Counting Calories am I eating enough or to much?

kshaw09

I'm sure this question has been asked a ton of time, but I jsut did a lot of research and if anything it has left me more confused. I have been doing MFP for a while and by loooking at my diary you can tell I don't track weekends this is something I have done for a while and have recently re-committed.
Anyways MFP gave me 1200 a day, which seemed kind of low to me so I am currently eating 1390 plus my exersice cals. I just visited 7 diffrent websites that tell you how to calculate the calories you need to eat to loose weight, and got 7 diffrent numbers.
So now I'm really confused as to what to do and how much to eat

aknight420

I just asked the same question! I have been eating 1200 calories and have started NOT counting my exercise. I am afraid I am not going to be eating enough and then I will not lose. I am new to the site. Just started this week.

AUPerry

Use this calculator: http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm

BUT for your weight, put your GOAL weight

It's what I used to determine how much I want to eat, and has been working for me. Since using it I have lost around 25 lbs

PS. This is calculator is more geared towards weightloss than muscle gain

Juliebean_1027

It all depends on how much you're looking to lose and how fast. You have to create a deficit of 3500 calories in order to lose one pound. If you're planning on exercising then yes, you should be eating your exercise calories back because MFP already creates a deficit for you. If you're not planning on exercising, then calculate what your caloric intake needs to be in order to have a deficit of 500 calories per day. That would result in your losing 1 pound per week. Hope this makes sense!

morganadk2_deleted

Are you eating to enough?

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficit


This is just a part of it! please read the link above


Generally someone with a BMI over 32 can do a 1000 calorie a day (2 lbs a week) deficit
With a BMI of 30 to 32 a deficit of 750 calories is generally correct (about 1.5 lbs a week)
With a BMI of 28 to 30 a deficit of 500 calories is about right (about 1 lb a week)
With a BMI of 26 to 28 a deficit of about 300 calories is perfect (about 1/2 lb a week)
and below 26... well this is where we get fuzzy. See now you're no longer talking about being overweight, so while it's still ok to have a small deficit, you really should shift your focus more towards muscle tone, and reducing fat. This means is EXTRA important to eat your exercise calories as your body needs to KNOW it's ok to burn fat stores, and the only way it will know is if you keep giving it the calories it needs to not enter the famine response (starvation mode)


Also this might be helpful http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/00trayn/view/how-to-bust-a-3-month-plateau-87677



Good luck on your journey

kimmerroze

Every website is going to be different because all of the numbers are estimates. Noone know EXACTLY how many calories YOUR body is burning, so they have mathmatical equasions that get you close.

The basic rule of thumb, and mfp does a great job, is to take your Maintainence calories (calories needed to stay the weight you are now) and subtract 500 calories from that per day for a total of 3500 calories less at the end of the week or one pound lost per week.

You do not want to drop below 1200 this is including the calories burned from exercise. If you exercise and it brings your NET calories below 1200 you must eat so that you are back at 1200...

if you are an insane cardio person and burn 1000 calories in one cardio session, I would suggest toning down the cardio, and adding in some weight training. Unless of course you are okay with ingesting an extra 1000 calories after dinner. Or earlier in the day.

Its all going to be an estimate. So just remember that you will get different numbers. All you can do is get close.

david081

I only ever eat a few exercise cals back - today I did over 2200 exercise, so what do I do, eat 5 big macs, I think not. I run every day, and eat one meal, usually dinner. Cliff Richard does it, and he looks okay to me for 70... and I have never been in starvation mode. So far lost 26lbs

kimmerroze

I only ever eat a few exercise cals back - today I did over 2200 exercise, so what do I do, eat 5 big macs, I think not. I run every day, and eat one meal, usually dinner. Cliff Richard does it, and he looks okay to me for 70... and I have never been in starvation mode. So far lost 26lbs

I am a bit confused. You burn 2200 calories a day from exercise and eat only once? I have to be missing something here.

botography

Having a problem as well. Other sites are different. I am eating less and losing less. No sense out of that one. I am not an exercise person, boring for me. I am trying however to take walks, and I always do work around the house. And in the evening I go dancing. But I am at a standstill, over a week, no loss of weight. Getting discouraged. I would quit and wing-it but for my hubby who thinks I should keep going.

I really really doubt the starvation mode thing. If I need less and can lose weight on less and am not hungry, why not go for it. Perhaps the 1200 calories a day that they have assigned me is too much FOR ME.

botography

With a BMI of 28 to 30 a deficit of 500 calories is about right (about 1 lb a week) BUT NOT FOR ME.... NOT WORKING

THAT IS WHERE I AM. CANNOT FIGURE OUT WHY I AM NOT EVEN LOSING .5 A WEEK WITH 1200 CALORIES A DAY AND THEN SOME EXERCISE. NOTHING IS HAPPENING. I dare not eat more, and obviously I cannot eat less according to the so-called science.

If I eat over 1200 I don't get to say 'FINISHED HER GOAL WITH LESS" WHEN IT IS POSTED.

melsinct

I think some of the confusion comes from people not following the MFP recommendation, or at least that was my problem. When I started, I had MFP set at losing 2 lbs/week, which gave me 1200 calories (the lowest you can go). I basically starved myself right into a plateau.

So are you eating enough? Make sure you:

1. Set MFP at the recommended 1 lb/week loss
2. Eat some of your exercise calories back (though this is debatable, as proven on these boards)
3. Do not go below 1200 calories a day

kimmerroze

With a BMI of 28 to 30 a deficit of 500 calories is about right (about 1 lb a week) BUT NOT FOR ME.... NOT WORKING

THAT IS WHERE I AM. CANNOT FIGURE OUT WHY I AM NOT EVEN LOSING .5 A WEEK WITH 1200 CALORIES A DAY AND THEN SOME EXERCISE. NOTHING IS HAPPENING. I dare not eat more, and obviously I cannot eat less according to the so-called science.

If I eat over 1200 I don't get to say 'FINISHED HER GOAL WITH LESS" WHEN IT IS POSTED.

I do not know how much you weigh or what your height is, or what kinds of foods you are eating. But I would suggest that you start building some muscle... Not having very much muscle on your body will result in you gaining weight easier. the more muscle you have the more you can eat and not gain weight, and the easier it is to keep your weight off. It also helps speed up the weight loss process.

if your body truely cannot handle 1200 calories,which is silly because I am sure your body burns more than 1200 calories during the day, then it is because of a serious lack in muscle.

and your goal should not be to have your profile read that you didn't eat all your calories... that is not what this is about.

Emma1903

Accruing to the BMR calculators my BMR is 1450 so I can't take a 500cal defecit because I'd be eating under 1000 cals a day, so what do I do?

melsinct

Accruing to the BMR calculators my BMR is 1450 so I can't take a 500cal defecit because I'd be eating under 1000 cals a day, so what do I do?

You shouldn't be taking the deficit off of your BMR. Your BMR number is the calories you would burn if you were laying in a coma. Every person who isn't in a coma burns more than their BMR. Enter your activity level into MFP, set it for a 1 pound/week weight loss, and what number of calories does it give you to eat daily?

kimmerroze

Accruing to the BMR calculators my BMR is 1450 so I can't take a 500cal defecit because I'd be eating under 1000 cals a day, so what do I do?

Your BMR and your MAINTAINENCE calories are two different things.

Your BMR Calories are the calories you would burn if you were sleeping/in a coma all day. Your maintainence calories are your BMR calories plus your Daily activity, eating talking walking bathroom, typing, sitting up all day etc.

You subtract 500 from your maintainence calories NOT your BMR calories. Does that make sense?

Emma1903

1340 which means I will be eating under my BMR, which doesn't make sense how can my body functionless calories than my BMR? I understand it burns fat stores instead of calories ect but I want a lifestyle change not a quick fix.

kimmerroze

1340 which means I will be eating under my BMR

That is okay. You can eat under your BMR.. for a while. When you get within about 10-15 pounds of your goal then you should bump it up to atleast your bmr... I wasn't losing anymore when I got within the last ten pounds.. so I bumped my calories up to my BMR and I started losing again.

If you would like tho... Try eating at your BMR calories, you will still be eating at some what of a deficit, so you will still lose weight, it may just not be as fast... some people have found that eating at their bmr or a little above that has helped them lose weight faster than eating below it.

This is where the "everyBODY is different" comes into play. Each body will react differently, that is why taking a few weeks to a few months to find out how your body works is important and you should not get discouraged. There is no Universal answer for weight loss... there are the mathmatics (3500 calorie deficit will make you lose weight, BMR number maintainence number etc) and there is the common sense, (don't stuff your face, eat healthy foods, exercise) but after that it is about finding the combination of what your body wants.

Keep playing with it, when you find something that works, use it. WHen it quits working, then it is time to switch it up again.