Yes, I think for me it is a control issue. When I stop calorie counting altogether, my weight goes up because it's easy to "forget" I had candy at work and a big lunch and then say "hey I can have ice cream now, it's diet!" and wind up way too high. When I started calorie counting, I was shocked at how many calories I was actually eating some days.

Now, as far as why fit-day? (I don't do spreadsheets, too lazy.) I like fit-day and posting here for calorie deficit because yes, for me it is a sense of "fun", and if I'm having fun, then I'm more likely to stick with something. I'm a computer nerd and the more websites I have an excuse to visit and play around on, the happier I am. It gives me a feeling of "involvement" in my own life. If that makes any sense?

And oddly enough, my calculations do come out pretty darn accurate. At least, for now. When I have about a 3500 calorie deficit, the scale goes down a pound fairly consistently.

However, I round my calorie counts. I rarely use measuring cups and spoons for anything (once I know what the portion size looks like.) But then again, I'm a graphic designer, so perhaps I have a better ability at judging scale and size. *shrug*

I have great respect for everyone's HEALTHY, individual approaches with calorie counting. Just sometimes I think we forget how easily we could be totally wrong. Hehehe.

This is what a book of mine said to do to figure out calories needs.

Women
1. Begin with a base of 655 calories
2. Multiply your weight (in pounds) by 4.3
3. Multiply your height (in inches) by 4.7
4. Add numbers 1, 2, and 3 together
5. Multiply your age by 4.7
6. Subtract the total of #5 from the results of #4 to get your Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) in calories. Tis is what you need just to maintain your bodily functions.
7. To determine your daily maintenance calories, use your RMR from #6 and multiply it by one of the following.

1.2 if you dont exercise
1.3 if you exercise 2 to 3 hours a week
1.4 if you exercise 4 to 6 hours a week
1.6 if you exercise 7 hours or more a week.

And of course if this is what you need to maintain then you need 3500 calories less to lose weight. ie. 500 calories less a day will equal a 1 pound loss a week.

Men
1. Begin with a base of 66 calories
2. Multiply your weight (in pounds) by 6.3
3. Multiply your height (in inches) by 12.7
4. Add numbers 1, 2, and 3 together
5. Multiply your age by 6.8
6. Subtract the total of #5 from the results of #4 to get your Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) in calories. Tis is what you need just to maintain your bodily functions.
7. To determine your daily maintenance calories, use your RMR from #6 and multiply it by one of the following.

1.2 if you dont exercise
1.3 if you exercise 2 to 3 hours a week
1.4 if you exercise 4 to 6 hours a week
1.6 if you exercise 7 hours or more a week.

For me I weigh 186 pounds - 35 years old - I am 5'7 and female - workout 3-5 hours
1. 655
2. 186 x 4.3 = 799.8
3. 67 x 4.7 = 314.9
4. 655 + 799.8 + 314.9 = 1769.7
5. 34 x 4.7 = 159.8
6. 1769.7 - 159.8 = 1609.9
7. 1609.9 x 1.4 = 2253.86

So what does everyone thank about that?

I think that a lot of calorie calculators vary...and a lot of us find that what the math says we should be eating to lose weight, and the calorie level that we are actually finding works for us, is often different.

The calculators are estimates, really...you can use them as a starting point, but most people have to then work a bit with it to find the level that actually works for them.

There are a lot of the things in this particular one that can make one person vary greatly from another-such as two people can both use the "exercises 2-3 hours per week" selection. One person takes 3, 1 hour walks for their exercise...and the next person can spend those same three hours running (burning more calories/covering more distance) and strength training (changing their body composition to a more muscular one-which will in turn, cause them to burn more calories when they are NOT exercising-since muscle burns more calories to simply exist than fat does.)

So, as I always have said, it is best to use them as a guide to a starting point-and then up/drop your calories to fit your own needs, rather than use the numbers and figures as gospel.

I have had calculators tell me I need 2,000 a day when I need 1600...or tell me I needed 1700 when I actually needed 1450-ish, depending on the stage of the journey.

Luv, that's the good old Harris-Benedict formula for figuring basal metabolic rate (BMR). It's probably the granddaddy of metabolic calculators.

HB is based on a small 1919 study done on 239 average weight individuals. Average BMIs have changed a lot in the past 88 years and many people think the HB formula is out of date and not very valid. If you're interested in its history (kinda boring ), I posted about it a while back when I was doing some continuing education on metabolic rates: Metabolic Calculators

If anyone is math-impaired like me and wants to try HB without doing all the math, google 'Harris Benedict' and you'll find a ton of online calculators.

BTW, none of the calculators work for me, including HB.