Counting macros/calories

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Replies

  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
    I eat a full 500 calories per day more than Myfitnesspal thinks I should eat. I lost 80+ pounds at age 54-55. That was over a decade ago. I'm not saying it was particularly easy, but I'd never tried to lose weight before. Once I figured out how much to eat and what to eat it hasn't been difficult for me - and I don't even do crazy amounts of exercise. Just an hour a day.

    ditto and I did it starting at 43...I've kept it off just following similar rules I learned here on these forums.

    I have put on some "extra" over the last 18 months....and here getting it back off doing what I know works.

    food scale, correct entries, not stressing over it and exercise for 60-90 mins.

    need to get back to lifting...
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 31,724 Member
    Hi! Most online calorie calculators are not accurate. They only take into account your height, weight and general activity level. They don’t take into account your stress level, hydration, sleep, prior dieting history etc all which play a big roll in your progress and how your body responds. Please don’t fear carbs or eating more food. Carbs are our bodies most readily and preferred source of energy. You don’t need to cut carbs or fats to loose weight. Ultimately it comes does to energy balance, meaning you are burning more calories then you consume over a significant length of time. If you need any help, support or guidance feel free to message me anytime(I am an online health and fitness coach!)

    Most people can figure out whether the so-called calculators are reasonably accurate for them, by using a calculator estimate as a starting point, sticking with it for 4-6 weeks (whole menstrual cycles for those who have them), then adjusting intake based on average weekly results over that multi-week period.

    MFP's estimate is around 25-30% off for me (it estimates too low!), and once I knew what adjustment to make to my base calorie goal, I lost /maintained weight as expected by calorie counting, and have for 6 years now.

    It's not a process that's too complicated or arcane for the average person to handle on their own, treating it as sort of a fun science-fair experiment, absent some complicating health condition (such as thyroid conditions that cycle between hyper- and hypo-). Support is always nice, though!