How do YOU accurately estimate your calorie goals?

lar4290

I've posted a lot of scattered questions over a few months about different ways to calculate calories more accurately. I've never been able to find a "rhythm" or a goal net intake number where I consistently lose. I've upped my calories a lot, gone pretty low, tried the helpful Roadmap 2.0 post, etc. I work out with a HRM, but I know that even the relatively accurate Polar models can be up to 30% off on any given individual. As a result, I'm sort of at a loss. I list questions below for ideas, but I'm really most interested in what has worked for you for accurately estimating caloric intake for steady loss?

*The Old Activity Level Debate*
--What do you use as your activity level and how does it work?
--If sedentary is BMR * 1.2 and lightly active is BMR * 1.375, does anyone make up their own multiplier based on the amount of activity they do--have you found this more accurate? I ask because I'd like to log my workout calories--gives me motivation--but I also feel that I'm a little more active than completely sedentary to start out.

*Fitbit/Nike Fuelband*
--Are all of the calories that these track *above* BMR? So you'd log your BMR, then add back however many calories it shows instead of doing "sedentary"? Or do you log these on top of "sedentary"?
----If it's the latter, I'm really confused how this doesn't overlog calories, considering that most people walk around too, but leave their tracker to sedentary and only log calories from true workouts.
--How accurate are these? I've read in various places that the caloric counts can be really questionable because of the use.
--Does anyone use these with your HRM for "real" workouts? E.g. do you switch them out?

*Metabolic Testing*
--For those of you that have had a RMR test or BMR test, do you think that this works well with a FitBit/HRM or did you need to change something?
--Was the RMR/BMR higher or lower than your RMR on the various formulas (Harris-Benedict, Katch-McArdle, the MFP formula (Mifflin-St. Jeor))? The trend I've seen is that it's wayyy lower than the Harris-Benedict and more similar to the conservative MFP formulas, seemingly contradicting the eat more to weigh less movement.

Finally, I realize that this is an imprecise science! We will never track our calories 100% accurately. Food varies, exercise varies, metabolisms vary so one pound may not really be 3500 calories. Even the most diligent person doesn't get it totally "right." However, if I'm going to spend a lot of time on this stuff, I'd rather be as close as I can be to accurate.

SideSteel

I think you're potentially complicating things.

PIck an intake and focus on eating at that intake accurately by measuring and weighing food. Ignore exercise calories by choosing an intake that is exercise inclusive.

Eat at that intake for 4 to 6 weeks without changing your intake. Be precise.

At the 4-6 week mark, adjust calories downwards if you're not losing.

SideSteel

Also: When I say pick an intake --- you should have, by now, SOME idea of a ballpark figure on your TDEE. THat or you can just use a few different estimation tools and take an average. None of them will be 100% accurate as they are all estimations.

But my point is to pick one, focus on intake/tracking accuracy and consistency for an extended period of time without jumping around and changing things and then you can use that data to make the correct decisions about your intake.

geekyjock76

Pretty much what SS stated.

It's advisable for anyone considering a fat loss intervention - if they wish to keep it as simple as possible - is to use MFP to log energy intake and activity without making any changes to activity level. Eat the maximum amount of calories which allows you to maintain weight based on present activity level for several weeks. Once you reach weight homeostasis and maintain it for at least one month, you will have figured out your true TDEE. It goes without saying it is crucial, during this time, to accurately measure food and log everything you eat.

There are two main variables: calorie intake from food and calorie expenditure from activity. Although one can not be 100% accurate in measuring food, it is still much more so than estimating activity energy expenditure. For that reason, it's best to comprise the bulk of the deficit needed for fat loss from eating less.

If a person is sedentary and does not include exercise, then obviously the deficit comes entirely from eating less - only one variable needs changing.

If the individual is already active, the first rule should still apply - partition the deficit so most, if not all of it, comes from eating less with no change in activity level. Again, the fewer variables you change, the less rate of error.

If one is sedentary and adds exercise, or is active but ups activity level, then they are manipulating both variables. Any addition to activity should be minor to keep things simple. The person then should eat the maximum amount of calories needed to maintain body weight according to this increased level of activity. After maintaining weight, the person will now only have to adjust one variable, which is eating less calories.

So, here's a very short recap:
1)Accurately log calorie intake and eat the maximum amount of calories which leads to maintaining weight for at least one month.
2)If sedentary, 100% of the deficit comes from eating less.
3)If activity level is added or increased, follow 1) to establish your adjusted TDEE, then create the deficit from eating less.