Not sure how many calories I should be eating?

snogintheloo
snogintheloo Posts: 18 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So, I'm ready to start losing weight (like we all are!) but I'm not sure how many calories I should be eating. I work full time (usually 8 hour shifts) as a barista. So, I'm not moving as much as a waitress, but I am on my feet for 6+ hours a day, taking orders, cleaning, making drinks, etc...

I also go to the gym before or after work.

When I started a month ago, MFP said I should be eating 1200 calories a day but I was not losing ANY weight, so my question is does anyone know an accurate way to calculate my calorie intact and what I should put for my activity level?

Replies

  • refinedredbird
    refinedredbird Posts: 208 Member
    Go and calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate which you can do with an online calculator. That is how many calories your body would need even if you were in a coma. Then, calculate your TDEE at lightly/moderately active which you can calculate online with a calculator. When you have your TDEE number, subtract 15-20% of that number and that is how many calories you should be eating a day. Do not go below your BMR and do not go above your TDEE.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    So, I'm ready to start losing weight (like we all are!) but I'm not sure how many calories I should be eating. I work full time (usually 8 hour shifts) as a barista. So, I'm not moving as much as a waitress, but I am on my feet for 6+ hours a day, taking orders, cleaning, making drinks, etc...

    I also go to the gym before or after work.

    When I started a month ago, MFP said I should be eating 1200 calories a day but I was not losing ANY weight, so my question is does anyone know an accurate way to calculate my calorie intact and what I should put for my activity level?

    Were you logging your exercise and eating the added calories before? And were you honest about your activity level? MFP calculates a goal for you without exercise factored in and expects you to eat back the extra when you do add exercise.

    If you don't want to mess with exercise calories and just want a static goal, the TDEE advice above is and excellent method. With this method you wouldn't need to add any calories for exercise because they're factored in already. There are tons of calculators online to get an estimate of your BMR and TDEE, like this one: http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

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