1310 calorie goal reasonable?

shelly_38
shelly_38 Posts: 28 Member
edited November 19 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone. I'm new. :smile:

Just put my info into the MFP calculator and set for lightly active and 1.5 lb/week loss.

I am:
42
5'8"
169 (165 is a healthy bmi for my height)
Goal weight is 155

I do 3 decent/moderately hard workouts per week (brisk walk/run) or incline walk on the treadmill for about 45-50 minutes. Otherwise I am a stay at home mom and fairly active at home or on my feet.

How does this calorie goal sound? It seems a little low? But maybe that is ok for my age?

Thanks!

Replies

  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,454 Member
    I agree with amyrebeccah, and I'd add that you need to eat a couple hundred more for that exercise, too.

    Set your GOAL to "Lose 1/2 pound (or one pound) per week" and then add in that exercise in the Exercise tab. Eat those "earned" calories. That's how this website's program is designed to be used.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    You dont have enough weight to lose to go for that rate of loss. Reduce it to half a pound a week
  • shelly_38
    shelly_38 Posts: 28 Member
    Thanks for the info. Setting it to 1 lb/week loss gives me 1529 calories. I think I will try that this week plus eat back most of my exercise calories. I have an Apple Watch. Do you recommend linking it so my workouts and steps will automatically be added?
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,454 Member
    The Apple synch seems to have some glitches now and then. . .

    1500 + Exercise is reasonable, you can eat well at that rate. Good luck! Log food diligently, that's really the most important thing.
  • annabel92
    annabel92 Posts: 77 Member
    My calorie goal is set at 1,300. I've lost 14 lbs in around 4 months - that's around 0.8 lbs per week. However, I am shorter than you at just under 5ft6.

    It's important to make your goal NET though. So if you exercise and burn 200 calories, eat 1,400 - 1,500 calories. If you're choosing fresh food that's high in protein and fibre, it's much easier to eat this calorie amount as the foods will satiate you for longer than junk/higher sugar foods.

    Good luck! :)
  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
    Apple Watch and MFP are not the best of friends. If you know the burns for your regular exercise, add it manually. FYI - I'm 5-7" and 142#, I lose one pound per week at 1700, but don't eat back exercise.
  • shelly_38
    shelly_38 Posts: 28 Member
    Ok I just read one of the helpful posts listed here -- the one on calculating BMR and TDEE. Now I'm very confused. I used the calculator at fat to fit as suggested.

    BMR: 1693
    TDEE: (lightly active): 2217

    That is way higher than I could eat to even maintain let alone lose. I would think I would gain weight. Do I need to be eating more around 1800? I feel like I've tried eating at the level before and I don't lose anything.

    What do you think?
  • shelly_38
    shelly_38 Posts: 28 Member
    I typically was not measuring. And we eat at restaurants a lot. And if the restaurant food is not listed I am just estimating. I can be vigilant about weighing at home but there is going to be restaurant food every week. I'm not sure how to account for those inaccuracies that are bound to come up
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    shelly_38 wrote: »
    Ok I just read one of the helpful posts listed here -- the one on calculating BMR and TDEE. Now I'm very confused. I used the calculator at fat to fit as suggested.

    BMR: 1693
    TDEE: (lightly active): 2217

    That is way higher than I could eat to even maintain let alone lose. I would think I would gain weight. Do I need to be eating more around 1800? I feel like I've tried eating at the level before and I don't lose anything.

    What do you think?

    I don't bother with BMR or TDEE. I just set my weekly weight loss goal in MFP, and eat what it tells me after I manually add in exercise.

    Many consider the burns given by MFP to be inflated and only eat a percentage, such as 50%, back. Others, however, are able to lose weight while eating 100% of their exercise calories.
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    TDEE is good if you have a consistent workout schedule (at least for me) - I find it easier to eat a set number of calories rather than adapt to MFP recommendations

    for your height/weight - that BMR sounds pretty close (mine is just shy of 1500 and I'm 5'3" and 148lbs) and maintain on an avg of 2400cal a day
  • shelly_38
    shelly_38 Posts: 28 Member
    So if that BMR is accurate at almost 1700, I need to eat at least that? MFP only gives me 1500ish with lightly active and 1 pound/wk loss.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    shelly_38 wrote: »
    So if that BMR is accurate at almost 1700, I need to eat at least that? MFP only gives me 1500ish with lightly active and 1 pound/wk loss.

    For weight loss, pay attention to your TDEE, not your BMR. You'll base your calorie goal on your TDEE (or, if you use MFP's goal-setting, your NEAT plus the calories you burn from purposeful exercise each day).
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    use TDEE - if you say 2200 is your TDEE for lightly active then subtract 500 (1lb a week) would give you 1700 cal a day - BUT TDEE assumes you don't eat back exercise calories; although with only 10lbs to go, .5lbs a week might be better (2200-250 = 1950)

    MFP gives you 1500+eating back exercise calories, so 1700 is likely based on what you posted in your OP.

    I would go with that (1700) - do it for a month and then adjust as needed depending on how much weight was lost
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