How many calories should I eat?

_lyndseybrooke_
_lyndseybrooke_ Posts: 2,561 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
THIS IS AN EXPERIMENT. PLEASE PARTICIPATE!

I already have my goal set up based on my own research/calculations and don't see a need to change that at the moment. HOWEVER, I'm seeing a lot of different methods for calculating caloric goals, so I want to see how the answers to this question will vary.

MY STATS
Gender.......Female
Age..............24
Height.........5'5"
Weight........140 lbs
Goal............130 lbs (between 0.5-1.0 lb/week loss)
Exercise.....4-5 days per week, 30 minutes per day

So, give me the number of calories I should be eating and make sure to tell me if that's GROSS or NET calories. Should I eat back exercise calories or not?

NOTE: Give me a number based on YOUR calculations. Don't send me a link to an online calculator.

Go!

Replies

  • mschicagocubs
    mschicagocubs Posts: 774 Member
    Well I am about the same as you ...

    5'5
    CW: 139
    GW: 130 ... or what looks best

    I'm eating about 1700-1800 TOTAL not net.

    I work out for about an hour 5 days a week. Mostly lifting, mild cardio (burn about 100-200)
  • nhradeuce
    nhradeuce Posts: 168 Member
    It depends, you missed a key portion of the equation - what type of lifestyle do you have? Do you sit in front of a desk 10 hours a day or do you dig ditches? You need to figure out your TDEE then subtract 500 calories per day from that. That'll give you a 3500 calories per week deficit so you'll lose about a pound a week. If you exercise, eat those calories back, your body needs them.
  • _lyndseybrooke_
    _lyndseybrooke_ Posts: 2,561 Member
    It depends, you missed a key portion of the equation - what type of lifestyle do you have? Do you sit in front of a desk 10 hours a day or do you dig ditches? You need to figure out your TDEE then subtract 500 calories per day from that. That'll give you a 3500 calories per week deficit so you'll lose about a pound a week. If you exercise, eat those calories back, your body needs them.

    I have a desk job.

    If I took my TDEE and subtracted 500, it would be 1100 calories. That's not healthy, and not necessary for me to lose weight. Like I said in the question, this is an experiment to see what numbers I get. The answers here will have no bearing on how many calories I eat.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    About 1800 per day if you go with the TDEE method. I put your activity level at 1-3 hours per week and gave you a 10% calorie deficit as this is most appropriate for someone with 10 pounds or less to lose.

    Or to approach it a slightly different way, set your daily goal to 1400 (BMR at goal weight) and eat back at least half of earned exercise calories. It ends up being about the same as TDEE in the end but I like the lower goal and adding on the earned calories.
  • mschicagocubs
    mschicagocubs Posts: 774 Member
    It depends, you missed a key portion of the equation - what type of lifestyle do you have? Do you sit in front of a desk 10 hours a day or do you dig ditches? You need to figure out your TDEE then subtract 500 calories per day from that. That'll give you a 3500 calories per week deficit so you'll lose about a pound a week. If you exercise, eat those calories back, your body needs them.

    I have a desk job.

    If I took my TDEE and subtracted 500, it would be 1100 calories. That's not healthy, and not necessary for me to lose weight. Like I said in the question, this is an experiment to see what numbers I get. The answers here will have no bearing on how many calories I eat.

    You said you work out 30 minutes 5 days a week so you are lightly active. Your TDEE would be higher than 1600
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    THIS IS AN EXPERIMENT. PLEASE PARTICIPATE!

    I already have my goal set up based on my own research/calculations and don't see a need to change that at the moment. HOWEVER, I'm seeing a lot of different methods for calculating caloric goals, so I want to see how the answers to this question will vary.

    MY STATS
    Gender.......Female
    Age..............24
    Height.........5'5"
    Weight........140 lbs
    Goal............130 lbs (between 0.5-1.0 lb/week loss)
    Exercise.....4-5 days per week, 30 minutes per day

    So, give me the number of calories I should be eating and make sure to tell me if that's GROSS or NET calories. Should I eat back exercise calories or not?

    NOTE: Give me a number based on YOUR calculations. Don't send me a link to an online calculator.

    Go!

    1,350 gross......

    NOT 1 pound per week.......1/2 pound per week. That is why TDEE less 500 is too low.

    3500/2 = 1750/7 = 250...................1600-250 = 1,350 (provided you put exercise in TDEE)....a 1600 TDEE sounds too low for someone as young as you.

    The 1/2 pound is key.....closer to goal that is more realistic for you.
  • _lyndseybrooke_
    _lyndseybrooke_ Posts: 2,561 Member
    It depends, you missed a key portion of the equation - what type of lifestyle do you have? Do you sit in front of a desk 10 hours a day or do you dig ditches? You need to figure out your TDEE then subtract 500 calories per day from that. That'll give you a 3500 calories per week deficit so you'll lose about a pound a week. If you exercise, eat those calories back, your body needs them.

    I have a desk job.

    If I took my TDEE and subtracted 500, it would be 1100 calories. That's not healthy, and not necessary for me to lose weight. Like I said in the question, this is an experiment to see what numbers I get. The answers here will have no bearing on how many calories I eat.

    You said you work out 30 minutes 5 days a week so you are lightly active. Your TDEE would be higher than 1600

    If I were to eat back my exercise calories as that other person suggested, I'd have to use the "no exercise" option on the TDEE calculator, as with TDEE you're not meant to eat back your burned calories. So, using my stats with the "no exercise" option, my TDEE is 1665. 1665-500=1165. Too low, even if I eat back exercise calories.

    I say 1350 gross is too low as well. 1350 NET, maybe. There are people on here (one even answered this question) at my same height and weight eating 1800 calories per day and not burning 500, and yet they're losing weight. I'd like someone to explain that to me.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    It depends, you missed a key portion of the equation - what type of lifestyle do you have? Do you sit in front of a desk 10 hours a day or do you dig ditches? You need to figure out your TDEE then subtract 500 calories per day from that. That'll give you a 3500 calories per week deficit so you'll lose about a pound a week. If you exercise, eat those calories back, your body needs them.

    I have a desk job.

    If I took my TDEE and subtracted 500, it would be 1100 calories. That's not healthy, and not necessary for me to lose weight. Like I said in the question, this is an experiment to see what numbers I get. The answers here will have no bearing on how many calories I eat.

    You said you work out 30 minutes 5 days a week so you are lightly active. Your TDEE would be higher than 1600

    If I were to eat back my exercise calories as that other person suggested, I'd have to use the "no exercise" option on the TDEE calculator, as with TDEE you're not meant to eat back your burned calories. So, using my stats with the "no exercise" option, my TDEE is 1665. 1665-500=1165. Too low, even if I eat back exercise calories.

    I say 1350 gross is too low as well. 1350 NET, maybe. There are people on here (one even answered this question) at my same height and weight eating 1800 calories per day and not burning 500, and yet they're losing weight. I'd like someone to explain that to me.

    You're confused. I gave you 1,350 based on "proper" calculation of TDEE......less 250 calories. Close to goal could also be a 5% cut from proper TDEE.

    MFP has you eat calories back because they are NOT in the original equation. MFP = BMR + activity level - calorie deficit (for weekly goal)....exercise increases your weekly goal so it gets added back.

    TDEE = BMR + activity level + exercise - calorie deficit (for weekly goal). IF you log exercise in MFP ....over ride the burn to 1 calorie....or don't log it at all. There is NO net in TDEE

    A deficit is created from both places. MFP is great for newbies that don't exercise a whole lot....or exercise sporadically. TDEE works for someone who will definitely do the exercise as stated.
  • _lyndseybrooke_
    _lyndseybrooke_ Posts: 2,561 Member
    It depends, you missed a key portion of the equation - what type of lifestyle do you have? Do you sit in front of a desk 10 hours a day or do you dig ditches? You need to figure out your TDEE then subtract 500 calories per day from that. That'll give you a 3500 calories per week deficit so you'll lose about a pound a week. If you exercise, eat those calories back, your body needs them.

    I have a desk job.

    If I took my TDEE and subtracted 500, it would be 1100 calories. That's not healthy, and not necessary for me to lose weight. Like I said in the question, this is an experiment to see what numbers I get. The answers here will have no bearing on how many calories I eat.

    You said you work out 30 minutes 5 days a week so you are lightly active. Your TDEE would be higher than 1600

    If I were to eat back my exercise calories as that other person suggested, I'd have to use the "no exercise" option on the TDEE calculator, as with TDEE you're not meant to eat back your burned calories. So, using my stats with the "no exercise" option, my TDEE is 1665. 1665-500=1165. Too low, even if I eat back exercise calories.

    I say 1350 gross is too low as well. 1350 NET, maybe. There are people on here (one even answered this question) at my same height and weight eating 1800 calories per day and not burning 500, and yet they're losing weight. I'd like someone to explain that to me.

    You're confused. I gave you 1,350 based on "proper" calculation of TDEE......less 250 calories. Close to goal could also be a 5% cut from proper TDEE.

    MFP has you eat calories back because they are NOT in the original equation. MFP = BMR + activity level - calorie deficit (for weekly goal)....exercise increases your weekly goal so it gets added back.

    TDEE = BMR + activity level + exercise - calorie deficit (for weekly goal). IF you log exercise in MFP ....over ride the burn to 1 calorie....or don't log it at all. There is NO net in TDEE

    A deficit is created from both places. MFP is great for newbies that don't exercise a whole lot....or exercise sporadically. TDEE works for someone who will definitely do the exercise as stated.

    No, I'm not confused. I did, however, notice that my question wasn't answered: If a girl like me needs to eat 1350 calories gross to lose 1/2 lb per week, how are people in similar situations eating 1500+ NET calories and losing 1/2 lb a week or more? Explain, please.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    THIS IS AN EXPERIMENT. PLEASE PARTICIPATE!

    I already have my goal set up based on my own research/calculations and don't see a need to change that at the moment. HOWEVER, I'm seeing a lot of different methods for calculating caloric goals, so I want to see how the answers to this question will vary.

    MY STATS
    Gender.......Female
    Age..............24
    Height.........5'5"
    Weight........140 lbs
    Goal............130 lbs (between 0.5-1.0 lb/week loss)
    Exercise.....4-5 days per week, 30 minutes per day

    So, give me the number of calories I should be eating and make sure to tell me if that's GROSS or NET calories. Should I eat back exercise calories or not?

    NOTE: Give me a number based on YOUR calculations. Don't send me a link to an online calculator.

    Go!

    Using spreadsheet on my profile page.

    Bodyfat estimate might make this different, as well as what that 30 min of exercise is. Obviously 30 min walking not the same as 30 running as 30 lifting. Spreadsheet makes that distinction.

    Mifflin BMR - 1386
    4.5 days x 30 min high cardio TDEE - 1946
    11% deficit (222) with 10 lbs to lose - 1723 gross eating goal. (about 0.4 lb loss weekly)
    carb - 45%, prot - 30%, fat - 25%
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    It depends, you missed a key portion of the equation - what type of lifestyle do you have? Do you sit in front of a desk 10 hours a day or do you dig ditches? You need to figure out your TDEE then subtract 500 calories per day from that. That'll give you a 3500 calories per week deficit so you'll lose about a pound a week. If you exercise, eat those calories back, your body needs them.

    I have a desk job.

    If I took my TDEE and subtracted 500, it would be 1100 calories. That's not healthy, and not necessary for me to lose weight. Like I said in the question, this is an experiment to see what numbers I get. The answers here will have no bearing on how many calories I eat.

    You said you work out 30 minutes 5 days a week so you are lightly active. Your TDEE would be higher than 1600

    If I were to eat back my exercise calories as that other person suggested, I'd have to use the "no exercise" option on the TDEE calculator, as with TDEE you're not meant to eat back your burned calories. So, using my stats with the "no exercise" option, my TDEE is 1665. 1665-500=1165. Too low, even if I eat back exercise calories.

    I say 1350 gross is too low as well. 1350 NET, maybe. There are people on here (one even answered this question) at my same height and weight eating 1800 calories per day and not burning 500, and yet they're losing weight. I'd like someone to explain that to me.

    You're confused. I gave you 1,350 based on "proper" calculation of TDEE......less 250 calories. Close to goal could also be a 5% cut from proper TDEE.

    MFP has you eat calories back because they are NOT in the original equation. MFP = BMR + activity level - calorie deficit (for weekly goal)....exercise increases your weekly goal so it gets added back.

    TDEE = BMR + activity level + exercise - calorie deficit (for weekly goal). IF you log exercise in MFP ....over ride the burn to 1 calorie....or don't log it at all. There is NO net in TDEE

    A deficit is created from both places. MFP is great for newbies that don't exercise a whole lot....or exercise sporadically. TDEE works for someone who will definitely do the exercise as stated.

    No, I'm not confused. I did, however, notice that my question wasn't answered: If a girl like me needs to eat 1350 calories gross to lose 1/2 lb per week, how are people in similar situations eating 1500+ NET calories and losing 1/2 lb a week or more? Explain, please.

    Well, yes you are confused if you don't include exercise in TDEE & still call it TDEE.....but whatever. My calculation was 1,350 IF TDEE was correct...it was NOT

    To answer your question. Different people have different fat to muscle ratios. I'm over 50, have less muscle mass than someone younger. That would naturally give the younger person a higher metabolism.

    Sedentary, lightly active ....whatever. Your activity level..... is a range. If you were to wear a FitBit (an activity tracker).....and a person in your office (same size) also wore a FitBit.....you may see wildly different activity levels. There a people with jobs that require lots of activity....those people burn more calories just during 9-5.... that's only part of the day.

    Hormones, thyroid, other medical stuff I don't understand. I'm post menopausal....bam!.....lower metabolism.

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