I can't figure out how many calories to eat!
angelxsss
Posts: 2,402 Member
I've visited about 15 websites with calorie calculators and have gotten estimates ranging from 2100-1350 for the calories I need to consume. I'm really not sure what to trust, and how to figure out what works for me! Should I just start from the bottom and give it a couple weeks, and if it doesn't work, add 50-100 calories and go for another two weeks?
I already tried the mfp recommendation but nothing was happening so I know that's not enough calories.
I'm a 143 lb female, 23yo, I do pilates (moderate-high intensity) 6 days a week (ideally but it happens often).
I already tried the mfp recommendation but nothing was happening so I know that's not enough calories.
I'm a 143 lb female, 23yo, I do pilates (moderate-high intensity) 6 days a week (ideally but it happens often).
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Replies
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Are you trying to gain weight?0
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Lose, my bad0
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First question is, of course, do you accurately weigh all your food with a food scale? If not, do that. It's the first and easiest thing to try. Without a food scale, most people (not all, but most) underestimate what they're eating.
Next, are you eating exercise calories back? It's easy to overestimate calories burned so most recommend only eating back 50% to be safe.
Finally, how long did you give the MFP reco? It takes me 5+ weeks of consistent and accurate logging to start losing weight. You may just not be giving yourself enough time to figure out if a particular calorie limit is working.
And, it sounds like you're thinking a bit backwards. To lose weight, you have to eat less, not more. You're likely eating more than you think or just not giving it enough time.0 -
First question is, of course, do you accurately weigh all your food with a food scale? If not, do that. It's the first and easiest thing to try. Without a food scale, most people (not all, but most) underestimate what they're eating.
Next, are you eating exercise calories back? It's easy to overestimate calories burned so most recommend only eating back 50% to be safe.
Finally, how long did you give the MFP reco? It takes me 5+ weeks of consistent and accurate logging to start losing weight. You may just not be giving yourself enough time to figure out if a particular calorie limit is working.
And, it sounds like you're thinking a bit backwards. To lose weight, you have to eat less, not more. You're likely eating more than you think or just not giving it enough time.
I weigh my food.
Don't eat exercise calories back (I don't even log my exercise)
I've tried 3 different times with their recommendation and each time spent a few months on it.0 -
I've visited about 15 websites with calorie calculators and have gotten estimates ranging from 2100-1350 for the calories I need to consume. I'm really not sure what to trust, and how to figure out what works for me! Should I just start from the bottom and give it a couple weeks, and if it doesn't work, add 50-100 calories and go for another two weeks?
I already tried the mfp recommendation but nothing was happening so I know that's not enough calories.
I'm a 143 lb female, 23yo, I do pilates (moderate-high intensity) 6 days a week (ideally but it happens often).
I would start like this...
Take your weight and multiply by 12 and then 14.
For you...
143lbs x 12 = 1716 calories
143lbs x 14 = 2002 calories
So a calorie range to start would be 1716 - 2002 calories per day. I would start on the hi end and work your way down depending on how you respond.
Set your protein at 1.6 grams per kilogram total body weight.
For you...
143lbs divided by 2.2 = 65kg
65kg x 1.6 grams = 104 grams (416 calories) protein... minimum
Set your fat to .35 grams per pound total body weight.
143lbs x .35 grams = 50 grams (450 calories) fat... minimum
Fill in the rest with carbs and be sure to get 15 grams of fiber per 1000 calories consumed.
If or when you have to taper down your calories, you'll reduce carbs since you have a minimum for fat and protein.
Recalculate at 10lbs intervals...
Keep training and get plenty of rest and recovery.
Hope this helps...4 -
I've visited about 15 websites with calorie calculators and have gotten estimates ranging from 2100-1350 for the calories I need to consume. I'm really not sure what to trust, and how to figure out what works for me! Should I just start from the bottom and give it a couple weeks, and if it doesn't work, add 50-100 calories and go for another two weeks?
I already tried the mfp recommendation but nothing was happening so I know that's not enough calories.
I'm a 143 lb female, 23yo, I do pilates (moderate-high intensity) 6 days a week (ideally but it happens often).
I would start like this...
Take your weight and multiply by 12 and then 14.
For you...
143lbs x 12 = 1716 calories
143lbs x 14 = 2002 calories
So a calorie range to start would be 1716 - 2002 calories per day. I would start on the hi end and work your way down depending on how you respond.
Set your protein at 1.6 grams per kilogram total body weight.
For you...
143lbs divided by 2.2 = 65kg
65kg x 1.6 grams = 104 grams (416 calories) protein... minimum
Set your fat to .35 grams per pound total body weight.
143lbs x .35 grams = 50 grams (450 calories) fat... minimum
Fill in the rest with carbs and be sure to get 15 grams of fiber per 1000 calories consumed.
If or when you have to taper down your calories, you'll reduce carbs since you have a minimum for fat and protein.
Recalculate at 10lbs intervals...
Keep training and get plenty of rest and recovery.
Hope this helps...
Thank you so much for this! It's such a relief to just have a roadmap to follow. Thank you!0 -
I've visited about 15 websites with calorie calculators and have gotten estimates ranging from 2100-1350 for the calories I need to consume. I'm really not sure what to trust, and how to figure out what works for me! Should I just start from the bottom and give it a couple weeks, and if it doesn't work, add 50-100 calories and go for another two weeks?
I already tried the mfp recommendation but nothing was happening so I know that's not enough calories.
I'm a 143 lb female, 23yo, I do pilates (moderate-high intensity) 6 days a week (ideally but it happens often).
I would start like this...
Take your weight and multiply by 12 and then 14.
For you...
143lbs x 12 = 1716 calories
143lbs x 14 = 2002 calories
So a calorie range to start would be 1716 - 2002 calories per day. I would start on the hi end and work your way down depending on how you respond.
Set your protein at 1.6 grams per kilogram total body weight.
For you...
143lbs divided by 2.2 = 65kg
65kg x 1.6 grams = 104 grams (416 calories) protein... minimum
Set your fat to .35 grams per pound total body weight.
143lbs x .35 grams = 50 grams (450 calories) fat... minimum
Fill in the rest with carbs and be sure to get 15 grams of fiber per 1000 calories consumed.
If or when you have to taper down your calories, you'll reduce carbs since you have a minimum for fat and protein.
Recalculate at 10lbs intervals...
Keep training and get plenty of rest and recovery.
Hope this helps...
Thank you so much for this! It's such a relief to just have a roadmap to follow. Thank you!
You're welcome.0 -
@J72FIT
Can you explain more about this formula? Your x12&14 gives me 2808 & 3276! MFP gives me 1470 at sedentary, before exercise.0 -
That formula can work well for some, especially if you're particularly active. I'm having more success with 10-11 x body weight for weight loss. Start higher and give it a couple weeks. If you don't lose, drop it down.0
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When I weigh my food on a digital food scale, eat the calories MFP gives me, eat some (but not all) of my exercise calories, I lose as expected over the course of a month.
This was true when my weekly weight loss goal was a pound a week and also true now that it is a half pound per week.0 -
How much do you weigh? With this formula there is no activity factor as it is already calculated...melissa6771 wrote: »@J72FIT
Can you explain more about this formula? Your x12&14 gives me 2808 & 3276! MFP gives me 1470 at sedentary, before exercise.0 -
geogirl0626 wrote: »That formula can work well for some, especially if you're particularly active. I'm having more success with 10-11 x body weight for weight loss. Start higher and give it a couple weeks. If you don't lose, drop it down.
You are correct. This assumes you train 3 - 5 times per week.
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I've visited about 15 websites with calorie calculators and have gotten estimates ranging from 2100-1350 for the calories I need to consume. I'm really not sure what to trust, and how to figure out what works for me! Should I just start from the bottom and give it a couple weeks, and if it doesn't work, add 50-100 calories and go for another two weeks?
I already tried the mfp recommendation but nothing was happening so I know that's not enough calories.
I'm a 143 lb female, 23yo, I do pilates (moderate-high intensity) 6 days a week (ideally but it happens often).
If you weren't losing or gaining any weight at all with the number of calories that MFP gave you then you will not lose weight by eating more calories.
Check your logging accuracy. Make sure you are entering everything correctly.
If you really think you are logging everything and that everything you are logging is correct then see your doctor.
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No formulae is perfect for everyone, but MFP also tells you how much to eat depending on how much weight you want to lose per week. What you could do is take your goal weight, * by 12 and 14 and that would be closer to your calories per day that you'd need, again on the hi-end first. This way you should still lose weight. Same goes for the protein/fat/carbs, base it off your goal weight.0
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How much do you weigh? With this formula there is no activity factor as it is already calculated...melissa6771 wrote: »@J72FIT
Can you explain more about this formula? Your x12&14 gives me 2808 & 3276! MFP gives me 1470 at sedentary, before exercise.
@J72FIT I currently weigh 234, started at 254.6. I work out 4-6 times/week. Always 30 min on bike. Plus 2 upper body days and 2 lower body days.0 -
melissa6771 wrote: »
How much do you weigh? With this formula there is no activity factor as it is already calculated...melissa6771 wrote: »@J72FIT
Can you explain more about this formula? Your x12&14 gives me 2808 & 3276! MFP gives me 1470 at sedentary, before exercise.
@J72FIT I currently weigh 234, started at 254.6. I work out 4-6 times/week. Always 30 min on bike. Plus 2 upper body days and 2 lower body days.
Yeah your right that does seem high. Better to go with a range of weight x 10 - 12 for you. Protein I would set at 1.6grams x goal weight in kg. Or, honestly, keep doing what you're doing cause it's working...1 -
Try using a EXACT TDEE calculator - the information gets updated as you go but you need to weight yourself daily and track everything to a tee.
Link Here.
Or here?
If it doesn't work, PM me and I can send you a copy (Can't quite find where I downloaded it, but I have it on my computer).0 -
HamsterManV2 wrote: »Try using a EXACT TDEE calculator - the information gets updated as you go but you need to weight yourself daily and track everything to a tee.
Link Here.
Or here?
If it doesn't work, PM me and I can send you a copy (Can't quite find where I downloaded it, but I have it on my computer).
In my experience there are no exact calculators. They are all guesstimates...0 -
HamsterManV2 wrote: »Try using a EXACT TDEE calculator - the information gets updated as you go but you need to weight yourself daily and track everything to a tee.
Link Here.
Or here?
If it doesn't work, PM me and I can send you a copy (Can't quite find where I downloaded it, but I have it on my computer).
In my experience there are no exact calculators. They are all guesstimates...
It's an exact guesstimate.2 -
This will be the third time I've posted this today:
If you need a simple guidance plan there's several online calculators you can use for free and they will figure out the calorie intake you need to lose like a half pound a week (more if you're heavier).
This is the one I've used for the last 3 years, and I've lost just about 60 pounds with it. http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/
Figure out how many calories you need per day, then come back here and log them. (and get and use a food scale; it will make all the difference in the world, trust me on that one.)0
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