How the fuck do I calculate how many calories I need a day?!

[mylobster]

I've name changed because I'm about to disclose personal info

I've seen TDEE calculators online but they're all fucking different.

The apps I've got are all insanely different My fitness pal seems to think I need 1200 calories a day, lose it thinks 2170 and nutracheck suggests 1800 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️

Please can someone help?

I'm
female
29 years old
5 foot 3
And 20 stone

I want to get to 10 stone and I know I can do it, Im trying to start calorie counting properly but it's hard to work out what my deficit is if they're all so bloody different!

I'm 5ft 4, 10st 2. I do at least 10,000 steps a day. If I go over 1600 calories I gain. I have to stay under 1400, preferably 1200 to lose weight.

The thing about MFP is that if you input your exercise it then allows you extra calories for that day. Whereas some of the other calculators include your exercise in the original calculation, so obviously you end up with a higher number.

OP you absolutely don't need to eat 1200 calories a day to lose weight. You'll be miserable and more that likely end up in a binge and restrict cycle. To lose 1lb a week you'll need a deficit of about 500 calories a day. I'd use a TDEE calculator and set your activity as light and go from there.

1200 calories is really only for short, sedentary women. I lost 7st last year and I never went as low as that, the lowest I ever went was 1400 but most of my weight loss was achieved by upping my step count and eating 1600-1800 calories a day.

Please consider joining a Facebook weight loss group called Lose Weight Eat Pizza- it's really supportive and helped me so much. Everyone there will be able to help you further.

I weighed myself this morning and I've lost 6 pounds so maybe it is working I'm going to look at Dan wheeler again. Thanks for the boost guys

You can definitely do more than 1200 and lose. I lose on 1400 and am 5'5 around 8st 8. So don't worry, definitely doesn't have to be 1200, especially if you're reasonably active (just moving about, not going to the gym). Good luck