Group: Specific Diets & Nutrition

Created: 2012/01/01, Members: 104, Messages: 22775

With so many diets and nutritional plans out there, you can get lost. Find out what works best for others and share your experiences!

Join group

too many calories?

JennVice
JennVice
Posts: 120
Joined: 2003/02/25
United States
2003/02/27, 09:58 PM
ok so the nutrition analyzer gave me a little over 2000 calories... that feels like sooo much for me. Does any one else feel that way?
noirutla
noirutla
Posts: 92
Joined: 2003/01/15
United States
2003/02/28, 08:36 AM
Jenn,

I will quote BB1 on this one for you. He has some good advice.

"The nutrition calculator has its flaws it seems on FT. It is hard to come up with a one size fits all type calculation. Here would be a good place to start....male, 15-20 calories per lb. of bodyweight, more active, start toward the upper end, less active, the lower end. Women, 10-15 calories per lb., same goes. Keep this starting point exact for at least one solid week, and weigh yourself at the end of it at the same time. If you are trying to gain, and your weight went up by 1-2 lbs., then good, stay with it. If it went down, then change it. Vice versa for if you are trying to lose. Short answer to a difficult question, but will get you started on the correct calories. You have to find your starting point so you can make adjustments. Hope this makes sense..."
JennVice
JennVice
Posts: 120
Joined: 2003/02/25
United States
2003/02/28, 12:14 PM
Thanks.
INTRUDER
INTRUDER
Posts: 642
Joined: 2002/06/27
United States
2003/02/28, 01:45 PM
Just depends on your lifestyle?



--------------
"Get everthing you want--just make a little change now"
mackfactor
mackfactor
Posts: 766
Joined: 2002/10/17
United States
2003/02/28, 03:08 PM
Here's the info that I sent to gil_gilmer on this topic:

I generally use the Harris-Benedict formula:

66 + (6.3 x body weight in lbs.) + (12.9 x height in inches) - (6.8 x age in years)

This gives your your Basal Metabloic Rate(BMR)

Now that you know your BMR, multiply your BMR by your activity multiplier from below:

Activity Multiplier
Sedentary = BMR X 1.2 (little or no exercise, desk job)
Lightly active = BMR X 1.375 (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/wk)
Mod. active = BMR X 1.55 (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk)
Very active = BMR X 1.725 (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/wk)
Extr. active = BMR X 1.9 (hard daily exercise/sports & physical job

Your BMR X Activity Level = Calories Needed.

You would then add(surplus) or subtract(deficit) from this number depending if you are trying to gain(bulk) or lose(cut). Generally I subtract or add about 500 calories. A simpler formula that you can take with you is 11-15-19 - that is bodyweightx11 to lose fat, x15 to maintain, x19 to bulk up. That doesn't account for body proportion and age, though, but is usually a steady guideline.
You'll also want to establish a macronutrient ratio. This is percentages of your calories that come from protein, carbs and fat. You might see folks on the site saying that they follow a 40-30-30 P-C-F ratio. That means they are getting 40% of their calories from protein (P), 30% from carbs (C) and 30% from fat (F). That is not a bad ratio for weight loss, and neither would lower carbs (preferable) such as 45-25-30 P-C-F. Don't take carbs too much lower than 75g per day for any prolonged period of time, though. FYI, there are 4 calories in one gram of protein or carbohydrate and 9 calories in a gram of fat. You can sign up at a site like www.fitday.com to track your calories and macro ratios.
I hope this helps!


--------------
"Don't follow leaders and watch your parking meters!"
-- Bob Dylan
JennVice
JennVice
Posts: 120
Joined: 2003/02/25
United States
2003/02/28, 09:56 PM
ahhhh :) not the HB equation!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) jk! I just had to use that soooooooo much last semester in my medical nutrition course... ya think I could remember it! ;) it must just be me blocking it from my memory!