going CRAZY on how many cals I should eat????
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What is most confusing is not figuring out how many calories to eat, but accurately estimating exercise burn. There are many many sites that have calculators to find your BMR and the numbers will be fairly close, and give you a good range to start at, but then you have to figure out your activity level. This is where I get stuck. There are so many variables. How much did I exert myself during that workout? What was my heart rate? If I exercise for 60 minutes 6 days a week, but sit on my butt the rest of the time, am I lightly active, moderately active? What if I workout twice a day? It's kind of funny actually.
Side note. I have noticed that MFP numbers tend to be significantly lower than what you will find elsewhere.
N
That is why you should stop. Just calculate your TDEE based on your activity level. Just eat the same everyday and exercise as planned. Easy. Who care how many cals you burned? You burned them, and if you are losing weight, great. It's working. If your not losing weight or shaping up, cut 10%. Wait a while and see again if weight or measurements are changing. If not, Cut another 10%. Eventually, you'll find the balance.0 -
I was up until almost midnight driving myself crazy about what to do! My main goal from now on is to make sure I eat all my MFP cals, 1670. I looked through my settings and at that calorie intake, I should lose 2 pounds a week. I am not going to worry about exercising and making sure I eat those calories back or whatever. When I plateau I will change things up but for now, Im going to keep doing it the way I have been. 15 pounds in 30 days is pretty damn good. Guess something is working right? Lol. Appreciate the advice from you all so very much. Some of it makes sense, some of it doesnt but after reading and studying....I think I have a pretty good idea now of how it works.0
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You need to figure out your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) which is your BMR plus the calories you use just doing normal activities. What you do is, you add your exercise you do working out to your TDEE, and THEN you subtract calories based on how much weight you want to lose. A deficit of 500 per day is 3500 a week, and that will be a loss of 1 lb.
So... simplified...
(TDEE + Exercise/Workout) - 500 = Daily Calories
Make sure that this "daily calories" number is not below your BMR. You need to eat AT or ABOVE your BMR so that your body functions correctly. It might take a little bit of googling, but there are online calculators that will help you determine BMR and TDEE.
I hope this helped! Looks like everyone else has given you good advice too. Just remember to eat enough and you should be fine. I personally have increased my calories and I'm still losing weight at a fast rate. Don't be afraid of eating more.
And good luck, you're doing great! 0 -
What I want to know is if this TDEE and all that is super important, why is MFP not doing more to ensure the numbers they are giving us are completely accurate?0
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What is most confusing is not figuring out how many calories to eat, but accurately estimating exercise burn. There are many many sites that have calculators to find your BMR and the numbers will be fairly close, and give you a good range to start at, but then you have to figure out your activity level. This is where I get stuck. There are so many variables. How much did I exert myself during that workout? What was my heart rate? If I exercise for 60 minutes 6 days a week, but sit on my butt the rest of the time, am I lightly active, moderately active? What if I workout twice a day? It's kind of funny actually.
Side note. I have noticed that MFP numbers tend to be significantly lower than what you will find elsewhere.
N
Honestly, probably the most clear cut answer!
That is why you should stop. Just calculate your TDEE based on your activity level. Just eat the same everyday and exercise as planned. Easy. Who care how many cals you burned? You burned them, and if you are losing weight, great. It's working. If your not losing weight or shaping up, cut 10%. Wait a while and see again if weight or measurements are changing. If not, Cut another 10%. Eventually, you'll find the balance.0 -
I would def wear a heart rate monitor so you have a true estimate of the calories that you are burning.0
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What I want to know is if this TDEE and all that is super important, why is MFP not doing more to ensure the numbers they are giving us are completely accurate?
But they do estimate. When you selected Activity level of probably sedentary for your non-exercise routine, they came up with a non-exercise TDEE. Daily maintenance, which they then subtract 500 or 1000 from.
Problem is, they allow you to select too aggressive a goal for wise loss. They stop for safety reasons as 1200 for the math though.
Can't really ensure numbers are accurate when it depends on the user being honest, and understanding that if the daily goal goes up because you logged exercise, you still eat to that goal.
Opposite from other sites, they don't include exercise in there until you do it and log it, and then eat it.
So just different viewpoint.
MFP uses BMR + estimate non-exercise daily activity - 500 (or 750, ect) + optional exercise activity = daily goal
Other sites use BMR + estimate non-exercise daily activity + estimate exercise activity - 500 (ect) = daily goal
MFP's daily goal will potentially move around if you exercise, other site goals are static.0 -
You need to figure out your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) which is your BMR plus the calories you use just doing normal activities. What you do is, you add your exercise you do working out to your TDEE, and THEN you subtract calories based on how much weight you want to lose. A deficit of 500 per day is 3500 a week, and that will be a loss of 1 lb.
So... simplified...
(TDEE + Exercise/Workout) - 500 = Daily Calories
Make sure that this "daily calories" number is not below your BMR. You need to eat AT or ABOVE your BMR so that your body functions correctly. It might take a little bit of googling, but there are online calculators that will help you determine BMR and TDEE.
I hope this helped! Looks like everyone else has given you good advice too. Just remember to eat enough and you should be fine. I personally have increased my calories and I'm still losing weight at a fast rate. Don't be afraid of eating more. And good luck, you're doing great!
Ok so if my BMR is 1459 and my TDEE is 1747 then 1747+700(running and strength training) = 2447-500 = 1947 so I should be eating 1947calories. But on the days I don't work out it'll be 1747-500=1247 which is below my BMR of 1459 so you are saying I should be eating a minimum of 1459 calories a day when i'm not working out and not 1247?0 -
Ok so if my BMR is 1459 and my TDEE is 1747 then 1747+700(running and strength training) = 2447-500 = 1947 so I should be eating 1947calories. But on the days I don't work out it'll be 1747-500=1247 which is below my BMR of 1459 so you are saying I should be eating a minimum of 1459 calories a day when i'm not working out and not 1247?
Was that estimate of TDEE for sedentary, meaning non-exercise TDEE?
From the fat2fit site? Otherwise the math doesn't work out correctly for TDEE from BMR, and that must mean you have little to lose because that site bases the suggested TDEE to eat at on your goal weight. Which means 500 is too great a deficit, and actually on their site, they already did a deficit, you don't add to it. Read the paragraph above the chart.
If so, you at least got the right idea of adding back exercise and then taking deficit off.
But wouldn't the effect be exactly the same if you took off the deficit and then added on exercise, as you describe too?
Guess what MFP does?
Exactly what you described. And you end up with exactly the same result of eating below your BMR, if you select 1lb weekly.
Now, here's the great thing, your daily non-exercise calorie burn is not limited by your selection of sedentary, it likely will burn more. I don't think I've never seen one comment from people wearing the FitBits and BodyMediaFit's that their non-exercise day's TDEE was ever at or less than the sedentary they had originally selected. They all found they burned much more.
But the effects of underfeeding, wherever that may fall for you and cause a stall, can be averted by the concern you have, netting above BMR.
Since you are describing exactly what MFP does anyway, just select Sedentary (if that is true non-exercise day, perhaps lightly active), and use goal of 1/2 lb.
That should make a daily net goal of slightly at/above BMR.
Then log exercise calories best estimate, and eat them back.
You just did what you described, and stayed above BMR.
Benefit now is when you lose weight, MFP will adjust the goal down automatically.
The fat2fit method basically balances the energy needs over all the days, so some days may indeed be at/below BMR, balanced by eating the same amount on rest day and being over.
Oh, the fat2fit activity levels for days means hours basically, 3-5 hrs week, 1-3 hrs, ect.0 -
Ok so if my BMR is 1459 and my TDEE is 1747 then 1747+700(running and strength training) = 2447-500 = 1947 so I should be eating 1947calories. But on the days I don't work out it'll be 1747-500=1247 which is below my BMR of 1459 so you are saying I should be eating a minimum of 1459 calories a day when i'm not working out and not 1247?
Was that estimate of TDEE for sedentary, meaning non-exercise TDEE?
From the fat2fit site? Otherwise the math doesn't work out correctly for TDEE from BMR, and that must mean you have little to lose because that site bases the suggested TDEE to eat at on your goal weight. Which means 500 is too great a deficit, and actually on their site, they already did a deficit, you don't add to it. Read the paragraph above the chart.
If so, you at least got the right idea of adding back exercise and then taking deficit off.
But wouldn't the effect be exactly the same if you took off the deficit and then added on exercise, as you describe too?
Guess what MFP does?
Exactly what you described. And you end up with exactly the same result of eating below your BMR, if you select 1lb weekly.
Now, here's the great thing, your daily non-exercise calorie burn is not limited by your selection of sedentary, it likely will burn more. I don't think I've never seen one comment from people wearing the FitBits and BodyMediaFit's that their non-exercise day's TDEE was ever at or less than the sedentary they had originally selected. They all found they burned much more.
But the effects of underfeeding, wherever that may fall for you and cause a stall, can be averted by the concern you have, netting above BMR.
Since you are describing exactly what MFP does anyway, just select Sedentary (if that is true non-exercise day, perhaps lightly active), and use goal of 1/2 lb.
That should make a daily net goal of slightly at/above BMR.
Then log exercise calories best estimate, and eat them back.
You just did what you described, and stayed above BMR.
Benefit now is when you lose weight, MFP will adjust the goal down automatically.
The fat2fit method basically balances the energy needs over all the days, so some days may indeed be at/below BMR, balanced by eating the same amount on rest day and being over.
Oh, the fat2fit activity levels for days means hours basically, 3-5 hrs week, 1-3 hrs, ect.
Wow so detailed. Thanks.
I got my BMR from several websites and they all averaged around the same number.
I went to the fat fit site and it said my BMR was 1456 calories. For sedentary 1705 calories and light activity 1954. I’m a stay at home mom but I’m always gogogo. So its around the same numbers and yes I put sedentary.
I lost 75lbs through WW and made goal of 145 last month but I want to lose 8 more lbs. I’m 28, 5’6, 143lbs and I want to be 135.
So try to lose 1/2lb and not 1lb is what you are saying. Ok sounds good. I have an outdoor gps watch I use for running and an indoor hrm I use for weight training so my calories burned should be a little accurate.0 -
Wow so detailed. Thanks.
I got my BMR from several websites and they all averaged around the same number.
I went to the fat fit site and it said my BMR was 1456 calories. For sedentary 1705 calories and light activity 1954. I’m a stay at home mom but I’m always gogogo. So its around the same numbers and yes I put sedentary.
I lost 75lbs through WW and made goal of 145 last month but I want to lose 8 more lbs. I’m 28, 5’6, 143lbs and I want to be 135.
So try to lose 1/2lb and not 1lb is what you are saying. Ok sounds good. I have an outdoor gps watch I use for running and an indoor hrm I use for weight training so my calories burned should be a little accurate.
Yep, 1/2 lb selected as a figure anyway. After a few weeks you'll see what it really is.
Of course, with lots of exercise, you are likely to see body improvements first which will balance fat loss showing up on the scale.
So be prepared with measurements now. The fat2fit site Covert bodyfat method uses the most measurements to compare with later.
Also, which GPS watch? Does it have HRM too?
And what is HRM? Because most are going to over-estimate anaerobic workouts, like weight lifting or true HIIT. They think you reached the high HR aerobically, so many spikes up to a high HR looks like good calorie burn. But in reality that high HR was reached anaerobically, and the calorie calcs are for aerobic activity.
Now, it just may turn out that your post workout fat burn during recovery makes that estimate accurate - but really no need to feed and replenish the fat burned later.0 -
Wow so detailed. Thanks.
I got my BMR from several websites and they all averaged around the same number.
I went to the fat fit site and it said my BMR was 1456 calories. For sedentary 1705 calories and light activity 1954. I’m a stay at home mom but I’m always gogogo. So its around the same numbers and yes I put sedentary.
I lost 75lbs through WW and made goal of 145 last month but I want to lose 8 more lbs. I’m 28, 5’6, 143lbs and I want to be 135.
So try to lose 1/2lb and not 1lb is what you are saying. Ok sounds good. I have an outdoor gps watch I use for running and an indoor hrm I use for weight training so my calories burned should be a little accurate.
Yep, 1/2 lb selected as a figure anyway. After a few weeks you'll see what it really is.
Of course, with lots of exercise, you are likely to see body improvements first which will balance fat loss showing up on the scale.
So be prepared with measurements now. The fat2fit site Covert bodyfat method uses the most measurements to compare with later.
Also, which GPS watch? Does it have HRM too?
And what is HRM? Because most are going to over-estimate anaerobic workouts, like weight lifting or true HIIT. They think you reached the high HR aerobically, so many spikes up to a high HR looks like good calorie burn. But in reality that high HR was reached anaerobically, and the calorie calcs are for aerobic activity.
Now, it just may turn out that your post workout fat burn during recovery makes that estimate accurate - but really no need to feed and replenish the fat burned later.
I have a MIO GPS watch which also calculates hrm and a Timex heart rate monitor. My GPS watch doesn't work inside so I use my Timex for weight training but I only log in 1/2 the calories it says I burned. I log in my full calories for running which for a 5mile run said about 544 but for 1hr of P90X my Timex said I burned 644 but I only logged 1/2 of that as that didn't seem right. Right? I mean 644 in 1 hour of strength training seemed like a lot even though it was intense.0 -
Ok, I swear this whole topic makes me feel like an idiot but let's give it one more shot!
MFP says I need to eat 1680 calories so I have been, but then you minus the exercise calories, like today I did Zumba so I burned about 1000, which means for the day I only netted 680....is this going to make me plateau right away?
The BMR calculator says I need to eat 2100, MFP says 1680. Someone please help me understand. I need the "calories for dummies" version if you don't mind :-)
Diary is public....let me have it!
eat 1680, and eat your exercise calories...0 -
I have a MIO GPS watch which also calculates hrm and a Timex heart rate monitor. My GPS watch doesn't work inside so I use my Timex for weight training but I only log in 1/2 the calories it says I burned. I log in my full calories for running which for a 5mile run said about 544 but for 1hr of P90X my Timex said I burned 644 but I only logged 1/2 of that as that didn't seem right. Right? I mean 644 in 1 hour of strength training seemed like a lot even though it was intense.
You might use this site instead of the Timex. My Timex only asked for weight and age, and the age was only used for setting zones automatically. It did allow entering my own maxHR, but again, I think only used for zones, because calorie counts never changed much when those values changed.
It was very inflated, so good job halving it.
If you want something more accurate, all you have to do is take the avgHR figure at the end of the workout, and use this calculator based on study with very good accuracy, study sponsored by Polar in fact, so probably used somewhat in their HRM's. Better than the Timex at least, probably better than the MIO too.
http://www.braydenwm.com/calburn.htm
Now, for even better accuracy for cardio workouts so to maximize the deficit, but not too much, try the equation in this post to calculate your VO2max to use in above calculator. Only have to do this math once. Well, since it's based on bodyfat% and weight, every 10lb loss wouldn't be bad to recalc.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/577839-hrm-s-with-vo2max-stat-improve-calorie-estimate 
For lifting, still cut estimate in half. P90X would be correct though at whatever it tells you.0 -
1200 a day is ridiculous. Eat 1680. When you burn 1000, eat 1000 more.
You only gain weight if you eat 3500 OVER your 1680 net.
There's poor advice here and only 5 in. Eat, eat, eat. 1200 is minimum survival for most people.
BRILLIANT! follow this...
ps- are you wearing a HRM for that time? 1000 is a high burn! i dont understand how some people have such high burns
almost threw up at the end of my crossfit workout yesterday, heartrate was up to 180, and after an hour i was at 390 cals haha 0 -
Hmmm, just reading through this and find it really interesting. Does it make a huge difference whether you're massively overweight or you are very fit already? What if you only want to loose the last pounds? Is it the same calculation then or do you need to pay even more attention to eat ALL exercise calories back? I have the feeling my body won't let go of anything if I do not give it loads of good food.
I am 5'4'' and 127.2 lbs, would be nice to go down in bodyfat a bit... makes me faster at running!
To drop more body fat below the norm you would have to take on a way different approach.
Most of this will be playing tricks with hormones.
Check out www.leangains.com or http://rippedbody.jp and read the guides.
Youll be better off having 3 refeeds a week of +20% TDEE on lifting days to help stimulate lean mass but then cut down at about -10% TDEE on rest days.
If you have the willpower to Fast daily till about 2pm all the better.
A good eating schedule would be something like this:
Sunday rest -10% TDEE
Monday Lift +20% TDEE Largest meal post workout. High Protein and Carbs with very low fat.
Tuesday see sunday. Days after lifting should have the FIRST meal of the day as the biggest. Rest days are high protein and fat with carbs 150g or lower...but not too low.
Weds See Monday.
Thursday see tuesday.
Friday see Monday.
Saturday rest -10% TDEE.
So you lift 3 times a week and you eat well around your training.
Since you are still repairing the next day youll eat big first thing then go low the rest of the day.
Savvy?0 -
I would love some advice myself.
I am 35 years old. I weigh 205.5 lb, and I am 5ft 7.
My BMR is apparently 1693
My TDEE is 2328
I want to lose 1-2lb a week.
I exercise most days..whether its 30 mins aerobics, boxercise, Wii Fit, and I walk everyday.
My MFP is currently set on 1240 cals a day, and I eat my exercise cals (roughly 500 a day). My total calorie intake is always roughly 1500-1600 a day.
I have a fitbit which tells me calories I burn through exercise.
Am I eating the right amount?
Thanks 0 -
you need to consume at LEAST 1200 a day (not counting what you burn).
Ex. If you eat 2000 calories and burn 1000 then you need to eat back at least 200 of them so you consumed 1200. Your body needs this 1200 for fuel.0 -
I dont have an HRM...I didnt think I needed one with a fitbit?
My fitbit today says I have burnt 2494 cals today. if I took 500 off that, I would be eating 2000 cals a day which seems an awful lot
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My stats on MFP today are the following
57 CALORIES REMAINING
Goal Food Exercise = Net
1240 1740 - 557 11830
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