How many Calories do I need.. HELP

So I am always curious as to how many calories I need to be consuming.
Am I getting enough??
Am I not?

So I know when I signed up with MFP it gave me 1200 a day.
But then I read another post on here where someone said something about a your TDEE.

So I checked it out.
Its saying I need like 2000 a day.

Which one should I go with...

This is why I liked Weight Watchers so much better...

Any help would be appreciated..

BTW
Im 27, 5'5'' & 245 lbs....

Replies

  • DanaDark
    DanaDark Posts: 2,187 Member
    If your TDEE is 2,000 that means you can eat up to 2,000 a day and not gain. Eating any under that, and you'll lose weight.

    If MFP gave you 1200, it means you chose to lose 2 pounds a week. This is a 1,000 calorie a day deficit. So 2,000 - 1,000 = 1000. However, MFP has a hard stop at 1,200, so, it gives you that instead of 1,000.

    I'd personally recommend that you shoot for 1,500 a day instead, and accept a 1 pound a week weight loss goal, as 1,200 is rather low and you will have difficulty staying under it while feeling satiated. Not to mention the likelihood of not getting proper nutrition.
  • tink989
    tink989 Posts: 10
    l
  • natstar26
    natstar26 Posts: 130 Member
    Based on your age, height and weight, not sure what your days are like but if you usually sit at work at a desk and don't exercise regulary I would say 1500cal is best :) obviously if you exercise you can eat those calories back :smile:
  • terbusha
    terbusha Posts: 1,483 Member
    What I do and what I recommend to people is to eat at a calorie level that allows you to drop 1-2 lbs/week. This assumes an average calorie burn from you getting in all of your workouts. This will be different for everyone, so you'll have to do some trial and error to figure it out. I'd start ~1600 cal/day. Hit this goal, along with your macros and getting in your workouts, for a week. If you lose 1-2 lbs, you're good to go. If you lose too much, increase your intake and repeat. If you don't lose enough, reduce your intake a bit and repeat. After a few weeks, you'll figure out what works for you in your situation.

    Allan
  • ravenmiss
    ravenmiss Posts: 384 Member
    MY TDEE is also 2000 and I aim for 1600, that's TDEE -20% I'd like to say it's working but I've only been eating that for a few weeks so will know better in a month or so how it's really working out.
  • grl82
    grl82 Posts: 17 Member
    What I do and what I recommend to people is to eat at a calorie level that allows you to drop 1-2 lbs/week. This assumes an average calorie burn from you getting in all of your workouts. This will be different for everyone, so you'll have to do some trial and error to figure it out. I'd start ~1600 cal/day. Hit this goal, along with your macros and getting in your workouts, for a week. If you lose 1-2 lbs, you're good to go. If you lose too much, increase your intake and repeat. If you don't lose enough, reduce your intake a bit and repeat. After a few weeks, you'll figure out what works for you in your situation.

    Allan

    Is that 1600 net or before exercise? :-)