Calorie Confusion!

mellieh814

I'm so confused about how many calories I need to eat everyday to lose weight. My Fitness Pal has me at 1200 calories per day.

My stats:
-Female
-115 lbs
-18 y/o
-5'6"
Exercise:
M,W,F- 30 mins, burns 175 cal
T,Th,Sa- 30 mins, burns 350 cal

Thank you so much! (:

xxcooneyxx

You can claculate it yourself if you like.

Google BMR calculator. The first link helps you calculate you BMR (base metabolic rate) which is the bare min calories it takes to keep your heart pumping and body digesting and organs functioning and all that. Then you plug your BMR into the harris benadict equation which factors in your activity level. I always use the sedintary number (BMR X 1.2) and then if i exercise i add how much i burned to the over all number.

Anyway, like for me, i am 5'5" 168 lbs 25 years old and female. My BMR is 1573.8, take that and plug it into the harris benadict equation (BMR X 1.2) and I burn roughly 1888.56 a day. In order to lose 1 lb a week, you need to eat 500 calories under what you burn every day. That means my calorie limit for the day would be 1388 calories a day. If you want to lose two pounds a week, you need to eat 1,000 calories under what you burn daily. (Remember doctors don't reccomend women eat under 1,200 calories a day though. That is why MFP will not put your daily limit under 1200 unless you change it manually)

If you burn, lets say, 300 calories a day exercising, and you burn about 2000 calories a day (not including the exercise) with your harris benadict results, and you want to lose one pound a week, you take 2000-500 = 1500 then add your exercise +300 and you can eat 1800 calories a day. Does any of this make sense?

xxcooneyxx

So for example, your BMR is 1380.85, plug that into the harris benadict (1380.85 X 1.2) = 1657.02 a day before exercise. If you did not exercise on a certain day, in order to lose one pound a week you would have to only eat 1157 calories. On the days you burn 175 calories you could eat 1332 calories and on days you burn 350 calories you could eat 1507. This is all assuming you want to lose 1 pound a week. If you want to lose more or less, then it needs to be adjusted. 500 calories a day = 1 pound a week.

Remember, it is not reccomended to go under 1200 calories a day unless under a doctor's orders or supervision.

concordancia

At 5'6 and 115 lbs, you should not be trying to lose weight.

If you are not happy with the way you look, you should explore strength training.

mellieh814

At 5'6 and 115 lbs, you should not be trying to lose weight.

If you are not happy with the way you look, you should explore strength training.

I used to weigh around 100 lbs with little muscle. I have gained a belly pouch since then & that is what I want gone.

I am currently doing strength training.

mellieh814

So for example, your BMR is 1380.85, plug that into the harris benadict (1380.85 X 1.2) = 1657.02 a day before exercise. If you did not exercise on a certain day, in order to lose one pound a week you would have to only eat 1157 calories. On the days you burn 175 calories you could eat 1332 calories and on days you burn 350 calories you could eat 1507. This is all assuming you want to lose 1 pound a week. If you want to lose more or less, then it needs to be adjusted. 500 calories a day = 1 pound a week.

Remember, it is not reccomended to go under 1200 calories a day unless under a doctor's orders or supervision.

Thank you so much! You helped a lot! (:

mellieh814

So I should just stick with 1200 & eat back my exercise calories?

faith__ak

Thanks a bunch, now it made more sense to me