Calculating calories

AliceNov2011

Do the math: All those complicated calculators wind up at practically this same place...

10 times your weight = your maintenance calories

Am I wrong?

So as a basically sedentary person, if I want to weight 162, my calorie intake is 1620 (less a cut if I want to speed up weight loss).

If I'm at my goal weight, let's say 150, 1500 calories will keep me there.

If I'm a mad-working-out-like-a-crazy-fool-day-n-night-athlete, then of course, the rules change.

But for most of us regular people, these numbers are a heckuva lot simpler than the quantum equations I keep seeing!

DebbieLyn63

This might work for some people, but there are too many variables, like age, gender, BF%, height, and normal activity level that change this number between people who all weigh the same amount. A 5'10" 25 yo male will need considerably more than a 5'2" 60 yo old woman. Even if they both weight 150 pounds.

ETA and most of the places that suggest calculating this way, say that 10-12 cals per pound of body weight gives you a number to LOSE weight on, and 15-17 cals to Maintain.

I really prefer the BF% method of calculating calorie needs. It is the most accurate for me. However, bottom line comes down to actual experience. After 6 months of logging all my calories, I have my maintenance level calculated out very well.

DebbieLyn63

I may not be the average person to base this on, however, because I am really sedentary. When I started here at 230, I was slowly gaining at between 1800-2000 calories, so 2300 would have really put the weight on. Now at 192, I lose about a pound a week on 1200 average. So that would mean my maintenance was around 1700.
If I worked outside the home, like normal people, it would probably be about 200 higher, so that would average out to around 10 cals per pound.