What would my recommended Calorie intake be?

Guamybear
Guamybear Posts: 1,061 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I ask just because there is an overload of information on here and tons of links to different website with all these different calculators.

right now I weigh 214lbs, I do cardio 5-6 days (45 min to an hour) a week and lift 3-5 days a week (about 30 mins) and I am 43 years old. According to my HRM I burn between 330-550 calories in Cardio just depending on how umph I put into it.

Other than that I don't have much activity. I have been doing the 1200 calories a day and eating back my exercise calories so am I eating enough or am I depriving myself some much loved food.

I would be good with losing a pound to a pound and a half a week if possible until my weights lowers..

So I am asking all the weight loss experts what do you think my recommended daily caloric intake should be??

Replies

  • baxgilter
    baxgilter Posts: 246 Member
    Im not an expert, but I say higher, much much higher. Im 5'2 138lbs and eat 1900 a day and am loosing. From what Ive seen the people who are bigger than me eat more and still loose weight. I use the scooby calculator here http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

    - JoAnna
  • Guamybear
    Guamybear Posts: 1,061 Member
    I just went and changed my goals and that upped it some...I looked at the scooby one and some others..just so damn confusing on which is right.
  • weliveaswedream
    weliveaswedream Posts: 56 Member
    I calculated a TDEE here http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html based on your weight, an average 5'6" height (since I don't know how tall you actuallt are) and with moderate exercise. The number I got was 2617. That would be the number of calories to eat in order to maintain. Since you are looking to lose, you want to subtract between 20 and 30%. That puts you between 1800 and 2100 calories a day. Using this method, you would not eat back your exercise calories. You would simply eat this number every day, even on days you don't work out.

    If your height is much different than 5'6", then plug in your own numbers and work the math. I've been doing this and losing so it seems to work.
  • Akumu
    Akumu Posts: 120 Member
    http://calorieneedscalculator.com/index.html

    This one is pretty simple. I compared it to the scooby one, and it was within 40 calories of each other.
  • weliveaswedream
    weliveaswedream Posts: 56 Member
    Just remember, if you're going to use these calculators (and not the way the MFP defaults), then do not eat back your exercise calories. All 3 calculators that have been posted take into account your normal weekly workouts.
  • Guamybear
    Guamybear Posts: 1,061 Member
    got it.. I forgot to mention I am 5'4"..Wish I was 5'6".

    I can still lose weight and eat all those calories? Holy cow!!
  • baxgilter
    baxgilter Posts: 246 Member
    Check out the Group, Eat More to Weight Less in the groups section here. It is awesome and a great group of supportive ladies.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    ...I can still lose weight and eat all those calories? Holy cow!!
    I'm surprised nobody's linked to this thread yet:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    Dan does a great job of explaining it all and laying out the calculations for you. There's also an MFP group for discussion/advice:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/7965-in-place-of-a-road-map

    Running your numbers real quickly comes up with:

    BMR - 1685 (could possibly be a bit more accurate if you have an idea of your bodyfat %)
    TDEE (Lightly Active) - 2317

    So a 20% cut from that would be 1853 calories, which would be your recommended daily intake.
  • NoahandPresleysMom
    NoahandPresleysMom Posts: 763 Member
    Im not an expert, but I say higher, much much higher. Im 5'2 138lbs and eat 1900 a day and am loosing. From what Ive seen the people who are bigger than me eat more and still loose weight. I use the scooby calculator here http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

    - JoAnna

    i used this before. it told me i needed to eat 2500 cals a day. i did that for 1 week and gained 7 lbs. My dr and nutritionist put me on a 1200 cal diet. Losin' like crazy :)
  • Guamybear
    Guamybear Posts: 1,061 Member
    ...I can still lose weight and eat all those calories? Holy cow!!
    I'm surprised nobody's linked to this thread yet:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    Dan does a great job of explaining it all and laying out the calculations for you. There's also an MFP group for discussion/advice:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/7965-in-place-of-a-road-map

    Running your numbers real quickly comes up with:

    BMR - 1685 (could possibly be a bit more accurate if you have an idea of your bodyfat %)
    TDEE (Lightly Active) - 2317

    So a 20% cut from that would be 1853 calories, which would be your recommended daily intake.

    thanks..I will read all those links and see what I can come up with.
  • Guamybear
    Guamybear Posts: 1,061 Member
    ...I can still lose weight and eat all those calories? Holy cow!!
    I'm surprised nobody's linked to this thread yet:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    Dan does a great job of explaining it all and laying out the calculations for you. There's also an MFP group for discussion/advice:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/7965-in-place-of-a-road-map

    Running your numbers real quickly comes up with:

    BMR - 1685 (could possibly be a bit more accurate if you have an idea of your bodyfat %)
    TDEE (Lightly Active) - 2317

    So a 20% cut from that would be 1853 calories, which would be your recommended daily intake.

    Thanks again..I just checked out that link and website..made so much sense...
  • baxgilter
    baxgilter Posts: 246 Member
    got it.. I forgot to mention I am 5'4"..Wish I was 5'6".

    I can still lose weight and eat all those calories? Holy cow!!
    for your height you need to be eating 800 to 1000 kals per day because of fat availabilitie as you get leaner you increase you kal intake

    Did you just tell her to eat 1000 or less calories a day? Yikes! OP do what you want but you will be sluggish and unheathy if you listen to that advice.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,222 Member
    got it.. I forgot to mention I am 5'4"..Wish I was 5'6".

    I can still lose weight and eat all those calories? Holy cow!!
    for your height you need to be eating 800 to 1000 kals per day because of fat availabilitie as you get leaner you increase you kal intake

    Did you just tell her to eat 1000 or less calories a day? Yikes! OP do what you want but you will be sluggish and unheathy if you listen to that advice.
    It's not politically correct, but stored fat is available energy for the body, and energy has calories. Personally I think if she's eating 1200 and eating back her exercise calories, that fine at this point, but certainly needs to be adjusted as progress is made.
  • robin52077
    robin52077 Posts: 4,383 Member
    Personally I think if she's eating 1200 and eating back her exercise calories, that fine at this point, but certainly needs to be adjusted as progress is made.

    yeah, adjusted HIGHER....

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