Accurate Calorie Intake

lilmiss_sunshine29

Hi there
I find the MFP calorie calculator generic this not convinced its tailored for me. I'd like help to accurately or near accurately calculate how much I should be consuming in order to lose weight without sending myself into starvation mode.

janejellyroll

What makes you think it is not right for you?

malibu927

Starvation mode isn't a thing. Log your food as accurately as possible, including using a food scale, for at least a month and if you aren't losing/don't lose as much as you think you should, then you'll need to change something. But for most people it's a good guess.

HeidiCooksSupper

If you want to calculate your own TDEE and deficit and enter the figures yourself (as I do), there are lots of calculators out there. The one I use is https://tdeecalculator.net/. Each one will come up with a slightly different figure. I used to do several of them and compute an average but now I just use the one and chose it because it has a nice plain screen that's easy to use.

Each of them is only an estimate. You cannot, without being in a very complex research environment, measure "exactly" your calorie consumption -- neither what you eat nor what you expend. Be happy with averages.

MegaMooseEsq

There is no such thing as starvation mode. If you don't get enough calories or nutrients you will suffer negative physical effects, but you won't stop losing weight unless you manage to starve to death. In order to figure out how many calories you need to be eating to lose weight, first figure out what your maintenance calories (aka TDEE) are - this is the amount of calories you burn on your average day, including exercise. Alternatively, you can work out your resting calories plus daily activities, then compensate for intentional exercise by eating more calories (this is how MFP's algorithm is set up). Once you know roughly the number of calories that is maintaining your current weight, you set a goal to eat less than that. One good recommendation is 20% less than your current maintenance. The amount of deficit you create will determine your rate of loss, but any deficit will lead to weight loss gradually. Good luck!

TeaBea

lilmiss_sunshine29 wrote: »

Hi there
I find the MFP calorie calculator generic this not convinced its tailored for me. I'd like help to accurately or near accurately calculate how much I should be consuming in order to lose weight without sending myself into starvation mode.

First of all starvation mode isn't really a thing: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/761810/the-starvation-mode-myth-again/p1

Second.....EVERYTHING is an estimate. MFP gives you a calorie goal before exercise AND based on your weekly weight loss goal. Other calculators may include exercise up front. Different methods......all estimates.

kimny72

Every calculator is an estimate. You learn the accurate number for you through trial and error. Start with a number and see what happens to your weight over 4-6 weeks and adjust from there.

Also, the number MFP gives you is without exercise. You are supposed to log your exercise and eat those calories back, so your actual goal will be higher.

If you use an outside tdee calculator, it will include your exercise already. So in a perfect world, MFP goal + exercise =TDEE goal.

rdix333

Starvation mode is the equivalent of saying you don't go camping for fear of running into bigfoot.

lilmiss_sunshine29

Thanks for your input. For those that say starvation mode isn't a thing good for you. When I eat what i think are too few calories e.g. 1500 for my current weight and desired loss per week, I find myself hungry more often. Hence I feel I am starving.

I do track daily and actually weigh my food but it seems I've currently hit a plateau. Yes I've changed my exercise to see if this would help but so far it doesn't seem to have.

They're estimated figures but as I have heard there are formulas to use in order to help calculate as near accurate as possible and that's all I was asking.

estherdragonbat

Okay, but that's not starvation mode. That's just being hungry.

sijomial

Your speed of weight loss over an extended period of time tells you all you need to know.

Any estimation can, and will be, undone by food and exercise logging inaccuracy. The most common issue seen when things aren't working as expected is either "user error" in logging or use of this tool, inappropriate rate of loss selected or unrealistic expectations rather than the goal estimate being wrong.
What you are seeking is unrealistic in the real world.

Hungry when in a calorie deficit is normal, the higher the deficit the more you are going to be hungry. Even the kind of exercise you do has an impact on hunger signals. Weights or intense cardio causes me far more hunger than low or moderate cardio for instance.

If you aren't getting the results you expect over an extended period of time then open your diary and give people as much info as possible. There's a helpful bunch of people on here who have experienced exactly what you are facing.

Orphia

How long has your "plateau" been?

What is your current weight and weight loss goal?

If you have less than 15 lbs to lose, you should only aim for a 0.5 lb loss per week, and this loss can also be hidden by fluctuations in glycogen, hormones, salt intake, and general water weight.