Striving to be 120-130 lbs

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Calculating your daily calories

lcknyc11
lcknyc11 Posts: 13 Member
in Social Groups
Just taking a pulse on how everyone is setting their goals.

Are you going by the MFP recommendations?

Are you calculating by BMR & TDEE?

Something completely different?

I'm really torn between what MFP recommends and TDEE...

Should I set to "lighly active" (about 1370 calories a day) and eat back my exercise calories? Or should I go by BMR/TDEE (1,650) and not eat my exercise calories back?

Who is doing what and what is working or not working? :)

Replies

  • lcknyc11
    lcknyc11 Posts: 13 Member
    I should add that I wear a HRM when I workout and burn about 350 calories when doing 45 min of lifting and anywhere between 500-650 calories when doing 45-60 min of kickboxing or boxing.
  • BlueberryWatermelon
    BlueberryWatermelon Posts: 73 Member
    Right now I'm going off of what MFP has given me. I've only been tracking carefully for about two weeks though, so I'd like to give it another two or three before I re-evaluate.

    My calorie goal seems quite low (1200/day), since I have it set at sedentary (desk job, commute by car), and log my exercise separately. But I also have my weight loss set at 1 lb per week, which is pretty aggressive considering I only want to lose another 10-15 lbs. For that reason, I don't stress too much if I go over slightly. I think my maintenance is around 1700-1800 based on online calculators and personal experience.

    My problem is that I'm STARVING on days when I'm working a long shift with no time to exercise, but on days when I run, I can't eat enough to meet my calorie target. So I'm hoping it all balances out in the end!
  • daneiel
    daneiel Posts: 42 Member
    I’m using MFP as well, I was set at 1200 calories, I would like to lose about 15 lbs., 5’2 desk job. At first I was not eating back my exerciser calories Monday -Friday just on the weekends started to retain a lot of water to much sodium it took about 3-4 day to get back to my pre week weight another 2-3 day to drop a 1or ½ pound, so I started eating back exerciser calories every day and choosing lower sodium foods or the weekend. Eating between 1300-1400 calories which in the middle of my BMR and TDEE. I log my exerciser on MFP I like to see the burn and I work out every day.
  • emmooney235
    emmooney235 Posts: 85 Member
    I'm going by the MFP recommendations right now too and eating back about half my workout calories hoping my workout days and non workout days even out. I don't want to have to count every little calorie in and out, I just want to be aware of the choices I'm making. I'll reassess in about 3 weeks or so.
  • lcknyc11
    lcknyc11 Posts: 13 Member
    After some research and careful consideration, I decided to go the TDEE x 20% route. It just seems to make more sense to me this way. I will still use a HRM when I exercise just because I like to know the payoff for the work I put in, but I will log my exercise as 1 calorie burned as the TDEE method factors in calorie burn for activity level. So now my daily caloric intake should be 1,650 calories.

    Advice to others: Weigh ALL of your food. I was weighing my meats and veggies, etc but I was using measuring cups and spoons for stuff like cottage cheese, peanut butter, rice, etc. There is a BIG difference when you use a food scale, and every calorie counts.
  • vallet7806
    vallet7806 Posts: 2
    im confused about this program...when I did my goals it says that it is 1200 calories daily for the weight I want but then there is another number that says 1800 calories...so do I eat 1800 calories and burn off 600 to have 1200 left daily to lose weight or am I just eating 1200 calories daily and then exercising and burning off whatever is left from the 1200? Information would be much appreciated..thanks! this is what is says...can someone break it down for me so I understand it... Calories Burned From Normal Daily Activity 1,730 cal/day Net Calories Consumed* Your Daily Goal 1,200 cal/day Daily Calorie Deficit 530 calories Projected Weight Loss 1.1 lbs/week
  • lcknyc11
    lcknyc11 Posts: 13 Member
    This is one of the simplest explanations that I have read that I think will help u.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf
  • aquarabbit
    aquarabbit Posts: 1,622 Member
    I'm using MFP, but I did customize my macros and up my fiber settings. I eat back my exercise calories too. I'm netting around 1300 a day right now. It's fairly easy to fit it in. My fiber is the most important thing to me.
  • JennyKCarty
    JennyKCarty Posts: 457 Member
    I'm down to the last few pounds (I think) and I have MFP set to maintenance (1760) calories. I also have my fitbit linked to my account. I try to eat less than what I burn daily, especially days I work out I am able to make a calorie defecit (200-400 calories). On days I can't work out, I usually eat at maintenance because I'm hungry. On special occasions or weekends, I might go over. Sometimes WAY over! I'm still losing fat and weight slowly and this allows me to live my life without depriving myself too much.
  • hayleyandpaigesgrandma
    hayleyandpaigesgrandma Posts: 83 Member
    I am using the MFP calories of 1200 but sometimes don't quite meet the total. I am usually close though. My biggest problem is getting enough walking in. I'm going to keep trying . The knees keep giving out. I am trying to get a few more steps each day.
  • BlueberryWatermelon
    BlueberryWatermelon Posts: 73 Member
    I'm using MFP, but I did customize my macros and up my fiber settings. I eat back my exercise calories too. I'm netting around 1300 a day right now. It's fairly easy to fit it in. My fiber is the most important thing to me.

    I didn't actually know you could adjust your macro settings, so thanks for pointing that out!
  • CrescentCityGirl
    CrescentCityGirl Posts: 123 Member
    Hi!!!

    I am new here!! Not sure what TDEE is???

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