eat 1400 calories per day.
8 x 3500 = 28,000
28,000 / 30 = 933
933+1,400 = 2,333 calories per day.

That's really interesting thanks for that! So I've been going just over a month. Should I wait another month just using MFP figures and then calculate?

SeikoMonster

The first month or so of weight loss is more rapid. So numbers based on that wont be accurate.
Depending on the amount of weight you want to lose a month is a good measure taking out a lot of variables in hydration levels/general body processes.

I use the math to spot check my activity level. I'm constantly changing my routine looking for what I like, and don't want to fall behind so 10-15 days I check and it is relatively accurate. But I have time periods where that would give me false results. Like I hit a week last month that I lost almost nothing, but the week after that I lost more than normal. Not changing anything at all. So a month time period seems to work better for accuracy.

The calculators are not going to be too far off, its more a matter of figuring out what activity level to set them at. Then making a small correction based on what numbers they give you.

BTW this is the calculator I like for its simple layout.
http://ratfactor.com/fat-loss-calculator

Congratulations on getting past the first month!

Francl27

Most TDEE calculators only take exercise into account... not general activity. MFP does the opposite (but you're supposed to eat back exercise calories).

Honestly you just find something, stick to it, then adjust as you go depending on how much you're losing (or not).