Calorie Calculator- How much is too much or too little?

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QueenofCaffeine4Life
QueenofCaffeine4Life Posts: 88 Member
in Food and Nutrition
What calorie calculator did you use to determine how many calories you need daily? I have been on MFP for so long that I can't remember if I just plugged in an amount or if it did it for me. I went online and looked at a calculator and it said I wasn't eating enough. I stay confused.

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  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,902 Member
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    I keep things simple and use MFP to set my calorie goals and log exercise.
  • QueenofCaffeine4Life
    QueenofCaffeine4Life Posts: 88 Member
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    Okay now the question is..............how do I go back in to reset my calorie count based on what MFP says? I can't seem to figure that out. @kshama2001 and @apullum
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,902 Member
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    IDK if this will work on mobile, but here you go for desktop: https://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/change_goals_guided
  • LittleQuelie
    LittleQuelie Posts: 37 Member
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    What does TDEE and NEAT stand for?
  • BarbaraHelen2013
    BarbaraHelen2013 Posts: 1,940 Member
    edited August 2019
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    TDEE = Total Daily Energy Expenditure

    NEAT = Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis.

    Apullum’s post above gives you the ‘english’ for what they actually mean, so I’ll not repeat!
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
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    WinoGelato wrote: »
    The best calculator is your own results... you said you’ve been on MFP forever, have you been logging this whole time? What are your results?

    This is my preference too.

    The calculators are using general information and are usually a pretty good starting point. Your own numbers you have will be much more accurate.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,178 Member
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    WinoGelato wrote: »
    The best calculator is your own results... you said you’ve been on MFP forever, have you been logging this whole time? What are your results?

    Completely this.

    Start with some research-based "calculator" (they're really estimators).

    If you like eating the same number of calories every day, regardless of activity level, and your exercise is reasonably consistent day to day, use a TDEE calculator (I like Sailrabbit, because it lets you consider several different research-based formulas).

    If you like to eat more on/after active days, and less when more sluggish, use a NEAT-based calculator, like MFP, and estimate exercise when you actually do it.

    Either way, run the adult science-fair experiment for 4-6 weeks, then adjust based on your personal real-world results.

    This works! (The so-called calculator results were way off for me (way low), but this n=1 experimental process worked great. The only caveat is that if you seem to be losing fast before 4-6 weeks, and you start feeling weak or fatigued for otherwise unexplained reasons, you should eat a little more. Losing too slowly is frustrating, but losing too fast can be dangerous!)

    Best wishes!
  • QueenofCaffeine4Life
    QueenofCaffeine4Life Posts: 88 Member
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    In answer to the question from @WinoGelato I have been a member but not active. I have only become active 'again' since July '19.

    Basically I am trying to find what works for me. Because at this point I don't know.
  • jessiedawn8400
    jessiedawn8400 Posts: 37 Member
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    @QueenofCaffeine4Life - on the mobile app you can go under goals on the menu and change your settings (weight, goal to lose, activity level). That will update your calorie goal

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