Calorie Confusion

madpanda

Im new to all this losing weight and getting in shape.

On here it is recommending that I have 1690 calories per day yet when I check the UK GDA label guide online it recommends for men to have up to 2500 calories.

http://www.gdalabel.org.uk/gda/gda_values.aspx

Plus I read on one of the ceral boxes that it should be 2000 calories.

Can anyone help clear this up for please?

Losingitin2011

MFP builds in a deficit in your calories. This essentially means that you can just eat the calories, no exercise, and you will lose weight.

DJHackman

2000 recommended for women and 2500 for men, there is 3500 calories in 1 pound of fat so if you was to cut out 500 calories a day for a week, you would lose 1 pound.

Leisa42

The recommended calories on labels are for a healthy diet, basically maintaining weight. You have to go lower than recomended to lose, and MFP includeds a healthy calorie deficit to lose.

Purple_Orchid_87

the GDA s for people of relative fitness, activity and lifestyle
if you want to lose weight you have to eat less
if you want to gain weight you eat more

madpanda

Ahhh makes sense. Sorry my brain isnt working fully today.

Helen9725

Your calorie allowance is roughly based on your BMR (Balsal Metabolic Rate) - which is the calories your body burns at rest so if you stayed in bed all day that's the calories you'd use. Any activity you do burns extra calories - even getting out of bed and going through your day. The theory behind this is that if you eat your BMR calories you will lose weight by creating a calorie deficit. Any additional exercise you do on top of normal day to day obviously burns more calories. Similarly eating too few calories will mean your body will go into starvation mode so you need to eat enough as well to get the balance right. Stick to what the site gives you based on your goals and you should see results.