Am i correct in this calorie deficit equation?

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TheSwiwi
TheSwiwi Posts: 16 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Is this a correct equation or am i missing/adding something wrong? I just want to be as accurate as possible, and i dont understand my results. (I used the myfitnesspal calculator for BMR)

BMR - calories eaten - calories burned through exercise = total deficit

For this equation, today for me it would be:
1772 - 1319 - 573 = -120

According to this i would have to burn about 1453 at the gym every day to get to the 7000 calorie defecit for the healthy 2pound loss. I tihnk i have gone wrong somewhere.

For my deficit should i just be subtracting my exercise from my intake food? that doesnt seem to make sense, because it doesnt take into account how much iv cut in food. However that would provide me with deficits more in line with the 1000 a day.

i know im going wrong somewhere, but where?
can someone make me an accurate formula to calculate my deficit so i can be losing 2pounds a week and i know daily if im on the right track?

Replies

  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,179 Member
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    Go here:
    http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/
    If you want to count exercise calories each day, set your lifestyle as sedentary and then count the exercise calories daily.
    If you do not want to count each day the exercise, then include your activities in your lifestyle.
  • BigTireFlipper
    BigTireFlipper Posts: 116 Member
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    Yes, things got a little wonky. Let's use round numbers in this example. These are not your numbers.
    2000 - The number of calories you need to eat daily to maintain your current weight.
    1500 - The number of calories you need to eat to lose 1 lb every 7 days. (in theory)
    1000 - The number of calories you need to eat to lose 2 lb. every 7 days. MFP (and a whole host of others) does not like this number at all because it falls below 1200 cals per day. You wont see it show up as a calorie goal.

    So lets look at the 1500 one. Lets say you burned off (via a HRM) 500 calories. Now you only have 1000 calories left for your body to perform it's normal functions. You need 1500. So you'd eat back those 500 calories in order to get back to a 500 calorie deficit per day. That's the basic premise.
  • TheSwiwi
    TheSwiwi Posts: 16 Member
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    Go here:
    http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/
    If you want to count exercise calories each day, set your lifestyle as sedentary and then count the exercise calories daily.
    If you do not want to count each day the exercise, then include your activities in your lifestyle.

    so do i just subtract my exercise calories from my BMR to get my day's defecit? where does food come in?
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,179 Member
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    If you want to do this manually:
    Get your TDEE, not including exercise, only lifestyle from daily normal activities (like, type of work).
    Add exercise calories per day. This gives you the calories you need to maintain your weight.
    If you have as goal to be at a deficit of 7000 per week, this is 1000 per day.
    So you need to either eat 1000 calories less per day than the number you calculated above, or burn an extra 1000 calories per day and change nothing in your calorie intake, or a combination, like burn extra 600 calories per day, eat 400 calories less.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,488 Member
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    Subtract from TDEE - not from BMR

    And you burn calories just being alive and doing daily activities you don't need to burn off everything at the gym
  • Slinky_BraveHeartBunsOfSteel
    Slinky_BraveHeartBunsOfSteel Posts: 10,891 Member
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    1772+573=2345 (to maintain your weight)
    2345-1000=1345 (to lose 2lb per week)

    ^^^That seems a bit low and unsustainable to me. You could eat 1595 instead and (in theory) lose 1.5lbs a week. :)
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,179 Member
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    Let's say you have a TDEE of 2100 calories (random number, which w.ould be close to reality I think based on your BMR and a desk job). Of course you need to calculate this.
    If you change nothing and eat 2100 calories, your weight will not change.
    If you eat 1100 calories per day, you will lose 2 pounds per week.
    If you eat 1600 calories per day and exercise to burn on average 500 calories per day, you will again lose 2 pounds per week.
  • johloz
    johloz Posts: 176 Member
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    No. With the way you are trying to calculate, you should be adding your exersize calories to your BMR (or whatever you are using as your goal), then subtracting your food.

    So if your goal is 1500 calories, and you burn 500 through exercise, you get to eat 2000 calories. Don't subtract your exercise calories, ADD them to your caloric goal. Which MFP should be doing for you anyway.
  • TheSwiwi
    TheSwiwi Posts: 16 Member
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    No. With the way you are trying to calculate, you should be adding your exersize calories to your BMR (or whatever you are using as your goal), then subtracting your food.

    So if your goal is 1500 calories, and you burn 500 through exercise, you get to eat 2000 calories. Don't subtract your exercise calories, ADD them to your caloric goal. Which MFP should be doing for you anyway.

    ok how much should i be netting a day for healthy weightloss?
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,179 Member
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    Use a calculator, TDEE or MFP, whatever you want. There is no set amount for all people and we do not know enough details to not tell you nonsense.

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