Question 1

So you've worked out your calories, what next?

Accepted Answer

Great - you've got your number, now it's time to get cracking. There's an email on it's way to you with everything you'll need to know to master calories and tracking.
(Check your spam folder if it doesn't arrive within 10 mins)

Question 2

How often should I recalculate?

Accepted Answer

There's no set "time" to recalculate. The most common times that I make changes to calories are:

- When you go to maintenance - whether that's for a diet break or you've finished your fat loss phase, this is a useful time to check in on your maintenance calories.

- If your activity levels change, it's worth recalculating your calories.

- If your weight loss has started to plateau, this is a good time to recalculate. As you lose weight, your body becomes less "expensive" in terms of calories. So it might be a good time to recalculate.

- If you're struggling with your current calories whilst you;re trying to lose weight, I'd make your deficit smaller. Whether that's from lack of energy, lack of time, lack of mental space, or something else. It does mean weight loss slows down, but sometimes slow and steady wins the race.

Question 3

Okay I've got my calories, but what else do I need to do?

Accepted Answer

Calories are just the start of the story. Real results come from habit changes that you can be consistent with. That means things like steps, water, building a workout routine, understanding food quality and so on, all come into play.

Unfortunately, consistency is the thing that people struggle with most.  That's why I created The Consistency Games, an 8 week programme  focused on getting you to lose weight and keep it off through being consistent.

The next round starts on Monday 6th October for 8 weeks - you can join the Priority List HERE f(https://hollymillsfitness.myflodesk.com/theconsistencygames)or when spaces go live on September 28th for an early bird price and early access to the spaces.

Question 4

It says -750 or -1000 for my calorie deficit but the number just says 1200, what's going on?

Accepted Answer

"Should you eat under 1200 calories" is a hot topic in the health and fitness space. And as with everything in the health and fitness space... it depends.

In most cases though, I'd suggest to go for a smaller deficit as 1200 calories isn't very much food.

Now if you're a bikini body builder looking to get the last little bit of fat off before a big show... yeah you might want to drop below 1200.

But if you're just trying to lose some weight to get a bit healthier, you probably don't need to go that low.

In most cases, I'd suggest to up your activity first, so that you can lose weight on more calories.

Question 5

I'm eating these calories and not losing weight

Accepted Answer

This is just an equation. And whilst I've worked my darn hardest to make it as accurate as possible, it's still just a "best guess".

That being said, in most cases, it might be a case of inaccurate tracking (or lack of consistency) when it comes to your calories, and not that the numbers are wrong.

My best advice is to focus on hitting everything (your steps and calories in particular) for 2 weeks. If the number on the scales hasn't decreased by at least 0.5kg or 1lb (and you're in at least a 500 calorie deficit), then -100 from the number you're working with and go again!

Question 6

Woah, why is my protein number so high?!

Accepted Answer

The protein number takes your body weight in kg multiplied by 1.6-2.2.

This gives you your protein goal in grams.

HOWEVER, if you are in a bigger body, this number may come back... high.

So take your goal weight in kg multiply that by 1.6-2.2 and focus on hitting that in grams.

(P.S. protein is important for maintaining your lean mass whilst losing weight BUT calories are the top dog. So this should be a secondary focus.)

Question 7

Are you a PT, Coach, or just interested in the science behind this equation?

Accepted Answer

As a personal trainer and weight loss coach I was fed up with guestimating what "sedentary" and "active" meant when it came to calorie calculators.

So I created this equation that takes into account activity levels in a more practical sense - making it more user friendly and easier to get the inputs more accurate.

The calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor BMR equation but uses more tangible markers for activity levels (like step count, weight training sessions, and other cardio activity - like classes or sports) meaning you can adjust more specifically than with a standard calculator.

It's also designed to avoid overestimating for people in bigger bodies and gives a more realistic starting point for fat loss.

Whilst this equation isn't perfect, but it creates a more user friendly experience - making it a practical guide for beginners.

Empowering women to feel stronger and more confident in their body through building better habits.

Get your personalised and sustainable calorie and protein targets

Unlike most calorie calculators, we factor in your step count, weight training, and other exercise to give you the most accurate starting point — especially if you’re in a bigger or smaller body.