Really confused with calories

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fedegarino
fedegarino Posts: 12 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Ok so im Fred, new to this app, been using it for 1 week now and lost a couple of lb (6 to be exact) and im starting to read a lot of the forums about calories, exersice, calories in vs calories out etc...

A couple years ago i did a system of 600kcal a day (i know, please dont comment on this, it was terrible) and i lost 33 kg in 4 months, of course i couldnt hold that and i gained 40kg in 6 months one year later....

after spending years (almost 8..) testing every single diet and workout program i gave up, BUT i found MFP. What an amazing app, what an amazing feeling i've now that im losing pounds again, im seeing what im eating, im counting, im doing what's right.

But because of all this reading my head is spinning around to figure it out what to do...

I've seen people saying that they eat what the MFP app tells them to eat and they're losing weight, i've seen some others that also eat the "exercise" calories, some others they set lower goals on calories than MFP suggest, and other stick to some other plan (so many weird words i dont know what they mean haha)

My MFP says that i should eat 2170 cal a day to lose weight, but it seems really high, im afraid of eating that many calories, so im trying to between 1000 and 1200 a day to lose weight.

What do you guys think? should i go for more calories? should i stay in 1000/1200? Should i follow MFP plan of 2170? Will the app recalculate this calories eventually?

Hope you can help me.

Fred

Replies

  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    At 26 with 71 pounds to lose the recommendation was probably NOT to high. What is your height and weight? And sorry, eating under 1200 calories for a 26 year old male, regardless of the height and weight is ridiculous.
  • fedegarino
    fedegarino Posts: 12 Member
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    im 6" 1' and this morning my weight was 271.6
  • frecklesandfries
    frecklesandfries Posts: 32 Member
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    This all depends on a lot of factors that include how much you are trying to lose per week, what you weigh now, how active you are, etc. If you input all of your stats correctly and chose the recommended amount of weight to lose per week given to you by MFP then I would say eat the 2170 and see if you lose weight. 1000/1200 is way too little of calories unless you want to lose weight unhealthily.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    Yep I would be eating what MFP suggested, or alternately you can do TDEE - 20%http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
  • williams969
    williams969 Posts: 2,528 Member
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    With your height and weight, you probably maintain your weight with at least 3,000 calories/day. 2170 sounds reasonable (I'm guessing you have it set for the max weight loss? 2lbs or 1kg/week, yes?).

    I'd say start with that, at least, if not higher, if you want. Losing it slower is better. As you've learned, doing it "fast" doesn't keep it off. Why not try the slow and sensible (and sustainable) approach?
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
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    fedegarino wrote: »
    im 6" 1' and this morning my weight was 271.6

    Here's a little comparison for you:

    I'm 5'4.5"
    female (obviously)
    currently about 177lbs
    eating an average of about 1920 calories per day
    losing roughly 1 lb per week
    32374451.png

    Threads to read:
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1234699/logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide/p1
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    To give you perspective....1,200 calories is what a very petite, elderly woman might need to maintain her weight. You are not any of those things. MFP's minimum for a man is higher than 1,200.....and the minimum isn't likely aimed at tall people.

    Eat 2,170 and see how things progress. Remember weight loss is going to take awhile. Eating 1,200 would not likely be sustainable over the long haul. Better to lose a little slower than to be a lot frustrated.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,013 Member
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    I am female, a lot shorter than you, and a lot older than you, and I have been losing slowly eating @ 1600 cals a day. So yeah, the mfp recommendation sounds accurate to me. Please be healthy and good luck!
  • scottkjar
    scottkjar Posts: 346 Member
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    Learn this "weird word" : TDEE. That's your Total Daily Energy Expenditure. Just do a search on TDEE and you will find ways to calculate yours. That tells you how many calories you need each day to maintain your current weight and activity. Once you know your TDEE, you can start to make better choices for your own caloric intake, and you can better understand your target calories.
  • Kate7294
    Kate7294 Posts: 783 Member
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    I'm only 5'7" and female and am still losing eating 1600 calories a day. I'd starve on 1200. MFP actually dropped mine to 1420 for a few weeks and I had to go in and change my setting since I had no energy. My BMR is 1548. No I don't always eat my exercise calories since I changed my settings to include some. I went from sedentary no exercise to sedentary with 5x30 minutes of exercise a week.
    1201. You may want to check your BMR on scoobies calculator and don't go below that.

    I've lost 39 lbs. with 19 more till goal of a healthy BMI.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    This calculator...http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/

    Has your TDEE at 2700 (for sedentary, zero exercise). That's to maintain your current weight. To lose 1.5 pounds a week, subtract 750....or 1,950 calories per day. That's zero exercise.

    2 pounds a week is better for someone with more than 75 pounds to lose.
  • _Waffle_
    _Waffle_ Posts: 13,049 Member
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    fedegarino wrote: »
    im 6" 1' and this morning my weight was 271.6


    Yep. I was eating about 2000 calories a dayand dropping nearly every week when I was 220 - 245 range. I'm 6'2". Some weeks you might lose just .5 or nothing but nearly every week I would lose a pound. You don't need to go lower than that. Also remember that as you lose weight your calorie demands will lower so your weight loss will start to taper as you approach your goal.

    Have the app recalculate your goal after each 5 lbs lost. It should start making slight adjustments on it's own but if it doesn't then go through the weight goal screens again.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    wow 27 and weigh 271 and you are eating about 1200 a day...eat more food.

    more perspective

    42 year old woman, 5ft7 currently @148lbs and I lose on 2k a day...about 1/2lb a week.

    My husband 32, 5ft10 @ 183 maintains on 3500 calories or more a day....
  • fedegarino
    fedegarino Posts: 12 Member
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    GREAT!!!!!

    thanks all for the responses, i will try eating 1900/2000 per day and i will guys let you know how im doing!!

    Again, thank you!
  • AnabolicKyle
    AnabolicKyle Posts: 489 Member
    edited October 2014
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    reference

    6ft4
    225lbs
    dieting 2700cals
    normal 3200-3800
    bulking 4000+


    Also would like to add i never track my calories when iam not dieting so i might be on the low end of the estimate, I probably eat more than that.
  • girlviernes
    girlviernes Posts: 2,402 Member
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    Great question! Even as you lose weight I'd recommend you never go below 1800 (probably even more because you are tall). Be patient and eat more food. You will keep more of your muscle thus you will like your shape better.
  • karenj_m
    karenj_m Posts: 215
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    Start as high as possible, because after you lose a bit (15 lbs or so), you will have to drop your calories down a little again....this may continue a few times depending on how many pounds you are trying to lose. So you don't want to start really low.

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