Did I calculate right???

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1200lne
1200lne Posts: 15
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi guys!
Sorry just so overwhelmed with so much information. I have been under the impression to eat 1200 calories a day, however, after looking at some other posts and measuring my TDEE http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html
am I really supposed to be eating 1400-1500 calories a DAY? that is heaps! lol... for my size?????? really??! Or did I calculate incorrectly?

I am 53.4kg
159cm tall (which equates to 5'2?)
f, 28 yo.
walk/jog home 3-5 days a week (30-50minutes, depending in whats in my bag)

trying to lose 5kg.

Thats another peanut butter toast somewhere to fit into my day lol.
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Replies

  • JenAndSome
    JenAndSome Posts: 1,893 Member
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    Without actually running the numbers, that sounds about right. Enjoy your peanut butter toast!
  • FP4HSharon
    FP4HSharon Posts: 664 Member
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    I'm 5'4", 125 lbs, 15% body fat. I don't do the TDEE, but MFP set me at 1200 calories & I only eat back my cardio, not strength training, so it works out most days to about 1500 calories. But I also have my MFP set to try to lose 2 lbs a week, sedentary level, & only 30 min exercise/day...that way if I have a day where I don't get to stuff, it doesn't hurt me.

    But are you sure you need to lose that much weight? 117 lbs seems pretty good for someone who's working out & your height. Do you have a scale where you can do body fat percentage, because that's a better indicator, when you approach a maintenance level, of whether the weight you have is muscle or fat. My weight goes up about 6 lbs when I get down to 15% body fat. So when my body fat is a little higher, like 20%, which is still good, I'm closer to 119.
  • katiwagner
    katiwagner Posts: 82 Member
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    What percentage did you take off?
  • 1200lne
    1200lne Posts: 15
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    Hi Sharon,
    I don't have a fat% scale, is it possible to get one?

    I do know my body fat is high though, as my bones are small,
    double chin, big arms and lots of belly fat is a good indication for me haha.

    I've only recently started to walk home for 4 weeks now. Before that I rarely did exercise and ate out ALOT! 3 courses and all, but irregular eating, too much dessert, so 5-7 kilos slowly crept up over the years.
    I've been this 53-55kg for 2-3 years now, finally in the right mind set to do something about it..
  • 1200lne
    1200lne Posts: 15
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    What percentage did you take off?

    20%
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,411 MFP Moderator
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    1600 is a good goal (macro's around 40% carbs, 30% protein and fats). But if you are looking for more composition changes, you really should incorporate some resistance training or weight training. That will provide greater changes in your body than cardio will.
  • katiwagner
    katiwagner Posts: 82 Member
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    What percentage did you take off?

    20%

    What did you get for your total TDEE? When I calculated it I got 2045.
  • 1200lne
    1200lne Posts: 15
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    What did you get for your total TDEE? When I calculated it I got 2045.
    yep 2045 but i took of 20%

    159cm is 5'2 right? Sorry I'm from Australia and the measuring system is different ><
  • links_slayer
    links_slayer Posts: 1,151 Member
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    I don't have a fat% scale, is it possible to get one?

    Calipers work pretty well, as long as you are consistent with where and how you measure.

    As far as calories go, everyone is different and this is far from an exact science. The best thing to do IMO is log everything - EVERYTHING - you eat for a few weeks, watch the scale, and adjust as necessary.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,411 MFP Moderator
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    What percentage did you take off?

    20%

    What did you get for your total TDEE? When I calculated it I got 2045.

    That's about what I got too.
  • FP4HSharon
    FP4HSharon Posts: 664 Member
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    If you're in the USA, then you can get a scale for a reasonable price at Bed, Bath & Beyond. They carry both the Biggest Loser and Weight Watcher scales, which are both good. They also have 20% off coupons everywhere. Regular department stores carry them too, but just make sure it says that it measures body fat percentage on the box.

    But if you're in another country, then maybe someone else can make a recommendation.
  • 1200lne
    1200lne Posts: 15
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    for me to maintain my weight, I read I have to eat 1800..
    forgive my ignorance, but how will eating 200cal less make me lose weight?

    Should I follow MFP 1200 or TDEE 1400-1600?

    I gained weight lol.....
    On Sunday I was at my lowest 52.5 now, (since a 2 days of increasing) I am 53.5!
  • bwogilvie
    bwogilvie Posts: 2,130 Member
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    for me to maintain my weight, I read I have to eat 1800..
    forgive my ignorance, but how will eating 200cal less make me lose weight?

    One pound (or 0.4536 kg) of fat equals 3500 Calories. So if you eat 200 Calories below maintenance each day, you will lose 2/35 of a pound each day (on average, given water fluctuations), or one pound every 18 days (=one kg every 39 days).

    As long as calories in < calories out (BMR plus physical activity), you will lose weight. Now, things aren't *quite* so simple due to adaptive thermogenesis; if your calories in are just a little less than calories out, you may unconsciously cut back on physical activity or body temperature, while if they're just a little more than calories out, you might fidget more or get a bit hotter. That's why weigh loss regimens usually recommend a serious calorie deficit of a few hundred or more.
  • courtneytrisha
    courtneytrisha Posts: 32 Member
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    You honestly think 1400 is too many? 1200 a day is practically starvation for crying out loud
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,411 MFP Moderator
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    for me to maintain my weight, I read I have to eat 1800..
    forgive my ignorance, but how will eating 200cal less make me lose weight?

    Should I follow MFP 1200 or TDEE 1400-1600?

    I gained weight lol.....
    On Sunday I was at my lowest 52.5 now, (since a 2 days of increasing) I am 53.5!

    well unless you eat 7000 calories over your tdee in 2 days the weight was water. Also, if you follow the standard curve then your tdee is closer to 2100 calories. So 1600 to 1700 will yield about 1 lb per week.
  • 1200lne
    1200lne Posts: 15
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    You honestly think 1400 is too many? 1200 a day is practically starvation for crying out loud

    I just feel like its the same amount I used to eat, which has kept me on the same weight these past years.
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
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    I'm 5'4", 125 lbs, 15% body fat. I don't do the TDEE, but MFP set me at 1200 calories & I only eat back my cardio, not strength training, so it works out most days to about 1500 calories. But I also have my MFP set to try to lose 2 lbs a week, sedentary level, & only 30 min exercise/day...that way if I have a day where I don't get to stuff, it doesn't hurt me.

    But are you sure you need to lose that much weight? 117 lbs seems pretty good for someone who's working out & your height. Do you have a scale where you can do body fat percentage, because that's a better indicator, when you approach a maintenance level, of whether the weight you have is muscle or fat. My weight goes up about 6 lbs when I get down to 15% body fat. So when my body fat is a little higher, like 20%, which is still good, I'm closer to 119.
    Wait, WHAT? You're at a normal BMI, a very low body fat for a woman, and you're trying to lose 2 pounds a week? That's incredibly unrealistic and unhealthy.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,411 MFP Moderator
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    I'm 5'4", 125 lbs, 15% body fat. I don't do the TDEE, but MFP set me at 1200 calories & I only eat back my cardio, not strength training, so it works out most days to about 1500 calories. But I also have my MFP set to try to lose 2 lbs a week, sedentary level, & only 30 min exercise/day...that way if I have a day where I don't get to stuff, it doesn't hurt me.

    But are you sure you need to lose that much weight? 117 lbs seems pretty good for someone who's working out & your height. Do you have a scale where you can do body fat percentage, because that's a better indicator, when you approach a maintenance level, of whether the weight you have is muscle or fat. My weight goes up about 6 lbs when I get down to 15% body fat. So when my body fat is a little higher, like 20%, which is still good, I'm closer to 119.

    Out of curiosity, how are you measuring body fat.. 15% is very low for a woman and a six pack would be highly visible.
  • 1200lne
    1200lne Posts: 15
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    I haven't lost any weight :((((((( Its been 3-4 weeks now..
    started at 53.4... for 2 weeks it went down, 53.1 the first sunday, second sunday went down to 52.5
    from Monday until now I am 53.5!!!!

    I haven't gained any muscle or lost any inches!!

    Was hoping to at least lose .5kg at least!
    I've been eating 1200-1400 each day :(... and it feels like how much I used to eat anyway....
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,411 MFP Moderator
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    I haven't lost any weight :((((((( Its been 3-4 weeks now..
    started at 53.4... for 2 weeks it went down, 53.1 the first sunday, second sunday went down to 52.5
    from Monday until now I am 53.5!!!!

    I haven't gained any muscle or lost any inches!!

    Was hoping to at least lose .5kg at least!
    I've been eating 1200-1400 each day :(... and it feels like how much I used to eat anyway....

    How about try what we suggested? Fuel your body to burn the fat. Heck I just got someone to up their calories by 600 per day and they lost 2.5 lbs in a few weeks.

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