Calorie goal

JamieZ0503

Is the calorie goal that MFP sets for you accurate? I always get different numbers when I check different sites.

Branstin

Different sites will give different numbers. Select one and stick with it for a couple of months.

MinnieInMaine

The biggest difference between MFP and most other calorie calculators is that MFP doesn't include exercise until you log it. therefore you'll get a much lower calorie goal here than you would from other sites. However, they also give you the option to custom set your goal so if you'd rather go with that higher number with average exercise included, you can. Totally up to you.

terbusha

What I do and what I recommend to people is to eat at a calorie level that allows you to make good progress towards your goal. If you are trying to lose weight, eat so you 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