Other calorie calculators

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runslikeagirl
runslikeagirl Posts: 140 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So I googled how many calories I should eat to loost weight. Most of the calculators say I should eat anywhere from 1700-2000. I am super confused. Am I at a stall beacuse I am not eating enough? MFP is telling me to eat 1200 a day. Can some one please explain to me why there is such a big difference in the calories? And how do I figure out for real how many calories I should be eating.
Thanks
Heidi
PS sorry if this has been asked a million times....

Replies

  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
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    Because MFP builds in a daily deficit of 500 cals. In other words, even if you don't exercise, you'll still lose weight.

    Alternatively, eat your 1700-200 per day, but to lose weight you will HAVE to exercise to burn off some of those calories.

    Clear as mud? :wink:
  • runslikeagirl
    runslikeagirl Posts: 140 Member
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    I workout every day! One of the calculators asked me how much I workout and it said I should eat 1700 cal a day..
  • CARNAT22
    CARNAT22 Posts: 764 Member
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    I workout every day! One of the calculators asked me how much I workout and it said I should eat 1700 cal a day..

    That is because it is adding your 500 cals burnt to the 1200 MFP has given you? :bigsmile:
  • kfitz10103
    kfitz10103 Posts: 354
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    Your BMR is how many calories you burn on an average day. This is based on your height, weight and activity level. It is just an estimate which is why caloire calulators are different. MFP calculates my BMR as 1890, but after following the MFP guidlines I actually found my BMR is 2140. MFP calculated my calories at 1640 to lose 1/2 lb/week, but I am losing 1lb/week. You can stick to the 1200 calories per day and make sure you eat back ALL your calories you burn exercising, or you can just pick another number in the middle like maybe 1500 and see what happens after a month or so. You can change your weight loss to 1/2 lb per week or to 1lb per week and see how much weight you actually lose.
  • vickigee
    vickigee Posts: 36
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    When I went to Jenny Craig they had you eat 1200 calories until your half way point then the dropped you to 1000 calories until your goal. At your goal they brought you up to 1500 calories. That was doing your exercise. They never had us eat back our calories.
    I started at 184 pounds when I was on there plan and wanted to get to a goal of 127 pounds.
    I was able to get there in 6 months and walked 6 miles a day but you use there food until the 1/2 point then you use your meals 3 days until you reach your goal.

    I am strickly going at MFP this time. I was going to go back to Jenny Craig but they wouldn't take me because of the medications I was on. I found MFP and found out I could totally do this with MFP's help.
  • liftingbro
    liftingbro Posts: 2,029 Member
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    BMR is just what it takes to keep you alive. Most people actually burn many more calories than their BMR even without exercise. For most people your maintenance levels will be BMR x 1.3 without exercise factored in.

    So, for me, my BMR is 2100 x1.3= 2730
    If I'm more active that normal, it can be anywhere from 3100-4100.

    Yesterday I was at the gym for an hour and ended the day at 3150 according to my bodybugg.
    Sunday, I spend 4+ hours doing landscaping and burned 4100.

    On off days where I don't do much I burn about 2800 calories according the my bodybugg.

    So, I eat more on the very active days and less on the inactive days, to keep myself around 750 -1000 calorie deficit.
  • sh0ck
    sh0ck Posts: 168 Member
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    I would reccomend checking out this thread: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/292405-bmr-tool-goal-setting

    I had a similar question recently and it appears that MFP doesn't always calculated how many calories you need 100% correctly.
  • auntiebabs
    auntiebabs Posts: 1,754 Member
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    So I googled how many calories I should eat to loost weight. Most of the calculators say I should eat anywhere from 1700-2000. I am super confused. Am I at a stall beacuse I am not eating enough? MFP is telling me to eat 1200 a day. Can some one please explain to me why there is such a big difference in the calories? And how do I figure out for real how many calories I should be eating.
    Thanks
    Heidi
    PS sorry if this has been asked a million times....

    I know it's ridiculous... Okay to maintain 145 lbs @ 5"6' I get 1620 net calories from MFP

    To compare I went to what seemed to me like the most reliable sources and got....

    1650 calories from MAYO CLINIC -- http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/calorie-calculator/NU00598
    1977 calories from AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY http://www.cancer.org/healthy/toolsandcalculators/calculators/app/calorie-counter-calculator
    1450 calories from US NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HEALTH. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001943.htm
    (10 calories per pound of desirable body weight if you are sedentary)

    Here's what I got when I checked out some other misc. resources...
    I get 1677 from CALORIE CONTROL COUNCIL http://www.caloriecontrol.org/healthy-weight-tool-kit/weight-maintenance-calculator-women
    I get 1563 from http://www.acaloriecalculator.com/
    I get 1561 from FREE DIETING http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm
    I get 1559 Calorie Counter
    I get 1500 from CALORIE KING

    I guess we just have to guess our best and listen to our bodies.
  • runslikeagirl
    runslikeagirl Posts: 140 Member
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    So I googled how many calories I should eat to loost weight. Most of the calculators say I should eat anywhere from 1700-2000. I am super confused. Am I at a stall beacuse I am not eating enough? MFP is telling me to eat 1200 a day. Can some one please explain to me why there is such a big difference in the calories? And how do I figure out for real how many calories I should be eating.
    Thanks
    Heidi
    PS sorry if this has been asked a million times....

    I know it's ridiculous... Okay to maintain 145 lbs @ 5"6' I get 1620 net calories from MFP

    To compare I went to what seemed to me like the most reliable sources and got....

    1650 calories from MAYO CLINIC -- http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/calorie-calculator/NU00598
    1977 calories from AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY http://www.cancer.org/healthy/toolsandcalculators/calculators/app/calorie-counter-calculator
    1450 calories from US NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HEALTH. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001943.htm
    (10 calories per pound of desirable body weight if you are sedentary)

    Here's what I got when I checked out some other misc. resources...
    I get 1677 from CALORIE CONTROL COUNCIL http://www.caloriecontrol.org/healthy-weight-tool-kit/weight-maintenance-calculator-women
    I get 1563 from http://www.acaloriecalculator.com/
    I get 1561 from FREE DIETING http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm
    I get 1559 Calorie Counter
    I get 1500 from CALORIE KING

    I guess we just have to guess our best and listen to our bodies.

    Dang! You did more looking then I did!! Thanks for the info!!
  • euanclouston
    euanclouston Posts: 3
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    The NHS suggests 2500 for men and 2000 for women as a guide. This shows the MFP calories are not far away from where we should be for loosing weight, as a comparison to the women that have put what they are allowed I am allowed 2020 kcals per day.

    Check this site out it gives some good tips, but it does seem to keep away from the calorie counting.
    http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Goodfood/Pages/eatwell-plate.aspx

    I did find part of this site that mentioned the very low calorie diets but said they should only be done under medical supervision and then only for 12 weeks.

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