How did you determine how many calories to eat?

marygoodnight007
marygoodnight007 Posts: 33
in Food and Nutrition
MFP originally set me to 1,200 which seemed a little low so I changed my activity level and it gave me a whopping 80 more calories (that's like an additional apple...woo) I eat all my exercise calories and don't have a cheat day. I've calculated my BMR and my TDEE and they are much higher but I get close to that with my exercise calories. I eat over the amount of "good" fats and protein that MFP assigned me.

Anyway what calorie number to you aim for? MFP's number TDEE, BMR or something else? Why? Do you have a cheat day? Do you eat your exercise calories back?

Replies

  • DatMurse
    DatMurse Posts: 1,501 Member
    MFP originally set me to 1,200 which seemed a little low so I changed my activity level and it gave me a whopping 80 more calories (that's like an additional apple...woo) I eat all my exercise calories and don't have a cheat day. I've calculated my BMR and my TDEE and they are much higher but I get close to that with my exercise calories. I eat over the amount of "good" fats and protein that MFP assigned me.

    Anyway what calorie number to you aim for? MFP's number TDEE, BMR or something else? Why? Do you have a cheat day? Do you eat your exercise calories back?
    1200? what did you try to lose weekly?
  • marygoodnight007
    marygoodnight007 Posts: 33
    MFP originally set me to 1,200 which seemed a little low so I changed my activity level and it gave me a whopping 80 more calories (that's like an additional apple...woo) I eat all my exercise calories and don't have a cheat day. I've calculated my BMR and my TDEE and they are much higher but I get close to that with my exercise calories. I eat over the amount of "good" fats and protein that MFP assigned me.

    Anyway what calorie number to you aim for? MFP's number TDEE, BMR or something else? Why? Do you have a cheat day? Do you eat your exercise calories back?
    1200? what did you try to lose weekly?

    1lb is what I put in and MFP said I could expect to lose .9 of a lb (I lost 2). I'm only 5'0" though. Short people don't get to eat a lot but even that seemed a little austere.
  • DatMurse
    DatMurse Posts: 1,501 Member
    MFP originally set me to 1,200 which seemed a little low so I changed my activity level and it gave me a whopping 80 more calories (that's like an additional apple...woo) I eat all my exercise calories and don't have a cheat day. I've calculated my BMR and my TDEE and they are much higher but I get close to that with my exercise calories. I eat over the amount of "good" fats and protein that MFP assigned me.

    Anyway what calorie number to you aim for? MFP's number TDEE, BMR or something else? Why? Do you have a cheat day? Do you eat your exercise calories back?
    1200? what did you try to lose weekly?

    1lb is what I put in and MFP said I could expect to lose .9 of a lb (I lost 2). I'm only 5'0" though. Short people don't get to eat a lot but even that seemed a little austere.
    short people+women dont get to eat alot. there is alot room for mistakes and it is less forgiving for you.

    1200 honestly sounds about right if you want to lose 1lb a week for a 5'0 female.

    I have a friend who couldnt understand this concept and took it as an insult. shook it off and stopped caring. She is currently gaining weight.

    www.iifym.com Go to the TDEE calculator and you can take 20% off of that value and aim for that daily. Remember that 1lb of fat is a deficit of 3500(if all of your calories reduce fat and not LBM)
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
    I just typed my details into mfp and have been using those figures. They work and I'm not hungry
  • nikilis
    nikilis Posts: 2,305 Member
    http://physiquelore.com/harris-benedict/

    go there and put in your details. to get your BMR / TDEE / deficit for 1lb a week.
  • nikilis
    nikilis Posts: 2,305 Member
    TDEE - 20% would be default deficit.

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