Need help understanding how many calories I should eat

h0t_m0m

After reading through some threads and hearing about "eating back your exercise calories" and "calorie deficit", "starvation mode" and "eat 40/30/30," I realize that I have NO idea what I am doing! LOL! How does MFP calculate how many calories you need per day in order to obtain weightloss? I only had 2 pounds that I wanted to lose (now .5). I am mainly doing this to track what I eat so I make better choices and to get rid of my belly fat and tone up all around. Can someone help me decide if what MFP has set for me will help me? I am 5'2" and currently weigh 110.5. I started the 30 day shred last Tuesday. This week I will also do 20 minutes of elliptical in addition to the workout vid. The days that I take off from 30 DS, I will do some other form of exercise (this weekend it was yoga and elliptical). Eventually, I want to start lifting. Thanks in advance for any tips, advice and suggestions!

MaximalLife

After reading through some threads and hearing about "eating back your exercise calories" and "calorie deficit", "starvation mode" and "eat 40/30/30," I realize that I have NO idea what I am doing! LOL! How does MFP calculate how many calories you need per day in order to obtain weightloss? I only had 2 pounds that I wanted to lose (now .5). I am mainly doing this to track what I eat so I make better choices and to get rid of my belly fat and tone up all around. Can someone help me decide if what MFP has set for me will help me? I am 5'2" and currently weigh 110.5. I started the 30 day shred last Tuesday. This week I will also do 20 minutes of elliptical in addition to the workout vid. The days that I take off from 30 DS, I will do some other form of exercise (this weekend it was yoga and elliptical). Eventually, I want to start lifting. Thanks in advance for any tips, advice and suggestions!

Simply this - just forget all the confusion.
Just follow what MFP recommends based on your settings at half a pound per week weight loss until you lose those 2 pounds.

You are already at a healthy BMI, so count yourself way ahead of the game and work your exercise programs, and eat back your exercise calories. MFP does not calculate that in activity, and you are expected to log in any cardio calories which again, you eat back.

And here is the nuts and bolts of how all this works.
MFP sets your goals based on your stated deficit which is a function of how many pounds per week you seek to lose.
And they set it BELOW your maintenance level which is above your BMR depending on your activity level.

Another way to check this is the Harris Benedict Formula which incorporates your exercise into their numbers UNLIKE MFP.

To determine your total daily calorie needs, multiply your BMR by the appropriate activity factor, as follows:
If you are sedentary (little or no exercise) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.2
If you are lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.375
If you are moderatetely active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.55
If you are very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.725
If you are extra active (very hard exercise/sports & physical job or 2x training) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.9
Here is a BMR calculator if you just want to make sure all is as it should be.

BMR Calculator
http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/

Confused yet?
Like I said, just follow MFP recommendations, and you'll do just fine.

Good luck!

DixiedoesMFP

I am going to answer this to the best of my ability:
First, calculate your BMR (basal metabolic rate). Google a calculator for this. This is the number of calories you need each day to perform basic bodily functions, like your heart pumping blood, etc. You never want to go below that number of calories. You are pretty tiny, so that number will be smaller for you than for a 6 foot 200 lb man.
Next, calculate your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure). Again, you can google a calculator. That's the number of calories you burn each day and it depends on how active you are. Be as honest as possible with that.
To lose weight, you want to eat 10 - 20% less than your TDEE. To maintain weight, you want to eat the same as your TDEE. To gain weight, eat more. Most people will suggest eating back your exercise calories as you already have a deficit calculated in BEFORE you exercise.
Hope that helps.

jessilynn1982

I have also been confused about just how many of my 1200 calories allowed+ calories burned that I should be eating, so I'm curious to hear what others have to say!

MaximalLife

I have also been confused about just how many of my 1200 calories allowed+ calories burned that I should be eating, so I'm curious to hear what others have to say!

You eat back ALL your exercise calories.
MFP has calculated our total calories required each day WITHOUT exercise to lose 1lb per week.
And after we log in our exercises, our calorie limit goes up.
Why?
Because it's telling us to eat our exercise calories.
Large deficits are unhealthy, because while you will lose weight, what's the quality of the weight loss?
In many cases you'll lose lean body mass - MUSCLE - which LOWERS your metabolic rate, making weight loss harder.
Then you have to lower calories even more to compensate, and the cycle continues.
Be smart.
Exercise well both cardio and resistance, and eat back the calories.
The exercise will RAISE your metabolism and burn more fat at rest.

marcusdantes

Seriously, tone your mid-section with crunches that work all the muscles in our abdomen, Do crunches straight up, then to each knee. These will help, I promise. My cousin once had similar challenge with love handles, he was too lazy to do any exercise. Fortunately for him found this website helpful http://www.healthylivingspot.com/weight-loss/get-rid-of-love-handles-fast/ . Meanwhile, just do what's comfortable at first and work up to more and more. You don't have to feel pain to know your exercise is working if you are consistent.