net calories, bmr and eating back exercise calorie.

caroline1991

I'm 5'7 20 year old female who is 152lbs, my goal is about 128lbs. Anyway whenever I adjust my activity level MFP tells me to eat 1200 calories a day (except on extra active) but if I put my activity level as sedentary then add my exercises separately it tell me to eat more. I currently go to the gym 4-5 times a week and walk at least an hour a day to and from Uni. How many calories a day should I be consuming for around a 1.5 calorie loss per week? thanks

Generalle

have a look at other forum posts - there is tonnes of information already on here that should answer all your questions

Birder150

:drinker:

em9371

You are getting 1200 as your goal is set too high.With the amount you have to lose you should be aiming for 0.5-1lb loss max, you dont have enough to lose to go any higher.

If you use MFP figures, set your goal to 1lb, choose the correct activity level excluding exercise and then log / eat back your exercise.

Alternatively, look up helloitsdan's post 'in place of a roadmap' which tells you how to work out BMR / TDEE. This way includes your exercise cals in activity level so you dont eat them back.
Using this formula, your BMR is 1537, TDEE is 2382 for moderately active. A 500 cal / 1lb deficit would mean you need to eat 1882. If this nets you below BMR, go for 250 cal / 0.5 deficit and eat 2132.

Either way you should get pretty much the same allowance, its just a different way of working it out.

caroline1991

thanks no wonder I'm feeling so hungry!