Need help w accurate calorie calculator!!!

suzeexoxo

Im still having trouble understanding the exact amount of calories I need to consume For weightloss. Can somebody help me!! Thanks

lauriebeakley1

I posted the same topic & have had no replies at all. I wish you better luck!

Jetwa

Hi, I am looking for information on the ratios of protein:carb:fat for weight loss and how to change them to keep weight loss going. Any recommendations on where to look?

FoxyLifter

This list of links helped me out a LOT:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/833026-important-posts-to-read

cmriverside

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants


http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/952996-level-obstacles-lose-weight-target-fat-easy
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/186814-some-mfp-basics
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

Lleldiranne

There is no "exact" amount, unfortunately. It's always an estimate, because your metabolism is unique to you. There are usually a lot of similarities with others the same height, weight, etc, so that's what online calculators go by. But you usually have to tweak it some.

So … my best suggestion is to use the system here as it is designed. OP, since you have about 25 pounds to lose, set it to lose 1/2 or 1 pound per week. Be honest on your activity level. Then, record your exercise as well and eat back those calories. Measure your food and be honest in your logging.

If you aren't losing after a few weeks, adjust things. Eat a little bit less. Or, if you are grumpy and hungry all the time, try eating a little more.

HTH!

jjplato

This is a good article to help you determine your macro (protein/carb/fat) ratios: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/macro-math-3-keys-to-dialing-in-your-macro-ratios.html

For calories, first determine your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) using the calculator in MFP or any of the other online BMR calculators. That will be the number of calories that your body needs to maintain your current weight. Then select a reasonable weight-loss goal, like 1.5 lbs per week, and MFP will tell you how many calories you should get, net of exercise.

For what it's worth, here are a few things that work for me when I want to drop a few pounds, besides watching the calorie count:
- Eat regularly throughout the day. I try to have six meals per day. I set up my MFP diary for Breakfast, Mid-Morning, Lunch, Mid-Afternoon, Dinner, and Dessert (instead of the three-meal default in MFP). That will keep your metabolism running steadily throughout the day.
- Drink A LOT of water. It helps your body digest food, burn fat, and eliminate waste. Drinking one or two 8-ounce glasses of water before every meal will stop the urge to overeat, if that's an issue. I usually drink at least 100 ounces of water per day -- about a third of that comes from protein shakes.
- Avoid high-glycemic carbs. In MFP, a carb is a carb, but if you avoid the carbs that cause an insulin spike (refined sugar, white flour, white potatoes, white rice, soda, etc), and instead eat brown rice, sweet potatoes, whole wheat bread, bran cereal, etc., you should see a much better result.
- Avoid alcohol. Besides contributing empty calories, it triggers an urge to eat carbs (at least for me!) When I want to drop 5 pounds, I find that eliminating beer and wine entirely for a couple of weeks works wonders.

Good luck!

3dogsrunning

There is no "exact" amount, unfortunately. It's always an estimate, because your metabolism is unique to you. There are usually a lot of similarities with others the same height, weight, etc, so that's what online calculators go by. But you usually have to tweak it some.

So … my best suggestion is to use the system here as it is designed. OP, since you have about 25 pounds to lose, set it to lose 1/2 or 1 pound per week. Be honest on your activity level. Then, record your exercise as well and eat back those calories. Measure your food and be honest in your logging.

If you aren't losing after a few weeks, adjust things. Eat a little bit less. Or, if you are grumpy and hungry all the time, try eating a little more.

HTH!

This. Outside of a lab there no exact figure. Even all those gadgets are still estimates. Use these links to help you find a starting point, log accurately and track over a period of weeks (not just 2 or 3), then adjust.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants


http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/952996-level-obstacles-lose-weight-target-fat-easy
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/186814-some-mfp-basics
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

suzeexoxo

Thanks everyone! According to MFP I need to consume 1500 now my question is "should I eat my exercise calories?"

3dogsrunning

Thanks everyone! According to MFP I need to consume 1500 now my question is "should I eat my exercise calories?"

I think the sexypants link explains that well, but short answer, yes, if you follow MFP it is designed so that you log your exercise and eat those calories back. Of course, there is the issue that these can be overestimated, so you may not want to eat all of them back. Again, pick a number, I'd start out higher, like 75% and I wouldn't go lower than half the estimated calories, and see how that works.