Having trouble w/ calories? Read this :)

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BaileyBoo13524
BaileyBoo13524 Posts: 593 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Here is a formula to calculate daily caloric needs that can be found in the Insanity nutrition guide, but can be applied to any workout program. Hope this will be helpful to those of you struggling to figure out how many calories you need per day :)
Step 1 BMR
For women: 655 + (4.35xweight in lbs) + (4.7xheight in inches) - (4.7xage in years)
For men: 66 + (6.23xweight in lbs) + (12.7xheight in inches) - (6.8xage in years)

Step 2 choose your activity level and multiply step 1 results by that number to get TDEE
1.2 sedentary
1.375 lightly active
1.55 moderate
1.7 very active
1.9 extremely active

Step 3
If you want to lose weight subtract 500 from your results in step 2 and this will be your daily goal. If you want to maintain your current weight use the number you got in step 2. If you want to gain weight add 250-300 per day to the number in step 2.

This is a simple equation and hope it will help some of you that are confused!
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Replies

  • AShawneeF
    AShawneeF Posts: 123 Member
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    mine is 1295. mpf gives me 1200. that's close enough, right?

    25846456.png
  • LeggiGetsFit
    LeggiGetsFit Posts: 64 Member
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    So to maintain I need to eat 1,401.35. If I subtract 500 I need to eat 901.35. :( Still going to eat my 1200-1300 a day but that explais why I've been losing so slowly.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Here is a formula to calculate daily caloric needs that can be found in the Insanity nutrition guide, but can be applied to any workout program. Hope this will be helpful to those of you struggling to figure out how many calories you need per day :)
    Step 1 BMR
    For women: 655 + (4.35xweight in lbs) + (4.7xheight in inches) - (4.7xage in years)
    For men: 66 + (6.23xweight in lbs) + (12.7xheight in inches) - (6.8xage in years)

    Step 2 choose your activity level and multiply step 1 results by that number to get TDEE
    1.2 sedentary
    1.375 lightly active
    1.55 moderate
    1.7 very active
    1.9 extremely active

    Step 3
    If you want to lose weight subtract 500 from your results in step 2 and this will be your daily goal. If you want to maintain your current weight use the number you got in step 2. If you want to gain weight add 250-300 per day to the number in step 2.

    This is a simple equation and hope it will help some of you that are confused!

    That's just the standard but less accurate Harris Benedict BMR and TDEE calculations found on many different sites.
    fitnessfrog, scooby, fat2fit, ect.
    MFP at least uses the more accurate Mifflin BMR calc - Tools - BMR calc.
    Of course, MFP activity levels contain NO exercise in them, since it's designed to eat them back when actually done.
    Those TDEE activity levels does include exercise - so totally different thing, and you must use MFP totally differently if using that method you are describing. You would NOT log exercise in that case.

    Using a site that does the math for you is much less confusing. Plus those activity level descriptions is missing anything meaningful as to what it means, they normally include days/hrs of exercise each week that would apply.

    Can also use a spreadsheet that lets you save your info, plus use the more accurate BMR estimate based on bodyfat%.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/677905-spreadsheet-for-bmr-tdee-deficit-calc-macro-calc-hrm
  • DaveMurphy6
    DaveMurphy6 Posts: 129 Member
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    Thanks for the formula. I have to say MFP was very close.

    Formula: 2078

    MFP: 1980

    Guess I have a little more cushion in my goal number.
  • BaileyBoo13524
    BaileyBoo13524 Posts: 593 Member
    Options
    Here is a formula to calculate daily caloric needs that can be found in the Insanity nutrition guide, but can be applied to any workout program. Hope this will be helpful to those of you struggling to figure out how many calories you need per day :)
    Step 1 BMR
    For women: 655 + (4.35xweight in lbs) + (4.7xheight in inches) - (4.7xage in years)
    For men: 66 + (6.23xweight in lbs) + (12.7xheight in inches) - (6.8xage in years)

    Step 2 choose your activity level and multiply step 1 results by that number to get TDEE
    1.2 sedentary
    1.375 lightly active
    1.55 moderate
    1.7 very active
    1.9 extremely active

    Step 3
    If you want to lose weight subtract 500 from your results in step 2 and this will be your daily goal. If you want to maintain your current weight use the number you got in step 2. If you want to gain weight add 250-300 per day to the number in step 2.

    This is a simple equation and hope it will help some of you that are confused!

    That's just the standard but less accurate Harris Benedict BMR and TDEE calculations found on many different sites.
    fitnessfrog, scooby, fat2fit, ect.
    MFP at least uses the more accurate Mifflin BMR calc - Tools - BMR calc.
    Of course, MFP activity levels contain NO exercise in them, since it's designed to eat them back when actually done.
    Those TDEE activity levels does include exercise - so totally different thing, and you must use MFP totally differently if using that method you are describing. You would NOT log exercise in that case.

    Using a site that does the math for you is much less confusing. Plus those activity level descriptions is missing anything meaningful as to what it means, they normally include days/hrs of exercise each week that would apply.

    Can also use a spreadsheet that lets you save your info, plus use the more accurate BMR estimate based on bodyfat%.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/677905-spreadsheet-for-bmr-tdee-deficit-calc-macro-calc-hrm

    I'm aware this is standard and have definitely done my research on those sites as well as seen the spreadsheets which are great. Just trying to make it simple for someone to glance at and easier for people who are confused :)
  • KiaCristal
    KiaCristal Posts: 36
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    Mine came out to 2007 which is way more than the 1200 MFP gave me. That's a huge difference. That is more close to what I probably ate before watching calories and working out. I guess I was maintaining then but I can't even imagine eating 2000 calories a day now. That's a lot of egg beaters and dry toast. haha
  • BaileyBoo13524
    BaileyBoo13524 Posts: 593 Member
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    Obviously the formula doesn't work for everyone and it took me a few times to actually do the calculations correctly, but my 1850 a day seems to be working :)
  • Linda_Darlene
    Linda_Darlene Posts: 453 Member
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    thanks
  • ignatiusreilly
    ignatiusreilly Posts: 411 Member
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    The MFP calculator works just fine.
  • lovedtorun
    lovedtorun Posts: 75
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    bump
  • BaileyBoo13524
    BaileyBoo13524 Posts: 593 Member
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    The MFP calculator works just fine.
    You're right it does it worked for me for a while but then I had to do some reassessing and adjusting just thought I would share my experience with it and help others.
  • BaileyBoo13524
    BaileyBoo13524 Posts: 593 Member
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    If I subract 500 I am 1106 Calories. Isnt that unhealthy?
    Yes you might be miss calculating look at it carefully :)
  • lovetobethin86
    lovetobethin86 Posts: 202 Member
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    1169 for me....pretty sure id be very hungry eating that every day:(
  • beckajw
    beckajw Posts: 1,738 Member
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    Mine came out to 2007 which is way more than the 1200 MFP gave me. That's a huge difference. That is more close to what I probably ate before watching calories and working out. I guess I was maintaining then but I can't even imagine eating 2000 calories a day now. That's a lot of egg beaters and dry toast. haha

    MFP doesn't include exercise calories in the number it gives you.
  • Jesstruhan
    Jesstruhan Posts: 331 Member
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    bump for use at home
  • eknobbe
    eknobbe Posts: 106 Member
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    BUMP!! GREAT INFO! THANKS!
  • mamaomefo
    mamaomefo Posts: 418 Member
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    Bump
  • pattesterman
    pattesterman Posts: 18 Member
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    T:laugh: hank you for making it easier to figure out.
  • jchrisman717
    jchrisman717 Posts: 780 Member
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    I figured mine according to the Insanity booklet and it came out to 1536 a day - doing it like you describe above it comes out to 1236. Hmm - now I need to go back to my book and look again. I'm struggling eating 1500 a day - I couldn't imagine going down to 1200 again and keeping my workout schedule.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
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    OP, I think you should clarify that the activity level should include exercise (unlike MFP which only includes normal daily activity). This may be why a few people have come up with very low numbers.

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