Maintenance Calories

SaintsGal

I was wondering if anyone could tell me where to find my maintenance calories on a site other than MFP in order to get an idea of how many calories I would need to eat to maintain my current weight?

Any information would be appreciated
xx

Fruch02

The Harris-Benedict formula (BMR based on total body weight)
Men: BMR = 66 + (13.7 X wt in kg) + (5 X ht in cm) - (6.8 X age in years)

Katch-McArdle formula (BMR based on lean body weight)
BMR (men and women) = 370 + (21.6 X lean mass in kg)

Then multiply the BMR with ur activity level

Activity factor
Sedentary = BMR X 1.2 (little or no exercise, desk job)

Lightly active = BMR X 1.375 (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/wk)

Mod. active = BMR X 1.55 (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk)

Very active = BMR X 1.725 (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/wk)

Extr. Active = BMR X 1.9 (hard daily exercise/sports & physical job or 2 X day training, marathon, football camp, contest, etc.)

SaintsGal

Thank you.

I was just wondering as I am going away on holiday tomorrow and can imagine that a few drinks will be had, and not much exercise, so don't want to go over my calorie intake by too much as I do not want to dent my progress so far.

I currently weigh 175 lbs and am having 4 days were I slack a little bit so how many calories could I have daily without putting any weight on?

xx

Fruch02

if your going to drink...drink... worry about it when your done with your holiday/vacation.

TavistockToad

If u set ur goal to not lose any weight, that is your maintenance. That being said, MFP sets it a bit low, IMO.

SaintsGal

Ok so how many calories would you say to add on to the guidelines set by MFP?

Also I was wondering if I ate/drank say 2500 calories, would I only be netting 1000 because of my body using 1500 calories for its BMR?

Is this logic correct or incorrect? If wrong please correct me

x

onikonor

Netting refers to exercise.

Your maintenance say is 1900 sedetary lifestyle:
Day 1 eat 1900 no exercise net 1900
Day 2 eat 2400 exercise 500 net 1900

Both results have the same outcome of eating maintenance calories.

SaintsGal

Ok so your BMR has no impact on calories burnt?

As I always thought if my maintenance was 2500 I could eat 2500 with no exercise. Then take away my BMR of 1500 to leave 1000 net allowing for 1500 extra calories.

However, I am more than likely wrong! Sorry am still new to this

x

cmriverside

On this site, you want to eat until the bottom line on your Food Diary says "0".....just keep adding food, adding exercise and eating until you get to ZERO at the bottom of your Food Diary.

onikonor

Ok so your BMR has no impact on calories burnt?

As I always thought if my maintenance was 2500 I could eat 2500 with no exercise. Then take away my BMR of 1500 to leave 1000 net allowing for 1500 extra calories.

However, I am more than likely wrong! Sorry am still new to this

x

BMR is calories burned if you slept all day which will already be included in your maintenance.

So say your BMR is 1500, say you are relatively sedentary so you burn 200-300 during a work day. The you come home and exercise for 30 min every day burning 300 calories. Your maintenance would be 1500+200+300=2000 Gross calories daily. Gross minus Exercise is your net calories of 1700.

Or did I just overcomplicate this?

SaintsGal

But does your BMR class as exercise because in effect your body is burning the 1500 (my BMR)

Or is this wrong?
x

ElizabethRoad

But does your BMR class as exercise because in effect your body is burning the 1500 (my BMR)

Or is this wrong?
x

To maintain, you need to eat enough to cover your BMR plus daily activities. Your BMR is INCLUDED in the amount of maintenance calories.

onikonor

But does your BMR class as exercise because in effect your body is burning the 1500 (my BMR)

Or is this wrong?
x

I'm not sure why you want to subtract 1500. Maybe you can clarify what you are trying to determine.

ElizabethRoad

If your BMR is 1500 and you're sedentary, you probably need about 1800 or so, plus any additional exercise. That 1800 includes your BMR.

SaintsGal

I think I understand now.

So my BMR is included in my maintenance goals even though the body burns them calories? So if I were to eat 2000 calories with no exercise would I only net 500 as my body is burning my BMR (1500).

Sorry I'm only young and don't fully understand this yet.

x

ElizabethRoad

I think I understand now.

So my BMR is included in my maintenance goals even though the body burns them calories? So if I were to eat 2000 calories with no exercise would I only net 500 as my body is burning my BMR (1500).

Sorry I'm only young and don't fully understand this yet.

x

Your body burns ALL OF THOSE CALORIES. That's the point, you eat the same amount as you burn. If you eat MORE than you burn you would gain weight.

WaterBunnie

I think I understand now.

So my BMR is included in my maintenance goals even though the body burns them calories? So if I were to eat 2000 calories with no exercise would I only net 500 as my body is burning my BMR (1500).

Sorry I'm only young and don't fully understand this yet.

x

I think you need to forget the BMR bit. MFP has already allowed for that for you as it uses that figure to calculate how many calories you need to eat and how many to lose weight. BMR isn't the same as your total daily usage, it's just the absolute minimum your body would use if you weren't conscious to keep you breathing, digesting etc. Your body burns all calories you give it when you are dieting because you are eating less than you are using which means that you then have to burn fat to fund the shortfall.

Nett calories only apply when you are exercising and creating a bigger calorie deficit than you have entered into the site. If you think about it, if you have set it up to lose 1lb a week your daily maintenance calories will already have been lowered by 500 calories per day so if you exercise another 500 off too you effectively then have a 1000 deficit which is why the site shows you the nett calories so that you can see how it affects your goal calories for the day. If you exercise more you can eat more but your BMR stays pretty much constant day-to-day dropping only very gradually as you drop weight but the site also adjusts your calories downwards gradually to account for that. Hope this helps?!

onikonor

I think I understand now.

So my BMR is included in my maintenance goals even though the body burns them calories? So if I were to eat 2000 calories with no exercise would I only net 500 as my body is burning my BMR (1500).

Sorry I'm only young and don't fully understand this yet.

x

Your body burns ALL OF THOSE CALORIES. That's the point, you eat the same amount as you burn. If you eat MORE than you burn you would gain weight.

This is correct. If you eat at your maintenance there will be no more left over calories.

SaintsGal

Thank you I just think I am stupid and am not understanding this concept at all lol.

I think it's the fact that our bodies 'burn' the BMR and it has always been said to eat back any calories 'burnt' which may be why I'm getting confused because I think if I eat 1500, and my BMR is 1500 then effectively my body has 'burnt' all the calories I have eaten which in my head is telling me that I can eat another 1500 calories.

I'm obviously just stupid to not understand something that everyone else seems to get straight away lol :embarassed:

onikonor

Thank you I just think I am stupid and am not understanding this concept at all lol.

I think it's the fact that our bodies 'burn' the BMR and it has always been said to eat back any calories 'burnt' which may be why I'm getting confused because I think if I eat 1500, and my BMR is 1500 then effectively my body has 'burnt' all the calories I have eaten which in my head is telling me that I can eat another 1500 calories.

I'm obviously just stupid to not understand something that everyone else seems to get straight away lol :embarassed:

Why don't you tell us your
1. age
2. current weight
3. height
4. activity level 1) what kind of job you have - sedentary, walking, etc. and 2) how many times a week and how long you exercise (including the type of exercise you are performing)

We can help you come up with your daily goal.

MandyMidwife

I think if I eat 1500, and my BMR is 1500 then effectively my body has 'burnt' all the calories I have eaten which in my head is telling me that I can eat another 1500 calories.

You're not stupid, you're just getting mixed up on the terms. When people say to, "eat back the calories you burn," they are referring to only the calories burned through additional exercise, not the calories your body "burns" just to function. If you were to eat an extra 1500 calories in addition to the 1500 calories you eat for your body to "burn" just to stay alive, you would be eating almost double your calorie requirements and would gain weight. Make sense?

Sizethree4Ever

The Harris-Benedict formula (BMR based on total body weight)
Men: BMR = 66 + (13.7 X wt in kg) + (5 X ht in cm) - (6.8 X age in years)

Katch-McArdle formula (BMR based on lean body weight)
BMR (men and women) = 370 + (21.6 X lean mass in kg)

Then multiply the BMR with ur activity level

Activity factor
Sedentary = BMR X 1.2 (little or no exercise, desk job)

Lightly active = BMR X 1.375 (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/wk)

Mod. active = BMR X 1.55 (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk)

Very active = BMR X 1.725 (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/wk)

Extr. Active = BMR X 1.9 (hard daily exercise/sports & physical job or 2 X day training, marathon, football camp, contest, etc.)

bump.