confused about calories

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mollyz36
mollyz36 Posts: 7
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi guys!! I need some help.
So, I work out 6 times a week. I am 182 pounds, 5'8" and 20 years old. I have no idea how many calories I should be eating per day... I am trying to lose at least 10-12 pounds. I am not sure what I should be putting in for calories, etc. Any help would be appreciated!!!

I have myself as 'lightly active" because other than the gym, I go to class and study in my dorm.. But I do work out 6x a week (40-50 min of cardio and some strength)

Thanks!

Replies

  • bwogilvie
    bwogilvie Posts: 2,130 Member
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    When you joined MFP, you should have input your height, current weight, gender, age, activity level without exercise, and weight loss goal. Based on those inputs, MFP will have calculated a daily calorie target for you to attain, again without exercise; if your entries were accurate and your metabolism is normal (which is the case with 99.9% of MFP members), attaining that target, and "eating back" exercise calories, should result in your desired weight loss.

    Now, there are some potential hitches. Often, databases, machines, and HRMs overestimate calorie burns. It's sometimes hard to say how active you are (without exercise). The MPF calorie target is an estimate; you might find that for your desired weight loss, you should eat a little less, or a little more.

    Nonetheless, start with the number MFP calculates, and stick with that for a month. If your loss at the end of the month is what you wanted, great! Just stick with the plan. If it's too much, eat more. If it's too little, eat less.

    With only 10-12 pounds to lose, you should probably set MFP to lose 0.5 lb./week; there's no sense in depriving yourself overmuch for such a small loss.

    One caveat: If you rated yourself as "lightly active" including exercise, your calorie goal might be too high. MFP expects you to exclude exercise from activity level, and to log it separately. I exercise 45-60 minutes a day, sometimes more, but because I log it separately, I set my activity level to "sedentary." It seems to work.

    Good luck!
  • mollyz36
    mollyz36 Posts: 7
    Options
    When you joined MFP, you should have input your height, current weight, gender, age, activity level without exercise, and weight loss goal. Based on those inputs, MFP will have calculated a daily calorie target for you to attain, again without exercise; if your entries were accurate and your metabolism is normal (which is the case with 99.9% of MFP members), attaining that target, and "eating back" exercise calories, should result in your desired weight loss.

    Now, there are some potential hitches. Often, databases, machines, and HRMs overestimate calorie burns. It's sometimes hard to say how active you are (without exercise). The MPF calorie target is an estimate; you might find that for your desired weight loss, you should eat a little less, or a little more.

    Nonetheless, start with the number MFP calculates, and stick with that for a month. If your loss at the end of the month is what you wanted, great! Just stick with the plan. If it's too much, eat more. If it's too little, eat less.

    With only 10-12 pounds to lose, you should probably set MFP to lose 0.5 lb./week; there's no sense in depriving yourself overmuch for such a small loss.

    One caveat: If you rated yourself as "lightly active" including exercise, your calorie goal might be too high. MFP expects you to exclude exercise from activity level, and to log it separately. I exercise 45-60 minutes a day, sometimes more, but because I log it separately, I set my activity level to "sedentary." It seems to work.

    Good luck!

    thanks for responding! OK -- that makes sense. since estimations of machines/MFP are usually pretty off, i figured that I would put myself as lightly active and just not log exercise (to have it already included) .. or active? I am not sure -- this is where I am stuck.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    Set MFP to lightly active, set it to lose half a pound a week, and eat back some of your exercise calories. If you lose at a rate of about half a pound a week, after several weeks, then you are in the right ballpark. If you are not losing as expected, then adjust your calorie intake accordingly. All calculators are estimates, while they are a good baseline or starting point, you may need to tweak things to get the right numbers.
  • mollyz36
    mollyz36 Posts: 7
    Options
    Set MFP to lightly active, set it to lose half a pound a week, and eat back some of your exercise calories. If you lose at a rate of about half a pound a week, after several weeks, then you are in the right ballpark. If you are not losing as expected, then adjust your calorie intake accordingly. All calculators are estimates, while they are a good baseline or starting point, you may need to tweak things to get the right numbers.

    OK -- is it possible to set it for active, but not log any exercise (so i don't have to do guessing about how much i am actually working out..?) for example -- if i set it to active, lets say it gives me 1800 calories. i won't log any exercise numbers because I will have already included it in the 1800? let me know!
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    Options
    Set MFP to lightly active, set it to lose half a pound a week, and eat back some of your exercise calories. If you lose at a rate of about half a pound a week, after several weeks, then you are in the right ballpark. If you are not losing as expected, then adjust your calorie intake accordingly. All calculators are estimates, while they are a good baseline or starting point, you may need to tweak things to get the right numbers.

    OK -- is it possible to set it for active, but not log any exercise (so i don't have to do guessing about how much i am actually working out..?) for example -- if i set it to active, lets say it gives me 1800 calories. i won't log any exercise numbers because I will have already included it in the 1800? let me know!

    Google TDEE calculator and then take off a percent deficit. 20% deduction from TDEE is typical.
  • chriamaria
    chriamaria Posts: 76 Member
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    A lot of people on here go by their TDEE and log their exercise as 1 calorie because they do not wish to eat back their exercise calories. A couple of sites are the IIFYM site and Scooby's Workshop. I liked Scooby's Workshop the best. You can manually change your caloric goals here on MFP as well as your macros rather than going by what MFP says to eat. I find that MFP's recommendations for protein are too low for me. I chose to go with sedentary because my exercise is not always consistent (but getting much better) and then eat a small portion of my exercise calories back so that I do not net under 1200 calories. I've been managing to lose about a pound per week this way. Good luck to you!

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