Help choosing calorie count

bradbabs93
bradbabs93 Posts: 7
edited October 3 in Health and Weight Loss
I'm an 18 yr old Male, 215lbs, 6 feet.
I probably walk about a mile/mile and a half or so a day to and from class (college student)
I work out pretty much 5 days a week, mostly lifting so it's hard to calculate calories
I live on the 8th floor of my dorm and take the stairs up and down at least 3-4 times a day
I've been having trouble settling on a number of calories to eat a day, I'm looking for about 1lb a week to lose.
I've been eating around 2000 calories, but I don't know if that's really enough or too much. Any help would be wonderful, including what activity level I should be setting myself at.

Replies

  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
    Go with what MFP sets for you.
  • bradbabs93
    bradbabs93 Posts: 7
    I should have been more clear, I'm unsure of what my activity level should be set as.
  • JAbayowa
    JAbayowa Posts: 3
    First, you need to calculate your BMI and ideal weight (for your height and age). MyFitnessPal has a good calculator to help you figure out your optimal weight: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/tools/bmi-calculator

    After you've calculated this, you need to enter your new "goal weight" in Account Settings >> Update Diet/Fitness Profile, and voila the amount of calories you should consume every day would be automatically calculated for you.

    Hope this helps!
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    Go with what MFP sets for you.

    agreed, but just make sure your activity level is high enough to account for your non-workout activity (walking and stairs) I would set your activity as light active, and log your exercise so you eat those cals back. Then also set your weekly goal to 1 lb/week. So on days you don't workout you would eat that many, then when you log exercise on days you do exercise you eat all of those.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    First, you need to calculate your BMI and ideal weight (for your height and age). MyFitnessPal has a good calculator to help you figure out your optimal weight: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/tools/bmi-calculator

    After you've calculated this, you need to enter your new "goal weight" in Account Settings >> Update Diet/Fitness Profile, and voila the amount of calories you should consume every day would be automatically calculated for you.

    Hope this helps!

    BMI is not the best way to pick your goal weight, and MFP does not base your caloric intake on your goal weight, it bases it on how much you want to lose each week and your BMR and activity level.
  • bradbabs93
    bradbabs93 Posts: 7
    Go with what MFP sets for you.

    agreed, but just make sure your activity level is high enough to account for your non-workout activity (walking and stairs) I would set your activity as light active, and log your exercise so you eat those cals back. Then also set your weekly goal to 1 lb/week. So on days you don't workout you would eat that many, then when you log exercise on days you do exercise you eat all of those.

    How do I log the calories I burn while lifting? I feel like any estimation would be grossly inaccurate.
  • Marcel7
    Marcel7 Posts: 52 Member
    At your age, calorie count is probably not as big of a deal as for us older folks (I'm 41). I recommend that you eat lots of fruits and vegetables and try to limit fast food and beer--not easy for a college student. I do not see any point in forcing yourself to eat if you are not hungry just to get yourself to the calorie number listed. Perhaps you can add 20-30 minutes more of walking/jogging each day. I suspect you'll meet your fitness goal very quickly.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    Go with what MFP sets for you.

    agreed, but just make sure your activity level is high enough to account for your non-workout activity (walking and stairs) I would set your activity as light active, and log your exercise so you eat those cals back. Then also set your weekly goal to 1 lb/week. So on days you don't workout you would eat that many, then when you log exercise on days you do exercise you eat all of those.

    How do I log the calories I burn while lifting? I feel like any estimation would be grossly inaccurate.

    an estimate will be inaccurate, but you don't burn very much from lifting anyway so it is better than nothing and if you are set at light active the activity level should pick up some if you under estimated the burn.

    To get an estimate enter "strength training" in the cardio section on the exercise tab.
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