How many calories should I eat game....

DeniseB0711
DeniseB0711 Posts: 294 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
For fun I want to know how many calories I should eat.

I am 174lbs as of this morning. I am 5'2", 28 year old Female who aims to workout at least 45 minutes EVERY DAY.

Harris benedict Equation
BMR 1572 calories


I work out at least 5 days a week pretty heavy, and two days a week are Yoga or Stretching.
BMR X 1.55 = 2437

2lbs pound of body weight are ~ 7500 calories...and I need a daily deficit of ~ 1071

That's approximately a net of 1366 calories.

Any questions or comments.

Replies

  • bashmir
    bashmir Posts: 43
    so many people say different things I would just fallow my BMR and not eat my workout calories. Well that is what I do.
  • Awkward30
    Awkward30 Posts: 1,927 Member
    If you are doing it based off of tdee, calories aren't net, they are total. If you add back calories after exercise you will be eating the calories twice. Some will tell you that a person should never eat below their bmr, but I've read up and there isn't research to back that up. There is, however, a strong body of research that suggests too much of a calorie deficit will cause more lean mass loss (lean mass is what makes you look sexy when you peel off the fat and metabolically active, so this is bad). So if I were you, I'd only do one pound a week.

    Actually, that's not entirely true, I damn near was you when I started and I lost a decent amount of weight doing something similar... But like 1/4 of it was muscle :(

    ETA: started MFP at 174 lb. 25 y/o and 5'3.5" you can add me if you want a "been there done that" friend lol

    ETA2: I'd be at my goal bodyfat% at my weight if I hadn't lost so damn much muscle. I think in my case it was worst when I was training for a half marathon and not really resistance training. Also, you should only do this plan for like 2 months before you raise calories a bit, or at least not lower your calories in accordance with your new lower bmr. Smaller people should def not do a 2 lb/week
  • gp79
    gp79 Posts: 1,799 Member
    I can throw a number out there but it really won't mean anything, since, as you know they're all estimates. If you don't want to eat your exercise calories back, do a calculation based off of the sedentary rate, and eat that amount.

    Too big of a deficit, will cause a retarded rate of recovery, and since you are giving yourself zero recovery during the week, you're going down the wrong path, especially if eating only 1300'ish calories.

    I suggest, at a minimum 1 day of full rest and 1650 calories per day, even on your rest day. This way, your deficit is derived primarily from your exercise. 45 minutes daily ought to give you a 350 calorie burn plus an extra 150 calorie deficit through your diet, for a 1lb per week loss. 2 lbs seems like alot to go for and the chances of burning and failing to adhere to your diet are higher. Don't forget to consider resistance training while you're dieting down to preserve as much lean body mass as you can. Your lean body mass it the number 1 contributor to your BMR. The more you have, the more calories your body will need to function on a daily basis...regardless of what a calculator says. Keep that protein intake in check as well and think marathon, not sprint.
  • DeniseB0711
    DeniseB0711 Posts: 294 Member
    Ooops. I forgot to add I do intend to eat my calories back after exercise. I have tried the "Don't eat your calories back method" and ended up VERY hungry, tired, and weak.

    Generally I burn between 300 and 600 calories per work out depending on the intensity and the work out. Yoga and stretching not nearly as much as intense cardio.

    My estimations have me eating rought 1850 calories per day that I work out.

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