Am I supposed to eat all the calories????

TChester_05

I'm confused! I was under the impression that the calories given as my daily goal currently showing as 1660 are maximums and have been working hard to net less then that an average of 1300 or so daily. However in the past week I think I might have gained 2 lb back...even though official weigh in isnt for two more days I weighed myself this morning. I'm confused how should I treat the goal numbers I see are they maximums, minimums , or what? I also need to understand if I'm supposed "eat back" calories from working out. I'm also curious about the protein, carbs, and fat numbers listed with the calories...how important are they right now. I have over 50 lbs to lose and really want to see at least 1-2 lbs a week. Is there anywhere that gives "instructions" for weight loss dummy's???

steph6467

It's fine to eat less then the calorie goal set for you by the software, as long as you don't eat WAY WAY below. 1300ish a day is good. You don't have to "eat back" the calories earned from exercise.

You will lose a pound when you have eaten 3500 fewer calories then you've used up in the process of living. You use up a certain number of calories just being alive (this varies by person, google BMR calculator to figure out approximately how many calories your body burns daily just to keep you breathing, thinking, digesting, etc). Depending on your age, body size, this might range from 1400 calories to 2000+.

You also burn off a little more then your BMR just getting out of bed, moving around, and going about your day (BMR x 1.3 for a person that is lightly active). For example, if your BMR is 1500 calories and you aren't in a coma, your body will use up 1950 calories a day as you go about your daily activities.

You burn "bonus" calories when you move around and exercise. When you burn more calories in a day then you have eaten, the difference is called your "deficit". When your deficit equals 3500 calories, you will have lost a pound.

If you want to lose a pound and a half a week, you have to create a deficit of 3500 (1 lb) + 1/2 of 3500 (1/2 of a lb) = 5250 calories a week. You have to eat 5250 less calories then you burn (or, divided over 7 days, eat approximately 750 calories less per day then you burn).

If your body uses 1700 calories a day just being alive and going about your day, and you burn off an extra 300 calories a day exercising, then you have used 2000 calories for that day. If you eat 2000 calories, your body weight will stay the same. If you eat 1300 calories, you will have a deficit for the day of 700 calories. That's pretty good! If you do that every day for a week, you lose a little less then your pound and a half goal. Of course, this is just an example and you'll have to figure the actual numbers yourself.

I hope that helps!

mcarter99

Good advice above.

Here's my "weight loss for dummies" -

Ignore the scale for short increments of time, like less than 3 weeks. Weight varies for reasons that aren't related to diet and fat loss. Worry about your inputs (activity level and caloric intake).

Eating less means losing more but don't eat so little you don't get good nutrition or that you feel deprived enough to cause a binge or lack energy.

Use an online calculator to estimate how many calories you burn a day TOTAL. Eat less than that. To lose a pound a week, eat 500 less most days. IMO, these are the only two numbers you need- caloric intake and output. I say don't worry about BMR, TDEE, 'exercise calories', 'eating back', 'starvation mode'.

Don't stress the macronutrient goal numbers too much but if you notice over time you're consistently falling materially short on something like protein, try to add more over time.

GauchoMark

the only thing I will add to the above posts, it I would try not to eat less than your BMR consistently. The numbers you see on MFP are not your BMR, they are your total calories. Your BMR is how many calories your body needs to function - basically if you were in a coma.

The net calorie numbers you see on MFP are your BMR multiplied by an activity factor minus a calorie deficit to get you to your weight loss goal. I think it is OK to go below your BMR occasionally, but you shouldn't average below it.