Help...again: MFP, THE CALORIC MATH???

ambrekachappell
ambrekachappell Posts: 13 Member
in Getting Started
I'm back....yet again.
I'm really confused on the caloric math so forth.
For some reason I just can't grasp it, and I'm generally good at math...but this is beyond me.

Questions I really need answered:
How many calories do I need to eat to LOSE WEIGHT?

These terms: BMR, TDEE etc etc, are all very confusing to me.
I wish it were simple and I wish weight loss was SIMPLE.

Stats:
245 lbs
5'10'-5'11
18 years old
I workout 5-7 times a week which consists of cardio 30-45 minutes...sometimes even an hour.

Calculations according to an online calculator I used...
BMR: 1965 calories...but that just seems like too many calories to eat. I AM trying to lose weight
TDEE: 3060 calories...I understand that this is to maintain my weight...um, right???

How much should I be eating? Netting? What should my deficit be?
In a recent post many told me to eat between 1400-1600...BUT does that mean to net it at that much? Am i overthinking it a tad or? It's discouraging because everyone seems to know what they're doing and what they need yet I'm really lost on most of it.

Because I workout, does that mean I should eat more?

Another thing, HOW does MFP calculate it? I read that the exercise I do is already calculated into the equation in MFP so do I not log my exercise when I do it? I've been off track with my weightloss because of these confusions so clearing these up for good might really help me launch back into my motivation. I apologize for repetitiveness in my questions. It's just a matter of mass confusion for me. :ohwell: :frown:

Replies

  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
    No one can give you a "magic number" of calories to eat & lose weight. Don't overthink this. Everybody's different, and weight loss takes a whole lot of trial & error to find what works for you.

    Read this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-Sexypants
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    Your BMR is the estimated # of calories your body needs just to perform basic functions as if you were in a coma - blood circulation, digestion, breathing, brain function, etc. It's generally recommended not to go too far below this number on a regular basis.

    The proper deficit from TDEE is up to 20%. You should only go with a higher deficit under doctor's supervision. This means your daily calorie goal would be about 2400. You could maybe go as low as 2000 as that's around your BMR but I wouldn't recommend going any lower than that.

    The MFP calcs aren't too different from TDEE, the main difference is that they use more set numbers and they DO NOT include exercise. They also deterimine BMR based on your stats and then add a % of those calories on top of BMR based on what you set for your activity leve. This activity level should only reflect your day-to-day activity. You can go by the descriptors to figure out which is best for you. Next they take out a deficit based on how many pounds per week you said you wanted to lose. Then, when you log activity, MFP adds those calories back to your daily goal.

    If you use the TDEE method, do not eat back extra calories as those are already included in your goal. If you use the MFP method, you should plan on eating back at least half of the calories earned.

    Hope that helps!
  • sargessexyone
    sargessexyone Posts: 494 Member
    I am also fairly new and can get confused with all the terms and numbers that get thrown around but here is my understanding. Someone please correct me if I am wrong correct me.

    BMR = the number of calories you burn just for being alive. If you sit on the couch and do absolutely nothing you would burn this amount.

    TDEE = this is the number you need to burn if you want to just maintain your weight. I believe it also takes the activity level you input into consideration. Some people will use this number and subtract 500 - 750 depending on their weight loss goals.

    You may want to consider changing your profile to sedentary and then adding in your activities. Your calories burned will then be added into your daily goal. There is some debate I think on whether to eat back your exercise calories but what a lot of people do is just eat back a portion of them to account for miscalculations.

    Again, someone please correct me if I'm wrong because I'm still trying to figure this out as well.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    In a recent post many told me to eat between 1400-1600...

    that should work, eat that amount of food. You have plenty to go at so can start with a decent deficit and see what happens after 4 weeks.

    Another thing, HOW does MFP calculate it? I read that the exercise I do is already calculated into the equation in MFP so do I not log my exercise when I do it?

    MFP expects you to set a routine activity level for your normal life, and log specific exercise like "40 minutes jogging" as additional calorie expenditure in the diary. The exercise settings in "Goals" are just that - exercise goals to measure against. It reward logged exercise with more food allowance, which you may choose to eat or just half of it or initially take the extra weight loss.
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
    HOW does MFP calculate it? I read that the exercise I do is already calculated into the equation in MFP so do I not log my exercise when I do it?
    Wrong.

    When you set up your MFP account, you specified an activity level: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/change_goals_guided MFP used your answer, plus your age, sex & height, to estimate how many calories you burn every day. Then you set your weight-loss goal, and MFP subtracted the appropriate deficit to calculate your daily calorie goal.

    You must log your workouts & eat back at least a portion of your exercise calories. Some people use formulas w/ their exercise already built in (like TDEE minus 20%), so they don't eat back exercise calories. (That would be double dipping.) The calorie counts & burns are estimates, so some people reduce the margin of error by eating back half their calories.

    It will take trial & error to find what works for you. Did you read the Sexypants link?
  • Commander_Keen
    Commander_Keen Posts: 1,179 Member
    the magic number ixs 1200 calories.. If you still feel hungry, try drinking water.. if after water your still hungry then eat another 100 calories.. Then try again the next day at 1300 calories.

    Remember weight loss is not leanier

    Remember to drink water.
  • kshadows
    kshadows Posts: 1,315 Member
    No, no, no. This is absolutely wrong.

    1200 calories is WAY too low for most people, you should never be eating at much lower than your BMR. Your BMR is what your body needs to function: if you laid in bed all day and didn't move, you'd use your BMR for breathing and life processes.

    Take your TDEE and chop off 20%. Eat that. Lose weight.
  • ambrekachappell
    ambrekachappell Posts: 13 Member
    +editorgrrl, yes...fantastic post I must say. I bookmarked it in my phone and will refer to it whenever I need it. Thank you!
  • VegGirl62
    VegGirl62 Posts: 35 Member
    MinniinMaine....You explained that beautifully! :smile:
  • ambrekachappell
    ambrekachappell Posts: 13 Member
    Okay...okay...

    Let me see.

    If I set my net calorie goal into MFP as 2500
    and I cut out 500 calories of food AND workout to burn atleast 500 calories, this will be a deficit of 1000?
    Leaving my actual intake of calories at 1500? Is this right?
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Okay...okay...

    Let me see.

    If I set my net calorie goal into MFP as 2500
    and I cut out 500 calories of food AND workout to burn atleast 500 calories, this will be a deficit of 1000?
    Leaving my actual intake of calories at 1500? Is this right?

    This calculator will do all of the math for you. Put in your stats, activity level (WITHOUT EXERCISE) and your how many Lbs per week loss goal...MFP will spit out a calorie goal based on those stats, activity level and loss rate goal. Net to that calorie goal...that goal includes your weight loss deficit without any exercise whatsoever...meaning when you do exercise, eat some of those calories back because they are not accounted for in your activity level.

    It is very simple and the calculator does all of the actual calculating...
  • Ibesam10
    Ibesam10 Posts: 2
    Hi, try this website. it it awesome

    http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/
  • ThriceBlessed
    ThriceBlessed Posts: 499 Member
    I just checked your numbers, and you did calculate your BMR correctly.

    BMR is what your body needs to keep functioning, without losing weight, if you are doing NOTHING all day (such as a coma patient). So you should really try to never NET less than your BMR.

    TDEE is what it takes to maintain your weight, all your activity included.

    If you are following the NET calorie method, set your goal for no less than your BMR (its fine to go a bit over), log your exercise, and eat back your calories so that you at least NET that BMR.

    If you are using a TDEE method, then take your TDEE, subtract 10%-20%, and have that be your calorie limit. Don't eat back exercise calories.

    However, MFP will make it pretty easy for you, if you enter your stats, set your exercise goals all at nothing, it will give you a decent NET calorie goal. Then you go ahead and log your exercise, and eat back 50% to 75% of the exercise calories.

    There isn't one magic formula, but one thing is sure, you really want to try not to eat less than your BMR.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I just checked your numbers, and you did calculate your BMR correctly.

    BMR is what your body needs to keep functioning, without losing weight, if you are doing NOTHING all day (such as a coma patient). So you should really try to never NET less than your BMR.

    TDEE is what it takes to maintain your weight, all your activity included.

    If you are following the NET calorie method, set your goal for no less than your BMR (its fine to go a bit over), log your exercise, and eat back your calories so that you at least NET that BMR.

    If you are using a TDEE method, then take your TDEE, subtract 10%-20%, and have that be your calorie limit. Don't eat back exercise calories.

    However, MFP will make it pretty easy for you, if you enter your stats, set your exercise goals all at nothing, it will give you a decent NET calorie goal. Then you go ahead and log your exercise, and eat back 50% to 75% of the exercise calories.

    There isn't one magic formula, but one thing is sure, you really want to try not to eat less than your BMR.

    I would add that the two methods are pretty much 6 of 1 if you're doing them right. Keep in mind that a 20% cut from TDEE is generally in the neighborhood of 1 Lb per week loss rate...too many people compare that to MFP when they've put in a 2 Lb per week loss rate goal with MFP...so they're not even comparing apples to apples goals at that point.

    Like I said, if you're doing it right it's pretty much 6 of 1...here's what my numbers look like:

    MFP to lose 1 Lb per week = 1,850 calories. This means that my NEAT maintenance (maintenance calories WITHOUT exercise) is 1,850 + 500 = 2,350. On average I burn around 400 calories per workout...so my gross calorie intake to lose 1 Lb per week is 1,850 + 400 = 2,250 calories. I'm still netting to my 500 calorie deficit though because now my maintenance would be the 2,350 + 400 = 2,750 and 2,750 - 2,250 = 500 calorie deficit.

    My TDEE calculator give me a TDEE (INCLUDES EXERCISE) of roughly 2800 calories...2800 x 0.80 = 2,240 calories for my 20% cut and roughly one pound per week. As you can see...my gross calories with MFP = 2,250...with TDEE - 20% it is 2,240...a difference of a mere 10 calories.
  • lauribear
    lauribear Posts: 28 Member
    Hi, try this website. it it awesome

    http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/

    That website IS awesome! Thanks for posting. You just cleared up a ton of confusion for me.
  • swissbrit
    swissbrit Posts: 201
    I found this quite helpful
    http://www.health-calc.com/diet/energy-expenditure-advanced

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