Calorie Question

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mandisu
mandisu Posts: 57 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I just started working with a personal trainer two days a week at a wellness gym. It's in a small group of ladies only. One of the sheets she handed out was a calculation of how many calories we should be eating. Basically, it says to take your current weight - 10% and multiply by 11.

CW: 276 - 27 = 249 x 11 = 2739 calories!

MFP says at 1lb per week = 1900 calories (I'm 'morbidly obese' so I should be able to lose more than this)

She got into a long discussion about how it's more important about what you are eating (Fruits, Vegs, Protein etc - no crap) rather than how much you are eating. She added that calories matter more when you get close to your goal weight.

I'm having hard time believing I should be eating that much. I would love some takes on this from anyone willing to help!

(I lost 25lbs with MFP last year using 1.5 - 2 lbs /week setting)

Thanks!

Replies

  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
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    If you lost weight using MFP settings, I'd continue doing that.
  • silentnacht
    silentnacht Posts: 53
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    I agree - if the amount you are eating now means you're losing weight at a good pace, don't feel like you have to change it. Though, if you are starting a new workout regime you might need to eat a bit more to make up for all the calories you are burning.

    Good luck and congrats on the weight you've already lost! :smile:
  • Qarol
    Qarol Posts: 6,171 Member
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    Everyone's an expert.

    Do what works for you.
  • Gshields42
    Gshields42 Posts: 69
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    You should take anything you hear from a trainer, particularly if it sounds 'off' to you, with a huge grain of salt and get second opinions.

    MFP figures out what you should be burning by using statistics based on an amalgam of height, weight, age, and gender. This, to be honest, is a generalization and can be significantly off. What this trainer is doing isn't even using that much data, they are going purely off of your weight. This is scary, and I would triple check every single thing that comes out of that trainer's mouth as a consequence; it really doesn't sound like she knows what she is doing.

    That said, depending on your weight, height, age, gender, and activity level you can be surprised at how many calories some people should eat. For instance, because of my physical situation I need to be eating close to 3k calories (while still being 1k deficit for 2 lb/week loss). It is remotely (extremely remotely) possible that she is going to be increasing your activity level to the point where that is justified, but I don't really believe that is the case when she is handing out a standardized one datapoint formula to many people.

    I would stick by MFP's data. Check with a doctor if you would like, they can give you better information. Don't do ANYTHING this trainer tells you without verifying its safety.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
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    Cease taking advice from this person.
  • andrejjorje
    andrejjorje Posts: 497 Member
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    Don't change what works.
  • mandisu
    mandisu Posts: 57 Member
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    Thanks to those of you who have replied. I especially like the point made that she is only using one piece of data for the calculation, whereas MFP uses several. I have done many online calculators and they are all similar. That is why I was so thrown off by the high number. I don't mind eating my exercise calories back so that will probably increase the caloric intake but not that much.

    Thanks again everyone!

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