Help me understand please...

StartingAnewDay

Ok so I did my BMR once again..

Now I know 1 lb. is 3500 calories right?

Ok so my BMR says I burn 2047 calories doing nothing.

Now if I multiply that by 7, that means I need 14,329 calories in a week. Subtract 7000 calories from that to lose 2 lbs. a week, and I get 7329 calories, now if I divide that back into the 7, I get 1047 calories per day to lose 2 lbs a week. (plus exercise calories i guess)

Why does that not sound correct to me?

MFP has my calories set to 1770 to lose 2 lbs. per week, but when I do that AND eat back my exercise calories, I wasn't losing anything, Now I try to stay with that and DONT eat my exercise calories back, and i lose around 1-2 lbs. per week.

Sometimes this stuff is enough to make you want to give up!! So much conflicting information everywhere.

Smuterella

Hello

your BMR does not include activity - you need to multiply it by 1.2 if you are sedentary.

714rah714

Everyone is different, so what works for one person, won't necessarily work for another. So the trick is, to find something that works for you and stick with it. Good luck to you.

tigersword

BMR is the amount of calories you burn in a coma, in order to maintain vital organ function. You need to multiply BMR by an activity factor to get your actual maintenance calories.

Sedentary - 1.2
Lightly Active - 1.375
Moderately Active - 1.55
Very Active - 1.725
Extremely Active - 1.9

erickirb

So if you are sedentary you will maintain your weight eating 2456 cals (2047*1.2). So to lose 2lbs/week you need to eat 1000 cals/day less, so 1456 should be your daily caloric intake on days you don't workout, and days you workout 1456 + what you burned.

If you entered your activity level as light active MFP would give you even more cals, which is probably why the 1770 vs the 1456 I calculated.

StartingAnewDay

Hello

your BMR does not include activity - you need to multiply it by 1.2 if you are sedentary.

This is where I get confused at. I know it doesn't include activity, so if I do nothing (sedentary) right? (not saying I would) and want to lose 2 lbs. per week, that means I can only eat 1047 calories + whatever exercise I do right? So essentially I would have to exercise at least 200 calories away every single day to make a 1200 calorie limit. Did I mention I'm over 200lbs and WAYYYYY closer to the 300 mark than the 200 mark!!

Where does this 1.2 come in? I'm trying to figure out if I'm eating too much or not enough.. I could be guessing for years (in fact I have) and not understand if I'm eating too much or not enough .

beccala18

If you do the math set out below, then

BMR x 1.2 = 2047 x 1.2 = 2456 (daily maintenance calories)
2456 x 7 = 17192 (weekly maintenance)
17192 - 7000 = 10192 (weekly losing 2 lbs/week)
10192/7 = 1456 (daily losing 2 lbs/week)

Try those calories plus eating back your exercise and see if that helps.

susannamarie

Firstly: As the others explained, you need to choose the appropriate activity multiplier to determine your TDEE, since I assume you're not bedridden. Assuming your BMR is correct, it looks like you probably chose "lightly active" for your lifestyle. If you included your activity in your lifestyle, you should *not* eat the exercise calories back, as they have already been accounted for in your lifestyle. If you chose "sedentary", you should get more like 2450.

Secondly: It's easier to do the calculations like this. 3500/week = 500/day. 7000/week = 1000/day. So if you use 'sedentary', you should get more like 1450, and then you should eat your exercise calories. If you use 'lightly active', you should get the 1770, and then not eat the exercise calories that are part of the lightly active.

delilah47

So if you are sedentary you will maintain your weight eating 2456 cals (2047*1.2). So to lose 2lbs/week you need to eat 1000 cals/day less, so 1456 should be your daily caloric intake on days you don't workout, and days you workout 1456 + what you burned.

If you entered your activity level as light active MFP would give you even more cals, which is probably why the 1770 vs the 1456 I calculated.

This one looks more accurate to me. I can get my numbers using this formula.

erickirb

Hello

your BMR does not include activity - you need to multiply it by 1.2 if you are sedentary.

This is where I get confused at. I know it doesn't include activity, so if I do nothing (sedentary) right? (not saying I would) and want to lose 2 lbs. per week, that means I can only eat 1047 calories + whatever exercise I do right? So essentially I would have to exercise at least 200 calories away every single day to make a 1200 calorie limit. Did I mention I'm over 200lbs and WAYYYYY closer to the 300 mark than the 200 mark!!

Where does this 1.2 come in? I'm trying to figure out if I'm eating too much or not enough.. I could be guessing for years (in fact I have) and not understand if I'm eating too much or not enough .

The 1.2 sedentary number accounts for eating, sitting, standing, food digestions, brushing your teeth, etc. These things all make you burn more then BMR. I would suggest you go back in and change your activity level to sedentary, which will lower your goal from 1770, but to continue eating your exercise calories.

erickirb

Firstly: As the others explained, you need to choose the appropriate activity multiplier to determine your TDEE, since I assume you're not bedridden. Assuming your BMR is correct, it looks like you probably chose "lightly active" for your lifestyle. If you included your activity in your lifestyle, you should *not* eat the exercise calories back, as they have already been accounted for in your lifestyle. If you chose "sedentary", you should get more like 2450.

Secondly: It's easier to do the calculations like this. 3500/week = 500/day. 7000/week = 1000/day. So if you use 'sedentary', you should get more like 1450, and then you should eat your exercise calories. If you use 'lightly active', you should get the 1770, and then not eat the exercise calories that are part of the lightly active.

^ or This

970Mikaela1

Or joust go with what mfp gives you and see how it works for a month:)

PlunderBunneh

Is there any way for you to get in to see a sports/nutrition counselor at your doctor's office? That would really be the best way to get these numbers, and they can test you to give you a more accurate BMR.

MarincicS

Hello

your BMR does not include activity - you need to multiply it by 1.2 if you are sedentary.

This is where I get confused at. I know it doesn't include activity, so if I do nothing (sedentary) right? (not saying I would) and want to lose 2 lbs. per week, that means I can only eat 1047 calories + whatever exercise I do right? So essentially I would have to exercise at least 200 calories away every single day to make a 1200 calorie limit. Did I mention I'm over 200lbs and WAYYYYY closer to the 300 mark than the 200 mark!!

Where does this 1.2 come in? I'm trying to figure out if I'm eating too much or not enough.. I could be guessing for years (in fact I have) and not understand if I'm eating too much or not enough .

The point i think you are missing is that your BMR is if you stay in bed all day. As soon as you get up to go pee, you are burning MORE calories than your BMR. I think for sedentary or lightly active, you burn an average of something like 650 calories a day ON TOP of your BMR. That's the difference between your calculation and MFP's.

sgoldman328

I'd recommend seeing a nutritionist or a doctor to find out your specific needs. I also believe that healthy weight loss is only a pound to a pound and a half each week.

When I went to a nutritionist, I was told to eat at my BMR -- no lower. I've written a post about it on my personal blog that I'll include, but I would recommend seeing someone on your own.


http://collegecookingandironchefamerica.blogspot.com/2012/03/my-weight-loss-technique.html

StartingAnewDay

Ok.. I think I understand a little better now. So does this mean my calories should change daily? If i'm normally lightly active, then I should eat those calories on days I don't work out, and more on days I do.

starcatcher1975

I think I need help too. If I wasn't very active (office job but have to hike it up and downstairs a few times a day) before starting this but I have become more active do I select lightly active or sedentary? I've lost weight since starting (3 weeks ago) but this past week has been horrible and the scale isn't moving at all. Getting frustrated that I'm already hitting a wall basically as soon as I started

qtpieprnsz

WOW... you folks out there really know your stuff... I left all that calculation to my trainer. Losing4Life69... I too started started much closer to 300 than 200.... 286lbs to be exact!!! Down by approx 50lbs since I first started a year ago. I'm eating about 1360 cal/ day BUT that includes my fitness.

I don't know what your financial situation is like, but if you have a bit of $$$$ hire a trainer and have them get you on the right track. Get one, who like mine, will be able to calculate your macros and tell you exactly what you are to consume. I then took those numbers and inputted them into myfitnesspal. You can override what they tell you.

If you don't have the cash, my recommendation would be to not eat back all of the calories burned while exercising. Just remember to refuel your body after a workout, just don't have a field day!!! If you want more support go ahead and friend me!!! Small steps to success.... stay strong!!

ThinningDownChick

MFP has my calories set to 1770 to lose 2 lbs. per week, but when I do that AND eat back my exercise calories, I wasn't losing anything, Now I try to stay with that and DONT eat my exercise calories back, and i lose around 1-2 lbs. per week.

I think you've figured it out, you're just questioning yourself too much. If you DON'T eat your exercise calories back, but you eat 1770 per day, you lose around 1-2 pounds a week! If that works for you then DO IT!! No point in fixing what isn't broken. MFP sets guidelines, however they are not set in stone, it's just to help you get an idea. You already figued out what works for you so I say eat your 1770 per day, workout and watch the weight come off! Don't make it harder then it is and GOOD LUCK!!

erickirb

Ok.. I think I understand a little better now. So does this mean my calories should change daily? If i'm normally lightly active, then I should eat those calories on days I don't work out, and more on days I do.

If you are using the light active stick with the 1770 everyday, unless your job is considered active, then yes eat the 1770 plus what you burn. If you change to sedentary (desk job) eat the amount MFP tells you to including calories burned.

vguynes

Thanks for the post and the comments. This has really helped me!

slimkay1

This is what helped me.
Caluclate online your your BMR (which is calories w/o exercise or activity)
Calculate online your TDEE (this includes your BMR and activity)
Suggestion eat calories between the two but closer to your BMR for now, this should help to jump start your weight loss.