Confused on net calories.....

CDAGMA

Hello - I am new to this site but have been trying to research the best way to lose weight. I am very confused about how many calories I should REALLY be intaking a day. I am 57, 5 ft 7 and weigh 139. I am trying to get back to my weight of last year (and fit into my pants again)!! of 132. MFP is saying I need 1200 calories a day. I work out 3 to 4 times a week (started a month ago) and when I add in my calories per workout (avg. 335) it increases my calories I can have by that amount, but the base is still 1200. Everything I have read about losing weight says that for working out 3 to 4 times a week I should NEVER go down to 1200. Because of my age my BMR is 1306. I have been at this a month and have lost only 3/4 of a pound (which I since gained back) but also know I am adding muscle. What is a realistic calorie count a day and do I alter my calories when not working out on those days? Any help would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks!

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

You probably told it you wanted to lose 2 lbs a week, which is too much. You're already a healthy weight so go into your goals and reset it to .5 lbs per week. MFP intends for you to eat back the calories you earn from exercising. Some people use different approaches to this, but you are intended to eat them back so as not to create too large a deficit.

vjrose

Not less that 1200 is what belongs in the Net. So yes on non exercise days you eat at the 1200, on workout days you eat more.

jnp96

So eating more calories when you are closer to you goal weight will help lose the last 10?

cmriverside

You probably told it you wanted to lose 2 lbs a week, which is too much. You're already a healthy weight so go into your goals and reset it to .5 lbs per week. MFP intends for you to eat back the calories you earn from exercising. Some people use different approaches to this, but you are intended to eat them back so as not to create too large a deficit.

This. You are already at the low end of healthy on the weight range.

Reset to "Lose 1/2 pound per week" and eat the extra calories given by exercise. That is how this site is deigned to be used. No other sites use this algorithm. . . it's different from other sites.

Once you reset, you should be given something more like 1500 calories. Then when you exercise, you'll eat that plus the 335, for a total of about 1800.


p.s. to jnp96, yes, this applies to those last ten pounds.

CDAGMA

Thanks all for the replies! I put in to lose 1 lb. per week, (I never put in 2). So if what I am getting from you all is that I probably should change it to 1/2 lb? I know it may seem silly to some that I am making a big deal out of a measily 7 lbs. but I really want to get back to where I was under a year ago. Also when I was younger I had a few years in my life where I was almost 200 lbs so it is important for me to watch what I am doing. Those 7 pounds came on fast..... thanks again for helping me out here. I appreciate the input.

wswilliams67

Read: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

Then use this: http://www.cordianet.com/calculator.htm

If you net 100-200 calories above your BMR daily you should have no problem losing the last 10, but it will go slowly.

CDAGMA

Thanks, but the 10 pounds losing wasn't me but someone else who posted along the same lines as me in regards to calories. I like the link you sent and will be referring to it. Thank you!!

mambagirl

I would start doing heavy lifting if I were you..(If you don't already) you could get into your old jeans that way.