daily calorie goal seems too high

Anakalovesbunnies
Anakalovesbunnies Posts: 1 Member
in Health and Weight Loss

Hi, I’m 18 years old, 5’8, and 164 lbs trying to get to 145. I’m a bit of a beginner but i’m a little confused because it’s recommending me to eat 2,020 calories a day to lose 1 lb a week, but the TDEE calculator recommended around 1,700 calories. I didn’t include my workouts on the app but I do weight/light cardio 5 days a week. Is there anyway to control my calorie goal?

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  • Corina1143
    Corina1143 Posts: 4,814 Member
    edited June 6 Answer ✓

    I don't know what tdee calculators you used, but when I plug in 18, f, 5'8". 164, sedentary in tdee calculator on calculator.net, it gives 1887 calories a day. If you exercise much at all or have a fairly active life, 2020 calories may be right for you.

    Same stats but with daily exercise gives 2712 calories. 2712-500(to lose 1 pound a week)=2212. More than suggested for you.

    In other words, you can play with the numbers and get all kinds of answers, but it's what you actually do that counts.

    I suggest you start with 2020 and see what happens. And remember, weight loss isn't linear. You might gain one day and lose the next. But if you're losing in the long run, 👍.

Answers

  • csplatt
    csplatt Posts: 1,311 Member

    What did you set your daily activity level to?

  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 36,645 Member

    You can manually type in a calorie goal. I'd encourage caution, though. Fast weight loss isn't necessarily best weight loss, popular though the opposite opinion may be. Fast loss increases health risks. Fast loss also potentially lowers odds of long-term success: The loss process is harder to stick with long enough to succeed; the extreme tactics usually required to lose fast don't help us learn the new, permanent habits we'll need to stay at a healthy weight long term.

    That said, maybe 2020 is too high, maybe not. One good idea is to double-check all your MFP profile data for accuracy. Tiny typos are easy to make, can have major effects.

    With so little weight to lose, even at your young and therefore probably more resilient age, half a pound a week might be a more health-promoting plan than a pound a week, though it would take some time to show up in your multi-week weight trend amongst routine water retention fluctuations.

    Another option, if you find no typos in your profile, would be to test-drive the 2020 estimate for 4-6 weeks, a whole menstrual cycle assuming that applies (to compare bodyweight at the same point in at least two different cycles because hormone-related water weight effects can be that weird). At the end of that experiment, you'll have a good experience-based estimate of your personalized calorie needs. That's powerfully useful information, in my experience.

    If part of your motivation is appearance, or part of your motivation is lifelong thriving, I hope your weight workouts are challenging and progressive. Patient persistence with lifting usually has very positive appearance results, and can help build a foundation of muscular strength and bone sturdiness that - along with continuing exercise - will take you through upcoming decades with the best possible quality of life. I'm not dissing cardio. Definitely do that, too. I'm emphasizing the strength side because very many women neglect that (which I know you aren't) or don't challenge themselves enough to get the best results. You're at the perfect age to work on this, and get good results.

    Best wishes!

  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,804 Member

    If you set your activity level to very active, 2000 calories may be appropriate. Understand that Activity Level on MFP refers to your life aside from deliberate exercise. If you sit at a desk all day, then do an hour of activity, your basic activity level is sedentary. MFP expects you to log your exercise separately, then eat back some portion of the extra calories burned by the exercise. However, if you are on your feet all day, then very active is the right choice and you should try eating 2000, plus exercise calories, to see whether that is appropriate for you.

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