MFP....What should my calorie intake be??

dcollins1014
dcollins1014 Posts: 23
edited November 12 in Health and Weight Loss
I know that MFP has me at 1360 calories..but is that what I really should be eating?? I keep reading about eat more to lose more.......and if I am correct when they say eat more, of course that means the calories are the healthier choices. I am just confused.

Replies

  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,423 Member
    If you want to stick with a moderate calorie deficit - then go back to your goals and calculate them with a 1/2 pound per week weight loss.
    Then add in your exercise and eat these calories.
  • FungusTrooper
    FungusTrooper Posts: 227 Member
    Just try it either way. Everyone's body is different, some people need to eat more to lose, some people lose less if they eat more, some people have to eat their exercise cals, some people shouldn't.

    Try doing it by MFP for a month or two and seeing what results you get. You can't rush this.
  • rileamoyer
    rileamoyer Posts: 2,412 Member
    Just try it either way. Everyone's body is different, some people need to eat more to lose, some people lose less if they eat more, some people have to eat their exercise cals, some people shouldn't.

    Try doing it by MFP for a month or two and seeing what results you get. You can't rush this.

    Good Advice
  • mamagooskie
    mamagooskie Posts: 2,964 Member
    You will have to experiment, I've eaten everything from 1300- 2300 calories for lengthy periods of time and always lost weight.

    The eat more to lose more works really well, when you have been working out, eating right for awhile, maybe you've hit a rut or plateau.
  • CaseRat
    CaseRat Posts: 377 Member
    Everyone's body is different, some people need to eat more to lose, some people lose less if they eat more, some people have to eat their exercise cals, some people shouldn't.

    Everybody ISN'T different. We're all human.

    1360 sounds like the amount that you'll want to 'net' at a minimum. Which means if you eat 1360 then exercise off 500 cals, you need to eat those 500 back. What are your weight loss goals set at? 1lb a week?
  • FungusTrooper
    FungusTrooper Posts: 227 Member
    Everybody ISN'T different. We're all human.
    Nice, man. Good job.

    Although we are all built on the same basic mechanics, metabolisms/builds vary GREATLY, and to deny that is folly.
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
    Everyone's body is different, some people need to eat more to lose, some people lose less if they eat more, some people have to eat their exercise cals, some people shouldn't.

    Everybody ISN'T different. We're all human.

    1360 sounds like the amount that you'll want to 'net' at a minimum. Which means if you eat 1360 then exercise off 500 cals, you need to eat those 500 back. What are your weight loss goals set at? 1lb a week?

    Yes, we're all human. But, if you have two people who are the same height and the same weight - one works a desk job and one works on their feet - constantly moving. Do you honestly think they'll have the same calorie requirements?

    Likely not.


    What works for one person, doesn't always work for another and to say "We're not different because we are all human" is plain ridiculous. If weight loss was as easy as saying "Everyone eat 1500 calories a day, workout 45 mins a day - doing this or that" NO ONE would be overweight, now would they? The key is figuring out what YOUR body wants you to do.
  • KareninCanada
    KareninCanada Posts: 962 Member
    Being an RN, does that imply that you spend a lot of time on your feet through the day? If so, make sure you've allowed for that in your profile and haven't called yourself sedentary!

    1360 would be a good "net" calories, meaning you would eat that amount plus whatever MFP allows you for the exercise you log. The idea is that there is already a deficit figured out that will let you lose weight assuming you don't exercise at all, so you increase your calories on the days that you DO exercise in order to keep that deficit consistent. Although personally, I would set my net calories a little higher than that to start out, like 1450-1500, and fiddle with the numbers as time goes on.
  • CaseRat
    CaseRat Posts: 377 Member
    Everyone's body is different, some people need to eat more to lose, some people lose less if they eat more, some people have to eat their exercise cals, some people shouldn't.

    Everybody ISN'T different. We're all human.

    1360 sounds like the amount that you'll want to 'net' at a minimum. Which means if you eat 1360 then exercise off 500 cals, you need to eat those 500 back. What are your weight loss goals set at? 1lb a week?

    Yes, we're all human. But, if you have two people who are the same height and the same weight - one works a desk job and one works on their feet - constantly moving. Do you honestly think they'll have the same calorie requirements?

    Likely not.


    What works for one person, doesn't always work for another and to say "We're not different because we are all human" is plain ridiculous. If weight loss was as easy as saying "Everyone eat 1500 calories a day, workout 45 mins a day - doing this or that" NO ONE would be overweight, now would they? The key is figuring out what YOUR body wants you to do.

    I'm not here to argue. You both state valid points. Of course they aren't going to have the same caloric requirements.
    All I'm saying is, a large majority of the population won't reach their goal if they eat 1,350 calories and exercise the rest off, without eating them back. They are most likely going to lose weight the wrong way, and plateau.

    Edit: Especially considering she's an RN. I can only assume that she would spent a lot of the day walking around, hence needs more calories anyway.
  • dcollins1014
    dcollins1014 Posts: 23
    Thank you all for you advice. I work M-F 8 hours a day..and I practically on my feet prolly 7 hours of the 8...I work in a procedure dept, and so I don't have the sitting down and charting at a computer every hour or so....and my weight loss is set at losing 2lbs a week. I have tried my best to eat my calories or close to them. And i Have yet to eat my exercise calories back.
  • CaseRat
    CaseRat Posts: 377 Member
    I'd recommend reading this:
    http://fitnesswithnatalie.blogspot.com.au/2011/05/most-dreaded-word-in-weight-loss.html

    Contains some good points as to why your weight loss might be stalling.
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
    Everyone's body is different, some people need to eat more to lose, some people lose less if they eat more, some people have to eat their exercise cals, some people shouldn't.

    Everybody ISN'T different. We're all human.

    1360 sounds like the amount that you'll want to 'net' at a minimum. Which means if you eat 1360 then exercise off 500 cals, you need to eat those 500 back. What are your weight loss goals set at? 1lb a week?

    Yes, we're all human. But, if you have two people who are the same height and the same weight - one works a desk job and one works on their feet - constantly moving. Do you honestly think they'll have the same calorie requirements?

    Likely not.


    What works for one person, doesn't always work for another and to say "We're not different because we are all human" is plain ridiculous. If weight loss was as easy as saying "Everyone eat 1500 calories a day, workout 45 mins a day - doing this or that" NO ONE would be overweight, now would they? The key is figuring out what YOUR body wants you to do.

    I'm not here to argue. You both state valid points. Of course they aren't going to have the same caloric requirements.
    All I'm saying is, a large majority of the population won't reach their goal if they eat 1,350 calories and exercise the rest off, without eating them back. They are most likely going to lose weight the wrong way, and plateau.

    Edit: Especially considering she's an RN. I can only assume that she would spent a lot of the day walking around, hence needs more calories anyway.

    And I agree with you. She's likely not eating enough. But, your original post came across as "We're all the same, so everything works the same for everyone" when in reality? It does not. Just because MFP says you should eat 1350 calories a day doesn't mean it is totally correct. It is a computer program and there is definitely a margin of error. Heck, it wants me to lose at 1700ish and maintain at 1900ish. I know from my own experience that both of these numbers are far too low.


    I think our point was - YES, we are ALL human. YES, we have the same basic mechanics, but there are sooo many different variables to weight loss that you can't say "We aren't different! We are all humans!" and expect no one to call you out on it. :)
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