Need help figuring out how much to eat

DivaKom

Hi, I've been reading through the stickies and am getting a bit confused. MFP is telling me to eat 1200 calories a day (am only 5'2), however my bmr is 1400 calories using the Harris-Benedict formula. If I add that I have a sedentary lifestyle, I come to a TDEE of 1680 calories. Adding that I plan to do around 150 calories deficit through work out, the total is 1830 calories.

So my question: what to I eat?

option 1: 1350 calories (MFP+workout)
option 2: 1550 calories (bmr+workout)
option 3: 1400 (bmr)
or
option 4: 1330 (TDEE+workout-500 (for half a pound weight loss per week)

Option 1 and 4 work seem to be the same in my opinion.

The difference between the calorie intake does not seem great, but I think this is what really matters, right?

So how many calories do I have to eat?

Thanks for the help.

3dogsrunning

What is your weight loss goal and what weight loss per week goal did you choose from MFP?

Mokey41

Over BMR, under TDEE. You're only trying to lose 20lbs so choose 1 lb or less per week as your goal if you want to use a calculator.

DivaKom

Goal 1 is 20 lbs, I choose 1 lbs but MFP automatically calculates only 0.5 lbs loss per week. Thanks for the help

DivaKom

@Moneky41: So it's between 1400 and 1680 cals per day, right?

erickirb

Hi, I've been reading through the stickies and am getting a bit confused. MFP is telling me to eat 1200 calories a day (am only 5'2), however my bmr is 1400 calories using the Harris-Benedict formula. If I add that I have a sedentary lifestyle, I come to a TDEE of 1680 calories. Adding that I plan to do around 150 calories deficit through work out, the total is 1830 calories.

So my question: what to I eat?

option 1: 1350 calories (MFP+workout)
option 2: 1550 calories (bmr+workout)
option 3: 1400 (bmr)
or
option 4: 1330 (TDEE+workout-500 (for half a pound weight loss per week)

Option 1 and 4 work seem to be the same in my opinion.

The difference between the calorie intake does not seem great, but I think this is what really matters, right?

So how many calories do I have to eat?

Thanks for the help.

Option 4 would lead to the loss of 1 lb/week not 0.5. -250 would be for 0.5. So for 0.5 you would eat 1580 (1330+250)

Bekahmardis

Yep, over BMR, under TDEE. I'm close to your height and at maintenance, I typically eat around 1550 per day depending on my exercise levels. On days that I actually go out and exercise (gasp!) I burn around 1700 and eat most of that back.

If you're around 1400 or 1450, you should be good to go. If, after a couple weeks, you don't see anything happening, lower it a bit. *MY* BMR is only about 1250, but I also know what my body fat % is which makes a big difference in the calculators.

DebbieLyn63

What calorie level have you been eating at before you started restricting calories? That will give you a more accurate maintenance level than an online calculator. If you figure out roughly what that number is, then just subtract 300-500 calories from that number and see how you do. Adjust up or down as necessary.

DivaKom

sorry, messed up 0.5 lbs and 0.5 kgs (am European ;-))

3dogsrunning

sorry, messed up 0.5 lbs and 0.5 kgs (am European ;-))

Ok, I am confused now. Where did you mess up?

DivaKom

My mess up: Option 4 should be 1330 (TDEE+workout-500 (for POUND weight loss per week)) not half a pound as writing in to opening post.

DivaKom

Ok, have it figured out now: so I should be eating between 1400 and 1680 and if I do workout, eat those calories back. Thanks everyone for the help.