How many calories?

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kittenmcgowan
kittenmcgowan Posts: 83 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all!
I need advice. I've been on MFP for about 6-7 weeks now going to about 1200 cal net. I'm feeling really good about it, it's a sustainable amount of food to eat and still allows for treats, meals out etc. So what's the problem? WELL.

I've just started a challenge at my gym and the nutrition program they have put me on says to eat 1900-2100 cal per day. What the heck is that about? I don't think, assuming I continued eating whole food, rather than processed rubbish, that I could physically fit that many calories IN during the day.

Can anyone explain/shed any light??? I'm so confused!

Replies

  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
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    It's hard to know how many calories would be a good goal for you without knowing your age, height, weight and activity level. It's also likely that the people at the gym are working in a slightly different way than the way MFP is set up - that is, they have included your exercise in the calorie goal they have suggested and they're not suggesting you log and eat back exercise calories. That's bound to lead to a higher goal.

    I will say though, that there are a lot of foods you can eat that are high in calories but aren't processed "rubbish". Try things that are high in fat like nuts, nut butters, avocados, olives, olive oil, full fat dairy options etc.
  • kittenmcgowan
    kittenmcgowan Posts: 83 Member
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    Thank you for that. I am still confused about things... on further investigation it looks like they plan on me burning something like 700-800cal through exercise per day. I'm not saying that's impossible, but I DO know that at this precise stage in my fitness plan, I'm routinely burning 500-600 and that leaves me exhausted and sore.
  • ladyraven68
    ladyraven68 Posts: 2,003 Member
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    Thank you for that. I am still confused about things... on further investigation it looks like they plan on me burning something like 700-800cal through exercise per day. I'm not saying that's impossible, but I DO know that at this precise stage in my fitness plan, I'm routinely burning 500-600 and that leaves me exhausted and sore.

    Adding the 500-600 to your 1200 base gives you 1700-1800, so 1900 is not a lot more.

    Just a handful of nuts, or a spoonfull of peanut butter.
  • rose313
    rose313 Posts: 1,146 Member
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    Same thing, just do 1300 ish net, which is 1900 ish intake.
  • RunHardBeStrong
    RunHardBeStrong Posts: 33,069 Member
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    Thank you for that. I am still confused about things... on further investigation it looks like they plan on me burning something like 700-800cal through exercise per day. I'm not saying that's impossible, but I DO know that at this precise stage in my fitness plan, I'm routinely burning 500-600 and that leaves me exhausted and sore.

    Adding the 500-600 to your 1200 base gives you 1700-1800, so 1900 is not a lot more.

    Just a handful of nuts, or a spoonfull of peanut butter.

    Agreed. My gross intake is 1800-1900 making my net 1200ish. 106 lbs. lost thus far. You'll find your endurance builds up quickly and you'll be burning what they expect in no time! Good luck!
  • JoleneCooper
    JoleneCooper Posts: 74 Member
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    Research your BMR and TDEE. That will give you the best results. I promise.
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
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    Calculate your BMR - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basal_metabolic_rate

    Calculate your TDEE based on Harris b principle - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harris-Benedict_equation (BMR*(1.2 to 1.9))

    What your gym is doing - if you're there every day for a hour of intense workouts times your bmr by 1.9...they definately have you eating less then that. You're on a deficit.

    1200 calories - the number that made me weak, sick, my hair start falling out, made all my long nails crack off...the number that I keep seeing a million "I use to do this but now I eat more feel better and weigh less" threads.

    Don't think that an amount of food that's more then you were eating must be to much and consist of bad food. That's ridiculous (and I'm sure it might offend others who do eat healthy food). You can totally eat real foods still. 1900 calories of food (less then the recommended intake is for a women according to the RDI) is not a lot. You just have to get use to it. I went from 1200 here to about 2200 and I'm 30 lbs lighter. Don't worry about it.

    And don't worry if you gain a little weight at first. It's water weight, likely glycogen which is good because it's energy, and the weight will go away if you stick to a deficit.
  • keeponkickin
    keeponkickin Posts: 1,520 Member
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    I'm assuming when you say you are eating NET calories that you are eating back exercise calories on MFP. I am thinking the program they have you on already includes your exercise calories and you aren't to add that on top of what you already do.
  • lbetancourt
    lbetancourt Posts: 522 Member
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    i too am very confused. i have hit a plateau, i have been gaining & losing 3lbs for weeks now. i found this site. i will try this calorie model. good luck to you! and, i know, i didn't like the website url either but whatever.

    http://www.superskinnyme.com/calorie-calculator.html
  • ladyraven68
    ladyraven68 Posts: 2,003 Member
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    i too am very confused. i have hit a plateau, i have been gaining & losing 3lbs for weeks now. i found this site. i will try this calorie model. good luck to you! and, i know, i didn't like the website url either but whatever.

    http://www.superskinnyme.com/calorie-calculator.html

    That gave me 1582 - I'm currently set at 1580 :)
  • kittenmcgowan
    kittenmcgowan Posts: 83 Member
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    Thank you everyone for some great advice. I'm doing my best to raise my calorie burn above the 600/day mark now, which guarantees a minimum 1800 calories. Still less than I'm being told to eat, but better than no change at all.

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