confused on how many calories to eat

nom_less

I am newbie around here and I need some help on calorie intake.
I used this site as suggested by a post in MFP

http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/#projectedweightloss

and I see the following

BMR: 1330
TDEE: 1596
daily calorie based on goal : 1277

activity level: desk job
goal : lose fat - 20% calorie reduction

here is where i get confused.
I work out almost 4-5 days a week and every work out i burn around 300 calories. On such days, I should be eating 1277 + 300 calories and the no work out days i eat 1277 calories??

just wanted to be sure I dont get into starvation mode etc. Please advise.

TavistockToad

I am newbie around here and I need some help on calorie intake.
I used this site as suggested by a post in MFP

http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/#projectedweightloss

and I see the following

BMR: 1330
TDEE: 1596
daily calorie based on goal : 1277

activity level: desk job
goal : lose fat - 20% calorie reduction

here is where i get confused.
I work out almost 4-5 days a week and every work out i burn around 300 calories. On such days, I should be eating 1277 + 300 calories and the no work out days i eat 1277 calories??

just wanted to be sure I dont get into starvation mode etc. Please advise.

Your activity level isn't desk job if you work out 4-5 times a week...

alexeye11

You are correct in eating less on the days you dont workout. On the days you workout, log how many calories you burned and eat those back yes.

Now MFP tends to recommend very few calories. You should be eating at least your BMR, cause this is the amount of calories your body needs to survive. I suggest doing a 15% cut, since it looks like you have a smaller amount of weight to lose than most people on here. That puts you at a calorie goal of 1356, which is over your BMR and will lead to healthy weight loss Btw you were correct to put your activity at sedentary, that is what everyone should do unless they have a job where they are constantly on their feet (example: waitress)

So eat 1356 on days you dont work out. Then on days you do work out, log your calories burned and eat some back so you can NET at least your BMR. Hope this helps Feel free to add me

257_Lag

Or use a modified TDEE method. Use the desk job and the 1277 calories but then log your exercise and try to eat back most of them. I use this method because my exercise isn't consistent enough to calculate into my true TDEE. Due to my job I can go a week without working out and the next week get at it 6 times.

nom_less

thanks all for the inputs.. I am going to target 1350 cal + whatever i burn with workouts for everyday.