Why is Mfp telling me to eat only 1200 calories?

Iluvmyfurbabies

I'm 5'6 190lb 34 years old. I chose sedentary but told it I would work out 5 days a week for 40 minutes. Is 1200 calories accurate?
I'm a noob, I don't understand all this fitness talk.. Macros and micros and TDEE and blah. I've come across good links here on Mfp but it's too much. I just want to know how many calories I should eat.

TavistockToad

Because you told MFP you want to lose 2lb per week.

when you exercise you then eat those calories back to NET your calorie goal, thats how MFP works. so if you burn 200 cals when you work out, you should eat 1400 that day.

pander101

It's set that based on your weight loss goals. If you were to set it to lose 0.5lb or even 1.5lbs a week you would have more calories.

pander101

If you're new, just start out with what MFP is telling you. If you think 1200 is too low change your goal to 1lb a week instead of 2lbs a week. The number of times you workout has no bearing on that.

Iluvmyfurbabies

I did tell Mfp I wanted to lose 2 pounds a week. That seems safe. I guess I will eat the 1200 then because I would rather shoot for two instead of .5 I didn't think you were suppose yo eat yoir exercise calories back. I thought that was the point of burning them... Saying boo bye to the calories?

andybrosa87

To loose weight you need to consum less calories that you burn on your every day life. SO if you don't do anything and you burn 1800 Calories just by being alive, you need to exclude normally aprox 500 KCALs a day to loose 2 lb a week.

MFP tells you your max is 1200 BUT if you excersises you get to eat more, but you have to track your calories burned.

I highly recomend getting your Macros checked and tweeaked (Macros = Macro Nutrients -> Carbs/Fat/Protein ) and Go with a IIFYM approach (If It Fits Your Macros). There are many coaches that can calculate your macros for a small amount of USD and can help you out a lot. You can get them checked at around... 50 USD at most I think.

Anyway, good luck

meerkat70

It's rare that anyone is truly 'sedentary'. MFP will calculate your deficit from your BMR if you use the sedentary setting.

Most of us are at least lightly active. If you're not spending your life on the couch, tick that box. See how you're going after a week or so, and then adjust as needed.

If you stick with sedentary setting, do ensure you eat back exercise cals. (you should do this anyway, but if you're using the sedentary setting, really do make sure you do!)

Iluvmyfurbabies

Yeah, I would love to do that... I wonder how I would go about finding someone in my area to do that for me. I guess I will google. I'm one of those face to face, hands on learner types and all the reading was making my head spin even though people were trying to explain it as easy as possible..

Iluvmyfurbabies

Thank you!

TavistockToad

Iluvmyfurbabies wrote: »

I did tell Mfp I wanted to lose 2 pounds a week. That seems safe. I guess I will eat the 1200 then because I would rather shoot for two instead of .5 I didn't think you were suppose yo eat yoir exercise calories back. I thought that was the point of burning them... Saying boo bye to the calories?

MFP gives you a deficit BEFORE exercise, thats why you should eat the exercise calories back.

Given your stats 1-1.5lb per week is a more realistic rate of loss.

Iluvmyfurbabies

Yeah, I have been going through a lot of depression so I REALLY am sedentary... I'm just now feeling a bit back to normal so I'm trying to move more. I have gained 30 pounds during this "chapter" of my life so I'm panicking now to lose the weight haha
I'm really excited to get back into the swing of things so maybe I will just have to consult with a professional to tell me what to do (for now) thanks for the help.

Iluvmyfurbabies

Tavis- you might be right.. At first I chose 2 pounds a week but then it changed it to 1.5 so I clicked back and changed it again...

prasadsurve

General rule is 1 lb = 3500 calories. If you want to lose 2 lbs per week that means you need to reduce 7000 calories per week which mean reduce 1000 calories per day. Since you choose sedentary, your BMR is 2200 calories per day. If you reduce that 1000 calories, you get 1200 calories per day.
Of course if you exercise on some day, those calories are added to what you can eat that day.

Sued0nim

MFP tells you what to eat if you don't move from the couch all day

If you do - log it as exercise, half the calories MFP gives you (just click in the box with calories when you enter it) and EAT them

most diets account for exercise - MFP is set to help you lose weight even if you don't move

so move and eat more

logg1e

I believe that MFP tells you to eat only 1200 so that posters in the forum can then get all excited and castigate you for only eating 1200 calories.

Iluvmyfurbabies

Right?! I keep reading people getting chastised for eating only 1200 calories in the boards and then Mfp told me to only eat 1200...that's actually what prompted me to ask this question.
I do appreciate the answers though..
Anyone have any idea what I should google to find someone in my area that can help me with my macros? Macros coach, macros help isn't coming up with anything.

logg1e

Iluvmyfurbabies wrote: »

Right?! I keep reading people getting chastised for eating only 1200 calories in the boards and then Mfp told me to only eat 1200...that's actually what prompted me to ask this question.

That was pretty much my experience (although I hadn't put 2lb weekly loss in). By the time I'd read enough of the forums to realise, I'd been happily eating 1200 plus exercise calories for a couple of weeks, so stuck with it.

logg1e

Iluvmyfurbabies wrote: »

Anyone have any idea what I should google to find someone in my area that can help me with my macros? Macros coach, macros help isn't coming up with anything.

At first, I'd just worry about total calories. What do you want help with in terms of macros?

Myrmilt

I eat the 1200, but I do it net. If I don't exercise or move, that's all I get. I have a sedentary job and I don't make a concentrated effort to move, I can be pretty still as my evening hobbies are sedentary too.

I wear a fit bit to help me track steps and to log exercise.

If you feel good and aren't having any issues and your doctor is fine with the 1200, then it's fine. I discussed my calorie goals with my doctor, she stressed to not feel deprived, and to eat more if I was continuously hungry.

Liftng4Lis

MFP gives you that based on what you input. You set your goal too aggressively. Additionally, its usually assumed you will be earning exercise calories.

howmanykatiebs

Hey Iluvmyfurbabies. I started MFP again on 8th September at 201lbs (I am 169cm). Today I am 182.7 (I measure in kilos so excuse the decimals!) based on the 1200 calories a day.


I exercise 4-5 times a week for at least 40 mins each session and eat almost all my exercise calories (usually have between 500-700 left over each week). I put myself as sedentary as like you I have an office job, but I have started making an effort to move more (walking places I would have driven, taking stairs etc.) I've just changed my goal from 1kg of loss a week to 0.8kg and set myself as lightly active as 6 or so weeks in I can see that 1200 calories is quite restrictive and I think that the rate I am losing at is not sustainable long term, and will probably result in muscle loss if I keep it up much longer. With another 18lbs to go I want to be sensible for the rest of my loss so I don't yoyo.

Trust your body - it will tell you when you need more food, I think as long as you are prepared to try and readjust you'll be ok.

Good luck