Help with my calorie count

StaceyScottJoseph
StaceyScottJoseph Posts: 2
edited October 2024 in Food and Nutrition
I'm wildly confused as to my calorie count and what I am meant to aim for. I am currently on a mission to lose approximately 7-10 more pounds while toning and defining lean muscle. My calorie goal was set by MyFitnessPal at 1200 because I am rather sedentary, however I typically do a workout of circuit training for 20 minutes on average 5 days a week.... but as soon as I add it my daily goal goes up by 166 calories....

Now tell me this, to achieve my weight loss and toning goals, am I meant to meet this new total MyFitnessPal puts forward (i.e. 1366) or am I still to aim for 1200 and the 166 becomes a deficit?

Thanks for you all your advice and apologies if this is a silly question - still learning the ropes!

Replies

  • puddlekins
    puddlekins Posts: 1
    The new goal is how many calories you can consume and still lose weight. The calorie counter takes into account your calories burned through exercise and adds them to the amount you need to consume to lose weight. Use the adjusted measurement so that you consume the correct amount of calories to stay on target, consuming to few calories is not a good thing.
  • melizerd
    melizerd Posts: 870 Member
    Most people agree (not all) that you should be NETTING 1200 calories, MFP won't ever set your eating calories to less than 1200 calories per day even if it's unrealistic. So if you are working out then you need to eat back some of those calories.

    The other thing would be that since you are close to your goal set it to lose only 1/2 or 1lbs a week instead of 2lbs a week if you have it set that way.

    I have always eaten back almost all of my exercise calories and have been here just over 1 year with 73lbs lost and no plateaus so I'm sticking with eating them back. I'm within 10lbs of my goal now and weight comes off slower near the end too, so you need to change perspective too :D
  • seph_house
    seph_house Posts: 101 Member
    eat'em :) those 166 are the "exercise calories" people on these boards keep arguing about but the MFP scheme is based around eating them.
  • mavis11
    mavis11 Posts: 5
    Google 'calories to maintain weight' or go here - http://caloriecount.about.com/cc/calories-goal.php

    I'm guessing your 1366 calories per day will still have you will a deficit (i.e. it will be a lower number of calories than to maintain your weight).

    There's not too much difference between the two - I think you'll have 1200 some days and an extra cookie on some other days! :)

    Goodluck xx :)
  • StaceyScottJoseph
    StaceyScottJoseph Posts: 2
    Thanks everyone for your replies! Congrats to you all for such hard work and dedication too!

    Alas, I will definitely eat them up - more than happy to actually. I have virtually cut coca cola out of my diet because they are empty calories but now I feel I can squeeze that in once in a while without feeling like I've strayed from my goal! Well of course moderately - but none the less - I will consume the calories it recommends from now on. I am already thin, but I need to lose that last little bit as I'm toning up so my results are actually visible.

    Almost there! Good luck to you all ! :)
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