**READ THIS** Figuring out your calorie goals

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Replies

  • BrionyTallis
    BrionyTallis Posts: 90 Member
    henrybob123 - because MFP does not include exercise calories in its calculations. It makes you eat back the calories when you do the exercise.

    f2f - lets you spread out the exercise calories over the week evenly. mfp lets you eat the calories only when you exercise

    Sorry you were addressing BMR not allowed calories. Different formulas.
  • henrybob123
    henrybob123 Posts: 2 Member
    Yeah I was talking about BMR.

    My TDEE is around 2900. If that is the case then the MFP target of 1790 is way too low.

    What's with all the 'bump's
  • mrsdizzyd84
    mrsdizzyd84 Posts: 422 Member
    Ok, the charts on fat2fit are confusing the hell out of me.

    My Katch-McArdle BMR is 1568.

    I'm Moderately Active, so my TDEE would be 1568 * 1.55 = 2430. Right? And, in theory, if I eat 2430 calories a day I will maintain my weight. Correct?

    OK, if this is the case, why is Fat2Fit telling me to eat 2427 calories if I am moderately active. There is no deficit here, so how I'm I supposed to lose weight like this?

    Clearly, I'm missing something here. I was under the impression that in order to lose weight I need a deficit.
  • kellicruz1978
    kellicruz1978 Posts: 170 Member
    bump
  • hollyrlambert
    hollyrlambert Posts: 69 Member
    bump
  • purple_jelly_bean
    purple_jelly_bean Posts: 31 Member
    My BMR is 1759
    My TDEE is 2726

    Why are they so different..?
    These numbers confuse me I put in my info and got.those numbers so which calories should I be eating..?
  • cnme
    cnme Posts: 1
    bump!
  • chrissilini
    chrissilini Posts: 77 Member
    bump
  • BUMP!!!!
  • em9371
    em9371 Posts: 1,047 Member
    Ok so I input all my numbers and this is what I got...

    Harris-Benedict Formula- BMR is 1975
    Katch-McArdle BMR is 1362

    Height: 5'7
    My CW: 258
    My GW: 165
    BF%: Roughly 61%(yikes I know.)

    I workout 5-6 days a week for 30-45 minutes a day. So I chose moderately active which according to that website I should be eating 3108 calories. MFP has me eating roughly 1800 calories to lose 2 lbs a week. I figured since I have more than 75 lbs to lose 2 lbs is safe for now. 3000 calories seems like an awful lot. So which number do I go with? MFP or the calculations I got from the fat 2 fit website? Thanks for any help you can give me!

    The mfp number is net so once you add back your exercise cals the 1800 will be higher, I guess at least 2100 depending on your workouts.

    Your 2 bmr calcs seem very different, how did you measure your bf?
    I take it the 3108 is from the Harris bendict?
    Assuming your body fat is correct, you should work from the katch mcardle which would give you 1362 x 1.5 for mod active = 2043, which is around the same as what mfp gives you when exercise is added in.
    To get your tdee, which you would eat to maintain, add 20% to 2043.

    Hope this helps x
  • em9371
    em9371 Posts: 1,047 Member
    Ok, the charts on fat2fit are confusing the hell out of me.

    My Katch-McArdle BMR is 1568.

    I'm Moderately Active, so my TDEE would be 1568 * 1.55 = 2430. Right? And, in theory, if I eat 2430 calories a day I will maintain my weight. Correct?

    OK, if this is the case, why is Fat2Fit telling me to eat 2427 calories if I am moderately active. There is no deficit here, so how I'm I supposed to lose weight like this?

    Clearly, I'm missing something here. I was under the impression that in order to lose weight I need a deficit.

    Fat2fit uses 1.4 for mod active, the chart already has a 20% deficit.

    My numbers are pretty similar to yours, bmr 1574, mod active number from chart 2207, tdee 2645.
    Using the 500 cals per pound deficit, I eat around 1950 and lose 1.5 most weeks.
    Am down 40lbs and 10% bf in 6 months :-)
  • em9371
    em9371 Posts: 1,047 Member
    My BMR is 1759
    My TDEE is 2726

    Why are they so different..?
    These numbers confuse me I put in my info and got.those numbers so which calories should I be eating..?

    Bmr is what your body needs to keep you alive.
    Tdee is total cals burned from everything you do including exercise.
    If you work out there should be a big difference. You should eat somewhere between, ideally the number the chart gave you.

    Eta: if the 2726 is the number from the chart, you need to eat this and add 20% to get your tdee.
  • Reni421
    Reni421 Posts: 35 Member
    bump
  • Reni421
    Reni421 Posts: 35 Member
    Just checking:
    BMR 1313
    Dail Cal (from Chart on fattofitradio) 1961
    TDEE (from TDEE Calculator) 2321

    I should aim for 1961, don't go under 1313 and don't go over 2321

    Is this correct?
  • kjenner929
    kjenner929 Posts: 14 Member
    Bump
  • kbd388
    kbd388 Posts: 125 Member
    Can anyone help me? I'm really struggling with figuring out my calorie goals.

    TDEE number is 47.7%
    BMR is 1727
    KAF is 1470

    I walk 45-60 minutes every day at around 3.5 mph and my pedometer tracks calories burned. On average, it is 350.

    My goal is to lose 2 pounds per week. I've lost 19 so far, and am now stuck on the same 19 pounds.

    I would really love to know what the amount of calories I should be eating is. I'm working off of 1600 net right now.

    By the way, I know it isn't all about weight but it sure would be nice to see the scale move! I have lost 10" in my waist which I think has a lot to do with the walking :)

    Thanks!
  • mrsdizzyd84
    mrsdizzyd84 Posts: 422 Member
    Ok, the charts on fat2fit are confusing the hell out of me.

    My Katch-McArdle BMR is 1568.

    I'm Moderately Active, so my TDEE would be 1568 * 1.55 = 2430. Right? And, in theory, if I eat 2430 calories a day I will maintain my weight. Correct?

    OK, if this is the case, why is Fat2Fit telling me to eat 2427 calories if I am moderately active. There is no deficit here, so how I'm I supposed to lose weight like this?

    Clearly, I'm missing something here. I was under the impression that in order to lose weight I need a deficit.

    Fat2fit uses 1.4 for mod active, the chart already has a 20% deficit.

    My numbers are pretty similar to yours, bmr 1574, mod active number from chart 2207, tdee 2645.
    Using the 500 cals per pound deficit, I eat around 1950 and lose 1.5 most weeks.
    Am down 40lbs and 10% bf in 6 months :-)

    1.4 of what? 20% from what number? I'm not seeing a 20% deficit in that table.

    Maybe if someone could lay out the math for me I'd understand. All I can see is that F2F is telling me to eat 3 calories less than my maintenance calories for someone who is moderately active. 3 calories does not a weight loss deficit make. I am so confused.

    I entered the following:

    70 inches tall
    27 y/o
    CW: 173
    GW: 163
    BF: 29.6 %
  • mb236707
    mb236707 Posts: 13 Member
    bump for later : )
  • alesnie
    alesnie Posts: 90 Member
    bump!
  • jfig600
    jfig600 Posts: 37 Member
    Bump
  • Verity1111
    Verity1111 Posts: 3,309 Member
    Ironically MFP set my goal at my exact BMR according to that site lol 1440
  • shander7
    shander7 Posts: 613 Member
    bump
  • jenny95662
    jenny95662 Posts: 997 Member
    bump
  • thedudetteusa
    thedudetteusa Posts: 15 Member
    bump
  • amymarie8709
    amymarie8709 Posts: 329 Member
    bump
  • Tenar13
    Tenar13 Posts: 49 Member
    Bump
  • wonderkitten711
    wonderkitten711 Posts: 109 Member
    Ok, the charts on fat2fit are confusing the hell out of me.

    My Katch-McArdle BMR is 1568.

    I'm Moderately Active, so my TDEE would be 1568 * 1.55 = 2430. Right? And, in theory, if I eat 2430 calories a day I will maintain my weight. Correct?

    OK, if this is the case, why is Fat2Fit telling me to eat 2427 calories if I am moderately active. There is no deficit here, so how I'm I supposed to lose weight like this?

    Clearly, I'm missing something here. I was under the impression that in order to lose weight I need a deficit.

    Fat2fit uses 1.4 for mod active, the chart already has a 20% deficit.

    My numbers are pretty similar to yours, bmr 1574, mod active number from chart 2207, tdee 2645.
    Using the 500 cals per pound deficit, I eat around 1950 and lose 1.5 most weeks.
    Am down 40lbs and 10% bf in 6 months :-)

    1.4 of what? 20% from what number? I'm not seeing a 20% deficit in that table.

    Maybe if someone could lay out the math for me I'd understand. All I can see is that F2F is telling me to eat 3 calories less than my maintenance calories for someone who is moderately active. 3 calories does not a weight loss deficit make. I am so confused.

    I entered the following:

    70 inches tall
    27 y/o
    CW: 173
    GW: 163
    BF: 29.6 %

    While Fat2Fit will calculate the Katch-McArdle BMR, as far as I can tell, the chart that is generated is always based on the Harris-Benedict formula. This is the only way that I can get a warning for eating "under" my BMR when I put in my ultimate goal weight, because none of the numbers on the table are lower than my Katch-McArdle BMR. I'm still trying to figure out which BMR is more accurate for me >.<
  • hnsiler
    hnsiler Posts: 25 Member
    Bump..thanks!
  • cafred
    cafred Posts: 27 Member

    BMR is min so always eat above 1293
    TDEE is max, usually what you would eat to maintain so eat less than 2316
    The number in the chart is your TDEE - 20% so you should ideally eat 1930
    Im confused where you got the 437/200 from. dont eat back exercise unless your workouts take you below BMR so you can burn 637 without eating back (1930-1293)

    If you are currently eating much less than this, put your calories up gradually maybe 100 a week if you dont want to see a gain, or just go the whole amount at once, dont worry about the gain and stick with it for a few weeks.

    To change your macros, go to home>goals>custom goals.

    hope this helps x

    Thanks for your help. I got the 437 because the original post by helloitsdan stated it's best to stay at least 200 calories over your BMR. Eating 1930 calories and burning 437 calories would put me at 200 calories over my BMR (1493). So, let's say I burnt 537 calories, I would need to eat back 100 of those calories to stay 200 calories over BMR. Does that make sense?

    Figured out the macro thing too......super thanks.

    Again, thanks for the help!!!
  • cafred
    cafred Posts: 27 Member
    Fixed my last post to say BMR not BMI...sorry