Is my calorie count too low?

ekboh
ekboh Posts: 53 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Just wondering what you all think-- I have a general understanding of BMR and TDEE, but I have been wondering if my calorie count goal per MFP is too low.
My primary question is regarding the activity level that I set. I selected "sedentary" based on the description (you sit at work all day), because my 8 hour a day/ 5 day per week is sedentary. However I also added that my goal is at least 4 45-minute workouts per week; usually I exceed this (I do some exercise daily, harder workouts 4-5x). So generally I'm not sure if the "sedentary" marker is appropriately applied here.

I am currently 163#, 5'4", female. Looking to lose 1# per week. I have done multiple calculators online, which calculate my BMR anywhere from 1444- 1524, and my TDEE anywhere from 1878- 2241. MFP has set my calorie goal (pre exercise) for 1320.

Any ideas? Does this sound correct? Thank you for reading this!! :)

Replies

  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,876 Member
    ekboh wrote: »
    Just wondering what you all think-- I have a general understanding of BMR and TDEE, but I have been wondering if my calorie count goal per MFP is too low.
    My primary question is regarding the activity level that I set. I selected "sedentary" based on the description (you sit at work all day), because my 8 hour a day/ 5 day per week is sedentary. However I also added that my goal is at least 4 45-minute workouts per week; usually I exceed this (I do some exercise daily, harder workouts 4-5x). So generally I'm not sure if the "sedentary" marker is appropriately applied here.

    I am currently 163#, 5'4", female. Looking to lose 1# per week. I have done multiple calculators online, which calculate my BMR anywhere from 1444- 1524, and my TDEE anywhere from 1878- 2241. MFP has set my calorie goal (pre exercise) for 1320.

    Any ideas? Does this sound correct? Thank you for reading this!! :)

    Your exercise goal is only for you...it has no bearing on your calorie targets with MFP. With MFP you log your exercise and get additional calories added to your target to account for that activity.

    MFP isn't a TDEE calculator, it is a NEAT calculator that doesn't take into account your exercise in the activity level or you exercise goals.

    Still, if your TDEE is 1878 with a TDEE calculator then your goal to lose 1 Lb per week would be 1,378 (500 calorie deficit)...did you include exercise in your activity level with the TDEE calculators...you would need to do that to accurately get your TDEE.

    Beyond that, this isn't some kind of exact science...these calculators are only meant to give you a reasonably good jumping off point. Adjustments should be made as per your real world results.
  • Rammer123
    Rammer123 Posts: 679 Member
    Seems about right based off the information from the other calculators you've checked out.... MFP is giving you about 1,820 as your maintenance calories and reducing it by 500. The TDEE calculator is giving you between 1,900 and 2,250. Seems like with 4 45 min workouts a week they are pretty similar.

    Now thats a starting spot for your true caloric output. For me, I have a sedentary job, but I set my level to lightly active which seems to give me a better base for my calories when I am tracking. Having more muscle mass will increase the need for calories at rest and during exercise.

    Everyone is different but, that doesn't seem too unreasonable based off your information given. Personally I would start with the calories slightly higher, and see what happens if you aren't in a huge rush to lose the weight.
  • ekboh
    ekboh Posts: 53 Member
    Thank you! I've only been at this for a short while so obviously I'm hungry due to the calorie cut. I started to wonder if I was TOO hungry lol.
    Great insights.
  • Justin_7272
    Justin_7272 Posts: 341 Member
    ekboh wrote: »
    obviously I'm hungry due to the calorie cut.

    This is largely psychological, rather than physical. Have readily available substitutes, i.e. diet soda, water, carrots, apples, and you'll quickly realize it's more so about the feeling of eating than the calories themselves.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    Are you logging and eating back the calories burned from your exercise?
  • ekboh
    ekboh Posts: 53 Member
    cmriverside wrote: »
    ekboh wrote: »
    Thank you! I've only been at this for a short while so obviously I'm hungry due to the calorie cut. I started to wonder if I was TOO hungry lol.
    Great insights.

    Okay, so you understand that you are supposed to add purposeful exercise into the Exercise tab and then eat more on those days, right? If you are using Myfitnesspal's number of 1320, you would add in 300-500 more calories on those exercise days.

    Just checking that we got that across. Your daily Activity (your "job" setting") may or may not be too low as well. I'm retired and I really AM sedentary, but I use the Activity level that is 500 calories more per day than the Sedentary setting.

    Try using it as you have it (sedentary) and eating back all your Exercise calories for a month, then adjust if things aren't going to plan or if you're really hungry. I mean, that would have you actually eating at 1700-1900.

    It's best to have a month's worth of data - minimum - to really know how to adjust.

    I do add in my exercise and eat back some of the calories. Usually if I don't eat most of the calories back, it's because my workouts are after work and I don't eat a meal at that time (usually I have a light meal before the gym). So I definitely take it into account, moreso on the weekends.
  • ekboh
    ekboh Posts: 53 Member
    Justin_7272 wrote: »
    ekboh wrote: »
    obviously I'm hungry due to the calorie cut.

    This is largely psychological, rather than physical. Have readily available substitutes, i.e. diet soda, water, carrots, apples, and you'll quickly realize it's more so about the feeling of eating than the calories themselves.

    Oh totally. I am so used to overeating, eating too many snacks, just a constant flow of food. So it's partially habit and just generally waiting for my body to adjust to a new healthy habit! And honestly it's much easier to curb snacking when all my options are healthy! Lol.
  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
    ekboh wrote: »
    Justin_7272 wrote: »
    ekboh wrote: »
    obviously I'm hungry due to the calorie cut.

    This is largely psychological, rather than physical. Have readily available substitutes, i.e. diet soda, water, carrots, apples, and you'll quickly realize it's more so about the feeling of eating than the calories themselves.

    Oh totally. I am so used to overeating, eating too many snacks, just a constant flow of food. So it's partially habit and just generally waiting for my body to adjust to a new healthy habit! And honestly it's much easier to curb snacking when all my options are healthy! Lol.

    You should keep a log for when you are hungry and when you are not to see if there are certain things (macros) that are keeping you satiated longer and if there are some that seem to leaving you hungrier faster. For instance, I do not stay full for long on carb heavy meals like pasta. I do stay full for a nice long time on fiber + high protein.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,030 Member
    Justin_7272 wrote: »
    ekboh wrote: »
    obviously I'm hungry due to the calorie cut.

    This is largely psychological, rather than physical. Have readily available substitutes, i.e. diet soda, water, carrots, apples, and you'll quickly realize it's more so about the feeling of eating than the calories themselves.

    Well . . . maybe. But food choices also matter, either via which macros are most satiating for an individual (within a healthy range, of course), or sometimes even specific individual foods. For example, I need protein and volume (like lots of fiber-containing low cal veggies) to feel full, whereas some other people don't feel full unless they eat a higher fraction of fats; and oatmeal keeps me full for hours, but doesn't have that effect for everyone else.

    Further, food timing can matter. Some people are most satisfied eating one very large meal daily (One Meal A Day, a.k.a. OMAD), whereas others do better with all-day grazing on smaller portions . . . and everything in between.

    Sometimes a little experimenting with eating (composition and timing) can improve satiation and happiness on reduced calories. I don't think that's purely psychological.
  • ahoy_m8
    ahoy_m8 Posts: 3,052 Member
    I also think calorie goal sounds reasonable. Taking your BMR midpoint 1484*1.2 (sedentary activity multiplier)-500 (lose 1 lb/wk) = 1280 pre-exercise.

    After experimenting with macros and meal timing per AnnPT77's really good advice above, if you still feel hungry, consider whether 1 lb/wk loss is sustainable for you. Maybe 0.5lb per week simply works better for you. It's not a radical calorie difference, but sometimes it's enough to make a sustained deficit comfortable enough to persist until reaching your goal.
  • Justin_7272
    Justin_7272 Posts: 341 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Justin_7272 wrote: »
    ekboh wrote: »
    obviously I'm hungry due to the calorie cut.

    This is largely psychological, rather than physical.
    I don't think that's purely psychological.

    "Largely" and "purely" are completely distinct terms.

    In any event, as Ann pointed out, feelings have a lot to do with hunger.

    Point being you're not always going to be hungry at a deficit.


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