Confused about daily calories

m_kipp
m_kipp Posts: 86 Member
edited November 16 in Food and Nutrition
Everywhere I look online I get a diff answer as to how my basic daily calorie intake should be. Anywhere from 1200-2380. My friends say that this site has it incorrect. Any advice on how to figure it WITHOUT exercise so I know what I should be targeting? Thanks!

Replies

  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    Since it's based off the stats you give the website, and you have your age set as 99 years old (age does play a factor in it), I would believe it is incorrect. If you can change that, do it, but I believe you're going to need to start a new profile with your correct age. You can make it completely private if you're concerned about people knowing how old you are.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    MFP will give you a number based on your input and the goals you're telling it. It's number does not include exercise.
  • KaneNLN
    KaneNLN Posts: 39 Member
    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator

    use this and fill the detail out in the bottom.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    KaneNLN wrote: »
    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator

    use this and fill the detail out in the bottom.

    That usually includes exercise
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    kipp_it wrote: »
    Everywhere I look online I get a diff answer as to how my basic daily calorie intake should be. Anywhere from 1200-2380. My friends say that this site has it incorrect. Any advice on how to figure it WITHOUT exercise so I know what I should be targeting? Thanks!

    The amount will usually depend on a few factors
    -Is exercise included
    -What is your weekly goal (0.5 up to 2 lb/week weight loss, or TDEE -25,20,15%) so even with the same base number depending on what you enter you can have 5+ dif. calorie goals.
    -What calculation is used to get your BMR
    -what activity level you choose (BMR multiplier)
    -etc.
  • m_kipp
    m_kipp Posts: 86 Member
    erickirb wrote: »
    KaneNLN wrote: »
    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator

    use this and fill the detail out in the bottom.

    That usually includes exercise

    It set me at 875 cals a day...that can't be right can it?

  • m_kipp
    m_kipp Posts: 86 Member
    malibu927 wrote: »
    Since it's based off the stats you give the website, and you have your age set as 99 years old (age does play a factor in it), I would believe it is incorrect. If you can change that, do it, but I believe you're going to need to start a new profile with your correct age. You can make it completely private if you're concerned about people knowing how old you are.

    When I did my correct age it came up as 1200 a day. How can I hide my age? I could not find that setting

  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    kipp_it wrote: »
    erickirb wrote: »
    KaneNLN wrote: »
    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator

    use this and fill the detail out in the bottom.

    That usually includes exercise

    It set me at 875 cals a day...that can't be right can it?

    I think you are inputting things wrong. Is it set for lbs and you entered weight in KGs?
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    kipp_it wrote: »
    malibu927 wrote: »
    Since it's based off the stats you give the website, and you have your age set as 99 years old (age does play a factor in it), I would believe it is incorrect. If you can change that, do it, but I believe you're going to need to start a new profile with your correct age. You can make it completely private if you're concerned about people knowing how old you are.

    When I did my correct age it came up as 1200 a day. How can I hide my age? I could not find that setting

    With only 35ish lbs to lose you should change your weekly weight loss goal to 1 lb/week, not 2. 2lbs/week is ideal if you have 75+ lbs to lose.
  • m_kipp
    m_kipp Posts: 86 Member
    erickirb wrote: »
    kipp_it wrote: »
    erickirb wrote: »
    KaneNLN wrote: »
    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator

    use this and fill the detail out in the bottom.

    That usually includes exercise

    It set me at 875 cals a day...that can't be right can it?

    I think you are inputting things wrong. Is it set for lbs and you entered weight in KGs?

    I used lbs and inches

    Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) - 912
    Daily calories to maintain weight (TDEE) - 1094
    Daily calories based on goal in step 6 - 875
  • m_kipp
    m_kipp Posts: 86 Member
    erickirb wrote: »
    kipp_it wrote: »
    malibu927 wrote: »
    Since it's based off the stats you give the website, and you have your age set as 99 years old (age does play a factor in it), I would believe it is incorrect. If you can change that, do it, but I believe you're going to need to start a new profile with your correct age. You can make it completely private if you're concerned about people knowing how old you are.

    When I did my correct age it came up as 1200 a day. How can I hide my age? I could not find that setting

    With only 35ish lbs to lose you should change your weekly weight loss goal to 1 lb/week, not 2. 2lbs/week is ideal if you have 75+ lbs to lose.

    I put it in 1lb a week....seems to keep changing
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    kipp_it wrote: »
    malibu927 wrote: »
    Since it's based off the stats you give the website, and you have your age set as 99 years old (age does play a factor in it), I would believe it is incorrect. If you can change that, do it, but I believe you're going to need to start a new profile with your correct age. You can make it completely private if you're concerned about people knowing how old you are.

    When I did my correct age it came up as 1200 a day. How can I hide my age? I could not find that setting

    Settings-->Privacy Settings-->Make it only available to me

    And yes, 1200 is too low for a male. Make sure you choose an appropriate deficit as well (if you had it on 2 pounds a week, change it to 1 pound a week).
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    edited April 2015
    kipp_it wrote: »
    erickirb wrote: »
    kipp_it wrote: »
    erickirb wrote: »
    KaneNLN wrote: »
    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator

    use this and fill the detail out in the bottom.

    That usually includes exercise

    It set me at 875 cals a day...that can't be right can it?

    I think you are inputting things wrong. Is it set for lbs and you entered weight in KGs?

    I used lbs and inches

    Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) - 912
    Daily calories to maintain weight (TDEE) - 1094
    Daily calories based on goal in step 6 - 875

    You are doing something wrong to get a BMR that low, unless you are under 4' tall and under 75 lbs.

    As an example I am mid-thirties male that weighs 145lbs and my BMR is in the 1550-1650 range.
  • m_kipp
    m_kipp Posts: 86 Member
    edited April 2015
    I changed my settings and it says 1230 cals on MFP

    SORRY....I was putting in 5.7 for inches instead of 67 (doh)

    Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) - 1690
    Daily calories to maintain weight (TDEE) - 2029
    Daily calories based on goal in step 6 - 1623
  • scottacular
    scottacular Posts: 597 Member
    Trial and error, try a number, if it doesn't work, try a little bit less.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    kipp_it wrote: »
    I changed my settings and it says 1230 cals on MFP

    Go to your goals tab, what does it say next to, "calories burned from normal daily activity"?
  • m_kipp
    m_kipp Posts: 86 Member
    erickirb wrote: »
    kipp_it wrote: »
    I changed my settings and it says 1230 cals on MFP

    Go to your goals tab, what does it say next to, "calories burned from normal daily activity"?

    Calories Burned
    From Normal Daily Activity 1,730 cal/day
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    kipp_it wrote: »
    erickirb wrote: »
    kipp_it wrote: »
    I changed my settings and it says 1230 cals on MFP

    Go to your goals tab, what does it say next to, "calories burned from normal daily activity"?

    Calories Burned
    From Normal Daily Activity 1,730 cal/day

    Okay, so 1230 would be to lose 1lb/week. Though 1730 seems quite low, I am on the smallish side and mine is 2100, if I had more to lose it would be much higher as well. Re-check your age, height, gender, and weight.
  • m_kipp
    m_kipp Posts: 86 Member
    edited April 2015
    erickirb wrote: »
    kipp_it wrote: »
    erickirb wrote: »
    kipp_it wrote: »
    I changed my settings and it says 1230 cals on MFP

    Go to your goals tab, what does it say next to, "calories burned from normal daily activity"?

    Calories Burned
    From Normal Daily Activity 1,730 cal/day

    Okay, so 1230 would be to lose 1lb/week. Though 1730 seems quite low, I am on the smallish side and mine is 2100, if I had more to lose it would be much higher as well. Re-check your age, height, gender, and weight.

    Thanks everyone. I made my age correct (even though I hate it!) and that has given me more calories a day...however it is still 500 lower than some sites I have checked (PiYO diet for one)
  • beemerphile1
    beemerphile1 Posts: 1,710 Member
    kipp_it wrote: »
    erickirb wrote: »
    kipp_it wrote: »
    erickirb wrote: »
    kipp_it wrote: »
    I changed my settings and it says 1230 cals on MFP

    Go to your goals tab, what does it say next to, "calories burned from normal daily activity"?

    Calories Burned
    From Normal Daily Activity 1,730 cal/day

    Okay, so 1230 would be to lose 1lb/week. Though 1730 seems quite low, I am on the smallish side and mine is 2100, if I had more to lose it would be much higher as well. Re-check your age, height, gender, and weight.

    Thanks everyone. I made my age correct (even though I hate it!) and that has given me more calories a day...however it is still 500 lower than some sites I have checked (PiYO diet for one)

    I doubt anyone on here cares how old you are.

    I am 59 and will be 60 next month. My goal was to lose 60# by my sixtieth birthday.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    kipp_it wrote: »
    erickirb wrote: »
    kipp_it wrote: »
    erickirb wrote: »
    kipp_it wrote: »
    I changed my settings and it says 1230 cals on MFP

    Go to your goals tab, what does it say next to, "calories burned from normal daily activity"?

    Calories Burned
    From Normal Daily Activity 1,730 cal/day

    Okay, so 1230 would be to lose 1lb/week. Though 1730 seems quite low, I am on the smallish side and mine is 2100, if I had more to lose it would be much higher as well. Re-check your age, height, gender, and weight.

    Thanks everyone. I made my age correct (even though I hate it!) and that has given me more calories a day...however it is still 500 lower than some sites I have checked (PiYO diet for one)

    Most likely the other sites either include exercise or give you a TDEE-20%, which would be less than 1lb/week weight loss. On MFP would be 1400 ish, not the 1230 it did give you (based on 1730 number)
  • m_kipp
    m_kipp Posts: 86 Member
    edited April 2015
    erickirb wrote: »
    Most likely the other sites either include exercise or give you a TDEE-20%, which would be less than 1lb/week weight loss. On MFP would be 1400 ish, not the 1230 it did give you (based on 1730 number)

    Thanks...it's now Calories Burned From Normal Daily Activity 2,030 cal/day with my correct OLD age!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    edited April 2015
    kipp_it wrote: »
    Everywhere I look online I get a diff answer as to how my basic daily calorie intake should be. Anywhere from 1200-2380. My friends say that this site has it incorrect. Any advice on how to figure it WITHOUT exercise so I know what I should be targeting? Thanks!

    MFP gives you your goal before exercise while other sites include it. With MFP you account for exercise after the fact when you log it and earn calories to "eat back". Since other calculators include exercise in your activity level, they also include some estimate of those requisite calories in calculating your maintenance calories and thus the calories that would be required to lose weight as well.

    When done correctly and when comparing apples to apples in RE to rate of loss goals, this calculator is just as accurate as any other I've used...with this method you have to be careful not to overestimate burn though...that is the downside to the MFP method; people simply don't burn what they think they're burning and they don't make any allowance for estimation errors.
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