**READ THIS** Figuring out your calorie goals

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  • DesignGuy
    DesignGuy Posts: 457 Member
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    Some great info (albeit confusing).

    I put in:

    39 years old
    278 lbs
    39% BF
    goal weight of 245 since it doesn't like me entering a weight too far off.


    Katch says my BMR is 2039.

    The chart says 2659 for Sedentary (I'm a graphic designer who sits at desk all day).

    Forgetting exercise for the moment, does this mean I should be eating at least 2039 and not more than 2659? So, if I want a 1k deficit daily, I'd need to eat say 2039 and workout for about 400 cals.
  • rotnkat
    rotnkat Posts: 393 Member
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    Your BMR of 2039 is what you need to survive if you were basically in a coma and did nothing else. The chart already has your activity level built into it for your goal weight.

    So if you're sedentary I would eat the 2659 and if you start exercising I would go to the next level. And re-check the calculations again say after about a 10 lbs loss.

    HTH
  • DesignGuy
    DesignGuy Posts: 457 Member
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    Thanks. I'm working out 2 hours a day (1600-1700 cals). Not sure how I can eat like 4k cals. LOL

    Might scale it back to an hour and try this out.

    I'd rather not lose the muscle I have. :)
  • Gemp2307
    Gemp2307 Posts: 22 Member
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    Ok, some very good info here, but, im also a little confused. Fat2fit and mfp both give me my bmr in and around the 1400 mark, which is fine, but f2f tells me i should eat 1900 cals, while mfp set my goal at 1200! I frequently go over the 1200 mark but i exercise regularly to make up for it, also my scales havent budged since the first two weeks i joined when i lost my first five pounds. Is it possible that I am eating too few cals? i still have ten pounds to go to get to my ideal weight but im worried that I may be going into starvation mode. I never go hungry so I think Im eating enough, even though i eat few cals. WTF? I really dunno what to do!

    mfp goals are NET and expect you to eat back exercise cals so you should eat more than 1200.
    fat 2 fit already includes exercise - i take it if your BMR is 1400 and it gave you 1900 you are at least moderately active?

    yeah thats right. I still am not sure what I should eat. I dont think I can eat 1900 cals every day! I think maybe if I just aim to not go too high over my bmr I should be ok?
  • em9371
    em9371 Posts: 1,047 Member
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    Thanks. I'm working out 2 hours a day (1600-1700 cals). Not sure how I can eat like 4k cals. LOL

    Might scale it back to an hour and try this out.

    I'd rather not lose the muscle I have. :)

    Rotnkat is right, 2659 is what you should eat assuming you are sedentary.

    However, If you are exercising that much you are at least mod active even with the desk job. Go for the mod active number, you can lower a bit more if needed as long as you don't net below bmr.

    An hour is plenty, unless you are training for a marathon or something there's no need for so much exercise, and make sure you get 1 or 2 rest days a week!
  • Gwoman2012
    Gwoman2012 Posts: 163 Member
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    The part that I am confused about is that with all of the calculations/formulas on the other website why do you need to know your TDEE? Why can't you just use the chart # and leave it at that?
  • em9371
    em9371 Posts: 1,047 Member
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    It's useful to know your tdee as that is the maximum you can eat without gaining.
    Also if you want to deficits more specific deficit you can take 500 cals per lb from tdee.
  • StarletteS
    StarletteS Posts: 28 Member
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    I'm confused as well...

    Female
    31 years old
    65 inches tall
    161 pounds

    BMR: 1371
    Military BF: 36.8%

    Based on the chart it says I should eat 1656.

    So I should eat 1656 calories? Right now I am sedentary but am going to start working out. Once I start working I will use the more active numbers for calories, correct?
  • morkiemama
    morkiemama Posts: 894 Member
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    Bump for sorting out later
  • ohtobe2
    ohtobe2 Posts: 43
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    bump to read later.
  • sezhep
    sezhep Posts: 57
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    So apparently I'm obese as my Military Body Fat Percentage comes out as 31.3%.
    Okay so I know I aint thin or anything but I am FAR off being obese :S
    Also how come it goes from acceptable to obese.. that's a bit extreme.
  • em9371
    em9371 Posts: 1,047 Member
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    I'm confused as well...

    Female
    31 years old
    65 inches tall
    161 pounds

    BMR: 1371
    Military BF: 36.8%

    Based on the chart it says I should eat 1656.

    So I should eat 1656 calories? Right now I am sedentary but am going to start working out. Once I start working I will use the more active numbers for calories, correct?

    Yes, 1656 is right while you're not exercising, then increase to a higher level when you add exercise.
  • mrs_teiger
    mrs_teiger Posts: 7
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    bump
  • em9371
    em9371 Posts: 1,047 Member
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    So apparently I'm obese as my Military Body Fat Percentage comes out as 31.3%.
    Okay so I know I aint thin or anything but I am FAR off being obese :S
    Also how come it goes from acceptable to obese.. that's a bit extreme.

    If you do a lot of cardio and no heavy weight training you can have a high body fat percentage in relation to your size,, which is why it will class you as obese even if you are quite small!!

    Don't worry too much about the labels just carry on what you are doing and the % will go down. Apparently a lot of athletes are classes as obese on bmi charts which is ridiculous, but the increased muscle makes them heavier!!
  • snc0225
    snc0225 Posts: 17 Member
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    Bump to read later!! Great info
  • whoreheyR1
    whoreheyR1 Posts: 135 Member
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    good stuff... bump
  • Gwoman2012
    Gwoman2012 Posts: 163 Member
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    It's useful to know your tdee as that is the maximum you can eat without gaining.
    Also if you want to deficits more specific deficit you can take 500 cals per lb from tdee.

    Makes sense...thank you!
  • MoreThanMommie
    MoreThanMommie Posts: 597 Member
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    Bump. Very helpful. Thanks!
  • astroub
    astroub Posts: 289 Member
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    Great info!

    Thanks!
  • Imawonder
    Imawonder Posts: 65
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    WOW...great information! Thank you for sharing!!

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