Estimating maintenance calories based on rate of loss?

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bipzchou
bipzchou Posts: 7 Member
edited August 2017 in Goal: Maintaining Weight
I'm a 5'1 female, currently weighing 118 lbs.

In the past weeks I have been losing 1 lbs a week eating 1400 calories. By my calculations, my current maintenance must be 1900 daily calories - this is way higher than what mfp's figures when I change my goal to maintenance (mfp gives me 1500 calories).

Being quite sedentary, I am surprised by this - I don't know if this is true as I have not tried eating at 1900 calories yet.

Has anyone tried this method for estimating maintenance calories and did it work for you?

Replies

  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    yes, it should work
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    Any calculator is a guess and not a substitute for real life results.
    If/when you move to maintenance, 1900 may be spot on, it may be 1800.

    People stress when the totals aren't what they "should be". It's better to accept what they are and adjust as needed.
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
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    on MFP what did you have your activity level set to - it could be that you are more active than what you put in your profile, which could explain the difference in recommended calories
  • bipzchou
    bipzchou Posts: 7 Member
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    rybo wrote: »
    Any calculator is a guess and not a substitute for real life results.
    If/when you move to maintenance, 1900 may be spot on, it may be 1800.

    People stress when the totals aren't what they "should be". It's better to accept what they are and adjust as needed.

    I am aware that calculators aren't a one size fit all. I am not seeking an absolute answer, I am just interested in other people's experiences were.
  • bipzchou
    bipzchou Posts: 7 Member
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    deannalfisher wrote: »
    on MFP what did you have your activity level set to - it could be that you are more active than what you put in your profile, which could explain the difference in recommended calories

    I've thought about this but honestly I am the definition of sedentary - the only exercise I do these days is maybe walking 30 min daily courtesy of my daily commute to and from work.

    (I would like to exercise more but currently recovering from an injury so taking it easy)
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
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    if you previously had a higher rate of daily activity you may have some residual carryover
  • bribucks
    bribucks Posts: 431 Member
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    How many weeks have you been at this? if you've just started, you lose a lot faster because a lot is water weight.

    Also, what do you consider "sedentary?" Do you have anything that counts steps?

    For reference, I am 5'3'' weigh 118lbs and am sedentary (about 3-4,000 steps per day, desk job, on nongym days - I add in exercise calories manually). My maintenance is around 1470-1520ish and I lose about 0.5lb/week on 1300 cal.
  • bipzchou
    bipzchou Posts: 7 Member
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    brianneangell08 wrote: »
    How many weeks have you been at this? if you've just started, you lose a lot faster because a lot is water weight.

    Also, what do you consider "sedentary?" Do you have anything that counts steps?

    For reference, I am 5'3'' weigh 118lbs and am sedentary (about 3-4,000 steps per day, desk job, on nongym days - I add in exercise calories manually). My maintenance is around 1470-1520ish and I lose about 0.5lb/week on 1300 cal.

    I do about 5000-6000 steps per day, which I think can be qualified at sedentary. I don't do any other exercise.

    I've been eating at 1400 calories for 2 months now.

    How did you estimate your maintenance calories?
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    bipzchou wrote: »
    rybo wrote: »
    Any calculator is a guess and not a substitute for real life results.
    If/when you move to maintenance, 1900 may be spot on, it may be 1800.

    People stress when the totals aren't what they "should be". It's better to accept what they are and adjust as needed.

    I am aware that calculators aren't a one size fit all. I am not seeking an absolute answer, I am just interested in other people's experiences were.

    My experience was that initially my rate of loss was a very good guide to maintenance but after a number of weeks (4-6) I started losing weight again and had to bump up my calories slightly.
    Being slightly under-fuelled can suppress your NEAT and affect your exercise enough to skew the numbers.
  • ejnxyz
    ejnxyz Posts: 33 Member
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    I'm 5' 2" and around 130. I weight lift at least 2 days a week, and exercise every day either running 3+ miles, Barre classes or yoga. I'm at 1300 calories and the weight appears to be stable. But I'm over 50. I read over 50 you have to cut back by 25% and this appears to be true for me. But I'm new to the maintenance, so plan to adjust calories slowly and see what helps keep it stable now.
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
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    bipzchou wrote: »
    brianneangell08 wrote: »
    How many weeks have you been at this? if you've just started, you lose a lot faster because a lot is water weight.

    Also, what do you consider "sedentary?" Do you have anything that counts steps?

    For reference, I am 5'3'' weigh 118lbs and am sedentary (about 3-4,000 steps per day, desk job, on nongym days - I add in exercise calories manually). My maintenance is around 1470-1520ish and I lose about 0.5lb/week on 1300 cal.

    I do about 5000-6000 steps per day, which I think can be qualified at sedentary. I don't do any other exercise.

    I've been eating at 1400 calories for 2 months now.

    How did you estimate your maintenance calories?

    5-6k steps is more in the high side of lightly active (sedentary by MFP definition is like <3k IIRC)
  • bribucks
    bribucks Posts: 431 Member
    edited August 2017
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    bipzchou wrote: »

    I do about 5000-6000 steps per day, which I think can be qualified at sedentary. I don't do any other exercise.

    I've been eating at 1400 calories for 2 months now.

    How did you estimate your maintenance calories?

    I have tried a variety of online calculators to find me TDEE, which all tell me around 1520ish. My fitbit step counter tells me 1470ish. So I figure my range is somewhere in there. Of course, you can always try to manually calculate it based on rate of loss once you've been at this a while, but who likes math? :neutral:

    The formula would be:

    total number of NET calories eaten + ( pounds lost x 3500 )

    then divide that by total number of days


    *total number of NET calories eaten = over the whole period of days. For easy math, and if you hit it consistently, do your calorie goal X number of days. For more accuracy, actually add up how many net calories you ate each and every day.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    bipzchou wrote: »
    I'm a 5'1 female, currently weighing 118 lbs.

    In the past weeks I have been losing 1 lbs a week eating 1400 calories. By my calculations, my current maintenance must be 1900 daily calories - this is way higher than what mfp's figures when I change my goal to maintenance (mfp gives me 1500 calories).

    Being quite sedentary, I am surprised by this - I don't know if this is true as I have not tried eating at 1900 calories yet.

    Has anyone tried this method for estimating maintenance calories and did it work for you?

    MFP's estimate is ONLY daily activity, no exercise is accounted for in their estimate.

    And Sedentary description is the under 4000 steps - basically decent sitting commute to a desk job and no kids or home responsibilities keeping you moving in evening or weekends - basically bump on a log outside of exercise.

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