Ok I am a little confused. I am using MYPLATE from Livestrong to count my calories. Now it says that i am allowed to eat 1224 calories a day. Ok cool I got that.

But when I start inputing information like Breakfast lunch dinner snacks...Obviously the calories lower. And when I input the exercise the calories go up again.

So when calculating my deficit...How do I count ? Do i count the calories i burned each day in exercise or how much i have left over at the end of the day?


An example day:

calories allowed :1224

bfast -360 calories
lunch-420 calories
dinner -360 calories
snacks - 240

exercise-335 calories

I use MyFitnessPal and it is designed with the expectation that you will "eat back" your exercise calories. Not everyone does, of course.

I treat 1260 as a net calorie goal. I generally eat 1400-1500 calories and exercise about 200 calories worth. I have eaten at 1200 calories without exercise--but it's hard for me to maintain, and with exercise, I really need those additional calories.

You'll get various opinions on this--but I'd plan on eating back at least some of your exercise calories.

I find it very hard to believe that your limit would be 1224 calories a day. That seems way to low. How tall and old are you?

Your limit goes up when you enter exercise calories as it subtracts those from what you've eaten already that day. If you're going to eat 1224 calories a day, and burn off 335, PLEASE eat those 335 back AT LEAST. My main concern being, when you're down to 200 or 180 lbs, How much are you going to eat? 800 calories a day?

That number just seems very unhealthy to me. I figured out your BMR assuming that you're 5'0 and 20 years old, and you should be consuming 1200 calories to lose 2 pounds a week being sedentary. I'd seriously think of upping your calories.

Use this site to figure out what your calories should be given your information and how active you are.

Livestrong is set up so that it adds in your exercise, and if you're already eating at 1200 calories, you should probably consider 'eating back' your exercise calories. Which means that you would be consuming that extra 360

Remington90..

I went to the website and it told me my BMR 1855.5. When I did the calculations for calories it was like 2286.. Isnt that a lot of calories to eat ?

And that is your maintenance calories a day. So you subtract either 500 for a pound a week or 1000 for 2 pounds a week. Make sure you chose the appropriate exercise amount.

I'm not trying to tell you what to do by any means. I just know that I wanted to start super low in the beginning an it wasn't working, I needed to eat more. Just make sure you're eating your exercise calories back. Or at least try not to go below 1200. It's just not a realistic goal for the long haul. Just my opinion.

sh0rtydeee- I completely agree with everything Remington has said. And Radiojane and bethFromDayton are right about eating back your exercise calories. 1224 calories is not enough for you especially since you are just starting this journey. Remember that as you lose weight you are going to have to adjust your calories so they'll become even lower. I started off eating around 1650 calories when I was around 210 pounds and steadily lost an average of 2 pounds a week. When I hit 190 I dropped my calories to about 1500 and continued to lose about 1.5-2 pounds a week.

I always recommend starting off at something that seems doable for one main reason, it will make it that much easier to stick with it. I know if I were eating 1200 calories a day I'd be starving and after 3 weeks I'd quit. I know because I've done it countless times in the past. This time I wanted to make it more of a sustainable lifestyle change and 7 months and 40 pounds later it is. Which is another reason I don't have any food I won't eat. It's all about portion control!

Good luck.

I think the hardest thing is patience. Once we make up our minds to lose weight, we just want the answers to just do it right away. Honestly, no 2 people are going to have the same calorie target. The calculators get you in the ball park. You have to figure out you...and you have to give it 3 weeks. Really.

1. Choose a calorie goal. Stick to it every day for 3 weeks. Did you lose 1-2 lbs per week? If not, lower by 100. See how that goes for 3 weeks.

2. Don't factor in exercise. Do it because you want to and it's good for you.

3. 1800 cals sounds good to start for you. Be precise...count everything...weigh everything.

4. Stick to it

Good luck!

What you are trying to do is not calorie counting but meal planing. Try to go on "The word on food" instead. It is a bit complicated but i have found it more useful. It alows u to make meal plan and shopping list too.