An easier way to setup goal calories - eating for who you wi

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  • josery1630
    josery1630 Posts: 205 Member
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    bump to read when I have more time
  • annalistic
    annalistic Posts: 56 Member
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    Thanks, haybales! I'll try it! It's not like I'm losing now! :smile:
  • myurk
    myurk Posts: 108
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    Interesting post. Based on this, I would be eating 800 more calories per day. Its scary, but worth a try, as 1200-1400 just doesn't feel like enough, especially when I exercise.
  • myltlisa24
    myltlisa24 Posts: 242 Member
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    wow, this is great. I think i've been following this somewhat - my normal calorie intake is 1274 (which is my goal for 118), but sometimes I do go over, only when I exercise...otherwise, I rarely eat the 1274, normally eat around 1100, and that is after i have three structured meals! Its working (so far) for me!
  • forty3fab
    forty3fab Posts: 148 Member
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    I like this concept!
  • Remarkable1
    Remarkable1 Posts: 21 Member
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    I just changed my goals.. thanks for the help!!

    bump
  • hottottie11
    hottottie11 Posts: 907 Member
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    Definitely easier. I use Katch McArdle formula for my TDEE...My maintenance calories at 5'2 and my activity level is 2244. To lose 1 lb a week.. I average around 1700-1800 a week. Working for me.
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
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    Why not? Because I only have a few pounds to go. Do you realize how small that calorie deficit would be? It would take years to lose the last 5 pounds.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Interesting post. Based on this, I would be eating 800 more calories per day. Its scary, but worth a try, as 1200-1400 just doesn't feel like enough, especially when I exercise.

    Just gotta be honest about that activity level.

    On mine, if I increase Heavy by 60 min, it increases the activity calories by 368. Well, if I'm actually working out 60 min at decent intensity, I'll be double that easily. Because I actually weigh more right now, that estimate is at my lighter self.

    So the activity level gives an automatic underestimate. Which is fine until you get to goal weight.
  • UnderConstructionJ
    UnderConstructionJ Posts: 87 Member
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    bump
  • reddcat
    reddcat Posts: 314 Member
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    bump
  • morningbell
    morningbell Posts: 33 Member
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    gonna use this thanks!
  • Mama93
    Mama93 Posts: 2
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    It is hard to get myself to be ok with this change. I am currently set on eating 1200 calories per day without exercise. And some days I don't even hit that. I do feel very hungry, but it's hard to see where eating more will help lose more. But as I am stuck and not losing much anymore, I think I will give it a shot. I just can't believe using this method will double my carloric intake daily.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Why not? Because I only have a few pounds to go. Do you realize how small that calorie deficit would be? It would take years to lose the last 5 pounds.

    Well, it is noted that when you get closer to goal weight, the amount to lose each week should be smaller, which this method automatically does.

    Now, if your BMR is healthy, it may just be honestly less than calculated BMR, and that's what you discover as you get closer to goal weight.

    You'll be eating your goal calories, your activity level is very honest for exercise and such, and you stop losing 5lbs from goal.
    Well, you just discovered that fully operating BMR got you to this point, so BMR must be lower than calculated. No problem, drop goal calories about 100.

    But if you operated the opposite direction, feeding under your BMR from the start, you'll just cause it to slow down to match what you are giving it.

    So this method also takes care of the potential that your actual healthy BMR is really higher than the calculated, which it could be.
    In which case you'll get to goal weight and keep losing when you don't want to. Time to increase the goal calories about 100 perhaps.
  • aweightymatter
    aweightymatter Posts: 222
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    This is interesting -- OP, thank you for a well thought-out and informative post.

    I used the calculator link you provided and I entered my goal weight (not too far off from my current weight), about 8 hours for resting, and then the rest (16) as "light," because I work a sedentary job and wanted to see the estimates without considering exercise. (I don't really know what my exercise level is going to be, because I haven't decided if I am going to train for another long-distance race, etc.)

    The maintenance level it gave me for this lower weight -- about 10 lbs below my current -- is higher (1944) than what MFP is giving me right now for its maintenance settings at my current weight (1820ish). (My comparison, that site gives me a current maintenance level of 2001 for my weight.)

    Based on personal experience, I think MFP's calculations are accurate right now for maintaining if I were to just have a normal day sitting on my butt typing, not counting all the exercise calories I usually burn (which I usually eat back to a point, because I'm not aiming for super-fast loss any more).

    To what would you attribute that difference? Do you think MFP's calculator is just inaccurate?
  • jbachhuber
    jbachhuber Posts: 22 Member
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    Just to be contrary....

    I've been following the MFP guided process and eating back my workout calories and hitting my goals (give or take a pound or 2 over the last 3 months. I don't see a great reason to do something else and wouldn't want to lose the progress tracker as it's one of the most motivating pieces for me. Also, when starting the journey, your body needs more calories to maintain the current weight so using the end weight could result in losing "too fast" for it to be sustainable.
    My suggestion, stick with the system, being brutally honest about what you are eating and how much exercise you are getting.

    http://badges.myfitnesspal.com/badges/show/1270/1711/12701711.weight-lost-sm.gif
  • MaximalLife
    MaximalLife Posts: 2,447 Member
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    I come up with close numbers to my MFP daily totals: right around 3500 calories per day.
    I eat 3200 usually.

    I changed my settings to reflect a consistent daily number while still using the MFP format, but the results are the same.

    Thanks! :drinker:

    It's nice to at least see I am on track using a totally different method.
    I will stick with MFP as I like the format, but again, your method confirmed some things.
  • tmcowan
    tmcowan Posts: 322 Member
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    Bump
  • JGT2004
    JGT2004 Posts: 231 Member
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    bump to come back to
  • Addicted2Fitness
    Addicted2Fitness Posts: 90
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    I am going to try this and hopefully your right. I have been sitting at a plateau for 2 months! I'm eager to see...

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