The answer to "How Many Calories Should I Eat?"

[Big H]

I'm just thinking (sorry if this has been discussed) the figure MFP gives you is 'Net' as we know, so you eat back your exercised calories, but becuase it is 'NET' it also doesn't take into consideration, just normal calorie burning from existing, breathing, walking etc. Presumably those calories need to be eaten back as well. although how would you caluclate how many?

This theory would makse sense, because the Harris-Benedict equation gives a different result to MFP, which I guess is this basic calorie usage I mention? Or am I talking poo?

 

[Fattack]

Themango - some of us can't lose more than 1lb a week. If your daily maintenance weight is more than 1700, then you can't safely lose more than 1lb a week (by math). This doesn't take in metabolic consideration, and the fact that we can't effectively account for every single calorie (especially if you exercise - and even more so if you do strength training). I technically should lose 0.9lbs a week max, on 1200 net, but I lose more almost every week.

Big H - You should try to eat as many of your exercise calories back as possible, in order to stop your body going into "starvation mode" and your metabolism slowing in the long run. Harris Benedict gives a different result because it accounts for your exercise in the equation (as can MFP if you choose to set it as such in your lifestyle option, and then not input your exercise separately).

 

[kelz89]

Thanks, very informative x

 

[Big H]

Themango - some of us can't lose more than 1lb a week. If your daily maintenance weight is more than 1700, then you can't safely lose more than 1lb a week (by math). This doesn't take in metabolic consideration, and the fact that we can't effectively account for every single calorie (especially if you exercise - and even more so if you do strength training). I technically should lose 0.9lbs a week max, on 1200 net, but I lose more almost every week.

Big H - You should try to eat as many of your exercise calories back as possible, in order to stop your body going into "starvation mode" and your metabolism slowing in the long run. Harris Benedict gives a different result because it accounts for your exercise in the equation (as can MFP if you choose to set it as such in your lifestyle option, and then not input your exercise separately).

Thatnks Fattack - I know all of that though
What I am saying is MFP gives a Net figure and you need to eat exercise calories back, but that's just exercise calories, not just living breathing etc calories which also need to be eating back, but are not taking into consideration. E.G Mfp gives me 1470 Net, so if I do 500 calories of exercise, I can in theory eat 1970 calories. But I will also burn calories just by existing and I need to eat those back as well as the exercise calories.

 

[themango]

Thanks fattack. I also see you have in your sig your fat%, my scales weigh this (they have those electro thing things on the bottom - if you get my drift?) and I've checked mine out and I really don't see how I'm going to improve it! Ah, sorry this weight loss thing is probably one of the most stressfull things in my life (more than my upcoming exams) and I know it shouldn't be but it is at the moment, I'm scared of doing it wrong and putting more weight on.

 

[spottydoris]

Briliantly useful post... I knew about the BMR rule, but got confused about what to do on exercise days, or otherwise... should I eat more - the same - less etc... yada yada. So THANK YOU.

One question however... is there a reason why you would say only create a 500 calorie deficit if your BMI is between 28-30? Mine is 28.5, but I am aiming at 2lbs a week so really I want to aim to eat 1000 less than my calculation said (2519, therefore 1519)... there is no reason why that should be detrimental is there?

I have tried eating 1200 a day and 2000 a day - and was putting on weight both ways... so maybe one was too much and one was too little... I don't know, eating so little it seems crazy to me that the weight isn't going down, particularly with my exercising... grrrr. We'll see... I might try limiting to 1500 every day, regardless of exercise and see what happens.

Thanks xx

 

[Fattack]

Big H - Your "existing" calories are accounted by both MFP and Harris Benedict (hence why even sedentary people get 110% of their exercise calories, using the equation), so no, you do not have any extra invisible calories, sorry! If you genuinely want extra calories and to also lose weight, then "Oh but I had an extra vigorous shower!" isn't really going to help - at least on a regular basis and could do your losses harm long term. Although I acknowledge that there are different *levels* of sedentary

themango - I'm also having issues with body fat, I see people dropping massive amounts of body fat for their weight and wonder what their secret is! I guess if you're losing weight slowly, then body fat drops in correlation with it, and we can't expect to see quick results. Also with it being a percentage, bear in mind that even if it stays the same after a 1lb loss, you are still carrying less body fat (if you understand me) than you were the week before because 30% of 140lbs is more than 30% of 139!

spottydoris - the reason those defecits are advised is to maintain a fast metabolism and to stop you losing muscle mass. I see your 2519 includes yourself as active on HB - is this from work, or exercise, or both? What's your job like (seated, standing, walking around constantly?) ? Do try to stick to your 500 deficit, but another way of checking that it's not too much is by doing the following, which is a bit more accurate. Unless you have an active job, I'd maybe try doing your equation with yourself set as sedentary, and see what the 500 defecit gives you then, and then eat your exercise cals ontop of that number. PM me if you need help

 

[Big H]

Hmmm

MFP method:

Normal day = Sedentary
Exercise = 5 x 45 mins per week
Net Calories Consumed* / Day1,520 calories/day
Net calories per day 1520
Calories burned per week = 1910
Divide by 7 days = 282 cals
1520 cals + 282 cals = 1793 cals

Harris Benedict method:

Moderatetely active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.55
Therefore -Cals to maintain = 3390 per day
Cals to lose 2 pounds per week = 2390 per day.

That means there is a difference of 597 cals per day between the 2 methods for me.

 

[Fattack]

The best way to solve this is to use HB setting yourself for your job (sedentary), and then adding exercise cals on top of it - like you would with MFP.

This is because everybody has different interpretations of activity. For example, if you had a pair of identical twins, weighing the same, same height etc. Twin number one exercises 4 times a week, and he burns 300 calories each time on the Wii in an hour for example. Twin number two also exercises 4 times a week, but goes to spinning classes where he burns over 600 calories in the same amount of time. They could both consider themselves in the "active" bracket as they're both exercising 4 times a week, but the second twin would be earning upwards of 1200 extra because of the type of activity he does. This is why I personally advocate not using HB to account for your exercise, but for your job, and then add your exercise cals on.

I'll use myself as an example I exercise pretty much 6-7 times a week, burning on average 700ish calories each time - but I have a sedentary job.

According to MFP, on 1200 cals I lose 0.9lbs a week. To lose 1lb, you need to reduce by 3500 calories a week (500 a day), so to lose my 0.9lbs a week, I'm reducing by roughly 3150 weekly / 450 a day.

My BMR is 1423.8
If I were to set my HB equation using my activity, I'd be in the very active bracket, and consuming 2456 calories to maintain. This means, to lose 0.9 a week, I'd be eating around 2006 calories a day. So I'd be eating an extra 100 calories a day. than my 700 exercise calories on MFP.
If I were to set my HB equation using my job, I'd be on around 1708 to maintain. So to lose, I'd eat around 1258 a day, and then my exercise cals on top would be 1958 - so there is a slight discrepancy of around 50 calories, and the 1958 figure is generally closer to what I would eat on MFP, but still slightly over by 50 calories. If I burnt a little more in my session (sometimes I burn over 700) then the active bracket in HB would apply to me almost perfectly - the only real flaw with HB is that it doesn't account for how many calories you are burning with those sessions. Hope this makes sense

 

[Big H]

The best way to solve this is to use HB setting yourself for your job (sedentary), and then adding exercise cals on top of it - like you would with MFP.

This is because everybody has different interpretations of activity. For example, if you had a pair of identical twins, weighing the same, same height etc. Twin number one exercises 4 times a week, and he burns 300 calories each time on the Wii in an hour for example. Twin number two also exercises 4 times a week, but goes to spinning classes where he burns over 600 calories in the same amount of time. They could both consider themselves in the "active" bracket as they're both exercising 4 times a week, but the second twin would be earning upwards of 1200 extra because of the type of activity he does. This is why I personally advocate not using HB to account for your exercise, but for your job, and then add your exercise cals on.

I'll use myself as an example I exercise pretty much 6-7 times a week, burning on average 700ish calories each time - but I have a sedentary job.

According to MFP, on 1200 cals I lose 0.9lbs a week. To lose 1lb, you need to reduce by 3500 calories a week (500 a day), so to lose my 0.9lbs a week, I'm reducing by roughly 3150 weekly / 450 a day.

My BMR is 1423.8
If I were to set my HB equation using my activity, I'd be in the very active bracket, and consuming 2456 calories to maintain. This means, to lose 0.9 a week, I'd be eating around 2006 calories a day. So I'd be eating an extra 100 calories a day. than my 700 exercise calories on MFP.
If I were to set my HB equation using my job, I'd be on around 1708 to maintain. So to lose, I'd eat around 1258 a day, and then my exercise cals on top would be 1958 - so there is a slight discrepancy of around 50 calories, and the 1958 figure is generally closer to what I would eat on MFP, but still slightly over by 50 calories. If I burnt a little more in my session (sometimes I burn over 700) then the active bracket in HB would apply to me almost perfectly - the only real flaw with HB is that it doesn't account for how many calories you are burning with those sessions. Hope this makes sense

Sounds like a plan. Thanks for that

 

[Fattack]

You're very welcome! it just seems to be the most accurate way - poke me if you need any help with calculations or owt, but you seem to have it down

 

[mrs muskett]

sooo helpful

i found this amazing, no wonder ive not been losing weight, worked mine out to be 1609, therefore to lose 1lb per week, i need to be on 1109 calories per day.xx

 

[chocolate_bananas]

I'm really pleased that i can munch on 1393 cals a day whilst exercising 3-5 times a week and lose 2lbs a week.

I was planning on doing 1200 even with exericse but i'm going to up it and just trust that it will work

 

[fadingfast]

How many calories do I need to eat every day to lose weight?
This is a common question on our lovely forum. So I figured I'd write a thread about it - if it's any use / helps people, maybe it could get stickied. NOTE: if you have health problems that affect your mobility or metabolism, then I advise you seek medical advise rather than following this guide.

The fast answer:
If you don't want to read the long version of the answer - go off to myfitnesspal.com and that site will work it out for you!
Note that MFP.com gives you NET calorie intake per day - you are encouraged to eat whatever calories you burn through exercise BACK if you use that number.

My Slightly-More-In-Depth Guide - the longer answer:

1.Work out your BMI here, if you don't know it. If you've input your weight into your Minimins profile, you probably know your BMI (as it's under your details when you make a post!).

2. Work out your BMR
Your BMR (Basic Metabolic Rate) is basically how many calories your body burns by just existing - by doing basically, nothing. If you lay in bed all day and did not move, this is how many calories your body would burn. If you ate this many calories, and did not move all day, you would maintain your current weight.

3. Remember this figure and use it in the Harris-Benedict Equation. This equation works out how many calories you specifically, according to your activity level, burn every day. The more active you are, the more calories you burn (duh!), and therefore the equation is different for the woman who sits at her desk all day and does no exercise, than for the lady who runs a 5k 6 times a week. The number you get at the end of the Harris Benedict Equation is the number of calories you need to eat daily to maintain your weight, at this lifestyle.

4. But I don't want to maintain! Exactly, this is why we create a calorie deficit. To lose a pound, you need to shave off 3500 calories from somewhere, this equates to 500 calories a day, to lose 1lb in a week. You shouldn't aim to lose more than around 2lbs a week unless you are very overweight - this is because when you lose more than 2lbs a week, you are not just losing fat, but water, and more importantly, the good stuff - muscle.
Muscle is great because it increases your metabolism(the rate at which you burn fat!) and the heart is also a muscle! You don't want to lose it!

Here are the recommended daily deficits, depending on BMI (which we worked out in Step 1, remember!):
Generally someone with a BMI over 32 can do a 1000 calorie a day (2 lbs a week) deficit
With a BMI of 30 to 32 a deficit of 750 calories is generally correct (about 1.5 lbs a week)
With a BMI of 28 to 30 a deficit of 500 calories is about right (about 1 lb a week)
With a BMI of 26 to 28 a deficit of about 300 calories is perfect (about 1/2 lb a week).

So, if you had a BMI of 28, and the Harris Benedict Equation gives you 2000 calories a day to maintain, you'd make your deficit of 500 calories a day, and consume 1500 calories daily / 10500 a week(and wouldn't consume your exercise calories on top of it - they're accounted for in the Equation!). Do not ever go below 1200 calories a day if you are a woman, this is dangerous and creating too large a deficit.

Oh my goodness, that was all a bit complicated! Help!
Here are a couple of examples of following the steps in case you're stuck.

CASE 1- ME
1. My BMI. I'm 5'0'', female, and weigh 146.5lbs. The BMI calculator tells me my BMI is 28.6.
2. My BMR. I input my height, weight, gender and age (26) into the BMR calculator, and it gives me 1456.775.
3. The Harris Benedict Equation.
I exercise roughly 5 times a week, so I'm "moderately active".
So I calculate my BMR by 1.55.
1456.755 x 1.55 = 2257.9.
I'll round it up and say 2258.
I need 2258 calories a day to maintain my weight, with the amount of exercise I do.
4. With my BMI, I can run a healthy deficit of 500 calories a day.
2258-500 = 1758 calories a day / 12306 calories a week. I do NOT eat any exercise calories back this way. This is what I have.

CASE 2- WE'LL CALL HER ANN
1. Ann's BMI. She's 5'6" and 200lbs, putting her BMI at 32.3.
2. Ann's BMR. Ann is 35 years old. Therefore her BMR (using the above figures) is 1670.7.
3. Harris-Benedict Equation.
Let's say Ann plays tennis twice a week. This puts her as "lightly active".
So we multiply Ann's BMR by 1.375.
1670.7 x 1.375 = 2297 calories (rounded).
4. With Ann's BMI, she can run a healthy defecit of 1000 cals a day IF she wants to lose 2lbs a week (she can run 500 if she wants to lose 1lb, 250 if 0.5, 750 if she wants to lose 1.5 etc.) she can eat 1375 calories a day / 9625 a week. This is what she has, she does not eat any extra to compensate for the exercise done.

Ann says - WAIT A MINUTE! On the days I play tennis, I get really hungry! Therefore, Anne could have 1200 calories a day (the minimum recommended for women) on the 5 days a week she does not exercise. This means that on those 5 days she has consumed 5 x 1200 = 6000 calories. Now, she has 9625 - 600 = 3625 left from her weekly total, so on the days she plays tennis, she could have 3625 / 2 = 1812 calories.
If she finds she's getting too hungry on her inactive days, she could have 1300 on the 5 "inactive" days, and then 9625 - (1300 x 5) = 3125 can be divided between the two active days. Therefore she could eat 1563 (rounded up) calories on those days she plays tennis, and 1300 on days she doesn't.

Again - this information is not accounting for people with metabolic conditions or specific health issues that may impede weight loss.

Hope this information helps! PM me / reply if you have any questions.

ok i have got so far as the bmr and multiplying it my 1.2 which end up at 2500.32 now im stuck. i dont do any excersice so what do i need?

 

[chocolate_bananas]

If you want to lose 1lb a week, take 500 cals off a day, if you want to lose 2lbs, take 1000 cals off a day. There are 3500 cals in 1lb of fat so that's what you need to cut out or burn to lose 1lb of weight.

And why no exercise? You get to eat MORE LOL

 

[*Michael*]

Do you guys aim for your calorie limit or under it? I always try to aim a bit lower, about 50-100.

Using MFP I'm on 1650 a day - aiming for 1lb per week, not that I think I've lost any yet!

 

[chocolate_bananas]

I aim a teensy bit lower, it's calculated that i can eat 1393 whilst exercising 3-5 times a week and get a 2lb loss. I eat 1350 a day.

This is my first week doing this mind you, previously i have been losing and gaining the same few pounds as i was binging and restricting myself every few days. Tomorrow is weigh in day so we shall see if it has worked! I skeaky peeked earlier in the week and i had lost 2lbs but you never know with the state of my metabolism now, it needs time to settle i think.

Anyway, the reason i am aiming a bit lower with my calories is so i can have a 2000 calorie day once a week (tomorrow as it happens ), i am doing extra exercise too so hopefully my losses won't be affected. If they are then i'll stick to my 1393 per day.

 

[*Michael*]

Thanks for the info. Yes, I read that calorie cycling is really effective for fat loss. I'm also a bit worried about my metabolism - after low carving I'm not sure what state it's in (not that I've a problem with low carb diets - was really effective for me).

I always try and aim a bit lower in case I'm underestimating certain food - you know, ones without labels. Gotta love supermarkets for that, at least.

I wonder if underestimating slightly might have an effect on weight loss - too few cals.

Cheers!

 

[Fattack]

I aim to be no more than 100 under each day (unless I've had a naughty weekend and gone over). Some days I do cycle a bit, but it's more due to poor planning than anything Hitting / exceeding your nutrient goals (apart from sodium, sugar and fat - moreso sats) is important though, so if you're below your cals and below on say, protein, try to eat a bit more of protein rich foods until you're at your NET goal (easier said than done sometimes!).

 

[fadingfast]

found a site that worked it out for me