Should I be upping my calories...?

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Replies

  • kenzietate
    kenzietate Posts: 399 Member
    In order to find out your BMR I need to know your age and your activity level... I guestimated and used 30 years old and light to moderate activity.


    Your BMR is your Basal Metabolic Rate. This is how many calories you burn while doing nothing (like in a coma)... how many calories your body needs to function.

    Your TDEE is your Total Daily Energy Expenditure. This is how many calories you burn being alive + daily activities.


    Your results from Scooby's calculator:


    BMR: 1386

    TDEE: 1906

    Daily calories to lose 0.8 pounds/week: 1525


    Now with all that said, NO I do not think you should be eating more calories. I think that you need to take a good hard look at your log and see where you could be missing calories. 90% of the time when people stop losing weight it is because they are underestimating their calories in, and over estimating their burn.

    If you are truly eating 1300 calories you would be losing weight. Period. I'm not saying that you are being dishonest, but it is SO easy to miss calories or underestimate. Are you weighing everything that goes into your mouth with a food scale?


    If you are constantly feeling hungry then maybe take a break from your dieting and eat at maintenance for a while. Then in about two weeks or a month try again and get back into a caloric deficit.


    (edited for spelling)

    I actually think she is losing, she said that what she has been doing is working. But she is feeling hungry all the time and wants to figure this out so she can eat more without going over her maintenance.

    OP: I got really confused at first with several of the calculators and I agree that Scooby is the best one for ease of use for sure!
  • 1princesswarrior
    1princesswarrior Posts: 1,242 Member
    In order to find out your BMR I need to know your age and your activity level... I guestimated and used 30 years old and light to moderate activity.

    Your BMR is your Basal Metabolic Rate. This is how many calories you burn while doing nothing (like in a coma)... how many calories your body needs to function.

    Your TDEE is your Total Daily Energy Expenditure. This is how many calories you burn being alive + daily activities.

    Your results from Scooby's calculator:

    BMR: 1386

    TDEE: 1906

    Daily calories to lose 0.8 pounds/week: 1525

    After reading the descriptions of the "activity levels" I changed my to sedentary --- only because I work a desk job 5 days a week. When I'm home on the weekends I'm not relaly sedentary at all (constantly cleaning, walking, grocery shopping, on my feet cooking something, etc). On Sunday's I'm mostly sedentary (3 church services) but also play the piano in church for about 30-60 minutes that day.

    Anywho, in reference to your question above....

    I am 25 years old. and I guess my "technical" activity level should be sedentary because I work a desk job. I do try to walk/workout at least 30 minutes a day (except for wednesdays and sundays because I have church both those days and don't have time to get a workout in except for a 1.5 mile walk on my lunch break on wednesdays).

    Then you are not sedentary. That's why I like scoobyworkshop calculator, it goes by hours per week of exercise to estimate activity. I consider sedentary laying in bed all day except to pee and get food to eat in bed. You walk daily and are active in church, piano is light exercise, you are moving. I would consider you lighly active at a minimum when you estimate your calories. I have a desk job too but an highly active in the evening so I eat 2365 cal/day.

    Edited for my bad typing this morning
  • sunnshhiine
    sunnshhiine Posts: 727 Member
    In order to find out your BMR I need to know your age and your activity level... I guestimated and used 30 years old and light to moderate activity.


    Your BMR is your Basal Metabolic Rate. This is how many calories you burn while doing nothing (like in a coma)... how many calories your body needs to function.

    Your TDEE is your Total Daily Energy Expenditure. This is how many calories you burn being alive + daily activities.


    Your results from Scooby's calculator:


    BMR: 1386

    TDEE: 1906

    Daily calories to lose 0.8 pounds/week: 1525


    Now with all that said, NO I do not think you should be eating more calories. I think that you need to take a good hard look at your log and see where you could be missing calories. 90% of the time when people stop losing weight it is because they are underestimating their calories in, and over estimating their burn.

    If you are truly eating 1300 calories you would be losing weight. Period. I'm not saying that you are being dishonest, but it is SO easy to miss calories or underestimate. Are you weighing everything that goes into your mouth with a food scale?


    If you are constantly feeling hungry then maybe take a break from your dieting and eat at maintenance for a while. Then in about two weeks or a month try again and get back into a caloric deficit.


    (edited for spelling)

    I actually think she is losing, she said that what she has been doing is working. But she is feeling hungry all the time and wants to figure this out so she can eat more without going over her maintenance.

    OP: I got really confused at first with several of the calculators and I agree that Scooby is the best one for ease of use for sure!

    Thank you! I will check out Scooby!
  • sunnshhiine
    sunnshhiine Posts: 727 Member
    In order to find out your BMR I need to know your age and your activity level... I guestimated and used 30 years old and light to moderate activity.

    Your BMR is your Basal Metabolic Rate. This is how many calories you burn while doing nothing (like in a coma)... how many calories your body needs to function.

    Your TDEE is your Total Daily Energy Expenditure. This is how many calories you burn being alive + daily activities.

    Your results from Scooby's calculator:

    BMR: 1386

    TDEE: 1906

    Daily calories to lose 0.8 pounds/week: 1525

    After reading the descriptions of the "activity levels" I changed my to sedentary --- only because I work a desk job 5 days a week. When I'm home on the weekends I'm not relaly sedentary at all (constantly cleaning, walking, grocery shopping, on my feet cooking something, etc). On Sunday's I'm mostly sedentary (3 church services) but also play the piano in church for about 30-60 minutes that day.

    Anywho, in reference to your question above....

    I am 25 years old. and I guess my "technical" activity level should be sedentary because I work a desk job. I do try to walk/workout at least 30 minutes a day (except for wednesdays and sundays because I have church both those days and don't have time to get a workout in except for a 1.5 mile walk on my lunch break on wednesdays).

    Then you are not sedentary. That's why I like scoobyworkshop calculator, it goes by hours per week of exercise to estimate activity. I consider sedentary laying in bed all day except to pee and get food to eat in bed. You walk daily and are active in church, piano is light exercise, you are moving. I would consider you lighly active at a minimum when you estimate your calories. I have a desk job too but an highly active in the evening so I eat 2365 cal/day.

    Edited for my bad typing this morning

    ok. awesome. Thanks. You make me feel better about myself not being a lazy person. LOL.
  • Healthy_Hunnie
    Healthy_Hunnie Posts: 60 Member
    bump
  • TerraGirl17
    TerraGirl17 Posts: 275 Member
    bump
  • sunnshhiine
    sunnshhiine Posts: 727 Member
    Ok... here's what it's saying when I used Scooby's....

    STEP 1: ENTER YOUR GENDER: female

    STEP 2: ENTER YOUR WEIGHT:
    POUNDS: 134.0
    KILOGRAMS: 60.9
    STONES: 9.6

    STEP 3: ENTER YOUR HEIGHT:
    CENTIMETERS: 160.0
    INCHES: 63.0

    STEP 4: ENTER YOUR AGE: 25

    STEP 5: ENTER YOUR ACTIVITY LEVEL: 1.3 hrs/wk of light exercise

    STEP 6: SELECT YOUR GOAL: Lose fat - 20% calorie reduction

    STEP 7: ENTER MEALS PER DAY: 4 meals/day

    STEP 8: CHOOSE MACRO NUTRIENT RATIOS: 30% protein, 55% carb, 15 % fat

    STEP 9: VIEW RESULTS

    Protein Consumption (normal range 0.5g-1.0g per pound bodyweight): 0.8656716g/lb bodyweight

    YOUR PROJECTED WEIGHT LOSS AND METABOLIC RATE:

    YOUR DAILY CALORIE REQUIREMENTS
    YOUR PROJECTED WEIGHT LOSS
    BMR: 1410
    0.9 lbs per week
    TDEE: 1938
    3.1 lbs per month
    Daily Calories based on gail in STEP 6: 1551
    40.3 lbs per year
  • smc864
    smc864 Posts: 570 Member
    Ok... here's what it's saying when I used Scooby's....

    STEP 1: ENTER YOUR GENDER: female

    STEP 2: ENTER YOUR WEIGHT:
    POUNDS: 134.0
    KILOGRAMS: 60.9
    STONES: 9.6

    STEP 3: ENTER YOUR HEIGHT:
    CENTIMETERS: 160.0
    INCHES: 63.0

    STEP 4: ENTER YOUR AGE: 25

    STEP 5: ENTER YOUR ACTIVITY LEVEL: 1.3 hrs/wk of light exercise

    STEP 6: SELECT YOUR GOAL: Lose fat - 20% calorie reduction

    STEP 7: ENTER MEALS PER DAY: 4 meals/day

    STEP 8: CHOOSE MACRO NUTRIENT RATIOS: 30% protein, 55% carb, 15 % fat

    STEP 9: VIEW RESULTS

    Protein Consumption (normal range 0.5g-1.0g per pound bodyweight): 0.8656716g/lb bodyweight

    YOUR PROJECTED WEIGHT LOSS AND METABOLIC RATE:

    YOUR DAILY CALORIE REQUIREMENTS
    YOUR PROJECTED WEIGHT LOSS
    BMR: 1410
    0.9 lbs per week
    TDEE: 1938
    3.1 lbs per month
    Daily Calories based on gail in STEP 6: 1551
    40.3 lbs per year



    That's pretty close to the numbers I got... just a bit different because I put 30 rather than 25.

    Go for 1500! :drinker:
  • sunnshhiine
    sunnshhiine Posts: 727 Member
    Ok... here's what it's saying when I used Scooby's....

    STEP 1: ENTER YOUR GENDER: female

    STEP 2: ENTER YOUR WEIGHT:
    POUNDS: 134.0
    KILOGRAMS: 60.9
    STONES: 9.6

    STEP 3: ENTER YOUR HEIGHT:
    CENTIMETERS: 160.0
    INCHES: 63.0

    STEP 4: ENTER YOUR AGE: 25

    STEP 5: ENTER YOUR ACTIVITY LEVEL: 1.3 hrs/wk of light exercise

    STEP 6: SELECT YOUR GOAL: Lose fat - 20% calorie reduction

    STEP 7: ENTER MEALS PER DAY: 4 meals/day

    STEP 8: CHOOSE MACRO NUTRIENT RATIOS: 30% protein, 55% carb, 15 % fat

    STEP 9: VIEW RESULTS

    Protein Consumption (normal range 0.5g-1.0g per pound bodyweight): 0.8656716g/lb bodyweight

    YOUR PROJECTED WEIGHT LOSS AND METABOLIC RATE:

    YOUR DAILY CALORIE REQUIREMENTS
    YOUR PROJECTED WEIGHT LOSS
    BMR: 1410
    0.9 lbs per week
    TDEE: 1938
    3.1 lbs per month
    Daily Calories based on gail in STEP 6: 1551
    40.3 lbs per year



    That's pretty close to the numbers I got... just a bit different because I put 30 rather than 25.

    Go for 1500! :drinker:

    Awesome! That's what I'm gonna do then -- 1500 calories/day here I come! GET IN MY BELLEHHHHH!!!!
  • sunnshhiine
    sunnshhiine Posts: 727 Member
    OKKKK... one last question for you all (for now!)....

    I just updated my calories to 1500/day in my settings on MFP.

    here's what it's saying:

    DAILY NUTRITIONAL GOALS ---

    NET CALORIES CONSUMED: 1500 calories
    CARBS: 55%
    PROTEIN: 15%
    FAT: 30%

    FITNESS GOALS ---

    CALORIES BURNED/WEEK: 740 cals/week
    WORKOUTS/WEEK: 5 workouts
    MINUTES/WORKOUT: 30 minutes

    YOUR DIET PROFILE ---

    CALORIES BURNED (FROM NORMAL DAILY ACTIVITY): 1780 calories/day
    NET CALORIES CONSUMED* (YOUR DAILY GOAL): 1500 calories/day

    DAILY CALORIE DEFICIT: 280 calories
    PROJECTED WEIGHT LOSS: 0.6 lbs/week

    *Net Calories Consumed = Total Calories Consumed - Exercise Calories Burned.

    Since I have FIVE 30-minute work-outs calculated into my "Fitness Goals" in my settings, should I be eating back my exercise calories or no?!

    ETA: had to fix calculations. I forgot to change my settings from sedentary to lightly active.
  • smc864
    smc864 Posts: 570 Member
    No you should not eat back your exercise calories, because you are doing the TDEE-20% method. Just stick to 1500 per day.

    Also, I would adjust your macros a bit... 15% protein is too low.


    I like to do 35% carbs, 35% protein, 30% fat.
  • sunnshhiine
    sunnshhiine Posts: 727 Member
    No you should not eat back your exercise calories, because you are doing the TDEE-20% method. Just stick to 1500 per day.

    Also, I would adjust your macros a bit... 15% protein is too low.


    I like to do 35% carbs, 35% protein, 30% fat.

    Thank you! I will adjust... although, i am usually always over on my carbs (mostly from fruit). I need to go back to eating fish every day like I used to.
  • sunnshhiine
    sunnshhiine Posts: 727 Member
    Just adjusted my macros to the following (trying to be realistic about it):

    DAILY NUTRITIONAL GOALS ---

    NET CALORIES CONSUMED: 1500 calories
    CARBS: 40%
    PROTEIN: 30%
    FAT: 30%

    FITNESS GOALS ---

    CALORIES BURNED/WEEK: 740 cals/week
    WORKOUTS/WEEK: 5 workouts
    MINUTES/WORKOUT: 30 minutes

    YOUR DIET PROFILE ---

    CALORIES BURNED (FROM NORMAL DAILY ACTIVITY): 1780 calories/day
    NET CALORIES CONSUMED* (YOUR DAILY GOAL): 1500 calories/day

    DAILY CALORIE DEFICIT: 280 calories
    PROJECTED WEIGHT LOSS: 0.6 lbs/week

    *Net Calories Consumed = Total Calories Consumed - Exercise Calories Burned.
  • knitapeace
    knitapeace Posts: 1,013 Member
    Just want to thank the OP and contributors to this thread. I switched from MFP calculations to TDEE last week and have seen a one pound gain this week. I even bought a body fat measurement device to try and get a more accurate TDEE because it seemed like way too much food, and I thought I had sabotaged myself. I can see now I probably increased my calorie intake too quickly and need to give it a week or so before I deem it a success or failure. Thanks for all the clarification and advice...I'm able to stop kicking myself today! :smile:
  • sunnshhiine
    sunnshhiine Posts: 727 Member
    Just want to thank the OP and contributors to this thread. I switched from MFP calculations to TDEE last week and have seen a one pound gain this week. I even bought a body fat measurement device to try and get a more accurate TDEE because it seemed like way too much food, and I thought I had sabotaged myself. I can see now I probably increased my calorie intake too quickly and need to give it a week or so before I deem it a success or failure. Thanks for all the clarification and advice...I'm able to stop kicking myself today! :smile:

    That's what I'm afraid of -- seeing a gain and completely flipping out! HOWEVER, with all the clarification and encouragement given in this thread -- I'm excited about what lies ahead and I can't wait to EAT MY STINKIN' HEART OUT TONIGHT AT DINNER!!! LOL.
  • emirror
    emirror Posts: 842 Member
    Fruit kills me on my carbs, too. I eat a LOT of fish. The more protein you can get, the fuller you will feel. There are some days that I really have a hard time eating my 1520 calories, because there is so much protein in my diet. I eat pretty much the same thing every day, and it does get boring, but the past month has been amazing for getting my weight dropping again and not having bouts of hunger. I have eliminated almost all dairy and grain, but that is not for any other health reason, so I do sometimes eat them for a treat. Not having to think about what I am going to eat has really removed a lot of time spent dwelling on food. Perhaps you can find a daily menu that will hit all of your goals, and then try to eat it consistently for a few weeks?

    To make your diary public:

    "My Home"

    "Settings"

    "Diary Settings"

    "Diary Sharing" = Public

    "Save Changes"
  • sunnshhiine
    sunnshhiine Posts: 727 Member
    Fruit kills me on my carbs, too. I eat a LOT of fish. The more protein you can get, the fuller you will feel. There are some days that I really have a hard time eating my 1520 calories, because there is so much protein in my diet. I eat pretty much the same thing every day, and it does get boring, but the past month has been amazing for getting my weight dropping again and not having bouts of hunger. I have eliminated almost all dairy and grain, but that is not for any other health reason, so I do sometimes eat them for a treat. Not having to think about what I am going to eat has really removed a lot of time spent dwelling on food. Perhaps you can find a daily menu that will hit all of your goals, and then try to eat it consistently for a few weeks?

    To make your diary public:

    "My Home"

    "Settings"

    "Diary Settings"

    "Diary Sharing" = Public

    "Save Changes"

    That's what I'm going to do then -- more protein! Thank you.

    Also, I just made my diary public -- so hopefully you can see it now. :)
  • knitapeace
    knitapeace Posts: 1,013 Member
    Just want to thank the OP and contributors to this thread. I switched from MFP calculations to TDEE last week and have seen a one pound gain this week. I even bought a body fat measurement device to try and get a more accurate TDEE because it seemed like way too much food, and I thought I had sabotaged myself. I can see now I probably increased my calorie intake too quickly and need to give it a week or so before I deem it a success or failure. Thanks for all the clarification and advice...I'm able to stop kicking myself today! :smile:

    That's what I'm afraid of -- seeing a gain and completely flipping out! HOWEVER, with all the clarification and encouragement given in this thread -- I'm excited about what lies ahead and I can't wait to EAT MY STINKIN' HEART OUT TONIGHT AT DINNER!!! LOL.

    I hear you! My TDEE tells me to eat 1900 calories a day! I eat about 900-1000 for breakfast, lunch, and two snacks, leaving me with what I call a "buttload" of calories for dinner and I'm afraid to eat them all! (By the way my children have informed me that a buttload is an actual unit of measurement, but it's a liquid measurement which disturbs me.)

    I had a good first three months of losing, but I waffle between the idea that I might not be eating enough based on my activity level, and that I might ruin all the good I've done. But I'm going to give it a few weeks and see. It was really nice to take my son out to dinner at Ruby Tuesday's last night while my daughter was getting to see an advance screening of Thor 2, and enjoy not only the delicious cheddar cheese biscuit and crab cake dinner, but also a few bites of his chocolate cake dessert, and still wind up about 100 calories under my daily goal.
  • sunnshhiine
    sunnshhiine Posts: 727 Member
    I hear you! My TDEE tells me to eat 1900 calories a day! I eat about 900-1000 for breakfast, lunch, and two snacks, leaving me with what I call a "buttload" of calories for dinner and I'm afraid to eat them all! (By the way my children have informed me that a buttload is an actual unit of measurement, but it's a liquid measurement which disturbs me.)

    I had a good first three months of losing, but I waffle between the idea that I might not be eating enough based on my activity level, and that I might ruin all the good I've done. But I'm going to give it a few weeks and see. It was really nice to take my son out to dinner at Ruby Tuesday's last night while my daughter was getting to see an advance screening of Thor 2, and enjoy not only the delicious cheddar cheese biscuit and crab cake dinner, but also a few bites of his chocolate cake dessert, and still wind up about 100 calories under my daily goal.

    First of all, your entire response above left me in a jealous fit....

    A) Thor 2 -- be still my beating heart.
    B) Ruby Tuesday... and their yummy lemonades.
    C) cheddar cheese biscuit
    D) crab. cake. dinner. YUMZO!
    E) chocolate cake... my favorite.

    and the whole buttload thing is a tad bit disturbing... LOL
  • emirror
    emirror Posts: 842 Member
    After looking at your diary, I think you'll be a lot happier with more protein. Try to spread it out over the day. I'm interested to see how it goes for you!!! :-)

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