Various Calorie Reccomendation Calculators -- what's RIGHT?

michedarnd

So, it's been three weeks, and I'm already seeing my body become stubborn about dropping POUNDS (I'm still losing inches).

I went to various calculators online and found that they disagree rather substantially with MFP for my calorie intake. Most of them recommend that I eat between 300 and 500 calories MORE for fat loss level diet than MFP does.

I KNOW that I tend to stay hungry on a 1200 calorie diet (and, I generally eat back my exercise calories -- most of them, anyway).

So, in the interest of maintaining general overall health, who is right? I started out aiming for 2 pounds per week, but I'm looking for healthy and maintainable.

Recommendations?

Also, I ALSO want to know how well zig-zag works?

michedarnd

Sorry for the typing error. I CAN, in fact, spell. :-)

mrau719

what's your goal weight? MFP has me at 1310, but my goal weight is about 135 so my trainer told me not to go over 1350 (which sometimes I do, but I try and stick as close to that) and I don't generally eat my exercise cals back. That got me off my plateau. If I decide to lower my goal weight I'll have to ask her if I need to drop my cals but for now this is really working!

good luck!!

Page2777

the MFP recommendation is usually for 1pound a week weight loss have you tried adjusting to that and see how you go because remaining hungry goes against everything you want which is healthy and maintainable the more you deny yourself the more likely you are to give up

unhinge

This might help: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits

sjtreely

Are you using MFP's calculations on calories burned? I think they are very generous on their calculations. For example, for my bike ride today MFP awarded me 607 while my HRM read 473. Over and over MFP is above my HRM. It was over yesterday on a 4.3 mile run. I'm sticking with my HRM.

michedarnd

Well, I don't stay with MFP's calculations on calories burned unless I don't have something else. I don't own an HRM, but a lot of my more intense training is on an elliptical, which gives me precise calories. I'm guessing that the calories burned for walking might be off.

michedarnd

Thanks a bunch. From these answers, I gathered that, a) I need to adjust my goals downwards, and b) I need to change my estimated level of activity. Those two changes put me much closer to what I was getting with other calorie counters. Thank you.