Daily calories

jaycam1989

Hello!

So i downloaded another app that i used in the past to count my calories. I wont name it here, but the issue is the difference between calories here and on the other app.

With the same weight & goals i am allowed 1880 cals on fitness pal but the other app suggests 2370 cals for the same goals etc.

I double checked every of my info i entered to make sure they were identical on both apps.

I am really wondering which app is right. I do a good job with 1880 cals but i am having a hard time fitting in all of my proteins by the end of the day without running out of cals from fats carbs etc, even when eating only 100g of carbs. This makes me wonder if i should do 2370 of 1880 cals but i am afraid to stop my progress by increasing my daily intake.

Any advice?

I am 28 yr old, 176 pounds, muscular build, lightly active (job is not physically demanding, i work out 4-5 times a week, cardio and strenght). My goal is to lose more fat.

cmriverside

This site doesn't use TDEE to give you calories, it uses NEAT.

That accounts for the difference. This site expects you to add purposeful exercise to the Exercise tab and eat more to offset that additional work. TDEE calculators figure your exercise into their calculations.

Here: https://myfitnesspal.desk.com/customer/en/portal/articles/410332-how-does-myfitnesspal-calculate-my-initial-goals-

jaycam1989

cmriverside wrote: »

This site doesn't use TDEE to give you calories, it uses NEAT.

That accounts for the difference. This site expects you to add purposeful exercise to the Exercise tab and eat more to offset that additional work. TDEE calculators figure your exercise into their calculations.

Here: https://myfitnesspal.desk.com/customer/en/portal/articles/410332-how-does-myfitnesspal-calculate-my-initial-goals-

Thanks for the quick reply. Makes total sense now.

Should i eat exercise calories back or if i dont feel i need them just leave them? If i eat them would i slow down my progress?

erickirb

cmriverside wrote: »

This site doesn't use TDEE to give you calories, it uses NEAT.

That accounts for the difference. This site expects you to add purposeful exercise to the Exercise tab and eat more to offset that additional work. TDEE calculators figure your exercise into their calculations.

Here: https://myfitnesspal.desk.com/customer/en/portal/articles/410332-how-does-myfitnesspal-calculate-my-initial-goals-

I assume this is the difference, or the other site put you at a 500 cal/day deficit and with MFP you picked 2 lbs/week (500 cals/day more)

jflongo

jaycam1989 wrote: »

cmriverside wrote: »

This site doesn't use TDEE to give you calories, it uses NEAT.

That accounts for the difference. This site expects you to add purposeful exercise to the Exercise tab and eat more to offset that additional work. TDEE calculators figure your exercise into their calculations.

Here: https://myfitnesspal.desk.com/customer/en/portal/articles/410332-how-does-myfitnesspal-calculate-my-initial-goals-

Thanks for the quick reply. Makes total sense now.

Should i eat exercise calories back or if i dont feel i need them just leave them? If i eat them would i slow down my progress?

Personally this is what I do. For example, today is a rest day for me, so I just eat the recommended amount, and try and hit my macros. Other days when I do heavy lifting, I usually eat around an additional 200 - 300 calories.

I have my settings to lose 0.5lbs / week.

Depends on what you are trying to do.

erickirb

jaycam1989 wrote: »

cmriverside wrote: »

This site doesn't use TDEE to give you calories, it uses NEAT.

That accounts for the difference. This site expects you to add purposeful exercise to the Exercise tab and eat more to offset that additional work. TDEE calculators figure your exercise into their calculations.

Here: https://myfitnesspal.desk.com/customer/en/portal/articles/410332-how-does-myfitnesspal-calculate-my-initial-goals-

Thanks for the quick reply. Makes total sense now.

Should i eat exercise calories back or if i dont feel i need them just leave them? If i eat them would i slow down my progress?

Yes eat them, or at least a good portion of them, as you don't want your deficit too large or you risk a larger % of your loss coming from muscle, issues with recovery and energy levels

jaycam1989

Thanks for your replies. I will find my "sweet spot" with the exercise calories and see what works the best for me without affecting my recovery and energy levels.

cwolfman13

Could be one of a few things...

As mentioned, this site uses NEAT where exercise is not rolled up into your activity level and is accounted for after the fact. When you use a TDEE calculator exercise is factored into your overall activity level and thus you get a higher calorie target to begin with.

It could also be the rate of loss chosen. MFP lets you pick one or two pounds or whatever...TDEE calculators usually recommend a % cut from TDEE which may or may not jive exactly with a 500 or 1000 calorie deficit.

Ultimately, all of these calculators are estimates...there's not really a which one is right...they're just estimates. Nobody has a TDEE of exactly XXXX calories everyday.

1BlueAurora

I eat back about 75% of the exercise calories I earn through exercise. I found that I continued to lose weight at the rate I set for myself.