Calorie calculators keep telling me different things! Help.

hailzp
hailzp Posts: 903 Member
edited October 7 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi.
Firstly I will give you my stats

Height: 6ft
Current weight: 262lbs
Goal weight: 170lbs (ish)

Waist: 39inch

MFP calorie goal: 1600

(I moved it to 1500 because the scale didn't seem to be moving)

Calorie calculators elsewhere tell me to eat about 2000 a day, or 2500, and some say 1200 or 1300.

Can somebody please tell me the amount of calories I should consume to loose about 2lb per week. My diary is open and feel free to comment on the type of foods I eat. I am looking for advice.

Thank you

Replies

  • MikeSEA
    MikeSEA Posts: 1,074 Member
    Those seem like pretty big differences. I guess it would depend in part on how active you are. Given your height and weight 1500 or 1600 doesn't seem like much to me if you're active.
  • hailzp
    hailzp Posts: 903 Member
    I go to the gym 2-3 times a week, Pilates twice. Fast hilly walking twice a week for about 30 mins and whatever else I fancy doing. I am not active anywhere else though. I am a student and sit around quite a bit.
  • ShrinkinMel
    ShrinkinMel Posts: 982 Member
    Some tell you what your body needs to cover breathing, heart function, circulation and all that plus whatever activity/lifestyle range you factor in that total. Its not often a fat loss total unless it said specifically for weight loss follow that total.

    Eating 500 less or working off that much of what your body needs will get weight loss every week.
  • ShrinkinMel
    ShrinkinMel Posts: 982 Member
    Some tell you what your body needs to cover breathing, heart function, circulation and all that plus whatever activity/lifestyle range you factor in that total. Its not often a fat loss total unless it said specifically for weight loss follow that total.

    Eating 500 less or working off that much of what your body needs will get weight loss every week.
  • hailzp
    hailzp Posts: 903 Member
    It told me how many calories it takes for me to work and to loose and they were all quite different too. So I guess I just don't have an accurate starting post perhaps...
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
    I would follow what MFP says. Of course if it doesn't work you could adjust it. I can only speak for myself, but I followed MFP's recommendation for losing 1 pound a week, and later changed to 1/2 pound a week, and I have lost exactly the amount I was supposed to.
  • MikeSEA
    MikeSEA Posts: 1,074 Member
    I'm definitely not a expert or professional, but I'm still guessing 1500 and 1600 is a little low. I'd try 1800 for a couple weeks and see what happens.

    If your tracking and measurements are accurate, the worst that will happen is that you'll maybe gain .5-1lb. You'll have a better idea of what your maintenance is at that point though.
  • glenbabe
    glenbabe Posts: 303 Member
    I would follow what MFP says. Of course if it doesn't work you could adjust it. I can only speak for myself, but I followed MFP's recommendation for losing 1 pound a week, and later changed to 1/2 pound a week, and I have lost exactly the amount I was supposed to.

    totally agree with this follow Mfp settings because it works
  • hailzp
    hailzp Posts: 903 Member
    OK. Maybe I am just over analysing. I will go with what MFP is saying as it does feel the right amount of food sometimes.
  • Alicja_W
    Alicja_W Posts: 169
    I would follow what MFP says. Of course if it doesn't work you could adjust it. I can only speak for myself, but I followed MFP's recommendation for losing 1 pound a week, and later changed to 1/2 pound a week, and I have lost exactly the amount I was supposed to.

    totally agree with this follow Mfp settings because it works

    yeah i agree too :happy:
  • hailzp
    hailzp Posts: 903 Member
    I'm definitely not a expert or professional, but I'm still guessing 1500 and 1600 is a little low. I'd try 1800 for a couple weeks and see what happens.

    If your tracking and measurements are accurate, the worst that will happen is that you'll maybe gain .5-1lb. You'll have a better idea of what your maintenance is at that point though.


    I will weigh myself Monday and depending on the results do what you suggest. Thank you.
  • MikeSEA
    MikeSEA Posts: 1,074 Member
    Also if you like a good read, Mr. Troutman has some good info at: http://body-improvements.com/resources/eat/
  • nicintime
    nicintime Posts: 381 Member
    check out www.fat2fitradio.com

    Listen to the F2f philosophy podcast.

    There is no hype here, no crazy diets, just the simplest, most straightforward advice on losing weight, keeping it off, and eating like the thinner, healthier you that you want to become.

    Diets all work to get some weight off. It is keeping the weight off and making a lifestyle change that makes it permanent. No more yo-yo dieting!

    Good luck with your journey.
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
    The beauty of it is that if it turns out not to work for you, you can always adjust it. It's not set in stone.
  • hailzp
    hailzp Posts: 903 Member
    I don't yoyo diet. I am a healthy eater and enjoy good nutritious food. I have never been on a diet and do not intend to. I am just asking about the calories and how many my body needs. Thank you nicintime for the podcast though :)
  • hailzp
    hailzp Posts: 903 Member
    [/quote]
    because calorie calculators are inaccurate.
    [/quote]



    Well yes, obviously. Thank you. I am looking for advice though not statements already known :/
  • Puddykat1026
    Puddykat1026 Posts: 164 Member
    I have a desk job, so I changed my settings to the lowest amount of activity possible. Then I add whatever activity I do. Even at 1 lbs a week I have an allowance of 1300 cals a day & I get more as I add activity. That works best for me. Even if I don't get all my activity in, I get just enough cals. I'm 5 feet tall & started at 205 lbs back in Sept & have lost 18 lbs so far.
  • akjmart2002
    akjmart2002 Posts: 263 Member
    You may also look into having your Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) tested in a clinic. I did so and found that my daily RMR was about 300 calories less than any of the calculators assumed, and thus my caloric targets were all 300 cal too high.
  • hailzp
    hailzp Posts: 903 Member
    You may also look into having your Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) tested in a clinic. I did so and found that my daily RMR was about 300 calories less than any of the calculators assumed, and thus my caloric targets were all 300 cal too high.


    Good idea.Do you know how they test it in the clinic? Can you just go to your doctors?
  • dawgn49
    dawgn49 Posts: 15
    Some will give you a total that already includes a 500cal or 20% deficit some just give you a total that you need to take a deficit from. Monitor progress closely if you are not dropping weight you can try different things: change your macro percentages or less calories or more exercise etc.
  • Malvarez2013
    Malvarez2013 Posts: 19 Member
    If you want to see weight loss and fast (2+ lbs a week), I'd just stick to 1200-1300. I went from 165 to 127 eating 1200 calories a day (with no exercise because I'm lazy) in just a few months.
  • hailzp
    hailzp Posts: 903 Member
    I won't go unless I am going for some other reason but it would be interesting to know how much my body needs to do it's thing. I have wasted a whole year messing around with weight loss and I want to do this properly.
  • hailzp
    hailzp Posts: 903 Member
    You may also look into having your Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) tested in a clinic. I did so and found that my daily RMR was about 300 calories less than any of the calculators assumed, and thus my caloric targets were all 300 cal too high.


    Good idea.Do you know how they test it in the clinic? Can you just go to your doctors?

    You're making this way to complicated.


    Are you losing weight?

    a. If you're not losing weight, lower your calories a bit by 15-20%, and exercise.

    b. If you are losing weight, disregard step a.
    c. If you have a problem, go to step a.


    OK sweet, but what if I loose weight one week and not the next, what does this mean?
  • hailzp
    hailzp Posts: 903 Member
    That looks cool. But I am not really in a position to be able to afford that.
  • hailzp
    hailzp Posts: 903 Member
    OK I will increase exercise and see what happens. :)
  • hailzp
    hailzp Posts: 903 Member
    I am a fake kiwi! Just live here. Maybe the body media fit thing can be something I save for.
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