No wonder why everyone is confused!!!

wonderwoman234
wonderwoman234 Posts: 551 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Not to beat a dead horse, but.......

.... in a fit of sleeplessness at 4 a.m. this morning (thanks to a chocolate lab with a small bladder), I did a quick survey of 15 online weight loss calculators to see how many calories each would recommend I consume to lose 1 pound a week. In all cases, I entered my age, height, current weight, and activity level and I was conservative with this. I was a little surprised to see the wide range of answers. Here they are:

Freedieting.com 1850
Mayoclinic.com 1450
Caloriecount.com 1699
Self.com 2400
My-calorie-counter.com 2000
Exrx.net 2500
ACE fitness.org 2229
webMD.com 1452 + exercise cals (200)=1652
fitwatch.com 1750
healthstatus.com 1700
healthyweightforum.com 1840
healthcalc.com 2000
fpnotebook.com 2000
Shape.com 1934
Iifym.com 1850

1923 calories is the average answer for these 15 websites. This is much higher than I've been eating. MFP suggested I eat 1250 and my dietician cousin suggested 1330 (but advised me not to eat any exercise calories). I am eating nowhere close to 1923 and after a 5 lb. loss in my first week, I have only been losing .5 a pound a week for a total loss of 8 lbs. in 7 weeks.

So I'm going to try eating more to see if I will lose closer to 1 lb. per week, which is what many of you have advised. Maybe upping my calories will speed up my weight loss? We will see....I have 40 to lose, so I expected to drop more weight initially since I have a ways to go. Hasn't happened.

It just goes to show you that there is so much information out there and sifting through it all to figure out what is legitimate or not is a challenge. No wonder why so many folks are confused!
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Replies

  • arwacky
    arwacky Posts: 1,653 Member
    Haha, I found this very interesting. Thanks for sharing! :flowerforyou:
  • parkscs
    parkscs Posts: 1,639 Member
    My guess is you're calculating TDEE on each of those websites while MFP calculates your NEAT calories (meaning you should be eating exercise calories back each day). So, rather than eating 1300 and then eating back 600 calories from exercise, you'd just eat 1900 daily using TDEE and never eat back exercise calories. It's not that drastic of a difference when you actually look at what you're calculating with each site.
  • Nerdycurls
    Nerdycurls Posts: 142 Member
    Bingo.

    That's why I am choosing to primarily focus on sustainability-- my nutritional choices need to be sustained for life, along with how I choose to be active. I also consult with my doctor since I have PCOS and while she wasn't crazy about the calorie counting, she stressed being a lot more active, incorporating activity into my daily regimen, and sticking to a diet which was kinder to my body.
  • lilbearzmom
    lilbearzmom Posts: 600 Member
    All of those seem really high to me. I am in maintenance and eating around 1800/day with moderate exercise (4-5 x per week, various workouts- kickboxing, Zumba, C25k, and walking) and an active job and am maintaining within a pound, following my glycogen stores replenishment...yeah, confusing no doubt!!!!!!

    In case anyone is interested- I am 5'4 1/2, 40 yo, F, 141 lbs
  • ab_1203
    ab_1203 Posts: 88 Member
    I think the best way is to just trial and error. Slowly cut calories and see if youre losing and how much. If youre losing too fast, up your calories.
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
    I love what you've done here! :)
  • wilsoje74
    wilsoje74 Posts: 1,720 Member
    A lot of those seem high. My guess is you will eat more and lose slower but hope it works for you!!
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
    You've lost 8 pounds in 7 weeks. That's averaging at more than a pound a week.

    Yes, all measuring devices rer estimates, there isn't One True Number. They just give you a ball-park to start in, after that it will come down to trial and error.

    2,000 is often quoted as the daily requirement for the average woman....but none of us is average.
  • littleburgy
    littleburgy Posts: 570 Member
    In my experience, it's trial and error.

    In my experience, TDEE with subtraction was more calories, more comfortable, but slower loss. MFP was less calories and more aggressive. I started with MFP, switched to TDEE with subtraction for a while because I wanted to eat more, then switched back to MFP for the final few pounds because my loss was slowing.

    Even if we set a certain number, sometimes people don't measure accurately, or we are in situations where it's impossible to know. We estimate our burns and intake but.... again, trial and error.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    All of those seem really high to me. I am in maintenance and eating around 1800/day with moderate exercise (4-5 x per week, various workouts- kickboxing, Zumba, C25k, and walking) and an active job and am maintaining within a pound, following my glycogen stores replenishment...yeah, confusing no doubt!!!!!!

    In case anyone is interested- I am 5'4 1/2, 40 yo, F, 141 lbs

    Not to me...my maitenance is 2000 atm.

    I lift 3x a week, and do HIIT 2x a week and I lose 1lb a week on 1600 calories.

    To the OP if MFP suggested about 1250 that is due to your data entered. My original MFP goal was 1380 based on sedentary and 1lb a week loss...and until I started weighing my food it was 1/2lb so I was eating about 1800.

    If at 1250 you are only losing 1/2lb a week it is due to I suspect overestimating burns and/or under estimating intake. ie you don't use a kitchen scale.

    No need to be confused each site uses a differnt algorithim and reports on different types as mentioned before...(NEAT vs TDEE)

    I checked a few that you listed and they are right on track with my actual numbers.

    Specifically Mayoclinic on your list I found interesting as it was the lowest and I my numbers there first and it was higher then my actually TDEE.
  • mustang289
    mustang289 Posts: 299 Member

    2,000 is often quoted as the daily requirement for the average woman....but none of us is average.

    Very true...if you believe in averages, the average human will have 1 breast and 1 testicle.
  • cheripugh1
    cheripugh1 Posts: 357 Member
    Not to beat a dead horse, but.......

    .... in a fit of sleeplessness at 4 a.m. this morning (thanks to a chocolate lab with a small bladder), I did a quick survey of 15 online weight loss calculators to see how many calories each would recommend I consume to lose 1 pound a week. In all cases, I entered my age, height, current weight, and activity level and I was conservative with this. I was a little surprised to see the wide range of answers. Here they are:

    Freedieting.com 1850
    Mayoclinic.com 1450
    Caloriecount.com 1699
    Self.com 2400
    My-calorie-counter.com 2000
    Exrx.net 2500
    ACE fitness.org 2229
    webMD.com 1452 + exercise cals (200)=1652
    fitwatch.com 1750
    healthstatus.com 1700
    healthyweightforum.com 1840
    healthcalc.com 2000
    fpnotebook.com 2000
    Shape.com 1934
    Iifym.com 1850

    1923 calories is the average answer for these 15 websites. This is much higher than I've been eating. MFP suggested I eat 1250 and my dietician cousin suggested 1330 (but advised me not to eat any exercise calories). I am eating nowhere close to 1923 and after a 5 lb. loss in my first week, I have only been losing .5 a pound a week for a total loss of 8 lbs. in 7 weeks.

    So I'm going to try eating more to see if I will lose closer to 1 lb. per week, which is what many of you have advised. Maybe upping my calories will speed up my weight loss? We will see....I have 40 to lose, so I expected to drop more weight initially since I have a ways to go. Hasn't happened.

    It just goes to show you that there is so much information out there and sifting through it all to figure out what is legitimate or not is a challenge. No wonder why so many folks are confused!

    I look at them all too, and I have to be honest as with any health issue I trust WebMD and the Mayoclinic most. I just find there is way too much out there, too many opinions so you have to find who you trust and well... trust them! lol

    So up your calorie intake and see how it goes.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    So I'm going to try eating more to see if I will lose closer to 1 lb. per week, which is what many of you have advised.

    That is terrible advice. Doing that will either stall your weight loss (based on what you posted) or lead to weight gain.

    If you really are going to do that, make sure you watch your weight closely, so at least you'll have gained the first hand experience of following this path.

    Good luck!
  • Laura732
    Laura732 Posts: 244 Member
    I was ranting about this the other day myself. I think the important thing to note about any calorie calculator you use is whether or not exercise is included in the calculations. I'm still reading the replies from other posters, hopefully somebody had some input when to eat your calories back and when not to!
  • Blokeypoo
    Blokeypoo Posts: 274 Member
    They may not be for all but this is why I love my Fitbit.

    I've followed its calorie recommendation based on my activity for the past year and maintained my wt for the first time in 30yrs of wt juggling.

    I didn't own it during my wt loss phase but for maintenance set it (and MFP) at .5lb wt loss which I follow M-F then I eat what I like at w/e and am maintaining perfectly and am pretty chuffed.
  • Bloomboom
    Bloomboom Posts: 31 Member
    Thanks for this info. I, too, find this information confusing. I have almost achieved my weight loss goals and now starting to look at a transition stage. I have been dabbling in adjusting my intake amounts with mixed success, IMO. I have found that I need to become better at tracking (measuring/weighing) my intake. I have not yet started to consider eating back exercise calories. My weight loss has slowed as I have increased my intake and as I have increased my exercise.

    My calories have increased by a much smaller % than my exercise %. This information makes me need to rethink my plan....it' not a very "solid" plan at this time but it will get me thinking.
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
    So I'm going to try eating more to see if I will lose closer to 1 lb. per week, which is what many of you have advised.

    That is terrible advice. Doing that will either stall your weight loss (based on what you posted) or lead to weight gain.

    If you really are going to do that, make sure you watch your weight closely, so at least you'll have gained the first hand experience of following this path.

    Good luck!

    If she stalls her weight loss or even gains a little bit, she can cut her calories again and continue losing at whatever rate she chooses. It'll be a great learning experience, no matter what happens.

    I found, when I took a maintenance break, that my body kind of responded in broad bands. Like, if I upped my calories by 50 or so, I'd continue losing at the same rate. There's a little wiggle room where your body adapts to increased calories before it starts storing fat.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    It'll be a great learning experience, no matter what happens.

    First hand knowledge is always a good thing.

    In the end, the only "calculator" that matters is the virtual one running in our own bodies. Assuming the OP is tracking accurately, she already has the answer she is looking for.
    Like, if I upped my calories by 50 or so, I'd continue losing at the same rate.

    Worth nothing that there isn't enough accuracy in food logging to increase intake by "50 calories", unless someone is under medical supervision and eating out of an IV bag.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    All of those seem really high to me. I am in maintenance and eating around 1800/day with moderate exercise (4-5 x per week, various workouts- kickboxing, Zumba, C25k, and walking) and an active job and am maintaining within a pound, following my glycogen stores replenishment...yeah, confusing no doubt!!!!!!

    In case anyone is interested- I am 5'4 1/2, 40 yo, F, 141 lbs

    I'm 5'8" 165 pounds, F, 28 years old. I lose a pound a week (sometimes two) on 1900 calories with just lifting 4-5 days a week. It's not unreasonable for someone with a lot to lose to be able to eat 1800 calories and lose weight. I maintain at around 2400. When I cut my calories to 1400 I tend to be less accurate with logging and cheat more which ends in either gaining or maintaining.
  • megzmom919
    megzmom919 Posts: 8
    I agree with the slowly cutting calories and fat. say you were eating alot of junk food and drinking soda and so much other stuff cutting back on all that should make a big difference
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
    It'll be a great learning experience, no matter what happens.

    First hand knowledge is always a good thing.

    In the end, the only "calculator" that matters is the virtual one running in our own bodies. Assuming the OP is tracking accurately, she already has the answer she is looking for.

    Exactly. I saw a quote on here earlier today... "Your body keeps a better journal than you ever will. " :)
  • bsenka
    bsenka Posts: 33
    So I'm going to try eating more to see if I will lose closer to 1 lb. per week, which is what many of you have advised. Maybe upping my calories will speed up my weight loss?

    That's very possible. It's very common for stalls to be caused by food intake being too low. That's the beauty of tracking everything -- you try it for a couple of weeks, study your data and judge the results.
  • verptwerp
    verptwerp Posts: 3,633 Member
    thanks for sharing ........ figure out what works for you & stick to it .......

    btw, congrats on the weight loss, that's outstanding :drinker:
  • wonderwoman234
    wonderwoman234 Posts: 551 Member

    If at 1250 you are only losing 1/2lb a week it is due to I suspect overestimating burns and/or under estimating intake. ie you don't use a kitchen scale.

    Actually, I do use a food scale and measuring spoons/cups, so I think my counting is pretty accurate. I also do eat some of my exercise calories, probably half to be safe. I am working out hard and lifting HEAVY weights. My lifting routine is about an hour a day and then I do intervals either on the treadmill or Cybex for 30-45 minutes and I am sweating and my heart rate is about 155-165, so I'm not just hanging out.

    I average about 1450-1600 with the exercise calories thrown in. The past few days I've been closer to 1700 because I went out twice.
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
    All of those seem really high to me. I am in maintenance and eating around 1800/day with moderate exercise (4-5 x per week, various workouts- kickboxing, Zumba, C25k, and walking) and an active job and am maintaining within a pound, following my glycogen stores replenishment...yeah, confusing no doubt!!!!!!

    In case anyone is interested- I am 5'4 1/2, 40 yo, F, 141 lbs

    I'm 5'8" 165 pounds, F, 28 years old. I lose a pound a week (sometimes two) on 1900 calories with just lifting 4-5 days a week. It's not unreasonable for someone with a lot to lose to be able to eat 1800 calories and lose weight. I maintain at around 2400. When I cut my calories to 1400 I tend to be less accurate with logging and cheat more which ends in either gaining or maintaining.

    I'm 5'9 175 pounds, F, 41. I was losing on 1800, maintain on 2050, running three days a week and doing resistance training at least another two (and eating back the exercise calories).

    When I go below 1600, I eat everything in sight and gain lots of weight.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Surely everyone can understand that calculators on the internet will never give anything other than a result based on averages. What any particular site is using to get their average and how they choose to calculate the data to an average will also vary.

    Information based on averages should be viewed as a starting point only. Often a little tweaking of the result will be necessary.
  • krazyforyou
    krazyforyou Posts: 1,428 Member
    Yes, I agree its very confusing especially for a beginner. You just have to figure out what will work best with your activity level. Good luck.
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
    For what it's worth, if you've lost an average of more than 1 lb per week since you started, I'm not too sure you should change anything.
  • wonderwoman234
    wonderwoman234 Posts: 551 Member
    All of those seem really high to me. I am in maintenance and eating around 1800/day with moderate exercise (4-5 x per week, various workouts- kickboxing, Zumba, C25k, and walking) and an active job and am maintaining within a pound, following my glycogen stores replenishment...yeah, confusing no doubt!!!!!!

    In case anyone is interested- I am 5'4 1/2, 40 yo, F, 141 lbs

    I'm 5'8" 165 pounds, F, 28 years old. I lose a pound a week (sometimes two) on 1900 calories with just lifting 4-5 days a week. It's not unreasonable for someone with a lot to lose to be able to eat 1800 calories and lose weight. I maintain at around 2400. When I cut my calories to 1400 I tend to be less accurate with logging and cheat more which ends in either gaining or maintaining.


    That's interesting......this experiment will be fun to experience.
  • wonderwoman234
    wonderwoman234 Posts: 551 Member
    I guess my point is that with the exception of the first week of weight loss of 5 lbs, mostly water, my average has been closer to 1/2 pound.

    I don't feel starving doing what I'm doing. I feel like I'm working out really hard, eating really well, etc. and the past month has been sluggish. That is why I'm thinking of tinkering.

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