Do calories change on your birthday?
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cwolfman13 wrote: »Armywife04_21 wrote: »Hey guys, not sure if this question belongs here but it is worth a shot. I will be 29 in 2 days, I am also on maintance now (wooooooo), I was wondering if your allowed calories go down as you get older?
The difference in my BMR now at 43 vs 23 is an estimated 130ish calories...so in 20 years, my BMR has declined very slightly.
That's 130 kCal PER DAY! Or 47,450 kcal per year, 13.5 pounds of fat.2 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Armywife04_21 wrote: »Thanks guys lol. I just know that when you get older your calories decrease even slightly. When you go on any calculator this is why they ask your age, so I was wondering if MFP did the same once you are older. Kind of funny in a messed up way lol
It's because calculators average calories based on population data. Most people become progressively more sedentary as they age. If you stay active you can eat above average as you age.
Yes.
Population averages.
Population averages.
All calculators rely on population averages.
Sailrabbit - just to pick a popular calculator arbitrarily - says 20-year-old sedentary me could expect a TDEE of 1633, and 62-year-old sedentary me (current age) can expect 1381. Yikes, huh?
But actual me has an experientially-determined pre-exercise (NEAT) calorie requirement for maintenance in the 2100-2300 range, for a lifestyle that's sedentary outside of intentional exercise.
Population stats, as delivered by NEAT/TDEE calculators, are good for giving us a starting point when we begin to experientially determine our calorie needs.
Using population stats for any other n = 1 inferences? You're on shaky ground.
Stay strong, keep moving. Right now, your calorie needs 2 days after your birthday will be as different from 2 days before your birthday as you've experienced in any other recent +2/-2 day comparison.
29? Heh.
Happy birthday . . . and may you have many, many more happy birthdays to come!
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cwolfman13 wrote: »Armywife04_21 wrote: »Hey guys, not sure if this question belongs here but it is worth a shot. I will be 29 in 2 days, I am also on maintance now (wooooooo), I was wondering if your allowed calories go down as you get older?
The difference in my BMR now at 43 vs 23 is an estimated 130ish calories...so in 20 years, my BMR has declined very slightly.
That's 130 kCal PER DAY! Or 47,450 kcal per year, 13.5 pounds of fat.
That's how "bracket creep" happens ... ask me how I know 1 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »Armywife04_21 wrote: »Hey guys, not sure if this question belongs here but it is worth a shot. I will be 29 in 2 days, I am also on maintance now (wooooooo), I was wondering if your allowed calories go down as you get older?
The difference in my BMR now at 43 vs 23 is an estimated 130ish calories...so in 20 years, my BMR has declined very slightly.
That's 130 kCal PER DAY! Or 47,450 kcal per year, 13.5 pounds of fat.
And?
If you're monitoring your weight, it isn't an issue. Also, you can make up for it with activity. I'm 43 and active and eat around 3,000 calories per day. I think I'll be ok...
It's also over the course of 20 years...like 6.5 calories less per year...People obsess like mo-fos...
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Thank you so much guys and for those birthday wishes as well! A lot of great information here and that is why MFP is great, you learn something new everyday!1
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Yes, if you eat cake.0
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sunfastrose wrote: »I thought this was going to be a joke question about eating on your birthday. To the joke question - yes, on your birthday, nothing has calories. It's a special gift.
I think we might be related. That was my take on this, even down to your reply to the "joke question."
Happy Birthday, ArmyWife! By the way, my birthday is in 2 days as well. I'm not saying how old I will be, but I can assure you I will be taking advantage of that special gift from the calorie gods.2 -
Birthdays are good for you! People who live longer have more of them. It is scientifically proven!!!5
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cwolfman13 wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »Armywife04_21 wrote: »Hey guys, not sure if this question belongs here but it is worth a shot. I will be 29 in 2 days, I am also on maintance now (wooooooo), I was wondering if your allowed calories go down as you get older?
The difference in my BMR now at 43 vs 23 is an estimated 130ish calories...so in 20 years, my BMR has declined very slightly.
That's 130 kCal PER DAY! Or 47,450 kcal per year, 13.5 pounds of fat.
And?
And you act like 130 kCal per day is trivial, it isn't. Of course you can monitor your weight and adjust accordingly, that's what pretty much everyone on this site is trying to do. But those adjustments will include accounting for the 130 fewer calories per day spent on metabolism.
As far as your personal TDEE being 3000 kCal at 43, so what, I'm 48 and my maintenance is 3400.4 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »Armywife04_21 wrote: »Hey guys, not sure if this question belongs here but it is worth a shot. I will be 29 in 2 days, I am also on maintance now (wooooooo), I was wondering if your allowed calories go down as you get older?
The difference in my BMR now at 43 vs 23 is an estimated 130ish calories...so in 20 years, my BMR has declined very slightly.
That's 130 kCal PER DAY! Or 47,450 kcal per year, 13.5 pounds of fat.
And?
And you act like 130 kCal per day is trivial, it isn't. Of course you can monitor your weight and adjust accordingly, that's what pretty much everyone on this site is trying to do. But those adjustments will include accounting for the 130 fewer calories per day spent on metabolism.
As far as your personal TDEE being 3000 kCal at 43, so what, I'm 48 and my maintenance is 3400.
130 per day doesn't seem trivial to me either.1 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »Armywife04_21 wrote: »Hey guys, not sure if this question belongs here but it is worth a shot. I will be 29 in 2 days, I am also on maintance now (wooooooo), I was wondering if your allowed calories go down as you get older?
The difference in my BMR now at 43 vs 23 is an estimated 130ish calories...so in 20 years, my BMR has declined very slightly.
That's 130 kCal PER DAY! Or 47,450 kcal per year, 13.5 pounds of fat.
And?
And you act like 130 kCal per day is trivial, it isn't. Of course you can monitor your weight and adjust accordingly, that's what pretty much everyone on this site is trying to do. But those adjustments will include accounting for the 130 fewer calories per day spent on metabolism.
As far as your personal TDEE being 3000 kCal at 43, so what, I'm 48 and my maintenance is 3400.
Over 20 years it seems pretty trivial to me...it's like 3.5 miles on my bike a whole 20 years later...
Sorry, not sorry...I'm not going to obsess over something like that...it's *kitten* ridiculous...oh noes, I turned a year older and lost a whopping 6 calories...please!!! If it's even accurate...
Guess I'll do an extra 1/10th of a mile when I turn 44...SMFH3 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »Armywife04_21 wrote: »Hey guys, not sure if this question belongs here but it is worth a shot. I will be 29 in 2 days, I am also on maintance now (wooooooo), I was wondering if your allowed calories go down as you get older?
The difference in my BMR now at 43 vs 23 is an estimated 130ish calories...so in 20 years, my BMR has declined very slightly.
That's 130 kCal PER DAY! Or 47,450 kcal per year, 13.5 pounds of fat.
And?
And you act like 130 kCal per day is trivial, it isn't. Of course you can monitor your weight and adjust accordingly, that's what pretty much everyone on this site is trying to do. But those adjustments will include accounting for the 130 fewer calories per day spent on metabolism.
As far as your personal TDEE being 3000 kCal at 43, so what, I'm 48 and my maintenance is 3400.
130 per day doesn't seem trivial to me either.
The base matters. 130 is around 4.3% of 3000, probably within the range of estimating error for eating/exercise calories - no point in getting excited about it.
For a small woman with a TDEE more like 1500, it starts to be more meaningful . . . but IIRC it's still within the range of variation seen experimentally between fidgety people and nonfidgety people.
Even the theoretical 250 calorie TDEE difference for me now vs. age 20 ought to be (IMO) less "Caution! Caution!"/"Woe is me!" and more inspiration to stay strong and keep moving . . . as if we ought to need more motivation for that. (Staying out of assisted living as long as possible is pretty motivating, in my world.) 3 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »Armywife04_21 wrote: »Hey guys, not sure if this question belongs here but it is worth a shot. I will be 29 in 2 days, I am also on maintance now (wooooooo), I was wondering if your allowed calories go down as you get older?
The difference in my BMR now at 43 vs 23 is an estimated 130ish calories...so in 20 years, my BMR has declined very slightly.
That's 130 kCal PER DAY! Or 47,450 kcal per year, 13.5 pounds of fat.
And?
And you act like 130 kCal per day is trivial, it isn't. Of course you can monitor your weight and adjust accordingly, that's what pretty much everyone on this site is trying to do. But those adjustments will include accounting for the 130 fewer calories per day spent on metabolism.
As far as your personal TDEE being 3000 kCal at 43, so what, I'm 48 and my maintenance is 3400.
130 per day doesn't seem trivial to me either.
The base matters. 130 is around 4.3% of 3000, probably within the range of estimating error for eating/exercise calories - no point in getting excited about it.
For a small woman with a TDEE more like 1500, it starts to be more meaningful . . . but IIRC it's still within the range of variation seen experimentally between fidgety people and nonfidgety people.
Even the theoretical 250 calorie TDEE difference for me now vs. age 20 ought to be (IMO) less "Caution! Caution!"/"Woe is me!" and more inspiration to stay strong and keep moving . . . as if we ought to need more motivation for that. (Staying out of assisted living as long as possible is pretty motivating, in my world.)
Ditto.
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Wait ... I thought calories consumed on your birthday didn't count! 4
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This turned into a really funny post lol. I’m trying to put my mind on “birthday calories have no calories” haha2
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I lost 50 calories on my last birthday!1
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sunfastrose wrote: »I thought this was going to be a joke question about eating on your birthday. To the joke question - yes, on your birthday, nothing has calories. It's a special gift. I think we might be related. That was my take on this, even down to your reply to the "joke question."
Happy Birthday, ArmyWife! By the way, my birthday is in 2 days as well. I'm not saying how old I will be, but I can assure you I will be taking advantage of that special gift from the calorie gods.
My birthday is December 31. I get free calories day AND fireworks. 3 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »Armywife04_21 wrote: »Hey guys, not sure if this question belongs here but it is worth a shot. I will be 29 in 2 days, I am also on maintance now (wooooooo), I was wondering if your allowed calories go down as you get older?
The difference in my BMR now at 43 vs 23 is an estimated 130ish calories...so in 20 years, my BMR has declined very slightly.
That's 130 kCal PER DAY! Or 47,450 kcal per year, 13.5 pounds of fat.
And?
And you act like 130 kCal per day is trivial, it isn't. Of course you can monitor your weight and adjust accordingly, that's what pretty much everyone on this site is trying to do. But those adjustments will include accounting for the 130 fewer calories per day spent on metabolism.
As far as your personal TDEE being 3000 kCal at 43, so what, I'm 48 and my maintenance is 3400.
But this is the difference over 20 years, not from one day to the next. It's not as if you wake up one morning and your needs are 130 kcal lower than the day prior which could require some tweaking, but even still.... 130 kcal - a glass of wine, a small serving of ice cream, etc. make the adjustment, or add exercise, and move on.
If someone is just starting out at age 43 to try to lose weight, they should assess their current TDEE based on current stats, activity level, etc. trying to compare it to what they believed they consumed at age 23 (which is likely not going to be an accurate recollection) is not going to be very productive. There are a lot of things I did at age 23 which weren't particularly healthy or smart choices. It's far better to just focus on my current lifestyle and what my needs and priorities are, rather than comparing myself to the former college cheerleader whose diet to maintain 105 lbs was pretty much Zima and butter noodles.
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sunfastrose wrote: »sunfastrose wrote: »I thought this was going to be a joke question about eating on your birthday. To the joke question - yes, on your birthday, nothing has calories. It's a special gift. I think we might be related. That was my take on this, even down to your reply to the "joke question."
Happy Birthday, ArmyWife! By the way, my birthday is in 2 days as well. I'm not saying how old I will be, but I can assure you I will be taking advantage of that special gift from the calorie gods.
My birthday is December 31. I get free calories day AND fireworks.
Yes but everyone toasts when your birthday is over!1
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