The Mystery of "If every day were like today... You'd weigh X pounds in 5 weeks" revealed.

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minizebu
minizebu Posts: 2,716 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm sure that someone has posted about this previously (probably many times), but it seems that people continue to be flummoxed and befuddled by the message that appears after they complete their food diaries. So at the risk of redundancy, here is the calculation:

Go to your goals page and find your "Calories Burned From Normal Daily Activity". For illustration purposes, let's say that it is 1700 kcal.

Now, go to your food diary and find your total calories eaten for the day. Let's say that it was 1200.

The difference between these two figures is 500, your total deficit.

There are 35 days in 5 weeks. Multiply 500 by 35 to get 17,500 total kcal. Now, divide that figure by 3500 (the number of kcal in one pound) and you arrive at 5 pounds lost in 5 weeks. Now subtract 5 from your current weight and voilà, you have arrived at "You'd weigh X pounds in 5 weeks."

The easier way is just to divide your deficit by 100 because it is the same as multiplying by 35 and dividing by 3500.

It works both ways. Let's say you had a "splurge day" and your total calories eaten was 2300. Subtract 1700 from 2300 to get the 600 kcal surplus. Divide 600 by 100 to get 6. You will weigh 6 pounds more in 5 weeks.

It is simple math.

Replies

  • LAWoman72
    LAWoman72 Posts: 2,846 Member
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    No other day will be like today. Not just the food but how my body is doing, what it's required to do, whether I'm ill or not on a given day, hell, what direction the wind blows in will all be different from day to day.

    I have never paid attention to that "If every day were like today..." thing.
  • AdamImadA
    AdamImadA Posts: 74 Member
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    Is there a need to complete the daily log. ?
  • LAWoman72
    LAWoman72 Posts: 2,846 Member
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    adamklug73 wrote: »
    Is there a need to complete the daily log. ?

    I don't know. I don't think I ever have, come to think of it. I just forward-arrow to the next day, unless I've closed out in the meantime, in which case the current day comes up anyway.

  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited April 2015
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    Today is never like yesterday. Yesterday is never like tomorrow!

    I wish MFP would throw that message in the can! I had a great TDEE Sunday and yesterday sucked although I ate the same calories. The exercise alone said I would loose 10 pounds in five weeks. My diary is not setup to loose..
  • wizzybeth
    wizzybeth Posts: 3,573 Member
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    I like the message. It is motivating. I did track it for a while to see if I came close to that number in 5 weeks. Interestingly enough one time I was within a pound or so...and there was a few days I did go over..had I been careful and maintained a deficit every day I probably would have been really close.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
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    I wrote the calculation down in my calendar a few weeks ago. There is NO way I'm going to hit it!
    The estimation was made on a lower calorie, higher exercise day....
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 24,843 Member
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    minizebu wrote: »
    It is simple math.

    Yes, it is.

    It is simple math based on what you've eaten that particularly day, extrapolated over 5 weeks ... as you've described.

    It doesn't really mean a whole lot unless you do exactly the same thing every day.

  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    Everyday is different.
  • Ameengyrl
    Ameengyrl Posts: 127 Member
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    Mine said Id lose 20 lbs in 5 weeks... Not possible. But cute message
  • teagirlmedium
    teagirlmedium Posts: 679 Member
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    Stuff like this would probably be helpful to people who want to lose weight for an event or vacation.
  • minizebu
    minizebu Posts: 2,716 Member
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    minizebu wrote: »
    Now, go to your food diary and find your total calories eaten for the day.
    Actually, I believe you should use your NET calories for the day, not total eaten. I confused the two, because I use the TDEE method and don't record exercise, so my total calories eaten and NET are equivalent.

    LAWoman72 wrote: »
    No other day will be like today. Not just the food but how my body is doing, what it's required to do, whether I'm ill or not on a given day, hell, what direction the wind blows in will all be different from day to day.
    Absolutely.

    adamklug73 wrote: »
    Is there a need to complete the daily log. ?
    To generate the referenced "If every day were like today" message, and to generate a diary completion post on your news feed, yes. But, if you are just talking generally, no, it is not necessary to close your food diary.

    Machka9 wrote: »
    minizebu wrote: »
    It is simple math.
    Yes, it is.

    It is simple math based on what you've eaten that particularly day, extrapolated over 5 weeks ... as you've described.

    It doesn't really mean a whole lot unless you do exactly the same thing every day.
    Agreed. That's not going to happen.

  • Sophiasmomma
    Sophiasmomma Posts: 155 Member
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    I actually LOVE seeing that number every night when I complete my log. It motivates me to workout everyday...
  • angela233Z
    angela233Z Posts: 312 Member
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    I love it too. It helps keep me motivated. sometimes if i am thinking of a small snack at bedtime, i will complete my diary with/without the snack - it is surprising how many times, i am able to forgo the snack after seeing the 5 week affect of eating an extra 100-200 calories a day.

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