Still lost on how many calories!

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Replies

  • lavieboheme1229
    lavieboheme1229 Posts: 448 Member
    That's quite a load of muck.
    Keep it simple.
    Just eat lean meats, low fat dairy, nuts, whole grains, fresh fruits and veggies. And follow MFP recommendations for 1 lb per week as a goal. It's easy.
    And track your training both cardio and resistance and eat back those exercise calories to maintain a steady deficit every day.
    Simple.:bigsmile:

    Good Luck!

    This exactly.
  • phatycake
    phatycake Posts: 216
    Vsecret921, to be honest you may have to try a few caloric intakes to find what works for your body. Be sure to take a multivitamin and log everything you eat, this way you can get great advice when or if you need to change it up.

    Good lucl.
  • Hellbent_Heidi
    Hellbent_Heidi Posts: 3,669 Member
    Thanks for all the advice but I think I'm more confused due to all the conflicting information :(
    Obviously you're new to the boards. Unfortunately you're going to get conflicting information from every direction here.

    I'd start with the 1200 (net - meaning if you work out and burn 300 calories in a day, you actually eat 1500)...that MFP advises. If that doesn't work for you, then try adjusting it.
  • Cgrnlaw
    Cgrnlaw Posts: 84 Member
    Thanks ...this has helped me understand it better too.
  • knittermom07
    knittermom07 Posts: 94 Member
    I did the 1200 CAL and eating back it didnt work for me. I switched it to 150 and ate 1400 to 1800 each day and started losing weight. 1200 calories didnt work for my body.


    ^^^^ My thoughts are the same for the above poster. Remember that you are an individual and what works for one person may not work for you. Pick a number that you are comfortable with try it out for at least 3 weeks if not more and see what happens, if you don't see results try something different. My base goal personally is around 1250 but I go over that quite a bit sometimes, but I am still loosing, just very slowly, I am within 6 pounds of my ultimate goal so I don;t mind much. I try to eat at the very least, 1200, and I eat back all my exercise cals, but that might not work for you either, and I sometimes might go up as far as 1500 even on a non workout day, because my maintenance is around 1560, so really just do what works for you and see what happens. Good luck, try not to get frustrated, it can be very confusing... This is supposed to be a fun thing, don't let it mess with your mind too much...
  • dare2love81
    dare2love81 Posts: 928 Member
    Check out this forum...been following it for a few months and have been consistently losing for the last three months. And I'm eating between 1900 and 2200 calories per day.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/586298-if-you-are-scared-to-increase-calories
  • WaxMama
    WaxMama Posts: 369 Member
    Sweetie, you need to eat at least your BMR because this is the amount of energy your body needs to perform basic functions. If you were to be lying in a hospital bed in a coma, your BMR is what they would be giving you through a feading tube. Morbid, I know, but hear me out! When I put in MFP that I wanted to lose 2 pounds a week, it set me at 1200 calories as well. I'm a lot taller and heavier than you and yet we're supposed to eat the same? I don't think so! I think it's the minimum amount of calories MFP will allow you to set your goal to. Regradless of what you set it to, you will lose weight quickly in the beginning, level out in the middle and you'll have to bust *kitten* close to the end. Calories are energy, if you're hungry, EAT! You can't drive around on E because you've already used up your cash for gas for the week... There are a few links below that I would recommend reading:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/538381-in-place-of-a-road-map

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10665-newbies-please-read-me-2nd-edition

    Good luck!
  • sunnybunny5us
    sunnybunny5us Posts: 18 Member
    I am trying to eat over 1200 but exercising enough to bring it under 1200 each day even if it is just 200-300 calories (rarely eating over 1500 gross and almost always ending up under 1200 net - but not by much). I don't have a good scale so I don't post my weight much. The setting I picked that gave me 1200 to begin with was for me to lose 1/2 a pound a week, so it will take a long time to see if it works. But I have been getting all my nutrients (RED (over) on protein, fiber, calcium, iron,vit A,vit C, good (poly & mono unsaturated) fats,and Potassium - and BLACK (under) on total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodiumand total carbs - sugar goes in the red a lot too though not all the time) so I should be well nourished. Does anyone else try for all the nutrients too? It took me a while to get my potassium high enough, and I'm still working on lowering my sugar intake. It looks like my diet has improved significantly over the last month. Steamed veggies and fresh fruit seem to help a lot.
  • vsecret921
    vsecret921 Posts: 100 Member
    Yes morbid but to the point! :)
  • MissTattoo
    MissTattoo Posts: 1,203 Member
    I have a BodyMedia Fit that calculates TDEE. MFP gives you a calorie goal assuming you are NOT working out.

    My TDEE is around 3150 on work out days and 2700 on non work out days. My BMR is 2170. On work out days I eat 2500-2600 and on non work out days about 2200-2300. I'm also lifting heavy weights so I'm losing inches more than pounds which is okay because my skin looks amazing and I know if I do it slowly, I won't have loose skin.

    But BMR is what your body would need to survive if you stayed in bed all day. TDEE is what your total burn is doing every day activities/working out. Eat more than BMR and less than TDEE. Don't make it complicated. 3500 calories equal 1 pound. You just have to have a 500 calorie deficit every day to lose 1 pound.
  • therealangd
    therealangd Posts: 1,861 Member
    It says for me to lose 1lbs a week to eat 1270 calories a day.....seems way under my 1501 BMR

    But when you exercise, you will eat back your exercise calories and that will bring you up to, and over your BMR.

    If you are on a rest day, there's no harm in eating the 1270 calories per day.

    If you use MFP the way it was designed it works. Start there. Set your goal to .5 to 1 lb per week. And eat back your exercise calories.

    Don't get bogged down with the "don't eat less than your BMR" stuff.
  • vsecret921
    vsecret921 Posts: 100 Member
    What if you don't exercise?
  • vsecret921
    vsecret921 Posts: 100 Member
    This kinda sums it up I guess http://www.fitwatch.com/qkcalc/caloriedeficitcalculator.php
  • IronSmasher
    IronSmasher Posts: 3,908 Member
    Your BMI is 1529.

    This is what you would eat to stay the same weight if you were in a coma.

    With a light occupational activity level and non active lifestyle, your PAL is 1.4. This gives you a TDEE of 2141.

    Eat 2141kcal per day and you will stay the same weight.

    Eat 250 or 500 less per day to lose 1/2lb or 1lb per week approximately.

    (According to Department of Health Report on Health and Social Subjects 41 Dietary Reference Values for Food Energy and Nutrients for the United Kingdom)
  • Bobby_Clerici
    Bobby_Clerici Posts: 1,828 Member
    What if you don't exercise?
    Then start.
    Exercise is paramount to optimal health.
    It's about setting priorities and making the decision that exercise has enough value to justify in your mind the time it takes to engage. There are no short cuts or easy paths to success, but the path to failure is a cruise to nowhere.
    And many will welcome you aboard their sinking ship with open arms.
    Misery loves company.
    I hope you reconsider and make the time for exercise.
    All Is Possible :flowerforyou:
  • vsecret921
    vsecret921 Posts: 100 Member
    Right now I can't. I've had 2 cortisone shots in my knee due to an injury. Otherwise I would be exercising :)
  • vsecret921
    vsecret921 Posts: 100 Member
    Right now I just wanna make sure I've got a good understanding of all this information :)
  • Happy2bhere3
    Happy2bhere3 Posts: 3
    Question what you are doing a protein shake for breakfast and/or lunch?
  • 20shan08
    20shan08 Posts: 219 Member
    Lots of people have good success without doing the bmr, tdee thing. I've lost 87 pounds in 16 months and I eat 1250-1400 calories a day. I'm healthy, my fitness level is great, and I got the ok from 3 doctors before I did this. They basically said everyone is different and if what I'm doing is working and I feel good, then go for it.
  • x_ItNeverEnds_x
    x_ItNeverEnds_x Posts: 134
    You need to NET 1,200 not just eat 1,200. Eat your BMR at least then burn off extra and end with 1,200. See? I think that is how it works.
  • briannadunn
    briannadunn Posts: 841 Member
    So MFP says I Ned to at 1200 then I check mym BMR and it says it's 1501 and my TDEE is 1801. Since I'm not supposed to eat below my BMR should I eat more than 1501 or do what MFP says and eat 1200?

    Please help....

    5'3
    155
    Female
    26
    You need to figure out your exact tdee not what scoobie says it is..I looked up a website that shows different levels of tdee and what I would have to eat in order to lose 1.5 pounds a week I wished I saved it but it is on the internet..it was 1700 calories and that is if I don't have any problems with my metabolism and exercising 30min to 1 hr a day. This is why I went with Weight Watchers points, this website is to confusing. I gain weight at 2200 and maintain at 1900 I also have a semi low thyroid and it causes a huge drop in what my BMR really is. Now I am eating around 1400 calories and losing weight at 227 pounds at 5ft 5in tall.
  • 714rah714
    714rah714 Posts: 759 Member
    Thanks for all the advice but I think I'm more confused due to all the conflicting information :(
    Welcome to MFP, where differing opinions come to meet
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    Is your MFP at 1200 what you need to LOSE weight at the rate you fed into the calculation, and the 1501 for BMR what you need to maintain your current weight?

    No that's not correct.

    BMR is what your body needs to survive in a coma.

    I recommend netting your BMR at least. Since you don't have too much to lose I'd actual say pick a point halfway between your BMR and your TDEE and eat that.
  • elsinora
    elsinora Posts: 398 Member
    Being honest, when I ate just my BMR, even when I was huge, I didn't lose any weight. At all. I ate a deficit to this and lost a lot. When I got smaller, although still "overweight" I are my BMR (newly calculated with each weightloss of course) and I just maintained and in some time, put on some weight. Having the deficit again I lost weight. Yes, everyone's body is different and sadly that's how mine works.

    I, of course, if I have massive exercise days or races (marathons and triathlons) I eat as an athlete for fuel etc but I always have a deficit on other times.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    Just realized that this thread is old guys. Hopefully she's figured it out by now!
  • Femtec74
    Femtec74 Posts: 347 Member
    For anyone who is interested in this - this is some advice that was given to me when I first started almost 2 years ago. I have had good luck with it so I hope it helps someone else...


    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12
  • WillowBreeze
    WillowBreeze Posts: 102
    I'm 5'4 and maintain 115 pounds by netting1400-1600 a day. My BMR based on being lightly active is 1580, my RMR based on no activity at all is 1300ish.

    I won't add to the mess of information already here. Trial and error brought me to my body's happy place, eating a net of 1200 did me no favors, and neither did eating more than I do. Best of luck to you... you're far better off listening to your body than the rest of us.

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