Suggested calorie intake too low?

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crissie_pt
crissie_pt Posts: 2 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all, I downloaded the MFP app last week to keep tabs on a very loose eating plan, so mainly I want to ensure I'm hitting all the macros. I'm currently following the Kayla Itsines guide (BBG), which is basically resistance training 3xweek and LISS 2/3xweek, which progresses in intensity as the programme goes on.

My question is regarding the calorie intake recommended by the app (I'm following this, also loosely, because I have a big appetite and am aware my portion sizes are usually too large). I'm a 27-year-old female, 165m (around 5ft5), 55kg or so (120lb i guess?) looking to lose about 3kg and tone up. I have a 9-6 desk job but am fairly active, and do yoga, dancing and netball in addition to the BBG. The MFP has set my goal calorie intake at 1250 - is it me or is this stupidly low? Any help would be much appreciated!

Replies

  • mkakids
    mkakids Posts: 1,913 Member
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    Google tdee. Use a tdee calc to get a decent daily amount. 1250 seems way too low.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,565 Member
    edited January 2015
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    Since you're already on the low end of the BMI chart and have very little to lose, yes. Set your goal to lose half a pound per week and be as exact as possible with your logging. Plus understand that MFP gives you a deficit without exercise. When you do exercise, you're expected to eat those calories back, though it's recommended to go with 50-75% to account for overestimations of burns.
  • misskarihari
    misskarihari Posts: 104 Member
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    MFP set your calorie intake to 1250 which means 1250 plus the calories you earn through exercise. So if you walk a bit every day you can easily eat 1500 calories and still lose weight. However I was "fooled" about the net calorie-bar so I ended up eating waay over what I need. I find it easier to use TDEE. http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/ this one is good. :)
  • aligatormore
    aligatormore Posts: 5 Member
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    Crissie, when you log your bbg workouts in it adds like 400 calories to eat :smiley: I got about the same thing and I am 22, 5'6" and about 120lbs
  • weightsnbakes
    weightsnbakes Posts: 34 Member
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    I just googled tdee and the recommended calories per day I was given was 2434. Subtract 20% and I'm at 1900 (to lose weight and fat). I have a lot of weight to lose, I'm 5'4 and currently 222lbs. Is 1900 too high right now? Should I drop it a little more? MFP has me eating 1350 calories per day and to be honest I'm worried that might be too low and I could lose muscle, which I don't want.
    Advice would be great.
  • kr1stadee
    kr1stadee Posts: 1,774 Member
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    When starting out, it's best to stick to what MFP tells you. Yes, the TDEE method is a great one, however, to avoid over-complicating things, just stick to what MFP tells you.

    Now, with that being said, if you are sedentary for the majority of the day (desk job - I have one too), make sure you set that to your activity level - or at the most, lightly active. You want to set your pounds-per-week to 0.5. You are on the low end and don't want to risk too much of a deficit. Just remember to log and eat your exercise calories. If using a HRM that you feel is accurate, eat 'em all. If going by MFP estimates, eat half back.

    You should start looking into lifting programs. Stronglifts 5x5 is a great place to start. It will help you lose fat and give your metabolism a boost!

    Good luck!
  • shemama1
    shemama1 Posts: 30 Member
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    bump...I have no advice, as I'm in the same boat with calories...but want to follow this thread.
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
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    MFP is as accurate as you make it.

    You're at a reasonable weight for your height - but I'm guessing you have a 1-2 pound goal loss per week? If so, dial this back to 1/2 pound.

    Second point is that MFP assumes your calorie goal is before exercise. So you'll need to eat more for your yoga, dancing, netball, etc.
    crissie_pt wrote: »
    Hi all, I downloaded the MFP app last week to keep tabs on a very loose eating plan, so mainly I want to ensure I'm hitting all the macros. I'm currently following the Kayla Itsines guide (BBG), which is basically resistance training 3xweek and LISS 2/3xweek, which progresses in intensity as the programme goes on.

    My question is regarding the calorie intake recommended by the app (I'm following this, also loosely, because I have a big appetite and am aware my portion sizes are usually too large). I'm a 27-year-old female, 165m (around 5ft5), 55kg or so (120lb i guess?) looking to lose about 3kg and tone up. I have a 9-6 desk job but am fairly active, and do yoga, dancing and netball in addition to the BBG. The MFP has set my goal calorie intake at 1250 - is it me or is this stupidly low? Any help would be much appreciated!

  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
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    MFP is 1350 + exercise. What did you set your goal for weight loss to be? MFP assume 500 calories for 1 pound, 1000 for 2.

    TDEE already counts your exercise, and the 20% you indicate is a deficit of 534 so roughly 1 pound per week.

    So when comparing these 2 methods you have to equalize them. How many exercise calories do you burn on average per week? And what deficit is MFP set for? When you add in the exercise calories and make sure the 2 methods are using the same weight loss deficit, are they pretty close?
    lakom2 wrote: »
    I just googled tdee and the recommended calories per day I was given was 2434. Subtract 20% and I'm at 1900 (to lose weight and fat). I have a lot of weight to lose, I'm 5'4 and currently 222lbs. Is 1900 too high right now? Should I drop it a little more? MFP has me eating 1350 calories per day and to be honest I'm worried that might be too low and I could lose muscle, which I don't want.
    Advice would be great.

  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    Set your goal less aggressively, (to .5 pounds a week), then earn extra calories through exercise.
  • weightsnbakes
    weightsnbakes Posts: 34 Member
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    StaciMarie and Liftng4Lis thank you for your advice. It's good to be around people in a community who have been using MFP for a while. I reset my goal to 0.5lbs per week, which bumped my calories up to 1800 per day. I exercise 5x per week (3 of those days are lifting) and can earn a potential of 400 cals per day based on what I have been doing.
  • crissie_pt
    crissie_pt Posts: 2 Member
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    Thank you all!

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