How many calories do you eat?

kettle_belle83

For those of you that are trying to lose weight not just maintain how have you determined how many calories to eat? Do you just use the default 1200 cals? Or have you used some other way to come up with a number? I personally have calculated my BMR and TDEE. From there I subtracted about 750 cals which should yield a 2 lb loss per week. It just seems that eating over 1800 cals is too much. Any thoughts?

Phoenix_Warrior

I originally calculated my TDEE from scoobyworkshop.com and went with that for awhile, then adjusted from there. I eat 1550 net. So, some days I eat 1800-2100 depending. I lose about a pound a week. I'm 5'5" ans 125 lbs.

qtgonewild

my goal has been set at 1400 since day one. i just dont think i could restrict myself to a smaller number. with my daily workouts i sometimes net a bunch under it. but i like keeping it at 1400 for now. its been 5 months.

grimendale

1200 is not a default. It's the minimum MFP will give you if you set your goals as low as possible (2lbs/week and sedentary). I'm currently eating 2200 a day when I don't exercise and more (up to about 3000) when I do, depending on what kind of workout I do. Still losing, albeit slowly.

MysteriousMerlin

My goal is set at 1650 and I usually eat back some of my exercise calories. As of December 16th I'd lost 14lbs in 10 weeks.

birdiecs

It can vary on activity for the day, generally NET falls between 1300-1600, I also use the TDEE minus deficit method and use the set own goals option on my food diary.

BikerGirlElaine

I know my TDEE from my actual results. I subtracted 500 from it to lose a pound a week and I eat 2100 calories/day.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

focuseddiva

Is what your BMR is equal to or around the ballpark) of TDEE - 20%?

Sreneesa

5'10 with active as my setting 1826 on one site and 19something on the other.

I went for 1826 and I set my own macros at 45c/30p/25f.

I try to get as close as I can to that amount. It is a challenge to eat all those calories but I'm getting a little better at coming somewhat close on some days.

When I did MFP calculator it had me at 1480 or something like that. I like the other one better because it counters in my exercise calories on the principle I exercise 3-5 days a week.

I never log or pay attention to exercise calories.

AmyRhubarb

I'm eating 1800-2100 right now, closer to the 2100 over the holidays. I am more or less maintaining with this, although my goal is to lower body fat percentage a bit more and hang onto my muscle. I'm 45 years old, 5'8", and average 137lbs. I lost my last 10lbs and got to goal weight eating 1800-2000 a day, and dropped a size, too.

And as another poster above me said - 1200 is not a default, but the lowest MFP goes when you go for the 2lbs a week goal.

Ninkyou

My calories are in constant change.

I've just recently lowered my calories to maintain a 1 lbs/week loss, which is 1300 calories (I'm a shortie). That's my base though, for non-exercise days. On days I exercise I range 1500-1700 calories eaten.

Holly_Roman_Empire

I calculated my TDEE and BMR from scooby's workshop, and ate between those two numbers. I adjusted my macro settings on MFP to protein 30%, fats 30%, and carbs 40%. I ate most of my exercise calories from cardio, and I didn't eat exercise calories from strength training. It seemed to work just fine.

kgeyser

My net is around 1550 but with exercise I eat about 1800-2000. Food is awesome.

kettle_belle83

If I'm using TDEE as part of my calculation for calories technically it's not necessary to "eat back" my exercise calories, correct? TDEE is figuring in workouts. I've never been one to eat back those clarifies anyway but I know some people do.

Holly_Roman_Empire

If I'm using TDEE as part of my calculation for calories technically it's not necessary to "eat back" my exercise calories, correct? TDEE is figuring in workouts. I've never been one to eat back those clarifies anyway but I know some people do.

It depends. If you're calculating your TDEE to include your workouts (i.e. moderately or very active), then no, you wouldn't eat those calories back. I calculated my TDEE at sedentary and chose to eat my exercise calories back. It's just a matter of personal preference whether you want to "eat back" exercise calories or not. Just make sure you figure TDEE using the right settings for how you want to use it.

BikerGirlElaine

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QueenBishOTUniverse

My calories are currently set at 2345. I use TDEE and since I have a relatively small amount to lose and am really more focused on fat loss and don't care how long it takes I have a very small deficit and expect very slow weight loss.

And yes, for TDEE method your exercise is already included so you DO NOT eat those calories back. Even though sometimes you REALLY want to.

usmcmp

I use the TDEE formula. TDEE includes your exercise, so you don't eat back exercise calories.

My TDEE is about 2300 and I eat around 1800-2000.

tjsoccermom

I also use the TDEE method. I tried the 1200 calories and it just wasn't enough for me. I have a lot to lose and am happy to lose it slowly...to try to reduce the amount of extra skin I could have and because I want this to be a permanent lifestyle change for me, not a diet that I go off and regain my weight plus some. Since January 2nd last year I've lost 55 lbs., almost 1/2 way there. Even better than the weight loss, I'm in the best shape I've been in for a long time and have gained confidence.

jweindruch

I've approached it as a mini science experiment. I've determined that if I eat a nutritious diet I can feel satisfied eating as low as 1300 calories a day. If I go below that number I can sense my body moving towards that "Starving" zone.

BushiStudy

I fluctuate between 1600-2400 depending on the day and my training regimen. MFP seems to think I need 2100 to maintain my weight, but I see little or no change in weight when I am at 1600-1800, even when training frequently.

TrekkerCynthia

I've decided to go with the amount of calories I am supposed to eat at my goal weight - given no activity. I would rather take the time to learn what it is like to eat that amount of food, and not have to keep adjusting every time I lose a substantial amount of weight. I do eat back most of my exercise calories each day. It has to be what I consider exercise - no house cleaning, raking, etc. calories are recorded. There's no research or anything to base this on, just my own experiment.

janicebinva

Several people have posted that MFP defaults to 1200 calories a day when you tell it you want to lose 2 pounds a week. Well, if you're 47 years old, female and weigh over 150 pounds, MFP defaults to 1200 when you tell it you want to lose ONE pound a week (sedentary job). It's a tough world out there.

I can't deal with eating only 1200 calories a day. I normally go between 1400 - 1700, and exercise about 300 away probably five days a week.

emmaemz1985

Oops today I ate about 800 cals however did my insanity workout which I burned 564.... I just didn't feel hungry today is that really bad????

Francl27

I never did 1200. My original goal when I signed up was 1590 to lose 1 lb a week. I ate calories back for a while (and ate up to 1700 I guess) then switched to TDEE-20%. Now I just eat 1600 calories, regardless of exercise.

Katus130

I usually eat between 1300 and 1700 depending on the day. I base it on my hunger levels and how much activity I do. MFP, like most sites, will never suggest eating under 1200 calories per day even if thats what you would need to loose x amount of weight per week. There is a host of reasons for this (which I'm sure you can find discussions on in other MFP threads). Ultimately, you're going to have to do some trial and error before you find the sweet spot where you're loosing while still getting proper nutrition.

For me 1300 is what I eat on days where I don't do much. Days I am really active (skating, running, ect) I up that significantly and base it more on hunger than anything else.

STC1188

Losing at 3000 (~lb/week).

Lift three times a week.

Walk ~mile/day. Try not to sit for an hour or extended periods of time without getting up and stretching.

aarar

Maintaining at about 2100-2200 per day + calories burned from running. Back when I started on MFP I started at 1450 then a month or two later bumped it to 1500. Last January when I started running I increased up to 1750 + exerise calories. I've consistently been losing throughout the whole process until the last couple of months where I've been hovering between a very slow loss and maintenance.

cwolfman13

For those of you that are trying to lose weight not just maintain how have you determined how many calories to eat? Do you just use the default 1200 cals? Or have you used some other way to come up with a number? I personally have calculated my BMR and TDEE. From there I subtracted about 750 cals which should yield a 2 lb loss per week. It just seems that eating over 1800 cals is too much. Any thoughts?

If your TDEE truly is 2,550 than no...1800 would be just right. It is quite possible that your TDEE is 2,550 and it is also quite possible that you have overestimated your activity level...only you know for sure.

I've done both MFP and TDEE - 20%...it came out pretty much 6 of 1 either way. My calorie goal with MFP (light active even though I do have a desk job...most people really aren't sedentary as MFP calculates it) was 1850...with exercise that gave me about 2100 - 2200 gross depending on the day.

My TDEE is roughly 2700 - 2800...so my TDEE - 20% to lose about 1 lb per week was 2,150 - 2,250...pretty much identical.

All of these calculators are estimates and offer up good starting point but you're going to have to practice some trial and error....

SaintGiff

MFP seems to believe I need between 2500 and 3000 per day. My first reaction to this was that it seemed like an awful lot if I was in what amounts to a cutting phase. My second reaction was that I was certain I was exceeding that every day and wondered just how much less I would have to eat. I had never logged clarories before, only grams of protein. I started logging everything I eat and was stunned that I was typically eating between 1400 and 1800 calories. I've since made an effort to get more decent food in me and the last two days I've been over 2000 but still well under the goal for that day. I'll be lucky to hit 2000 today, but I feel like I've had enough, if not too much, food already.

Beckilovespizza

I'm a total shortie and my bmr comes in at 1100 cals so I eat that and any cals burned from working out. I know it seems low but as I am the height of a pixie it seems to work for me. At the weekends I tend to eat what I want though