Totally Confused

vivmom2014
vivmom2014 Posts: 1,649 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Completely new to this (sorry!) - MFP tells me to eat 1380 calories a day. TDEE calculation tells me to eat 1764 calories a day. BMR calculation tells me to eat 2119 calories a day. That is a whopping range! I don't know which is correct.

I've been logging on MFP since 4/2, eating 1380 or less per day. When I exercise I "buy" more calories and eat them, but never go over. I exercise 4 to 5 times a week, but I did not feed that into my profile information because it gave me so few calories to eat (something like 1340)...

I'm eating scrupulously under calories for every day. I feel like I haven't seen any meaningful change in my appearance, and I'd like to run over my scale with a truck because it fluctuates, won't go down, etc. and I'm working so hard at this.

How many calories should I eat? Which "calculation" works?!?!?!

Replies

  • Chezzie84
    Chezzie84 Posts: 873 Member
    Hi there.

    I think (but anyone please correct me if I am wrong).
    Your myfitnesspal calorie goal is already a deficit to lose weight at the amount per week you specified.
    The TDEE and BMI are for maintaining.
    I would stick to the MFP one, thats what I go by, I am on 1350 and I have lost 24lb since Christmas.

    As for not seeing any meaningful change, it will take longer than a couple of weeks before you notice a meaningful change. Took me two months.

    Keep at it. It will happen.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    wow...

    BMR is Basal metabolic rate...it is the number of calories you need to function and it can't be higher than your TDEE...

    TDEE is Total Daily energy Expenditure which is what you need to eat to maintain your weight...

    MFP uses NEAT Non-exercise activity thermogenesis which means it is the calories required to lose the desired amount of weight without exercise.

    MFP will give you the calories to lose your desired weight..if you put in 2lbs a week and you don't have 100lbs to lose it will give you low calories...you have 7lbs to go..try 1/2lb a week...

    As well it takes into account your activity level and unless you literally sit on your butt allllll day long then you are not really sedentary...

    The key to weight loss is a calorie deficet and in order to know you are in a deficet you have to log accurately...which means weighing your food, measuring liquids and logging everything...

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