Calorie intake for a dummy (me) lol

I've researched here and there in regards to how much calories I should eat daily... A weight loss book said between (1200-1500), Shaun T says 2300 (I'm currently doing INSANITY, all I can say is whoa, I'm on month two) I've lost 18lbs so far by following the calorie amount MFP tells me to... But I really want to know what's best.... Assistance anyone ????????????

Replies

  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
    If what you are doing is working and you feel ok, then its probably ok:) I would keep your NET calories above 1200, but it seems you are already doing that. 2300 seems like a lot, if you still want to still lose.
  • Yeah I thought the same for the 2300 that'll be really hard for me to do without eating junk.... MFP has me at 1270 calories daily...
  • newlife888
    newlife888 Posts: 83 Member
    http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm

    I use this resource to determine how many calories I should be eating. I do not eat back any sort of exercise calories. I find the mfp calorie thing kinda weird so I use the freedieting resource and have lost over 40 pounds with it.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Depends on your purpose for doing Insanity.

    If it's to almost just spin your wheels merely to burn calories - then don't follow his advice.

    If it's to get the max out of the program (and you have nothing to compare current improvements to, what if eating better you could have improved 2 x as much as lost 2x as many inches and the same weight?) - then follow his advice.

    When you first start out exercising and diet, you can do a bunch unwisely and even foolishly and still see improvements, it's just not what you could have seen had you done it right and wisely.

    Also, confirm you are using his calorie setting goals correctly, that sounds a tad high.

    But I'll bet if you selected in MFP your honest activity level, be that sedentary or likely Lightly Active as many are, and you selected the recommended 1 lb weight loss goal weekly, and you logged those workouts and ate those calories back as the MFP method has you do - I'll bet you'd be right up there at that calorie level anyway, at least on workout days.
  • Well I'm trying to get my body back into fit/conditioning mode, I use to run track in college and lost the edge to do so over the yrs. You're right I think it'll probably go up to that amount like Newlife888 I too find MFP quite boggling, I just input daily what I ate. How many meals do you eat throughout the day?
  • archaichoney
    archaichoney Posts: 132 Member
    iifym.com