Calories

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Flugangst
Flugangst Posts: 98 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've used several different calorie calculators, and the majority of them tell me I need to eat between 1,200-1,350 calories. It seems a bit low. :neutral_face:

I am 24, 5'5" and I weigh 175 lbs.

I was just recently laid off from work, where I was on my feet my entire 12 hr shifts. Since then I've been living a very sedentary lifestyle, hitting the gym once or twice a week (Yes, I know, I need to exercise more)

I want to cut body fat, and I know I need to lift heavy weights, eat clean, blah blah, but I'm just confused as to just how many calories I need to be consuming and still lose the body fat.

Replies

  • LeonCX
    LeonCX Posts: 862 Member
    edited October 2014
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    What did MFP calculate for you? Don't forget, you can go by a higher range for a more moderate rate of loss. Here's a good calculator an MFP member created:

    http://www.weightloss-calculator.net/
    ...and who told you you had to lift?

    Wishing you all success.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
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    Lower your goals to to lose less aggressively, it will give you more calories.
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
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    LeonCX wrote: »
    What did MFP calculate for you? Don't forget, you can go by a higher range for a more moderate rate of loss. Here's a good calculator an MFP member created:

    http://www.weightloss-calculator.net/
    ...and who told you you had to lift?

    Wishing you all success.
    Lifting weights (usually strength rep range due to lower energy capacity) is very beneficial to maintaining muscle mass while in a deficit.

    And to OP, you are clearly using the wrong calculators/goals when calculating. I have links on my profile, check them out. Subtract 20% max to get at your calorie intake goal, adjust up/down after a few months if you'r enot seeing ~4lbs/month loss.
  • Flugangst
    Flugangst Posts: 98 Member
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    LeonCX wrote: »
    What did MFP calculate for you? Don't forget, you can go by a higher range for a more moderate rate of loss. Here's a good calculator an MFP member created:

    http://www.weightloss-calculator.net/
    ...and who told you you had to lift?

    Wishing you all success.

    About 1,450... I'm not looking to lose a lot of weight, just cut the body fat. Don't I need to lift weights in order to do that? I mean, I don't have to, but I'd imagine the results would be faster.

  • Flugangst
    Flugangst Posts: 98 Member
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    ana3067 wrote: »
    LeonCX wrote: »
    What did MFP calculate for you? Don't forget, you can go by a higher range for a more moderate rate of loss. Here's a good calculator an MFP member created:

    http://www.weightloss-calculator.net/
    ...and who told you you had to lift?

    Wishing you all success.
    Lifting weights (usually strength rep range due to lower energy capacity) is very beneficial to maintaining muscle mass while in a deficit.

    And to OP, you are clearly using the wrong calculators/goals when calculating. I have links on my profile, check them out. Subtract 20% max to get at your calorie intake goal, adjust up/down after a few months if you'r enot seeing ~4lbs/month loss.


    Thanks! :3
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
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    Flugangst wrote: »
    LeonCX wrote: »
    What did MFP calculate for you? Don't forget, you can go by a higher range for a more moderate rate of loss. Here's a good calculator an MFP member created:

    http://www.weightloss-calculator.net/
    ...and who told you you had to lift?

    Wishing you all success.

    About 1,450... I'm not looking to lose a lot of weight, just cut the body fat. Don't I need to lift weights in order to do that? I mean, I don't have to, but I'd imagine the results would be faster.
    Lifting weights is highly recommended if fat loss vs weight loss is the goal. If you don't think you have much fat to lose, then 10-15% deficit is more than enough to dock from your estimated maintenance needs.
  • Flugangst
    Flugangst Posts: 98 Member
    Options
    ana3067 wrote: »
    Flugangst wrote: »
    LeonCX wrote: »
    What did MFP calculate for you? Don't forget, you can go by a higher range for a more moderate rate of loss. Here's a good calculator an MFP member created:

    http://www.weightloss-calculator.net/
    ...and who told you you had to lift?

    Wishing you all success.

    About 1,450... I'm not looking to lose a lot of weight, just cut the body fat. Don't I need to lift weights in order to do that? I mean, I don't have to, but I'd imagine the results would be faster.
    Lifting weights is highly recommended if fat loss vs weight loss is the goal. If you don't think you have much fat to lose, then 10-15% deficit is more than enough to dock from your estimated maintenance needs.

    Hmm, okay. Thanks a bunch.

  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
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    Flugangst wrote: »
    ana3067 wrote: »
    Flugangst wrote: »
    LeonCX wrote: »
    What did MFP calculate for you? Don't forget, you can go by a higher range for a more moderate rate of loss. Here's a good calculator an MFP member created:

    http://www.weightloss-calculator.net/
    ...and who told you you had to lift?

    Wishing you all success.

    About 1,450... I'm not looking to lose a lot of weight, just cut the body fat. Don't I need to lift weights in order to do that? I mean, I don't have to, but I'd imagine the results would be faster.
    Lifting weights is highly recommended if fat loss vs weight loss is the goal. If you don't think you have much fat to lose, then 10-15% deficit is more than enough to dock from your estimated maintenance needs.

    Hmm, okay. Thanks a bunch.

    no problem - btw this will be ~0.5lb/week if using MFP generated numbers. But I don't recommend that method, I do recommend calculating your needs yourself. Again, links on my profile (first 2) are really good for a starting point. I use health-calc myself because it's just a bit more user-friendly, although can calculate higher. But I prefer that, easier to go down as needed.
  • xsmilexforxmex
    xsmilexforxmex Posts: 1,216 Member
    edited October 2014
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    I have about the same stats as you. Days I don't work my fitbit estimates I burn about 1450 calories... I also did a "bod Pod' analysis and at 160lbs was told I am 44% Body fat, (compared to my scale that says 28... I like that one better!) and the diet plan they gave me said to eat 1350 calories daily, do not eat exercise calories back, and exercise at least 4 times a week to start seeing progress.
    ETA: 27, 5'5", 159 currently
  • Flugangst
    Flugangst Posts: 98 Member
    Options
    ana3067 wrote: »
    Flugangst wrote: »
    ana3067 wrote: »
    Flugangst wrote: »
    LeonCX wrote: »
    What did MFP calculate for you? Don't forget, you can go by a higher range for a more moderate rate of loss. Here's a good calculator an MFP member created:

    http://www.weightloss-calculator.net/
    ...and who told you you had to lift?

    Wishing you all success.

    About 1,450... I'm not looking to lose a lot of weight, just cut the body fat. Don't I need to lift weights in order to do that? I mean, I don't have to, but I'd imagine the results would be faster.
    Lifting weights is highly recommended if fat loss vs weight loss is the goal. If you don't think you have much fat to lose, then 10-15% deficit is more than enough to dock from your estimated maintenance needs.

    Hmm, okay. Thanks a bunch.

    no problem - btw this will be ~0.5lb/week if using MFP generated numbers. But I don't recommend that method, I do recommend calculating your needs yourself. Again, links on my profile (first 2) are really good for a starting point. I use health-calc myself because it's just a bit more user-friendly, although can calculate higher. But I prefer that, easier to go down as needed.

    Yeah, I used the health calc one. It was a bit more simple for me. Thanks again for sharing.

  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
    Options
    xsmilexforxmex wrote: »
    I have about the same stats as you. Days I don't work my fitbit estimates I burn about 1450 calories... I also did a "bod Pod' analysis and at 160lbs was told I am 44% Body fat, (compared to my scale that says 28... I like that one better!) and the diet plan they gave me said to eat 1350 calories daily, do not eat exercise calories back, and exercise at least 4 times a week to start seeing progress.
    ETA: 27, 5'5", 159 currently

    chances are this is a flawed calorie goal. Calculate from a good calculator (links on my profile) and try eating 20% below the number it gives you. If you added exercise into your calculation because you are consistent with exercise, then you'd not eat back exercise cals. If you don't include it, then you do log and eat back calories.

    Reduce calories by 100 or so if not seeing ~4lb/month losses.

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