Confused By How Much to Eat

tnloser1970
tnloser1970 Posts: 42
in Health and Weight Loss
First, I know MFP gives a calorie recommendation of 2630. If I follow the USDA Super tracker plan, I end up with around 1900 to 2100 calories. If I do The Zone plan (where it balances the carbs/protein/fat) it looks like I will end up with around 1500 calories. A dietician told me to eat around 2,000 calories. Even though I can't find it the link again, a Dan or a Don on here wrote a big article about figuring out your TDEE. Mine is 4718 and he recommends for someone morbidly obese (like myself) eat 20% less which leaves 3775 calories. He also recommends not eating below your BMR. My BMR is 2550 according to the Katch-McArdle Forumla.

So, this is where it gets all confusing. according to the Zone Diet, you don't need the extra calories because it forces you to use the internal fat calories to burn to achieve what you need for the day. According to them, it will not use your muscles for the extra calories.

According to the post on here, if you don't eat your calories (in my case the 3775), then your body will go into starvation mode and can start using muscles.

So, I am just really curious at to what others are doing.

Replies

  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    Probably anywhere between 2000 and 3500 would be good. You want something this is sustainable long term.

    Do you feel the 1500 calorie "zone" diet is something you can stick with for a couple of years? How about after you lose weight?
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    this might shed some light http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets
  • ldwash405
    ldwash405 Posts: 23 Member
    My suggested caloric intake according to MyFitnessPal is 1200 because I don't get a lot of activity through my job. I agreed to exercise 2x a week so I am just sticking with the plan that MFP gives me. Hope this helps!
  • tnloser1970
    tnloser1970 Posts: 42
    I like the way the zone diet breaks it down. But, I am not sure that 1500 calories will be enough for me. I mean when I am eating healthy, I sometimes feel fine on 1200 calories a day. But, I think that is because I have screwed my hunger gauge up so bad that I wouldn't even know if I was hungry.
  • orkilatrish
    orkilatrish Posts: 18
    I saw the same post about TDEEs and such. In the end, I've opted to work on a compromise between fitbit and MFP. Fitbit is a pedometer and phone/computer app that syncs with MFP. They adjust each other based on how much I move and how much I eat and usually settle around 1400-1500 calories for me which has been doable. I got the Fitbit Zip on Amazon and I have been quite happy with it. Good luck on your awesome goal and just remember that every day is a chance to recreate your future. Be kind to yourself on this journey; you are your best advocate!
  • dragonladywendy
    dragonladywendy Posts: 71
    As a general rule of thumb, stick to MFP gauge for a couple of months, if you are craving healthy foods, you need to increase your calorie intake. If you are not hungry, then try dropping the goal. Listen to your body, once the gauge is fixed!

    :smile:
  • tnloser1970
    tnloser1970 Posts: 42
    Thanks everyone. taso42, I went to that link and raised my activity level from sedentary to lightly active it increase my calories up closer to 3,000. I read earlier today that someone who is morbidly obese should use light as the activity level because they are in a sense lifting weight all day because of their weight. So, that is what I am doing. thanks again for everyone's help. I will sort of combine the 30% protien/30% healthy fats/40% carbs that is suggested in the zone and in the post I saw on here from the Dan or Don.

    That also falls into the 1 gram per lean body mass area since my lean body mass is 221.9 and MFP recommends 220 by the above method.
  • robin52077
    robin52077 Posts: 4,383 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    It's Dan. :)
  • bonnieellison96
    bonnieellison96 Posts: 50 Member
    It is really confusing! I go by what's sustainable long-term (I'm also obese, so I understand having to be really careful), AND *what* you eat is super important...100 calories worth of fries is WAY different than 100 calories of veggies, you know what I mean? MFP set my caloric goal at 2040, and I always have over 700 calories left over and never let myself feel like I'm "starving", I swear, I eat more now than I did when I was only eating junk! :D
  • tnloser1970
    tnloser1970 Posts: 42
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    It's Dan. :)

    Thank you!
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    I like the way the zone diet breaks it down. But, I am not sure that 1500 calories will be enough for me. I mean when I am eating healthy, I sometimes feel fine on 1200 calories a day. But, I think that is because I have screwed my hunger gauge up so bad that I wouldn't even know if I was hungry.

    It isn't! Don't listen to people who are trying to sell you on something. You *can* lose muscle if your calorie deficit is too high because of the stress it puts on your body.
  • AbsoluteNG
    AbsoluteNG Posts: 1,079 Member
    It's confusing when you listen to random people on the internet who have no formal education and do not know you personally. Listen and work with your dietition. Dietitions have a 4 year degree and do about 1000 hours of internship before they can get a license that allows them to work by setting food guidelines in a hospital, elementary school, prison, nursing home, and other such settings.
  • tnloser1970
    tnloser1970 Posts: 42
    It's confusing when you listen to random people on the internet who have no formal education and do not know you personally. Listen and work with your dietition. Dietitions have a 4 year degree and do about 1000 hours of internship before they can get a license that allows them to work by setting food guidelines in a hospital, elementary school, prison, nursing home, and other such settings.

    Normally, I would agree with you. But, the dietician that told me this is morbidly obese herself. I know I shouldn't think this way. But to me, getting advice from a dietician who is morbidly obese would be about like going to the dentist who has no teeth because they all rotted. It makes you question if they are right or not. That is one reason I turned to others on where who have experienced weight loss to get ideas :) Please don't take this wrong. I do completely agree with what you are saying. It is just a situation where I have to question her knowledge because she is not practicing what she teaches.

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