Need help setting calorie intake.

[disneyandme]

As recommended on disboards, I signed up for myfitnesspal and have been monitoring my intake for 2 days now. The site set my ideal intake to lose the 10 pounds in my goal at 1200 calories a day. However, I used the calculator for my BMR (calories used per day when at total rest in be) and it is 1251. Why would they tell me to eat less than my body needs with no activity? What should I set my calorie intake at? I am 5'2" and 136lbs. I'm trying to get down to 124. Thanks.

 

[melmar136]

As recommended on disboards, I signed up for myfitnesspal and have been monitoring my intake for 2 days now. The site set my ideal intake to lose the 10 pounds in my goal at 1200 calories a day. However, I used the calculator for my BMR (calories used per day when at total rest in be) and it is 1251. Why would they tell me to eat less than my body needs with no activity? What should I set my calorie intake at? I am 5'2" and 136lbs. I'm trying to get down to 124. Thanks.

I don't think on that site they ever want you to have less than 1200 calories per day. Then if you add exercise, it will boost your caloric intake for the day.
It gives you the amount of calories based on what you choose for how fast you want to lose the weight. Such as if you picked that you wanted to lose 2 pounds a week, or only 1/2 a pound a week....
Not sure if that helped or not.

 

[Jitzy]

As recommended on disboards, I signed up for myfitnesspal and have been monitoring my intake for 2 days now. The site set my ideal intake to lose the 10 pounds in my goal at 1200 calories a day. However, I used the calculator for my BMR (calories used per day when at total rest in be) and it is 1251. Why would they tell me to eat less than my body needs with no activity? This isn't what your body needs, it's what it is burning. What should I set my calorie intake at? I am 5'2" and 136lbs. I'm trying to get down to 124. Thanks.

You need to burn more calories than you take in. Even without exercising at the end of each week you would be down 51 calories x 7 = 357 calories. Exercise enough every day to burn an additional 200 calories and add the 1400 + 357 = 1757 and you will lose half a pound a week!

 

[KarenAylwood]

I'd also stick with 1200 calories/day. I was actually surprised it gave me the same result beacuse sparkpeople tells me much differently (MUCH higher- which has never helped me lose).

At 1 lb/week I'm supposed to also stick to 1200 calories. I'm 5'4'' and 131.6 lbs, with a goal of 125 lbs. I'm at that last 10lbs so it's really been hard- I've had to be really strict to go from 136 to 131.6 over the past month (which is about their 1 lb/week rule). Being strict for me has been around 1200 calories, no sweets and working out 6 times per week for an hour each time (mix of intense cardio and low weight/high rep strength training).

This is really the first site I've seen that's told me to be this strict- but it's worked over the past month so I guess I know I'm on the right track.

 

[lisah0711]

This might help you.

You might want to try this calculator for your BMR (basal metabolic rate). http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/ to double check what you found online.

Your basal metabolic rate is the calories that you burn just by being alive, i.e. you are lying in bed all day doing nothing. Your total daily calorie needs are calculated by taking your BMR and multiplying it by the factor in the Harris Benedict Formula

Harris Benedict Formula
To determine your total daily calorie needs, multiply your BMR by the appropriate activity factor, as follows:

•If you are sedentary (little or no exercise) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.2
•If you are lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.375
•If you are moderatetely active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.55
•If you are very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.725
•If you are extra active (very hard exercise/sports & physical job or 2x training) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.9

Once you know the number of calories needed to maintain your weight, you can easily calculate the number of calories you need to eat in order to lose weight. A 500 calorie per day deficit would give you a one pound per week loss. That is realistic and doable over the long term. Remember that your body is very good at adapting itself so that what worked before may not work always. You have to trick it!

Good luck!

 

[disneyandme]

This might help you.

You might want to try this calculator for your BMR (basal metabolic rate). http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/ to double check what you found online.

Your basal metabolic rate is the calories that you burn just by being alive, i.e. you are lying in bed all day doing nothing. Your total daily calorie needs are calculated by taking your BMR and multiplying it by the factor in the Harris Benedict Formula

Harris Benedict Formula
To determine your total daily calorie needs, multiply your BMR by the appropriate activity factor, as follows:

•If you are sedentary (little or no exercise) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.2
•If you are lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.375
•If you are moderatetely active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.55
•If you are very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.725
•If you are extra active (very hard exercise/sports & physical job or 2x training) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.9

Once you know the number of calories needed to maintain your weight, you can easily calculate the number of calories you need to eat in order to lose weight. A 500 calorie per day deficit would give you a one pound per week loss. That is realistic and doable over the long term. Remember that your body is very good at adapting itself so that what worked before may not work always. You have to trick it!

Good luck!

THANK YOU. This is exactly what I needed. With these calculations, I would maintain at 1477, so I need to eat between 1200 and 1476 in order to lose. I think I'll shoot for 1350 and see how it goes. I'm closer to 1500/day average now, so I think a gradual change will be best.