A little confused...please help?

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I guess I'm just having a problem with the simple math of exactly how many calories I should be eating now. I'm 5'2, 157.6 pounds, pear shaped and lightly active. I have a job where I am on my feet all day (8-10 hours a day, 4, 5 days a week) and workout about 30 minutes 5 days a week. When I check how much my bmr is, most sites say 1504. Am I supposed to be eating that and working off 500 calories a day? Please someone help because its the most confusing thing to me and I have been maintaining for a year and just want to lose the last freakin 42 pounds lol.

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  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
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    You need to figure out your TDEE.

    Your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate), is the base number of calories your body needs to function and you really shouldn't eat less.

    So I plugged your information in here:
    http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/

    This is what I came up with:

    TDEE for lightly active (amount you need to eat to maintain): 2082
    TDEE based on exercise/ Moderately Active : 2347
    BMR: 1514

    So the lowest I'd eat at is:

    1582 (plus exercise calories burned)

    or you could choose one of the following-

    Lightly Active : 1665 (do not eat exercise calories burned)
    Moderately Active: 1877 (do not eat exercise calories burned)

    Considering the fact that you're on your feet all day and you work out 5 days a week, I think you are Moderately Active.
  • JestersJ
    JestersJ Posts: 4
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    I haven't logged in for more than a year... how do you change your calories? My BMR is 1900calories but my calories a day is set for 1100. Did I set that or did fitness pal set that?
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
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    I haven't logged in for more than a year... how do you change your calories? My BMR is 1900calories but my calories a day is set for 1100. Did I set that or did fitness pal set that?

    You must have set that. The lowest MFP will go is 1200.

    Go to "My Home"
    click "Goals"
    click "Change Goal"
    click "Custom"
  • almarsala
    almarsala Posts: 168 Member
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    Thank you so much!! I really appreciate your help :)