Help with calorie deficit

derek2680

I have been at a plateau for months and months now. When I first joined I lost 26 in the first 4-5 months. I was very excited. Once I lost that I had MFP recalculate my calorie deficit. I am 6'3 270lbs and 34 years old. I excercise 4-5 a week. Usually do 30 min on a stairclimber/elliptical followed by 30 minutes of lifting (I know I am adding muscle). MFP has me set for 1970 cals a day, but since I have plateaued for so long I figured I would check out some other calorie calculating sites. And of the 7 or so I checked every one of them said for my current cal deficit should be between 2400-2500. I have MFP set for a goal of 2lbs a week (that has not happened in a looooonnnng time). Anyone have any advice on which to follow?? I know many people have said when they upped their calories they actually lost more. Any advice would be appreciated and thanks in advance.

d9123

I have been at a plateau for months and months now. When I first joined I lost 26 in the first 4-5 months. I was very excited. Once I lost that I had MFP recalculate my calorie deficit. I am 6'3 270lbs and 34 years old. I excercise 4-5 a week. Usually do 30 min on a stairclimber/elliptical followed by 30 minutes of lifting (I know I am adding muscle). MFP has me set for 1970 cals a day, but since I have plateaued for so long I figured I would check out some other calorie calculating sites. And of the 7 or so I checked every one of them said for my current cal deficit should be between 2400-2500. I have MFP set for a goal of 2lbs a week (that has not happened in a looooonnnng time). Anyone have any advice on which to follow?? I know many people have said when they upped their calories they actually lost more. Any advice would be appreciated and thanks in advance.

Follow the 2400 - 2500 seems more accurate

shadow2soul

1) What activity level did you select when starting MFP?
2) Do you log your exercise?
3) Do you eat back your exercise calories?

The way MFP is designed, you are supposed to select an activity level before exercise. Then you are supposed to log any exercise you do and eat back those calories.

I think what you are seeing is something like this:

MFP estimated TDEE without exercise: 2970
Selected 2lbs per week weight loss: -1000
Goal to eat before exercise: 1970
say you workout and burn : 500
MFP estimated TDEE with exercise is now: 3470
Goal to eat with the exercise burn: 2470 (or a NET of 1970)

Your new number with exercise is giving you a goal close to what you have listed for the other sites.

edit:
I just went and looked at my husbands MFP account.
stats:
6'1"
225lbs

Goal 1lb per week loss (before cardio exercise)
Very Active: 2690 (this is his selected activity level, because he works as a line cook and walks to/from work, and lifts 4 days a week)
Active: 2490
Lightly Active: 2280

If I moved it to 2lb per week loss (before cardio exercise)
Very Active: 2190
Active: 1990
Lightly Active: 1780

derek2680

Thanks that sounds like what I am doing..... I changed my activity level for summer. I am a teacher so during the summer I do sit around alot of the day and night besides going to the gym at least once a day and twice a day several times.a week I do log my exercises and eat back I would say 75% of my exercise cals. So, if my goal is 1970 net cals a day I will eat that much and say I burn 700 cals at the gym I will usually eat back say 500 or so of those. So, technically I would still be under my net then at only 1770 net. Maybe I need to make sure I am eating all my exercise cals back. I just know my uncle and aunt never ate any exercise cals back and he lost 65lbs in 7 months and she lost 23 in 6 months. I know not everyone's body works the same. I have also had a leg injury so I cardio has been out for the last 2 months and I have only been lifting upper body hard 4 times a week.

shadow2soul

Thanks that sounds like what I am doing..... I changed my activity level for summer. I am a teacher so during the summer I do sit around alot of the day and night besides going to the gym at least once a day and twice a day several times.a week I do log my exercises and eat back I would say 75% of my exercise cals. So, if my goal is 1970 net cals a day I will eat that much and say I burn 700 cals at the gym I will usually eat back say 500 or so of those. So, technically I would still be under my net then at only 1770 net. Maybe I need to make sure I am eating all my exercise cals back. I just know my uncle and aunt never ate any exercise cals back and he lost 65lbs in 7 months and she lost 23 in 6 months. I know not everyone's body works the same. I have also had a leg injury so I cardio has been out for the last 2 months and I have only been lifting upper body hard 4 times a week.

Well if you want another comparison. I have been using MFP actively since March 18th and in that time (almost 3 months) I've lost 23.6lbs. I eat my exercise calories back and usually a little more. I have days were I eat as little as 1400 and days as high as 2500.