Calorie deficit calculator

kegan5
kegan5 Posts: 45 Member
edited December 22 in Getting Started
Hello

I am trying to wrap my head around what I should use to calculate my daily calorie deficit.

I wear my apple watch as often as possible so believe the data to be as accurate as possible.

Average per day - workout day
Resting 1818
Active 818
Calories all is approx 1400

Does this mean my deficit is 1236?

I saw people talking about total calories burned but no where in the health app does it show this.

Replies

  • PiscesIntuition
    PiscesIntuition Posts: 1,372 Member
    It looks like your deficit is 1400, after subtracting active (exercise) calories from resting (no exercise) calories.

    Are you needing to know how much of a deficit you need to be in for cutting/fat loss?
  • kegan5
    kegan5 Posts: 45 Member
    Hi PiscesIntuition

    Yes I'm looking for fat loss info but also would like to understand how to use this Information as a whole.

    Out of interest why would I deduct active from resting and you have above ? :)
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    kegan5 wrote: »
    Hello

    I am trying to wrap my head around what I should use to calculate my daily calorie deficit.

    I wear my apple watch as often as possible so believe the data to be as accurate as possible.

    Average per day - workout day
    Resting 1818
    Active 818
    Calories all is approx 1400

    Does this mean my deficit is 1236?

    I saw people talking about total calories burned but no where in the health app does it show this.

    I don't have an apple watch so bear with me.

    Is this saying you burned 1800 throughout the day, PLUS 800 through exercise for a total of 2600+ calories burned?

    What is your height and weight?
  • kegan5
    kegan5 Posts: 45 Member
    edited September 2019
    Hi Kimny

    That's where I am confused but yes for yesterday it shows 1795 in resting calories and 666 in active calories.

    No where in the health app does it show a total energy which is why I assumed these are separate.

    I work out 5 days a week and work on a ship which means running up and down many flights of stairs daily too.

    Height 5'3 weight 163lb
  • PiscesIntuition
    PiscesIntuition Posts: 1,372 Member
    kimny72 wrote: »
    kegan5 wrote: »
    Hello

    I am trying to wrap my head around what I should use to calculate my daily calorie deficit.

    I wear my apple watch as often as possible so believe the data to be as accurate as possible.

    Average per day - workout day
    Resting 1818
    Active 818
    Calories all is approx 1400

    Does this mean my deficit is 1236?

    I saw people talking about total calories burned but no where in the health app does it show this.

    I don't have an apple watch so bear with me.

    Is this saying you burned 1800 throughout the day, PLUS 800 through exercise for a total of 2600+ calories burned?

    What is your height and weight?

    From my understanding, it means she “burns” 1818 just by living. This seems equivalent to the amount of calories it takes for maintenance.

    “Active” probably means how much you burned during exercise AND while doing simple movements (walking to your car).

  • PiscesIntuition
    PiscesIntuition Posts: 1,372 Member
    kegan5 wrote: »
    Hi PiscesIntuition

    Yes I'm looking for fat loss info but also would like to understand how to use this Information as a whole.

    Out of interest why would I deduct active from resting and you have above ? :)

    You would deduct active from resting to get your total caloric deficit for the day.

    Do you know what your caloric deficit should be?

  • try2again
    try2again Posts: 3,562 Member
    kegan5 wrote: »
    Hi PiscesIntuition

    Yes I'm looking for fat loss info but also would like to understand how to use this Information as a whole.

    Out of interest why would I deduct active from resting and you have above ? :)

    You would deduct active from resting to get your total caloric deficit for the day.

    Do you know what your caloric deficit should be?

    Your calorie deficit is the difference between your total calorie expenditure for the day and the number of calories you eat that day.
  • try2again
    try2again Posts: 3,562 Member
    edited September 2019
    I'm not suggesting anyone is undereating, but this post contains a good explanation of calorie deficits and how MFP is set up.

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10569458/why-eating-too-little-calories-is-a-bad-idea/p1
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    kegan5 wrote: »
    Hi Kimny

    That's where I am confused but yes for yesterday it shows 1795 in resting calories and 666 in active calories.

    No where in the health app does it show a total energy which is why I assumed these are separate.

    I work out 5 days a week and work on a ship which means running up and down many flights of stairs daily too.

    Height 5'3 weight 163lb

    So in order to lose 1 lb per week, you need a 500 calorie deficit daily.
    To lose 1.5 lbs per week, you need a 750 cal deficit.
    Considering your stats, I think either of those would be appropriate to start out.

    So if you're burn 2600 cals on Day 1, you should eat 1850-2100 cals to lose at an appropriate rate.

    Make sure you are weighing/measuring your portions as accurately as possible, double checking that the entries you are choosing in the database have the correct calories listed, and not leaving out stuff like beverages, condiments, cooking oils, cheat meals, etc.
  • kegan5
    kegan5 Posts: 45 Member
    Hi try2again,

    I would think i was eating too little too however the eating plan was put together by the fitness centre so kept to it so far.

    I eat a lot more now than I used to but with balanced meals.

    I wonder if the watch data is being read wrong?
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    kegan5 wrote: »
    Hi try2again,

    I would think i was eating too little too however the eating plan was put together by the fitness centre so kept to it so far.

    I eat a lot more now than I used to but with balanced meals.

    I wonder if the watch data is being read wrong?

    I don't mean to harp on this, but double check your logging. 1400 calories is simply not a lot of food. Considering how active you are, you are either a crash & burn waiting to happen, or you're actually eating more than 1400 calories. There are common logging errors many of us made when starting out. When I started using a food scale and double checking the database entries I was choosing, I found I was easily eating 300 to 400 cals more than I'd been logging.

    How long have you been eating on this plan, and how much weight have you lost so far?
  • try2again
    try2again Posts: 3,562 Member
    Like @kimny72 , I'm not familiar with the apple watch, but I'd say that you are correct that it is indicating your are eating in a 1200+ deficit. That translates to an average weekly weight loss of over 2 lbs/week. Only very obese people should be targeting 2 lbs/week, and it is far too aggressive in your situation.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,454 Member
    kimny72 wrote: »
    kegan5 wrote: »
    Hi Kimny

    That's where I am confused but yes for yesterday it shows 1795 in resting calories and 666 in active calories.

    No where in the health app does it show a total energy which is why I assumed these are separate.

    I work out 5 days a week and work on a ship which means running up and down many flights of stairs daily too.

    Height 5'3 weight 163lb

    So in order to lose 1 lb per week, you need a 500 calorie deficit daily.
    To lose 1.5 lbs per week, you need a 750 cal deficit.
    Considering your stats, I think either of those would be appropriate to start out.

    So if you're burn 2600 cals on Day 1, you should eat 1850-2100 cals to lose at an appropriate rate.

    Make sure you are weighing/measuring your portions as accurately as possible, double checking that the entries you are choosing in the database have the correct calories listed, and not leaving out stuff like beverages, condiments, cooking oils, cheat meals, etc.

    I almost never disagree with Kimney, but in this case I think the largest deficit she(he?) should use is "Lose one pound per week."

    At 5'3" and 163, s/he is not that far off a healthy BMI.

    So if s/he is getting a total calorie usage from her Apple device saying she is using 2600 calories on that day, then she would subtract 500 calories from that 2600 for her weight loss deficit.

    Here is the calc:

    To lose 1 pound per week, create a 3500 calorie (per week) deficit.
    That comes to 3500 divided by 7 = 500 calorie deficit Per Day

    So on that 2600 calorie day, eat 2100
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,237 Member
    edited September 2019
    To get your total calories burned for the day from you Apple Watch, go to the activity app (not the health app) and swipe on the “move” section. That is the only place I have found that gives total calories burned for the Apple Watch.

    Everything else as above-I just wanted to offer where the total calories burned number is.
  • kegan5
    kegan5 Posts: 45 Member
    I'll have to do some calculating but since the food here doesn't change much this is a typical days food.

    Breakfast
    1.5 serving spoons of porridge with a sachet of brown sugar
    Handful of pineapple cubes usually 4 large or 5-6 if chopped smaller
    Egg white I cut off a fried egg
    Half slice swiss cheese

    Snack
    5-6 walnuts

    Lunch
    Fist size of vegetables- I aim for green so broccoli, spinach or mangetout usually
    Small slice of quiche
    Half slice of cheese cheddar or swiss
    I'll add spinach or arugula leaf too handfuls

    Snack
    Skinny protein shake 145 cals with water

    Dinner almost identical to lunch

    Snack
    Rye cracker with cheese spread or peanut butter


    I've tracked my meals with mfp and it never seems to be above 1400.

    I was told by fitness team onboard I should eat 1200 calories a day... this was from a body composition machine and before i started doing the workout plan they gave me.

    I have two thoughts
    1. The app is correct and I need to adjust
    2. Is it possible the app is over calculating my resting calories since I'm so active in the day? I have to take the watch off the charge it late at night

This discussion has been closed.