Calorie Intake

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I've been reading some info on calorie intake and I'm still a little confused. I read a link that someone else has posted about your daily calorie intake and still not sure. When I put in my weight of 155 and I selected light activity (I don't exercise on a daily basis yet but I don't sit all day either.) I'm 35 years old. According to MFP I should be eating 1350 calories a day. I want to lose about 25lbs. If I stick to the 1350 will I be okay and lose weight? Also when I do actual exercise do I need to eat to make up for those calories I burned?

I read this article http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12 and I did the link to figure out my BMR and it shows that that my BMR would be 1452 and that at a sedentary life style I should be eating 1596 to start losing and at lightly active 1829 calories. (This seems high) Can any one help?

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  • shannonw0816
    shannonw0816 Posts: 5 Member
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    Anyone have any suggestions or thoughts?
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
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    Just pick one thing and go with it for at least a month. If you use MFP the setting is for your "work" day, not including exercise. If you have a standard desk job, that's sedentary. If you are someone who walks around all day, that's lightly active. If you do construction, you'd be active. Using MFP's numbers you would eat back exercise if you want to. Using TDEE you don't, it's already included.
  • ell5bell5
    ell5bell5 Posts: 38 Member
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    If you followed the instructions on the link correctly then yep, that would be about right....

    I did the same as you at the start, did you tell Mfp you wanted to lose 2lbs a week ? (that might be a bit high, you've not got too much to lose ) Also the amount it gives you us net, so you eat Bavk your excercise cals...
    I did that and it gave me 1200, now I'm on about 1500 , and not expectonh to lose too much, I've about 14lbs to go, so its about half to a pound a week.
    With the tdee one if you use lightly active you wouldn't eat them back.

    Good luck you are on the right track :)
  • Chrissiecurit
    Chrissiecurit Posts: 74 Member
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    I read this article http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12 and I did the link to figure out my BMR and it shows that that my BMR would be 1452 and that at a sedentary life style I should be eating 1596 to start losing and at lightly active 1829 calories. (This seems high) Can any one help?

    If your BMR is 1452, you should be eating AT LEAST this amount. This is the amount that your body needs to just function, not taking into account any activity.

    What works for me is this: I take the TDEE amount for sedentary minus 20% ( I started out needing to lose 35 pounds. The less you need to lose, the less percentage you subtract from your TDEE.) Then when I exercise, I eat back at least 1/2 to 3/4 of those calories. Hope that makes sense. =)

    When you figured out your numbers using the link mentioned above, did you follow Dan's instructions and enter your current weight for both current and goal weight to get your TDEE? That is the number that you want to deduct a percentage from.

    Hope that helps!!
  • JudyB21
    JudyB21 Posts: 20 Member
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    I started at 154lbs and aiming to lost 1lb per week. My calorie goal (from MFP) is 1200 calories. I sometimes struggle to eat all the calories I should....especially if I exercise. Lost 5lbs within 10 days then nothing for a week....need to up my calorie intake I think. OR....look at the TDEE calculation.