How many F****** calories?!

MamaKay3
MamaKay3 Posts: 35 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Yes, that is my question. :smile: I have READ and READ and READ and READ and have officially read TOO much and now I'm really confused as to how many calories I should be eating daily. My BMR is 1411-1432 depending on formula. I have my current daily goal set at 1400. MFP had me at 1290 for 1lb weight-loss. Which is below my BMR. I have read you should eat at your BMR, then I read you should eat UNDER your BMR, and yes, I have read OVER your BMR, so which is it? Some days, I have physically felt like I wasn't getting enough. Other days I have eaten under my daily goal and felt content. My first week I was eating 1200/cals a day and lost about 3lbs, then I changed it to 1400 cals. and have been losing 1lb. a week- for the past 3 weeks - which I have to admit I was upset about at first, but then quickly realized it was the BEST for me. I would prefer losing slower but having longterm results. I'm not interested in "fad diets" but rather a lifestyle change. I still want to eat the foods I love and would normally eat but learn more portion control. I have 3 kids so completely cutting certain foods is NOT going to happen. So can anyone clarify what the BEST way is? What worked for you and is STILL working? Feel free to send me a message.... Thanks! :happy:

Replies

  • tenaheff
    tenaheff Posts: 88
    You seem to be losing weight so why not just do whatever you have done so far?
  • Greenrun99
    Greenrun99 Posts: 2,065 Member
    1lb a week is normal.. you should be netting above your BMR everyday and below your TDEE.. so if you find a sweet spot in there where you lose 1-2 lbs a week your good.
  • postrockandcats
    postrockandcats Posts: 1,145 Member
    It sounds like your TDEE is probably higher than you think it is. If eating at your BMR is what's working for you to get that 1 pound a week loss and you feel good (ie- well fed and energetic.), then you're doing it right. :)
  • DanaDark
    DanaDark Posts: 2,187 Member
    It IS okay to eat under your BMR during weight loss goals.

    BMR is simply a recommendation of calories to eat to achieve proper nutritional goals on an average diet. If you ensure your diet has a good amount of protein, vitamins and minerals and such, you should be fine. It just becomes more and more difficult to get the required nutrition with fewer calories is all. This is why diets that severely restrict calories should be monitored by a nutritionist and doctor.

    So, I say stick with you 1400 and be happy! Do remember that as you get closer to your goal, you should slow weight loss down to 0.5lbs a week. This also helps re-train yourself to eat enough calories for maintenance later on.
  • Erica0718
    Erica0718 Posts: 469 Member
    I think this may answer some of your question and may help you

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/682138-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12?hl=in+place+of+a+road+map&page=8#posts-10664719
  • erindh87
    erindh87 Posts: 94
    I use this calculator. It seems to be working for me.

    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
  • Vx3_
    Vx3_ Posts: 102 Member
    It IS okay to eat under your BMR during weight loss goals.

    BMR is simply a recommendation of calories to eat to achieve proper nutritional goals on an average diet. If you ensure your diet has a good amount of protein, vitamins and minerals and such, you should be fine. It just becomes more and more difficult to get the required nutrition with fewer calories is all. This is why diets that severely restrict calories should be monitored by a nutritionist and doctor.

    So, I say stick with you 1400 and be happy! Do remember that as you get closer to your goal, you should slow weight loss down to 0.5lbs a week. This also helps re-train yourself to eat enough calories for maintenance later on.

    ^I just want to add on, the purpose of the BMR is also made for doctors who knows how much calories to give you in case of coma to keep your vital organs working properly.
    Since you are eating at your bmr, and losing consistanly, keep it up.
  • Vx3_
    Vx3_ Posts: 102 Member
    I use this calculator. It seems to be working for me.

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

    ^this link works well too
  • ellsddd
    ellsddd Posts: 4
    it's recomended not to eat under you BMR, certainly not for prolonged periods of times, are you sure you're calculating your BMR, activity levels, TDEE etc correctly? As you lose weight, your BMR will also decrease. at 1lb loss a week that is still slightly over 4st a year, so a lot of weight! I don't mean to offend but i assume since you have kids you may have a lot of ready meals, or more processed foods which may contain a lot of salt, which higher consumption of salt may lead to greater water retention which may see you not lose as much as you may desire. As long as you're regularly losing weight and maintain a good ratio of protein fats and carbohydrates, that does not tax your life in other ways then it should be feasible to maintain your diet imho.
  • JessB5104
    JessB5104 Posts: 1
    give me your weight, height, and age and the number of times you exercise per week and for how long, also what type of exercise you do and i'll figure it all out for you.
  • hunter624
    hunter624 Posts: 252
    Yes, that is my question. :smile: I have READ and READ and READ and READ and have officially read TOO much and now I'm really confused as to how many calories I should be eating daily. My BMR is 1411-1432 depending on formula. I have my current daily goal set at 1400. MFP had me at 1290 for 1lb weight-loss. Which is below my BMR. I have read you should eat at your BMR, then I read you should eat UNDER your BMR, and yes, I have read OVER your BMR, so which is it? Some days, I have physically felt like I wasn't getting enough. Other days I have eaten under my daily goal and felt content. My first week I was eating 1200/cals a day and lost about 3lbs, then I changed it to 1400 cals. and have been losing 1lb. a week- for the past 3 weeks - which I have to admit I was upset about at first, but then quickly realized it was the BEST for me. I would prefer losing slower but having longterm results. I'm not interested in "fad diets" but rather a lifestyle change. I still want to eat the foods I love and would normally eat but learn more portion control. I have 3 kids so completely cutting certain foods is NOT going to happen. So can anyone clarify what the BEST way is? What worked for you and is STILL working? Feel free to send me a message.... Thanks! :happy:

    you seem to be losing weight ,so if it's not broken don't fix it. enjoy the journey.
    I'm on 1670 per day to lose 1lbs per week and I'm losing more than that.
    Diets are like women you'll never understand them, so just go with the flow.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    I think BMR can be confusing because some website calculators misuse the word. True BMR is the # of calories your body needs just to function at it's base level, as if you were in a coma. The problem comes when some websites ask for your activity level on top of that, which is actually TDEE.

    If what you're doing is working for you, I wouldn't worry about it too much.

    P.S. I don't think there is any one tried and true way. We're all different so different things work for different people. I'm curerntly doing BMR plus exercise calories and it's working pretty well for me. I'm satisfied with the amount of food I can eat and have come to terms with the slow loss. You can spend all day looking around the boards reading how other people do it differently and that's what works for them - some don't eat back their exercise calories, some don't eat breakfast while others swear by it, some do low carb, some do Paleo, etc.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Eating good healthy foods that I enjoy when I'm hungry and not eating when I'm not hungry. Doing this most of the time (occasionally I overeat and occasionally it's not healthy) is what got me to goal and beyond and kept it off for over a year.

    I lost most of my weight before counting calories or having heard of BMR or TDEE. But those formulas don't work for me. I eat about what the calculators say my TDEE at sedentary is, yet I do aerobics 5-6 days a week and strength training 3-4 days a week. And I'm maintaining my weight.

    So, I just keep listening to my body. So far it's been pretty good at telling me when it needs to eat.

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