How do you know how many calories to eat?

[Anonymous]

I've started food tracking by I am finding pretty large variations in how many calories to consume. Anyone have a calculator they recommend?
Thanks!

[Anonymous]

I estimate. If you look at enough nutrition labels you have a good idea about serving size and calories of most foods.

As long as you aren’t eating large amounts calorie dense foods, it isn’t that important to count every single calorie. Eat nutrition dense, lower calorie foods and be a little hungry all the time and you should be good.

[Anonymous]

Are you trying to lose weight? Maintain?

[Anonymous]

OP, what would be your ideal weight? Approximately. If 140 pounds, eat 1,400 calories/day. 120 pounds, eat 1,200. This is to lose. This is a very, very rough estimate. Don't go below 1,200 calories even if your ideal weight is <120. Again, just a rough estimate. You mostly have to experience what results are taking in different amount of calories --- do you lose. And how do you feel.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, what would be your ideal weight? Approximately. If 140 pounds, eat 1,400 calories/day. 120 pounds, eat 1,200. This is to lose. This is a very, very rough estimate. Don't go below 1,200 calories even if your ideal weight is <120. Again, just a rough estimate. You mostly have to experience what results are taking in different amount of calories --- do you lose. And how do you feel.

This is not at all accurate. The only way to know for sure is to get a Resting Metabolic Rate Assessment done. This will tell you the precise number of calories you burn per day simply by existing, not counting any physical activity, as well as the percentage of carbs vs. fat your body burns on its own. It's so much more than an arbitrary number of calories - by eating too little, you can hold onto extra weight. By eating the wrong percentages of macros for how your body naturally burns, you can also hold back weight loss. You can take five people of identical height, weight, and age, and have remarkably different RMR results. Please do some research.

[Anonymous]

go vegan and GF. Eat whatever you want and stop counting. Exercise daily.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, what would be your ideal weight? Approximately. If 140 pounds, eat 1,400 calories/day. 120 pounds, eat 1,200. This is to lose. This is a very, very rough estimate. Don't go below 1,200 calories even if your ideal weight is <120. Again, just a rough estimate. You mostly have to experience what results are taking in different amount of calories --- do you lose. And how do you feel.

This is a surefire way to wreck your metabolism. Do not listen to this person.

As far as I can tell, most online calculators will tell you about the same thing. Use one that has an activity estimator and use it as your guideline. After a few days of using their estimate, how do you feel? Do you feel like you need more food or less? Add or subtract 100 calories a day until it feels right to you. I know I'm not eating enough if I wake up hungry in the middle of the night. I know I'm eating too much if I'm really not hungry at my usual meal or snack time.

[Anonymous]

Your weight x12 to start. When you stop seeing results, x11, then again x10. Never below x10.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, what would be your ideal weight? Approximately. If 140 pounds, eat 1,400 calories/day. 120 pounds, eat 1,200. This is to lose. This is a very, very rough estimate. Don't go below 1,200 calories even if your ideal weight is <120. Again, just a rough estimate. You mostly have to experience what results are taking in different amount of calories --- do you lose. And how do you feel.

This is not at all accurate. The only way to know for sure is to get a Resting Metabolic Rate Assessment done. This will tell you the precise number of calories you burn per day simply by existing, not counting any physical activity, as well as the percentage of carbs vs. fat your body burns on its own. It's so much more than an arbitrary number of calories - by eating too little, you can hold onto extra weight. By eating the wrong percentages of macros for how your body naturally burns, you can also hold back weight loss. You can take five people of identical height, weight, and age, and have remarkably different RMR results. Please do some research.

This.

[Anonymous]

Yay but who does that?
Not many

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, what would be your ideal weight? Approximately. If 140 pounds, eat 1,400 calories/day. 120 pounds, eat 1,200. This is to lose. This is a very, very rough estimate. Don't go below 1,200 calories even if your ideal weight is <120. Again, just a rough estimate. You mostly have to experience what results are taking in different amount of calories --- do you lose. And how do you feel.

This is not at all accurate. The only way to know for sure is to get a Resting Metabolic Rate Assessment done. This will tell you the precise number of calories you burn per day simply by existing, not counting any physical activity, as well as the percentage of carbs vs. fat your body burns on its own. It's so much more than an arbitrary number of calories - by eating too little, you can hold onto extra weight. By eating the wrong percentages of macros for how your body naturally burns, you can also hold back weight loss. You can take five people of identical height, weight, and age, and have remarkably different RMR results. Please do some research.

This.

Ok, but unless you are an athlete or have a compulsive disorder surrounding eating and calorie intake, normal people aren’t going to have easy access to get this type of assessment done.

[Anonymous]

Use MyFitnessPal for a week and just log what you would normally eat. If you want to lose weight, eat fewer calories. If you want to maintain your weight, continue to eat the calories you normally eat. It’s pretty simple.

[Anonymous]

There are a million calculators out there. Just pick one. They all give about the same recommendations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:go vegan and GF. Eat whatever you want and stop counting. Exercise daily.

But what if what I want is a ham sandwich?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your weight x12 to start. When you stop seeing results, x11, then again x10. Never below x10.

Dear god - no. Where did you get this idea?

Picture a 5'7" woman who weighs 220 pounds. Your formula would have her consuming no less than 2,200 calories/day and starting at 2,600. If i did that I'd GAIN weight.