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Absolutely clueless and in need of advice.

Mr_D
Mr_D Posts: 1
edited October 2024 in Food and Nutrition
Hi guys.

I'm in desperate need of some advice. I'm trying to start a new routine and I've been trying to figure out all the requirements for reaching my goal (fat loss unsurprisingly.) The problem I'm having is that the advice I keep finding seems to contradict itself and the numbers don't seem to add up.

According to all the calculators I've used my BMR is 2218.23 (Male, 24, 5'9" 231lbs) and since I do moderate/hard exercise 5 times a week the Harris Benedict formula says my TDEE is around 3438.2565.

Obviously to lose weight I need to have a claorie intake under that. Some sources I've read say that as long as I'm above 1200 I should be fine and I won't trigger starvation mechanisms. Others say that I NEED to have an intake of 2218.23 at the very least. Myfitnesspal.com is suggesting 1540 a day (obviously exercise adds to this. My general routine uses around 1100 calories according to the calculator, leading me to a figure of about 2640.)

My main problem comes from the fact that I've been having trouble eating that much (in terms of good food anyway. I could easily reach that many if I were eating junk. :P). It seems like an excessive amount and I'm concerned I've somehow misinterpreted things and I'm actually eating more than I should. For the record my diet has been consisting of 60%carbs 35%protein 5%fats. Mainly potatoes, chicken breasts and green/red peppers.

It was my understanding that the calories lost through exercise were supposed to be on top of the deficit from dieting and eating right and that I should not be taking in more to cover for them. Am I wrong?

I've also read that as I'm significantly overweight I can expect to drop more than 2 pounds a week. This is in line with my previous experience (I lost a lot of weight a couple of years back before putting it back on recently. :S )

I don't know whether I've run the numbers wrong or I'm just misinterpreting things, but this is all very confusing and I'm a bit of a dope anyway, so could anyone offer some advice or help?

EDIT: Forgot to state that I've been following a six meal a day schedule for all this too obviously.

Replies

  • jjewelty
    jjewelty Posts: 23 Member
    Your BMR plus the calories expended in exercise equal your daily caloric burn. As long as you eat less than that, you should be losing weight. In order to get enough calories in to avoid the starvation, eat smaller frequent meals. That will keep your metabolism working properly. Aim for a 1500 calorie deficit/day for 3lbs/week weight loss. Plus or minus a little is ok, but you don't want to lose too much too quickly.
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