Determining calories needed

exermom

I recall that a few years ago I used a formula to determine the calories that I needed. As I recall, there were about 3 different methods to determine your daily caloric need.

I believe got these formulas in a magazine published by AFAA. But for the life of me, I can't find that article.

Can anyone help?

Michele

PaulaKro

Michele,

If you google "how to calculate maintenance calories" you'll get lots of options. There are more but here is one link: http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm

Adding AAFA to the query came up with this link: http://www.calculator.net/calorie-calculator.html

Paula :flowerforyou:

Sarauk2sf

Sorry for the delay in responding.

What are your goals?

exermom

For the past few YEARS now I've been basically at the same weight. Admitted, it's not heavy (I'm 59, 5'1", in the area of 135 pounds) It would be nice to see the scale go down on the weight. One time I did get down into the high 120's, but I looked and felt like c*** so I decided that I'd rather feel healthy than have a thin body.

Someone pointed out to me that MFP changed my target calories. I remember figuing out a few years ago how many calories I needed and I *thought* it was 1253 but I wasn't sure. According to the Bennett-****inson (?sp) method (which is what I must have used) that's the right number. That's why I was asking, just to be sure that 1253 was the right number.

heybales

You already know how many calories you need to maintain and lose.

Why don't you just accurately log what you eat right now that is causing you to maintain?

And then to lose a little, cut 250 calories out of that amount daily?

Bam, figures based on real results, not you guessing from a few rough levels hoping the base assumption of BMR is correct.

Sarauk2sf

For the past few YEARS now I've been basically at the same weight. Admitted, it's not heavy (I'm 59, 5'1", in the area of 135 pounds) It would be nice to see the scale go down on the weight. One time I did get down into the high 120's, but I looked and felt like c*** so I decided that I'd rather feel healthy than have a thin body.

Someone pointed out to me that MFP changed my target calories. I remember figuing out a few years ago how many calories I needed and I *thought* it was 1253 but I wasn't sure. According to the Bennett-****inson (?sp) method (which is what I must have used) that's the right number. That's why I was asking, just to be sure that 1253 was the right number.

How long have you been consistently logging for?

exermom

Let's see if I can remember back that far!!!!

At least 10 years I think.

Back then I guess I was around 145. There was a pic taken of me when my daghter went to her prom (she's 30). I almost died when I saw how wide my backside was! I guess that's about when I started logging, first at fitday, then Daily Plate (now Livestrong) and I guess I've been on MFP since 2009.

exermom

heybales (I don't know if I hit the right key or not, anyway, this is for you...lol)

I did try limiting myself to just 1200 calories a day at one time. That is when I got down to the high 120's. But I must say, that's also when I looked and felt like c***.

One of my focuses right now is to try to have nutritious foods. Oh, anyone can have 1200 calories of Snickers bars. But what is that doing to your body? I'm tring to have more veges and fruits, limiting my red meat (as a matter of fact, I had a hamburger the other night and really regretted it afterwards. Next time I'm invited to a cookout, I'll have the roll with the lettuce, tomato, onion, etc. Anyway....I digress)

I do try to record as accurately as possible everything that goes into my mouth. Yes, even if I go over on my calories for the day. If I don't, the only person I'm fooling is myself (at least that's how I see it)

I do exercise usually for about an hour a day (sometimes I swear that I'm addicted to exercise!). I don't add in these exercise calories.

heybales

heybales (I don't know if I hit the right key or not, anyway, this is for you...lol)

I did try limiting myself to just 1200 calories a day at one time. That is when I got down to the high 120's. But I must say, that's also when I looked and felt like c***.

One of my focuses right now is to try to have nutritious foods. Oh, anyone can have 1200 calories of Snickers bars. But what is that doing to your body? I'm tring to have more veges and fruits, limiting my red meat (as a matter of fact, I had a hamburger the other night and really regretted it afterwards. Next time I'm invited to a cookout, I'll have the roll with the lettuce, tomato, onion, etc. Anyway....I digress)

I do try to record as accurately as possible everything that goes into my mouth. Yes, even if I go over on my calories for the day. If I don't, the only person I'm fooling is myself (at least that's how I see it)

I do exercise usually for about an hour a day (sometimes I swear that I'm addicted to exercise!). I don't add in these exercise calories.

You missed the point and the question.

You do know your maintenance right now. Because you've been maintaining, right, for a few years time?

You just need to know how many calories is that - no matter what the food is. You can switch amounts later when you know what the total is.
So you switch 200 calories of snickers with 200 calories of cottage cheese. Doesn't change the maintenance number.

If what you eat now that is causing you to maintain, is matched up with a level of exercise you plan on keeping, how much are you eating right now? (not if you started a diet and were told how much to eat, prior to that when you weren't worried about what and how much)

Look over your records, as many weeks as you care to do the math, but at least 4 weeks, and what do you on average eat daily?

That is your TDEE number for your current level of exercise.

You eat less than that, you lose weight. Sure 1200 is less than that, probably a whole lot less, that's not the number being asked for though.

exermom

Sorry it took so long for me to get back to you. Life just got in the way......

You're right, I probably did miss the point.

According to the Mifflin-St.Jeor method, my TDEE is 1844. Honestly, I didn't think it would be that high. Anyway, I've been at 1253 calories/day for some time.

When you said "what do you on averge eat daily", are you referring to foods or number of calories? Truthfully, I eat a pretty wide range of foods.

But you know something? I really don't have a specific reason why I do this other than the fact that I like a "heads up" on weight increases or maybe it's habit, whatever. One time I went over and gained, not a whole lot, but the Wii asked why. So I answer honestly "night snacking". The Wii said if you snack at night to have something easily digestible, like tofu. Lately, I've gotten into this "kick" of having silken tofu with unsweetened cocoa. My weight seems to be going down. OK, slowly, but at 59 I'm not expecting a rapid weight loss at any one given time.

My food diary is open, please feel free (you or anyone else) to take a peek and give me any and all suggestions.

heybales

I recall that a few years ago I used a formula to determine the calories that I needed. As I recall, there were about 3 different methods to determine your daily caloric need.

So this was your original request.
Following posts said you have been maintaining for a couple years.

If you want to "determine the calories that" you need, "to determine your daily caloric need" - you are looking for a number, correct.

How much you are eating in total (not what you are eating) in calories.

So that 1253 is how much in total you are eating?

That is not NET that MFP uses, and then you eat exercise calories in addition to it, right?

1253 is Gross, total, everything eaten daily, in calories?

That is "your daily caloric need" number that no formula is going to correctly give you.

Likely because you've done this, so none of the normal math in the formula is correct anymore.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2i_cmltmQ6A

So big congrats on maintaining so well with so little available to eat, that is the normal failure point as that documentary discusses. Obviously trying to lose at this point could be very interesting.

Of course, if you change the amount of activity that was done while eating 1253 and maintaining weight, and you do more, you should of course eat more to maintain. If you do less, you'd have to eat less (yikes).

As to fast weight gain, you realize that is water, right?
You would have to eat 1750 calories daily for 7 days to gain 1 lb of fat. That's it.
If you eat 1350 calories one day, and the extra was pretzels, and you gain 2 lbs, that is purely water weight, sodium and carb refill.

exermom

Again, sorry for delay heybales.

I do try to keep my calories to around 1253/day. Yes, there are days when I my go over by some, but then there are days when I'm below. I feel it all evens out in the end. I don't have a string of days when I'm consistently over or under.

I never add in my exercise caloies. For me, it's more of a mind game. If I see a number, I know from past experince that I wind up eating "junk" mainly to get my calories up, and that's not what you want to do. Another thing is that I know deep inside that on the days when I go above 1253, I have this "buffer" so I'm still OK. Yes, it is a mind thing with me. That I know

Seems having some of that silken tofu with Hershey's cocoa in it produces a loss (a very little one at that) From what I unerstan, it's easily digestible. Is that what's causing this? I don't know, but I do know that it fills me up, it's helping to squelch the sugar cravings (since it's unsweetened). Who knows how long I'll be on this kick?????

Very intersting link. You know, I sort-of believe some of this is due to the food that's available. I go to WalMart and see someone giving their child french fries to keep the child quiet. That's what's available. Not in all places, but in most. If a Big Mac were to cost $6 and a healthy salad only $2, I think more people wold buy the $2 item

Michele

heybales

So you have the answer to your question then.

For your current level of exercise, your current maintenance is about 1250.

Doesn't sound like a fun level to be forced to, but that's it.

If you exercise more, you could eat more.

But if you exercise less, like go on vacation or get sick or get injured - guess what - gotta eat way less.

If you want to eat more because you go on vacation say, you gotta do more exercise.

And beware that a body that is kept this suppressed will have more problems. Read the followup blog too.
http://skepchick.org/2014/02/the-female-athlete-triad-not-as-fun-as-it-sounds/

If you ever feel like getting out of that state - gotta heal your body as that link talks about.