BMI and calories?

[ANewMe2022]

On the NHS BMI calculator I should be having between 1782-2291 calories each day. However, My Fitness Pal gives me 1490, which I have been sticking to and have been feeling a little peckish some days. Which one should I believe? I don't want to eat too few calories as I am aware that my body will cling on to the weight if I do. I hope someone can clear this up for me...xx

[YellowRose55]

Hi ANewMe2022

It can be hard at first to get the right amount of calories and still lose weight. When I first started I was working at 1400, but that was not enough and like you still felt peckish. So I up it to 1600 which was too much, I finally settle at 1500 which is where I am now and 4 stone lighter. If your feeling peckish why not up them a bit for a week and see how you feel.

[moreless Administrator 7 stone]

I'm a great believer in eating as much as you can, while still losing weight. I think mfp gives you a figure, then adds to it when you've burned calories doing exercise. The NHS BMI calculator takes your activity into account, when you load your details.

Have a look at this, to see why it's important to eat enough

healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh...

Remember, as you shrink, so will your calorie allowance. If you're already eating the minimum, where will you go, when you're a stone, or two lighter?

[ANewMe2022 3 stone in reply to moreless]

Thanks moreless that makes sense! So MFP ups your calories according to exercise undertaken, and NHS BMI calculator includes the calories based on details I've entered. That kind of equals them out then. ThanQ...xx

[Dt_RiyazKhan_Hyd]

BMR is calculated based on Gender, age, height, weight

Women: BMR = 655 + (4.35 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years)

Or you can use ... bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calc...

Over and above this you can multiply by 1.2 if you are doing light activity throughout the day.

1490 is the Basal Metabolic Rate.. that is the approx calories required for you if you are sleeping on the bed for 24 hours.... ( 65 cals per hour while sleeping x 24 hours = 1560)

Leaving aside all these calculations.. a woman needs about 1800 calories per day to break even and a man about 2000 calories.

If you are trying to lose weight then definitely you must consume less by 300-500 calories... Your body can easily take that deficit. When you eat less... your body will get used to less food and manage..

Main aim is to get good nutrients and less carbs and fats.

[ANewMe2022 3 stone in reply to Dt_RiyazKhan_Hyd]

Many thanks Dt_RiyazKhan_Hyd it all makes sense now. I'll continue with the calories that MFP allocates me. I don't always use up the calories that I've 'won back' though, should I be?...xx

[moreless Administrator 7 stone in reply to ANewMe2022]

Yes!

[elliebath Maintainer in reply to ANewMe2022]

People have different views on this, but I always tried to avoid eating them back because the calculation of exercise calories calculated on mfp and other sites is not always accurate.

Personally, I lost weight slowly and steadily by only ever eating back half my exercise calories. But once I got down to the final stone, I stopped eating back any exercise calories and just kept to the new recommended level for my lower weight. ( thats why its important to recalculate your Bmr/Bmi as you get smaller ) .

[Dt_RiyazKhan_Hyd in reply to ANewMe2022]

Every Minus Calorie is a GIFT you give to your body... No need to take your gift back... . Just keep powering ahead and keep improving your health and fitness... Your body will love your more everyday for it..