Should I be upping my calories...?

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  • GingerLolita
    GingerLolita Posts: 738 Member
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    That TDEE calculation is clearly incorrect, but the BMR is probably right. My BMR is slightly higher. I have MFP set to active and a weight loss of 1 pound/week gives me 1610 calories or a weight loss of .5 pound/week gives me 1860. You choose a slower rate of weight loss to get a higher number or choose the custom option and enter manually.
  • sunnshhiine
    sunnshhiine Posts: 727 Member
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    In order to find out your BMR I need to know your age and your activity level... I guestimated and used 30 years old and light to moderate activity.


    Your BMR is your Basal Metabolic Rate. This is how many calories you burn while doing nothing (like in a coma)... how many calories your body needs to function.

    Your TDEE is your Total Daily Energy Expenditure. This is how many calories your burn being alive + daily activities.


    Your results from Scooby's calculator:


    BMR: 1386

    TDEE: 1906

    Daily calories to lose 0.8 pounds/week: 1525


    Now with all that said, NO I do not think you should be eating more calories. I think that you need to take a good hard look at your log and see where you could be missing calories. 90% of the time when people stop losing weight it is because they are underestimating their calories in, and over estimating their burn.

    If you are truly eating 1300 calories you would be losing weight. Period. I'm not saying that you are being dishonest, but it is SO easy to miss calories or underestimate. Are you weighing everything that goes into your mouth with a food scale?


    If you are constantly feeling hungry then maybe take a break from your dieting and eat at maintenance for a while. Then in about two weeks or a month try again and get back into a caloric deficit.

    I am truly eating 1300 calories a day. I log EVERYTHING. and if I make a recipe at home, I log it into the recipe maker and figure out how many calories each serving is that way. I am in no way lazy with this thing.

    The problem is not that I'm not losing weight -- because I am. The problem is that I feel completely starved (ok, not starved but usually very hungry) by the end of the day every day.
  • emirror
    emirror Posts: 842 Member
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    "My Home"

    "Goals"

    "Change Goals"

    "Custom"

    "Continue"

    "Net Calories Consumed" (and whatever else you want to tinker with)

    "Change Goals"

    If you open your diary, you'll get better answers for nutrition.
  • huck23
    huck23 Posts: 116 Member
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    bumb:smile:
  • smc864
    smc864 Posts: 570 Member
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    In order to find out your BMR I need to know your age and your activity level... I guestimated and used 30 years old and light to moderate activity.


    Your BMR is your Basal Metabolic Rate. This is how many calories you burn while doing nothing (like in a coma)... how many calories your body needs to function.

    Your TDEE is your Total Daily Energy Expenditure. This is how many calories your burn being alive + daily activities.


    Your results from Scooby's calculator:


    BMR: 1386

    TDEE: 1906

    Daily calories to lose 0.8 pounds/week: 1525


    Now with all that said, NO I do not think you should be eating more calories. I think that you need to take a good hard look at your log and see where you could be missing calories. 90% of the time when people stop losing weight it is because they are underestimating their calories in, and over estimating their burn.

    If you are truly eating 1300 calories you would be losing weight. Period. I'm not saying that you are being dishonest, but it is SO easy to miss calories or underestimate. Are you weighing everything that goes into your mouth with a food scale?


    If you are constantly feeling hungry then maybe take a break from your dieting and eat at maintenance for a while. Then in about two weeks or a month try again and get back into a caloric deficit.

    I am truly eating 1300 calories a day. I log EVERYTHING. and if I make a recipe at home, I log it into the recipe maker and figure out how many calories each serving is that way. I am in no way lazy with this thing.

    The problem is not that I'm not losing weight -- because I am. The problem is that I feel completely starved (ok, not starved but usually very hungry) by the end of the day every day.


    I guess I missed the part where you were still losing weight, hehe :laugh:

    Then up your calories to 1500 and see how you feel. According to the calculator you will still lose weight.
  • sunnshhiine
    sunnshhiine Posts: 727 Member
    Options
    "My Home"

    "Goals"

    "Change Goals"

    "Custom"

    "Continue"

    "Net Calories Consumed" (and whatever else you want to tinker with)

    "Change Goals"

    If you open your diary, you'll get better answers for nutrition.

    THANK YOU!!!

    As for my nutrition -- I eat pretty healthy. Rarely ever eat out. I'm a vegetarian (mostly) -- except for chicken and fish. Also, I am about 80% gluten free. drink between 7-12 glasses of water a day.

    I'm not sure how to open my diary so people can see it....

    You would think for as long as I've been on MFP I'd know how to operate everything, but alas.....
  • Cheeky_and_Geeky
    Cheeky_and_Geeky Posts: 984 Member
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    Good luck! I was eating 1200 calories a day from July to September then in Oct upped my calories to 1350 & eating some exercise calories back. Only lost 2lbs in over 4 weeks (I'm guessing my body is adjusting). Like everyone said, If you're super hungry, I suggest upping your calories by 100 a week til you feel satisfied. Also, I eat a different amount of calories daily (1350 twice a week, 1250 twice a week, 1300 twice a week, 1400 once a week). I think my body got use to 1200 exactly everyday. Hope everything works out!
  • sunnshhiine
    sunnshhiine Posts: 727 Member
    Options
    In order to find out your BMR I need to know your age and your activity level... I guestimated and used 30 years old and light to moderate activity.


    Your BMR is your Basal Metabolic Rate. This is how many calories you burn while doing nothing (like in a coma)... how many calories your body needs to function.

    Your TDEE is your Total Daily Energy Expenditure. This is how many calories your burn being alive + daily activities.


    Your results from Scooby's calculator:


    BMR: 1386

    TDEE: 1906

    Daily calories to lose 0.8 pounds/week: 1525


    Now with all that said, NO I do not think you should be eating more calories. I think that you need to take a good hard look at your log and see where you could be missing calories. 90% of the time when people stop losing weight it is because they are underestimating their calories in, and over estimating their burn.

    If you are truly eating 1300 calories you would be losing weight. Period. I'm not saying that you are being dishonest, but it is SO easy to miss calories or underestimate. Are you weighing everything that goes into your mouth with a food scale?


    If you are constantly feeling hungry then maybe take a break from your dieting and eat at maintenance for a while. Then in about two weeks or a month try again and get back into a caloric deficit.

    I am truly eating 1300 calories a day. I log EVERYTHING. and if I make a recipe at home, I log it into the recipe maker and figure out how many calories each serving is that way. I am in no way lazy with this thing.

    The problem is not that I'm not losing weight -- because I am. The problem is that I feel completely starved (ok, not starved but usually very hungry) by the end of the day every day.


    I guess I missed the part where you were still losing weight, hehe :laugh:

    Then up your calories to 1500 and see how you feel. According to the calculator you will still lose weight.

    THANK YOU so much! I am going to try upping my calories by a bit every week to first 1400... then 1500. and as long as I'm still losing, I'll keep adjusting. again, THANK YOU!
  • sunnshhiine
    sunnshhiine Posts: 727 Member
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    In order to find out your BMR I need to know your age and your activity level... I guestimated and used 30 years old and light to moderate activity.

    Your BMR is your Basal Metabolic Rate. This is how many calories you burn while doing nothing (like in a coma)... how many calories your body needs to function.

    Your TDEE is your Total Daily Energy Expenditure. This is how many calories you burn being alive + daily activities.

    Your results from Scooby's calculator:

    BMR: 1386

    TDEE: 1906

    Daily calories to lose 0.8 pounds/week: 1525

    After reading the descriptions of the "activity levels" I changed my to sedentary --- only because I work a desk job 5 days a week. When I'm home on the weekends I'm not relaly sedentary at all (constantly cleaning, walking, grocery shopping, on my feet cooking something, etc). On Sunday's I'm mostly sedentary (3 church services) but also play the piano in church for about 30-60 minutes that day.

    Anywho, in reference to your question above....

    I am 25 years old. and I guess my "technical" activity level should be sedentary because I work a desk job. I do try to walk/workout at least 30 minutes a day (except for wednesdays and sundays because I have church both those days and don't have time to get a workout in except for a 1.5 mile walk on my lunch break on wednesdays).
  • sunnshhiine
    sunnshhiine Posts: 727 Member
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    Good luck! I was eating 1200 calories a day from July to September then in Oct upped my calories to 1350 & eating some exercise calories back. Only lost 2lbs in over 4 weeks (I'm guessing my body is adjusting). Like everyone said, If you're super hungry, I suggest upping your calories by 100 a week til you feel satisfied. Also, I eat a different amount of calories daily (1350 twice a week, 1250 twice a week, 1300 twice a week, 1400 once a week). I think my body got use to 1200 exactly everyday. Hope everything works out!

    Thanks for your suggestions!! Appreciate the help!
  • kenzietate
    kenzietate Posts: 399 Member
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    In order to find out your BMR I need to know your age and your activity level... I guestimated and used 30 years old and light to moderate activity.


    Your BMR is your Basal Metabolic Rate. This is how many calories you burn while doing nothing (like in a coma)... how many calories your body needs to function.

    Your TDEE is your Total Daily Energy Expenditure. This is how many calories you burn being alive + daily activities.


    Your results from Scooby's calculator:


    BMR: 1386

    TDEE: 1906

    Daily calories to lose 0.8 pounds/week: 1525


    Now with all that said, NO I do not think you should be eating more calories. I think that you need to take a good hard look at your log and see where you could be missing calories. 90% of the time when people stop losing weight it is because they are underestimating their calories in, and over estimating their burn.

    If you are truly eating 1300 calories you would be losing weight. Period. I'm not saying that you are being dishonest, but it is SO easy to miss calories or underestimate. Are you weighing everything that goes into your mouth with a food scale?


    If you are constantly feeling hungry then maybe take a break from your dieting and eat at maintenance for a while. Then in about two weeks or a month try again and get back into a caloric deficit.


    (edited for spelling)

    I actually think she is losing, she said that what she has been doing is working. But she is feeling hungry all the time and wants to figure this out so she can eat more without going over her maintenance.

    OP: I got really confused at first with several of the calculators and I agree that Scooby is the best one for ease of use for sure!
  • 1princesswarrior
    1princesswarrior Posts: 1,242 Member
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    In order to find out your BMR I need to know your age and your activity level... I guestimated and used 30 years old and light to moderate activity.

    Your BMR is your Basal Metabolic Rate. This is how many calories you burn while doing nothing (like in a coma)... how many calories your body needs to function.

    Your TDEE is your Total Daily Energy Expenditure. This is how many calories you burn being alive + daily activities.

    Your results from Scooby's calculator:

    BMR: 1386

    TDEE: 1906

    Daily calories to lose 0.8 pounds/week: 1525

    After reading the descriptions of the "activity levels" I changed my to sedentary --- only because I work a desk job 5 days a week. When I'm home on the weekends I'm not relaly sedentary at all (constantly cleaning, walking, grocery shopping, on my feet cooking something, etc). On Sunday's I'm mostly sedentary (3 church services) but also play the piano in church for about 30-60 minutes that day.

    Anywho, in reference to your question above....

    I am 25 years old. and I guess my "technical" activity level should be sedentary because I work a desk job. I do try to walk/workout at least 30 minutes a day (except for wednesdays and sundays because I have church both those days and don't have time to get a workout in except for a 1.5 mile walk on my lunch break on wednesdays).

    Then you are not sedentary. That's why I like scoobyworkshop calculator, it goes by hours per week of exercise to estimate activity. I consider sedentary laying in bed all day except to pee and get food to eat in bed. You walk daily and are active in church, piano is light exercise, you are moving. I would consider you lighly active at a minimum when you estimate your calories. I have a desk job too but an highly active in the evening so I eat 2365 cal/day.

    Edited for my bad typing this morning
  • sunnshhiine
    sunnshhiine Posts: 727 Member
    Options
    In order to find out your BMR I need to know your age and your activity level... I guestimated and used 30 years old and light to moderate activity.


    Your BMR is your Basal Metabolic Rate. This is how many calories you burn while doing nothing (like in a coma)... how many calories your body needs to function.

    Your TDEE is your Total Daily Energy Expenditure. This is how many calories you burn being alive + daily activities.


    Your results from Scooby's calculator:


    BMR: 1386

    TDEE: 1906

    Daily calories to lose 0.8 pounds/week: 1525


    Now with all that said, NO I do not think you should be eating more calories. I think that you need to take a good hard look at your log and see where you could be missing calories. 90% of the time when people stop losing weight it is because they are underestimating their calories in, and over estimating their burn.

    If you are truly eating 1300 calories you would be losing weight. Period. I'm not saying that you are being dishonest, but it is SO easy to miss calories or underestimate. Are you weighing everything that goes into your mouth with a food scale?


    If you are constantly feeling hungry then maybe take a break from your dieting and eat at maintenance for a while. Then in about two weeks or a month try again and get back into a caloric deficit.


    (edited for spelling)

    I actually think she is losing, she said that what she has been doing is working. But she is feeling hungry all the time and wants to figure this out so she can eat more without going over her maintenance.

    OP: I got really confused at first with several of the calculators and I agree that Scooby is the best one for ease of use for sure!

    Thank you! I will check out Scooby!
  • sunnshhiine
    sunnshhiine Posts: 727 Member
    Options
    In order to find out your BMR I need to know your age and your activity level... I guestimated and used 30 years old and light to moderate activity.

    Your BMR is your Basal Metabolic Rate. This is how many calories you burn while doing nothing (like in a coma)... how many calories your body needs to function.

    Your TDEE is your Total Daily Energy Expenditure. This is how many calories you burn being alive + daily activities.

    Your results from Scooby's calculator:

    BMR: 1386

    TDEE: 1906

    Daily calories to lose 0.8 pounds/week: 1525

    After reading the descriptions of the "activity levels" I changed my to sedentary --- only because I work a desk job 5 days a week. When I'm home on the weekends I'm not relaly sedentary at all (constantly cleaning, walking, grocery shopping, on my feet cooking something, etc). On Sunday's I'm mostly sedentary (3 church services) but also play the piano in church for about 30-60 minutes that day.

    Anywho, in reference to your question above....

    I am 25 years old. and I guess my "technical" activity level should be sedentary because I work a desk job. I do try to walk/workout at least 30 minutes a day (except for wednesdays and sundays because I have church both those days and don't have time to get a workout in except for a 1.5 mile walk on my lunch break on wednesdays).

    Then you are not sedentary. That's why I like scoobyworkshop calculator, it goes by hours per week of exercise to estimate activity. I consider sedentary laying in bed all day except to pee and get food to eat in bed. You walk daily and are active in church, piano is light exercise, you are moving. I would consider you lighly active at a minimum when you estimate your calories. I have a desk job too but an highly active in the evening so I eat 2365 cal/day.

    Edited for my bad typing this morning

    ok. awesome. Thanks. You make me feel better about myself not being a lazy person. LOL.
  • Healthy_Hunnie
    Healthy_Hunnie Posts: 60 Member
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    bump
  • TerraGirl17
    TerraGirl17 Posts: 275 Member
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    bump
  • sunnshhiine
    sunnshhiine Posts: 727 Member
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    Ok... here's what it's saying when I used Scooby's....

    STEP 1: ENTER YOUR GENDER: female

    STEP 2: ENTER YOUR WEIGHT:
    POUNDS: 134.0
    KILOGRAMS: 60.9
    STONES: 9.6

    STEP 3: ENTER YOUR HEIGHT:
    CENTIMETERS: 160.0
    INCHES: 63.0

    STEP 4: ENTER YOUR AGE: 25

    STEP 5: ENTER YOUR ACTIVITY LEVEL: 1.3 hrs/wk of light exercise

    STEP 6: SELECT YOUR GOAL: Lose fat - 20% calorie reduction

    STEP 7: ENTER MEALS PER DAY: 4 meals/day

    STEP 8: CHOOSE MACRO NUTRIENT RATIOS: 30% protein, 55% carb, 15 % fat

    STEP 9: VIEW RESULTS

    Protein Consumption (normal range 0.5g-1.0g per pound bodyweight): 0.8656716g/lb bodyweight

    YOUR PROJECTED WEIGHT LOSS AND METABOLIC RATE:

    YOUR DAILY CALORIE REQUIREMENTS
    YOUR PROJECTED WEIGHT LOSS
    BMR: 1410
    0.9 lbs per week
    TDEE: 1938
    3.1 lbs per month
    Daily Calories based on gail in STEP 6: 1551
    40.3 lbs per year
  • smc864
    smc864 Posts: 570 Member
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    Ok... here's what it's saying when I used Scooby's....

    STEP 1: ENTER YOUR GENDER: female

    STEP 2: ENTER YOUR WEIGHT:
    POUNDS: 134.0
    KILOGRAMS: 60.9
    STONES: 9.6

    STEP 3: ENTER YOUR HEIGHT:
    CENTIMETERS: 160.0
    INCHES: 63.0

    STEP 4: ENTER YOUR AGE: 25

    STEP 5: ENTER YOUR ACTIVITY LEVEL: 1.3 hrs/wk of light exercise

    STEP 6: SELECT YOUR GOAL: Lose fat - 20% calorie reduction

    STEP 7: ENTER MEALS PER DAY: 4 meals/day

    STEP 8: CHOOSE MACRO NUTRIENT RATIOS: 30% protein, 55% carb, 15 % fat

    STEP 9: VIEW RESULTS

    Protein Consumption (normal range 0.5g-1.0g per pound bodyweight): 0.8656716g/lb bodyweight

    YOUR PROJECTED WEIGHT LOSS AND METABOLIC RATE:

    YOUR DAILY CALORIE REQUIREMENTS
    YOUR PROJECTED WEIGHT LOSS
    BMR: 1410
    0.9 lbs per week
    TDEE: 1938
    3.1 lbs per month
    Daily Calories based on gail in STEP 6: 1551
    40.3 lbs per year



    That's pretty close to the numbers I got... just a bit different because I put 30 rather than 25.

    Go for 1500! :drinker:
  • sunnshhiine
    sunnshhiine Posts: 727 Member
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    Ok... here's what it's saying when I used Scooby's....

    STEP 1: ENTER YOUR GENDER: female

    STEP 2: ENTER YOUR WEIGHT:
    POUNDS: 134.0
    KILOGRAMS: 60.9
    STONES: 9.6

    STEP 3: ENTER YOUR HEIGHT:
    CENTIMETERS: 160.0
    INCHES: 63.0

    STEP 4: ENTER YOUR AGE: 25

    STEP 5: ENTER YOUR ACTIVITY LEVEL: 1.3 hrs/wk of light exercise

    STEP 6: SELECT YOUR GOAL: Lose fat - 20% calorie reduction

    STEP 7: ENTER MEALS PER DAY: 4 meals/day

    STEP 8: CHOOSE MACRO NUTRIENT RATIOS: 30% protein, 55% carb, 15 % fat

    STEP 9: VIEW RESULTS

    Protein Consumption (normal range 0.5g-1.0g per pound bodyweight): 0.8656716g/lb bodyweight

    YOUR PROJECTED WEIGHT LOSS AND METABOLIC RATE:

    YOUR DAILY CALORIE REQUIREMENTS
    YOUR PROJECTED WEIGHT LOSS
    BMR: 1410
    0.9 lbs per week
    TDEE: 1938
    3.1 lbs per month
    Daily Calories based on gail in STEP 6: 1551
    40.3 lbs per year



    That's pretty close to the numbers I got... just a bit different because I put 30 rather than 25.

    Go for 1500! :drinker:

    Awesome! That's what I'm gonna do then -- 1500 calories/day here I come! GET IN MY BELLEHHHHH!!!!
  • sunnshhiine
    sunnshhiine Posts: 727 Member
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    OKKKK... one last question for you all (for now!)....

    I just updated my calories to 1500/day in my settings on MFP.

    here's what it's saying:

    DAILY NUTRITIONAL GOALS ---

    NET CALORIES CONSUMED: 1500 calories
    CARBS: 55%
    PROTEIN: 15%
    FAT: 30%

    FITNESS GOALS ---

    CALORIES BURNED/WEEK: 740 cals/week
    WORKOUTS/WEEK: 5 workouts
    MINUTES/WORKOUT: 30 minutes

    YOUR DIET PROFILE ---

    CALORIES BURNED (FROM NORMAL DAILY ACTIVITY): 1780 calories/day
    NET CALORIES CONSUMED* (YOUR DAILY GOAL): 1500 calories/day

    DAILY CALORIE DEFICIT: 280 calories
    PROJECTED WEIGHT LOSS: 0.6 lbs/week

    *Net Calories Consumed = Total Calories Consumed - Exercise Calories Burned.

    Since I have FIVE 30-minute work-outs calculated into my "Fitness Goals" in my settings, should I be eating back my exercise calories or no?!

    ETA: had to fix calculations. I forgot to change my settings from sedentary to lightly active.

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