Daily Calorie Goal

deniseamerson05 · August 2017

I need some guidance - and please forgive me if I'm being thick in the head, I'm just trying to figure out the best thing to do.

My exercise activity is about 70% aerobic and 30% strength building - all at home and with little equipment (I don't know if that is relevant). When I started MFP about 4 weeks ago is when I first started ANY fitness routine and have kept up with it. I workout at least once a day (about 30-45 minutes) sometimes twice a day, with taking one day off a week.

But, after seeing several posts on BMR and TDEE and reading on it some, I'm a little confused on what the right thing to do is.

I have selected the "lose 2lbs a week" option on MFP and have the daily calorie goal of 1,200. I do eat my exercise calories back, and tend to go over the 1,200 a little and usually end up eating about 1,500 a day.

Based on my TDEE I would need to eat over 1,800 a day. A big difference!
And I would assume that if I ate based on this number, I would NOT eat back my exercise calories, is that right?

Should I increase my "activity level" on MFP to very active and still eat the exercise calories? I am a stay at home mom and again when I first signed up, I considered my activity level pretty low. I don't know if my activity level now is considered "active enough" to really increase my calorie intake.
And it's a lot to wrap my head around "eating more" to get fit. It makes sense, but goes against what I've always known.
Should I stick with 1,500 for a few more weeks and see how that goes, or bump it up to the 1,800 to see better results? I've lost about 6 lbs, but can tell a difference (some) in the way my body looks.
I want to lose about 20 lbs, but really want to tone my body more than anything.

Thanks for any help! I'm open to any suggestions

JaydedMiss · August 2017

Are you losing at the rate your happy with? Are you hungry? Do you feel satisfied O_o? Are you very active? I may have misssed something but im failing to see why you want to raise your calories? Your activity level is day to day activity by the way, Exercise is seperate. And 2 pounds a week isnt likely what youll lose, Not with only 20 to go.

malibu927 · August 2017

With 20 pounds to lose, 2 pounds a week is too aggressive of a goal. You should be aiming for .5-1 pound a week, which would give you a higher goal. I would keep with sedentary, as activity level on MFP is based without exercise.

Yes, if you followed TDEE you would not be eating back your exercise calories, but would take about 10-15% off of the TDEE you were given.

Tacklewasher · August 2017

Don't try to lose 2 lbs a week. That is too aggressive (and I suspect MFP has worked around that anyway by giving you 1200 cals). With 20 to go, 1/2 to 1 lb a week is more in line.

Either use the MFP method, set yourself as sedentary (your normal activity) and eat back your exercise calories (or 3/4's to be conservative) OR use a TDEE method. Either way, you need to properly fuel your exercises so you may eat more than you think you should, but still lose the weight you want. Either way, if you do the calculations correctly, you will be eating about the same amount.

As to which to use, if you are really consistent in your exercises, TDEE may be more straightforward. If you are not consistent (I'm not for example) then the MFP way will be simpler (in my opinion). So if you can look at last week, this week and next week and see the same calorie burn from exercising, then the TDEE may be for you.

kristen8000 · August 2017

Someone wanting to lose 20lbs shouldn't using the "2lbs a week" option. 1lb a week would be the most agressive path I'd take. When I started MFP with 20lbs to lose I did the .5lb/week option because I'm tall and I knew I'd do better if I could eat more and lose the weight slowly.

I'd think the 1500 calorie range would be good for you. The key to this is consistancy. Pick and number and stick with it. Increasing calorie won't make you lose weight faster.

deniseamerson05 · August 2017

JaydedMiss wrote: »

Are you losing at the rate your happy with? Are you hungry? Do you feel satisfied O_o? Are you very active? I may have misssed something but im failing to see why you want to raise your calories? Your activity level is day to day activity by the way, Exercise is seperate. And 2 pounds a week isnt likely what youll lose, Not with only 20 to go.

Well, I am hungry sometimes... sometimes I'm not. I was mainly thrown off by the big difference in calorie allowance, based on the different calculations. And I've been told/read that if you don't eat enough calories your body could store fat and you won't get the results your looking for a toned body (I could have misunderstood that).
I am happy enough with the rate I'm going, but the only other program I've been on before was Weight Watchers and I didn't exercise at all with it. So, with an increase in activity that I'm not used to, I want to make sure I'm eating the proper amount of calories.
To answer your question if I'm very active - for my normal self YES. 30-45 minutes (at the very least) a day with one off day a week. I burn about 200-300 calories a day with exercise.

deniseamerson05 · August 2017

Tacklewasher wrote: »

Don't try to lose 2 lbs a week. That is too aggressive (and I suspect MFP has worked around that anyway by giving you 1200 cals). With 20 to go, 1/2 to 1 lb a week is more in line.

Either use the MFP method, set yourself as sedentary (your normal activity) and eat back your exercise calories (or 3/4's to be conservative) OR use a TDEE method. Either way, you need to properly fuel your exercises so you may eat more than you think you should, but still lose the weight you want. Either way, if you do the calculations correctly, you will be eating about the same amount.

As to which to use, if you are really consistent in your exercises, TDEE may be more straightforward. If you are not consistent (I'm not for example) then the MFP way will be simpler (in my opinion). So if you can look at last week, this week and next week and see the same calorie burn from exercising, then the TDEE may be for you.

Thank you! This makes a lot of sense!!

Tacklewasher · August 2017

deniseamerson05 wrote: »

JaydedMiss wrote: »

Are you losing at the rate your happy with? Are you hungry? Do you feel satisfied O_o? Are you very active? I may have misssed something but im failing to see why you want to raise your calories? Your activity level is day to day activity by the way, Exercise is seperate. And 2 pounds a week isnt likely what youll lose, Not with only 20 to go.

Well, I am hungry sometimes... sometimes I'm not. I was mainly thrown off by the big difference in calorie allowance, based on the different calculations. And I've been told/read that if you don't eat enough calories your body could store fat and you won't get the results your looking for a toned body (I could have misunderstood that).
I am happy enough with the rate I'm going, but the only other program I've been on before was Weight Watchers and I didn't exercise at all with it. So, with an increase in activity that I'm not used to, I want to make sure I'm eating the proper amount of calories.
To answer your question if I'm very active - for my normal self YES. 30-45 minutes (at the very least) a day with one off day a week. I burn about 200-300 calories a day with exercise.

Ignore the body storing fat from too little calories nonsense. It's not that you mis-understood, it's just the theory is bunk.

If you are losing 2 lbs per week, don't be happy about that and slow it down. You will be losing more than fat if you are. If you are losing 1 lb a week, then be happy

And, by active, she means outside of exercise.

kimny72 · August 2017

MFP doesn't use TDEE, it uses NEAT.

Your MFP goal gives you your calorie goal for a deficit with no exercise involved. MFP expects you to log your exercise and eat at least some of those extra calories. MFP activity level is based on your every day lifestyle, not purposeful exercise. So you will eat a slightly different amount of calories every day depending on how much you exercise. If you sit at a desk all day, but run 5 miles after work, you choose sedentary and then log the running separately.

TDEE gives you a calorie goal that includes your exercise, so you eat that same amount of calories every day. TDEE activity level includes your workouts.

So you pick one or the other, but honestly at the end of the day, both methods should get you to a similar calorie goal.

And as others have said, with only 20 lbs to lose, a goal of 1 lb per week would be more appropriate. Good luck!

JaydedMiss · August 2017

deniseamerson05 wrote: »

JaydedMiss wrote: »

Are you losing at the rate your happy with? Are you hungry? Do you feel satisfied O_o? Are you very active? I may have misssed something but im failing to see why you want to raise your calories? Your activity level is day to day activity by the way, Exercise is seperate. And 2 pounds a week isnt likely what youll lose, Not with only 20 to go.

Well, I am hungry sometimes... sometimes I'm not. I was mainly thrown off by the big difference in calorie allowance, based on the different calculations. And I've been told/read that if you don't eat enough calories your body could store fat and you won't get the results your looking for a toned body (I could have misunderstood that).
I am happy enough with the rate I'm going, but the only other program I've been on before was Weight Watchers and I didn't exercise at all with it. So, with an increase in activity that I'm not used to, I want to make sure I'm eating the proper amount of calories.
To answer your question if I'm very active - for my normal self YES. 30-45 minutes (at the very least) a day with one off day a week. I burn about 200-300 calories a day with exercise.

Your talking about starvation mode, Not true in the way your describing it, And your eating plenty to avoid it even in the most basic form it does exist.

Id go by the test i used to do, Are you hungry or craving. Aim to get a good macro balance and when you feel "hungry" drink a glass of water- 20 minute later does a big plate of veggies sound appetizing? If so your hungry go eat. If your thinking mmmmm cookies (or whatever) its a craving. If your body needs more calories youll figure that out, Eat them. But sounds like your right in good balance. There is nothing wrong with being hungry sometimes.

For the record i walk 20-35k steps a day + have an extremely tough job (mover). And dont consider myself active let alone very active (even though i clearly am) Because exercise is not activity level. I consider my work exercise since its not consistent. My walking is my main exercise. Really depends how you feel like doing it if you like a set amount daily and your the same activity level every day sure set a number see how it works, Me personally prefer to eat back 50-70% of my exercise calories as they come.

summary edit: i have a fitbit, I walk ALOT but when im done walking or working (very physical job) i go home and do nothing. I am sedetary in my non exercise time- Even though im active 4-9 hours of my day- My exercise is seperate. What are you like when not exercising is your activity level

DX2JX2 · August 2017

To keep things simple, I find it easiest to let the calculator provide me with a baseline for a more or less sedentary lifestyle. I'll add exercise calories back to that number manually rather than letting the computer do it for me. I feel like it gives me more control and flexibility since I can adjust my daily targets based on actual activity rather than an assumed average.

Daily Calorie Goal

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