What's your daily calorie goal?

trippsj3
trippsj3 Posts: 8 Member
in Getting Started
Hello community! I just started back up after 2+ years off. I have a 10month old and want to reboot my weight loss to get rid of this excess baby weight and then some. I updated my profile and want to know how realistic the daily calories for you have been. I have been recommended just over 2000 because I'm hoping to start exercising again. Have you found the recommendation to little or to much? Do you adjust depending on activity level (I put in lightly active) but I may not always be active depending on the day with my daughter, my life style right now is more sedentary. Just wondering what has worked best for others out there.
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Replies

  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    it sbeen pretty much spot on for me.

    what are your stats? why do you think it is too much?

    your activity level is activity before purposeful exercise.
  • puffbrat
    puffbrat Posts: 2,806 Member
    MFP is always slightly low for me. I'm 5'6", currently 198lbs, 1560 calories/day. I am set to sedentary because I rarely get more than 6,000 non-exercise steps. I incorporate exercise separately. I would only adjust my activity level if I started really consistently getting more than 6000 steps/day before exercise. I don't adjust my calorie goal even though it is a little low for me because it is normal for me to eat anywhere from within goal to maintenance depending on what's going on in my life, so sticking with the MFP calorie goal buys me a very small buffer.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,416 Member
    2100, but I'm not trying to lose weight, I'm 5'8, 140ish.

    I'd say, just use that amount and log everything you eat as accurately as you can.

    Read these for some help with that: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10621050/how-to-use-the-usda-food-database-mfp-food-database-for-accurate-logging/p1

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1234699/logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide/p1

    Then log your purposeful exercise in the Exercise tab here and eat a little more on those days.

    Do that for 4-6 weeks and make adjustments at the end of that time period depending on your rate of weight loss during that time. It's a science experiment that we all have to run using our own data.

    Persistence, patience and consistency is the way forward.
  • RunnerGrl1982
    RunnerGrl1982 Posts: 412 Member
    edited March 2019
    If I'm totally sedentary @ 5'4 and 123lbs, I can lose weight on 1400 calories; which is close to half a pound/per week. Currently, at maintenance + exercise, I'm averaging 2050 calories per day to keep myself fueled properly.

    Everyone will have so many different answers based upon a multiple of variables. I'd recommend doing what @cmriverside suggested. That is truly your best course of action that will get you answers tailored to your own body and information/data you can adjust to over time.

    Edit: Typo #FAIL.
  • texasredreb
    texasredreb Posts: 541 Member
    MFP is recommending 1290 calories/day for me right now. I marked myself as lightly active. I walk a lot for work (teacher) and I volunteer at an animal shelter where I walk dogs for 4 hours once a week. I'm only on day 2 so we'll see how it fleshes out (hopefully I don't flesh out-har!).
  • babydaisy81
    babydaisy81 Posts: 218 Member
    MFP automatically sets me at 1200 calories, but I've read so many posts that go against it (my first time round followed 1200 as I didn't know any better, it worked but it stressed me out). This time I gave myself 1500-1800 calories. I've learned what my body can work with and what to eat and what not to eat, and make sure I am eating a clean diet with lots of nutrient rich foods and not so much of the other stuff. I was hard on myself the first time, this time I just want long lasting sustainable results, and trying to get as much exercise as possible. There are so many variables - trust your body and change if you need to.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    babydaisy81 wrote: »
    MFP automatically sets me at 1200 calories, but I've read so many posts that go against it (my first time round followed 1200 as I didn't know any better, it worked but it stressed me out). This time I gave myself 1500-1800 calories. I've learned what my body can work with and what to eat and what not to eat, and make sure I am eating a clean diet with lots of nutrient rich foods and not so much of the other stuff. I was hard on myself the first time, this time I just want long lasting sustainable results, and trying to get as much exercise as possible. There are so many variables - trust your body and change if you need to.

    No, you set MFP to give you 1200 calories based on activity level and deficit that you choose.
  • Sami1601
    Sami1601 Posts: 50 Member
    Which calculator did you use?
  • Lemmon827
    Lemmon827 Posts: 27 Member
    I'm 5'7 was 172, now 159. I aim for 1200 but I average 1300-1400. I am mostly sedentary but I have been trying to go walking more often.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    I have my setting at sedentary, and I eat a base of 1600 calories plus any exercise calories that day. My actual average after is about 1800-2000 to lose slightly less than 1 pound a week. On high activity days it could be as high as 2500, but that's not very common.
  • ericadcruz32
    ericadcruz32 Posts: 48 Member
    According to my settings I am allotted 1200. I chose sedentary because I had never seen the inside of a gym in my life. A week or so after starting MFP I started walking on an incline on the treadmill, pretty briskly. I log that burn and therefore get more calories. I don't eat them all back but I do eat a third or so.
    I'm 5'4"
    SW: 165
    CW: 153
    GW: 120
  • VegjoyP
    VegjoyP Posts: 2,772 Member
    edited March 2019
    I am at 1310 a day. I am 46 and considered active
    I do not count in exercise for several reasons. My goal is based on my body and daily life. Iconsider exercise " extra" but find that calorie burn is very personal and the estimates are usually off. I personal train and worked with metabolic assesments using high tech equitment.
    We all need to find our own plan. If something works then stick with it. If not, question the methodology.
    I was maintaining for years at 1550. I ran marathons, weight train. Now I walk, weight lift and am older. I had been feeling bloated, and knew it was too much with my changing lifestyle. Now I am at 1310 and so far I feel much better. That's what was recommended.
    I feel the activity tracker accounts too many calories burned
  • zeejane03
    zeejane03 Posts: 993 Member
    I'm a few years into maintenance, currently working on a few pounds of vanity weight (current BMI is at a 21.5, working down to 20.7). I'm 40/fairly sedentary and have a .5lb a week target. Calorie goal is around 1,350, which I'm hitting with minimal fuss.
  • tchiotos
    tchiotos Posts: 6 Member

    I'm 5'2, 115 and I eat more calories than you with a sedentary lifestyle. If I eat 1,200 calories I start losing weight rapidly. Weigh your food, something isn't right. You technically need more cals than me too since you have 30something lbs on me.
    MFP "gave " me 1200 calories to lose 20 lbs, but at 1200 cals, five weeks to lose four pounds? that is insane! I didn't realize you could set it for the amount of weight you wanted to lose per week - I would set it at 1.5 as an average, but would expect to lose 3-4 lbs the first week, then dropping back to under 2 per week.
    I was just surprised that it factored such a slow rate of loss.
  • Pickle107
    Pickle107 Posts: 153 Member
    I'm 5'3" and 145.5 lbs. I'm on 1200 daily because I'm extremely sedentary for health reasons. I'm currently 9 lbs down in 6 weeks which I'm very happy with. I go over target calories a couple of times a week when I daren't offend family if something special's been cooked. But I don't sweat it. Once I've lost 20 lbs, I'm aiming to increase my calories for a 0.5 lb loss for the last 10 lbs. Should take me until September which seems sensible.
  • PixelVoid
    PixelVoid Posts: 1 Member
    Just for myself, I used TDEE, and got my Basic Metabolic Rate and calculated 75% of that, which put me around 1700 cals/d. I also do 40% Carbs and 40% Protein and my workouts is 30 minutes of lifting and 30 minutes HIIT Cardio. In Dec I was 233lbs, and now I'm at 199.6lbs. I've obviously gained some muscle mass as I can lift more and am seeing some muscle definition come through, so works out for me at least.
  • ouryve
    ouryve Posts: 572 Member
    5'4, middle aged and currently 148lb. Losing hand over fist on 1600 plus extra exercise calories awarded by fitbit (set at lightly active, so usually have a tweak unless I spend the day sat on my *kitten*) , plus a couple of days a week when I give up counting in the evening because I know it will be way over.
  • Charlotteincharlotte
    Charlotteincharlotte Posts: 6 Member
    When I was trying to lose weight I aimed to net around 1200-1400 and lost weight pretty consistently and quickly. I ended up eating total for the day anywhere from 1800 to 2000 depending on activity level/workout. I wear a heart rate monitor to see what I am burning that day to keep it in control. Now in maintenance and I eat about 2200 calories a day (except on vacation I don't track and I imagine its more) I definitely felt a little crazy after a few months of that deficit though so I would honestly suggest listening to your body and seeing what works for you. Like others have suggested, maybe adjust/set up amount of weight to lose a week for more wiggle room and calories if you feel a little weak/crazy like I did! Best of luck to you :)
  • sugaraddict4321
    sugaraddict4321 Posts: 15,884 MFP Moderator
    VegjoyP wrote: »
    ...We all need to find our own plan. If something works then stick with it. If not, question the methodology...

    I agree with the first statement, that we all have to find our own plan. However, I wouldn't automatically question methodology when something doesn't work quickly. There are a number of sound plans as well as a lot of woo. Many people want to lose weight far more quickly than is safe for them (I'll lose 20 pounds this month!). Many people don't track and log everything they eat and drink, and simply estimate calories then blame whatever plan it is for failing. ;) Or we try "quick fixes" like shakes, which can be a good jump start, but if we don't change our long-term eating habits it is just one yo-yo after another.
    tchiotos wrote: »
    ...I was just surprised that it factored such a slow rate of loss.

    MFP is set to help people lose weight in a healthy, sustainable way. :) For the vast majority of people, that means no more than 2 pounds per week (give or take some water weight and undigested food). Even then, when a person doesn't have much to lose, the sustainable thing to do is to take it slower and one has to be MUCH more diligent about tracking everything. @AnnPT77 perhaps you have that handy list showing how much weight one should aim for per week, depending on how much there is to lose? I can't find it just now.

    We also must remember that weight loss isn't linear. Some days the scale goes up even if you've eaten under your goal the previous day. ;) This is especially true if you've increased activity recently, had a very salty meal, or for the ladies ovulation and TOM can make the scale swing wildly.

    I try to remember that I didn't put on all this weight in a few weeks, so it is not going to come off in a few weeks. I try to pay attention to how I feel and how my clothes fit, and not let the scale reading become an obsession. For me, my goal weight is a range of numbers (i.e. 150-160 pounds), not a specific number that if I don't reach it I am a failure.

    Wishing you all the best on your journeys :flowerforyou:
  • Lillymoo01
    Lillymoo01 Posts: 2,865 Member
    tchiotos wrote: »
    My goal is 1200 according to MFP, but I have never lost weight eating that many calories. I'm 5.2ish and 144 lbs. According to MFP, it will take me five weeks to lose 4 lbs! I do have it set to sedentary but that is not reasonable in my mind. In the past I can lose 1.5 -2 lbs a week by going around 850 to no more than 1000. I'm trying the keto diet to see if I can tolerate it.

    I am 4'11 and when I was losing weight I was eating 1200 plus 2/3rds my exercise calories and still losing at a pace of 1/2-1 pound a week (which is actually quicker than is recommended for health), even when I was close to 100 pounds. There is no way you would not be losing weight eating 1200 calories all up when you are both taller and heavier than me.

    For your long term health (brittle bones, muscle loss, thinning hair, brittle nails, stress on vital organs .... is not an outcome I'd enjoy) it is very important to eat at least 1200 plus your exercise calories. Also undereating can help you reach your calorie goal but it is very unlikely that you will be happy once you get there because muscle loss will result in a less defined and 'toned' body.

    Tighten up your logging to ensure greater accuracy and set a goal of no more than 1 pound a week (1/2 pound would be even better though). Your body will thank you for it AND you are more likely to stick with weight loss and keep it off long term without aggressive goals.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    ericadcruz32 wrote: »
    According to my settings I am allotted 1200. I chose sedentary because I had never seen the inside of a gym in my life. A week or so after starting MFP I started walking on an incline on the treadmill, pretty briskly. I log that burn and therefore get more calories. I don't eat them all back but I do eat a third or so.
    I'm 5'4"
    SW: 165
    CW: 153
    GW: 120

    @ericadcruz32

    Whether you go to a gym or not is an irrelevance for your activity setting as that setting nothing to do with exercise. That's why you add exercise separately.

    You don't compensate your activity setting either up or down because you do or do not exercise purposefully.
    Set your activity setting for your job and lifestyle.

  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,213 Member
    sugaraddict4321 wrote: »
    <snip>
    @AnnPT77 perhaps you have that handy list showing how much weight one should aim for per week, depending on how much there is to lose? I can't find it just now.
    <snip>

    There are different versions. Basic suggestion is to target losing no more than 1% of body weight per week, but possibly slower as one gets closer to goal. I usually suggest something like 1.5 pounds at around 50 to go, 1 at 25 pounds, 0.5 at 10 or so.

    In practice, it varies a little: Someone who's very active or prioritizing good appearance or muscle maintenance/gain, or who has health issues that cause physical stress by themselves, might sensibly target a slower rate. Someone with an acute health condition that will be relieved by weight loss might go faster (but should be under close medical supervision). (Just a couple of examples; I'm sure there are others.)

    I hope it goes without saying that slower is always good if it's more sustainable. It's more effective to lose half a pound a week for a year, while happy and comfortable, than it is to white-knuckle 10 pounds in a month, give up, binge, regain 8 (or 12), restart an extreme deficit . . . and repeat, repeat, repeat. Even if both reach the same result in a year, the slow loser will look better, feel better, and be healthier, not to mention experiencing less drama and misery along the way. (Also, equal results are unlikely based on watching people succeed/fail here on MFP for a few years now. IME, the slow/steady person is more likely to hit 25 pounds in a year than the yo-yo-er),
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    trippsj3 wrote: »
    Hello community! I just started back up after 2+ years off. I have a 10month old and want to reboot my weight loss to get rid of this excess baby weight and then some. I updated my profile and want to know how realistic the daily calories for you have been. I have been recommended just over 2000 because I'm hoping to start exercising again. Have you found the recommendation to little or to much? Do you adjust depending on activity level (I put in lightly active) but I may not always be active depending on the day with my daughter, my life style right now is more sedentary. Just wondering what has worked best for others out there.

    With MFP, your activity level is only your day to day goings on and doesn't include deliberate exercise. You will note that there is no mention of exercise in the activity level descriptors. This is to allow you to have a calorie target before exercise to lose weight...so someone not exercising or who is inconsistent in their exercise can still lose weight.

    You account for exercise with MFP by logging it and then MFP will give you additional calories. I initially used MFP as designed and had a before exercise calorie target of 2000 calories...with exercise I was eating around 2300-2500 calories depending on the day, and losing about 1 Lb per week.

    I eventually switched over to the TDEE method when I became more consistent with my exercise and was eating roughly the same total calories as with MFP, just not logging my exercise separately.
  • Bwilty7
    Bwilty7 Posts: 45 Member
    edited March 2019
    Find somewhere to get an InBody scan and look at your BMR. Account for your activity and subtract 500 cals. My BMR is 2415 and my goal in a cut is 2310. I work out about 4-5 times a week and have a desk job. I recently did a nutrition challenge and lost 12lbs and 2.5% body fat in 6 weeks with this method.

    Don't be afraid of calories, but be mindful of WHAT you eat, in what ratios and when. If you put yourself in too deep of a deficit your metabolism will slow down.
  • MamaKL5
    MamaKL5 Posts: 69 Member
    5'7, currently 165lbs and set at 1680 and losing. I'm set to lightly active, and I eat back most purposeful exercise calories. I didn't use whatever MFP gave me, because it was too low for me. I used a TDEE calculator and then went from there. Could probably lower my cals a bit, but don't want to. I'm fine losing a little slower if it means more food.
  • daklock
    daklock Posts: 54 Member
    mscheftg
    I am NOT following MFP's set caloric goal. When I started, I was at about 245 pounds. MyFitnessPal was telling me to eat 1200 calories a day to lose 2 pounds a week. That's ridiculously low for my body weight. Instead I found the posts on using outside calculators to determine your caloric intake based on TDEE and other settings. Those posts helped me immensely and found that 1500 is actually the low end of what I should be eating, which is where I try to keep my calories. I have lost close to 20 pounds since I last did that, so I will be doing my measurements and math again this week.

    I can relate to this. I started at 260 pounds, and set my desired weight loss to 2 pounds a week, with a sedentary activity level. MFP suggested 1200 calories, but I knew that I would not be able to continue at this level. So I also checked other calculators and determined my caloric intake on TDEE - for my weight and height and age and gender, TDEE suggested 2075 calories. I deducted 500 from there (for a weekly 1 pound loss), but with some exercise and nutritional food, I am losing about 2 pounds per week. I am happy and successful at about 1500 calories for now. Sometimes I go over up to 1700 calories. So far, a loss of 24 pounds in about 10 weeks, so I'm happy with this rate. I will reevaluate again when I feel things are not working.

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