How many calories you should eat & MFP... A mild rant

crystalfisher89

All right, I think we've all been there... we sign up for MFP and put down on your goal "Lose 2lbs per week"... Because EVERYONE wants to get rid of that fat and extra junk ASAP. I hate to break it to you all... but it takes time, effort, and (get ready...) CALORIES in MODERATION to lose that weight. Now MFP tells you that you are allotted 1200 cals a day to eat to lose those 2 lbs. I rant about this because I had a friend and a cousin just join and it set them at 1200 cals instantly. You just can't do it. Plus, you'll be putting your body into starvation mode and even making it harder for your body to burn the fat you are trying so hard to lose. By all means, if you want to eat 1200 cals, kudos to you, but just want to share my experience with this.

I can't imagine how anyone can actually do this and be successful... but I'll admit, I'm no doctor, but I tried it too... and it sucks. Here's my story, I kept falling off the wagon because I had to cut EVERYTHING I LIKE OUT OF MY DIET!!! So I set my calories at 1500 and ate back about 50% of my exercise calories. And that's when I started to lose the weight. There were some weeks I lost nothing, but most I lost a pound or even more! My body started toning! Then I plateaued for three months after I made it to 10lbs within my goal weight...WHY?! I was still eating at the same calories I was while I was losing weight, but here's the shocking truth... you have to eventually up your calories in ORDER to continue losing weight. Muscle burns more calories in a day period than fat. So the more fit you become, you get to eat more. BUT it has to be healthy stuff. Sure I can eat McDonalds for one day or go off board for a weekend and it won't effect my weight really, but that's if you don't make a habit of it. In order to lose you have to eat right and make it a lifestyle CHANGE!

Once you get within 10-15lbs from goal weight, you have to start a different method... After plateauing, I decided to buy a Heart Rate Monitor and see how many calories I actually USE in a day. (Also, to see how much I really was burning) I discovered that on the days I was just doing light/moderate cleaning and with my daily routine WITHOUT doing cardio, I was burning 2500 calories a day!! Think about it 1500 calories is sticking you in a 1000 caloric daily deficit. So I switched to Total Daily Energy Expenditure for my calories for dieting. This was strange as I began eating more food, but didn't gain or lose, instead I started losing inches. Now I'm actually up 5 lbs since I started, but I am thinner than I was when I started. There are some GREAT TDEE and BMR (basal metabolic rate) calculators online and they have made a difference for me. To cause my inch loss, I set myself at TDEE minus 20% of my calories. I workout (cardio and strength training) 5-6 days a week, so my calories are set at 2500-500=2000 calories. My BMR (this is the minimum calories to need to eat to keep your body fully functioning without going into starvation mode) is 1500 calories. Thus, everyday, I try to eat between 1700-2000 calories a day. I will admit I did put my body into starvation mode and PAID DEARLY for it. I spent two months gaining and losing and bloating after deciding that my body needed more food. I also set my macro nutrients (go to custom and change all this here) to 50% carbs, 25% fat, and 25% protein... ALWAYS try to make your protein count. This helps fuel and repair your muscles faster... and do eat fat! Your body needs fat to burn fat. Interesting, huh?

Once again, I am not a know it all, but neither is MFP, so set your stuff and what YOU need and don't let MFP completely guide you. It is a program that works with math... not what is best for you body. So count your calories, eat healthy foods (check out Pinterest for awesome ideas!), and sweat your butt off. Hard work pays off, but you NEED to work for it. It's okay to have that glass of wine or that slice of birthday cake- In moderation! Just make sure you go to the gym and REFUSE to let it hang out on your hips, stomach, or for me, my thighs!

I had to post this because I have said this to two different people and it's beginning to drive me bonkers to hear people say they are eating 1200 calories to lose weight. We're humans, we like food (that's why obesity is an EPIDEMIC...), but you can't let food control you. Eat, drink, and work hard. It'll pay off. Will you gain weight some times? YES, but the best success is when you make it through Thanksgiving and Christmas season WITHOUT GAINING A POUND!!! Set goals! I run four- five events a year and use those to keep me moving toward my goal of being as fit as possible. My newest goal is to do a Sprint Triathlon and then a FULL Triathlon... that's if the Tough Mudder I'm doing next month doesn't kill me! Okay my rant is over. I hope this helps!

nlwilliams60

It's working for me. Lost 13lbs. I have it adjusted to lose a pound a week. Watching what I eat, logging it and working out 5-6 days a week. Doing it the way it should be done because I do not plan on gaining it back. Working on losing another 10lbs.

birdiecs

I'm 42, barely 5'3 and my weight is around 129. All the supposed reasons I often see to justify eating 1200 calories apply to me. However I NET a min of 1600 cal a day (when not working out) and have lost all my weight eating more than the MFP settings recommend.

That being said if someone is content with eating that low cal. Hey its their business, but I know for myself it would set me up for failure.

yarwell

I rant about this because I had a friend and a cousin just join and it set them at 1200 cals instantly

You mean they put in 2 lbs a week and sedentary and don't plan to exercise ?

Can't really blame MFP for any of that. It's an algorithm - garbage in, garbage out.

creggymetal

nice topic,completely agree,im a heavily muscled 17stone man,who when stripped off is still 15stone,its put me on 1800 cals a day,which leaves me shakeing with hunger,i train hard doing martial arts and weight 4 times a week,thinking of quiting and start losing weight realistically.

deksgrl

When you understand the system, it works.

A properly set MFP goal + exercise goal should work out about the same as figuring out a reasonable healthy deficit.

m16shane

I used what MFP gave me and it worked for me, but I figure all people all are a little different.

cmalmasy

Thank you for sharing. I just posted a topic asking about all of this.

kellykw

1200 calories a day for a person who does no exercise does not cause starvation mode. Whether or not it is a good idea for a particular person is debatable. MFP is set up to encourage people to eat back all of their exercise calories, and no one who follows the guidelines will end up with a net of less than 1200.

I'm curious, OP, what is your daily net intake if you are eating back half of your exercise calories?

birdiecs

Unless I put I'm Very Active, my suggested calorie goal is too low. Even then it still only gives me 1500 cal. However I'm not that active, lift 3x a week and maybe some light walking. The rest of the time I'm on my behind. Maybe MFP is less accurate when you're smallish and oldish like me. Or maybe it's the lifting that throws it off. I just set my own based on TDEE and ignore the MFP suggestion.

Hotdawgnothotdog

In the end, do any of us really know what we're doing? I think not.

akp4Him

Unless I put I'm Very Active, my suggested calorie goal is too low. Even then it still only gives me 1500 cal. However I'm not that active, lift 3x a week and maybe some light walking. The rest of the time I'm on my behind. Maybe MFP is less accurate when you're smallish and oldish like me. Or maybe it's the lifting that throws it off. I just set my own based on TDEE and ignore the MFP suggestion.

I'm 48, 5' 2.5" (short) petite woman. I weigh 125. I've been netting 1300 calories a day and haven't lost anything in over several months. Actually I've gained and lost the SAME 5 pounds over and over again. I would love to lose 10 more pounds to be in the middle range weight for my height. But it won't budge. I tried upping my calories a few months ago...at 1600 calories net. I did this for 6 weeks. I gained a pound every week. Different people...different results.

crystalfisher89

1200 calories a day for a person who does no exercise does not cause starvation mode. Whether or not it is a good idea for a particular person is debatable. MFP is set up to encourage people to eat back all of their exercise calories, and no one who follows the guidelines will end up with a net of less than 1200.

I'm curious, OP, what is your daily net intake if you are eating back half of your exercise calories?

Usually hit a net between 1600 and 2000 calories.

geetarfitness

In the end, do any of us really know what we're doing? I think not.

Excellent.

birdiecs

Unless I put I'm Very Active, my suggested calorie goal is too low. Even then it still only gives me 1500 cal. However I'm not that active, lift 3x a week and maybe some light walking. The rest of the time I'm on my behind. Maybe MFP is less accurate when you're smallish and oldish like me. Or maybe it's the lifting that throws it off. I just set my own based on TDEE and ignore the MFP suggestion.

I'm 48, 5' 2.5" (short) petite woman. I weigh 125. I've been netting 1300 calories a day and haven't lost anything in over several months. Actually I've gained and lost the SAME 5 pounds over and over again. I would love to lose 10 more pounds to be in the middle range weight for my height. But it won't budge. I tried upping my calories a few months ago...at 1600 calories net. I did this for 6 weeks. I gained a pound every week. Different people...different results.

That has to be frustrating. If I drop below 1500 my body won't budge on the weight. We are very similar on stats, and I'm also on the last 10lbs. Switched to focusing on weight training instead of cardio and that seems to be making a huge difference. Although now I'm ravenous and want to eat EVERYTHING lol

HDStretchman

You should try and understand something. The figures for calories that MFP gives you are generalizations that cover a broad spectrum of people. Basically, if you have more lean muscle mass and less body fat, your scale weight doesn't belie this as accurately as people who are carrying excess body fat and are trying to lose a lot of weight, which actually describes a good percentage of people who are on here.

So, they are computer guesstimations, that go solely based on the data that you input. IS it going to be accurate for everyone? Hard to tell, but what it does do is allow you to log your calories and adjust them as necessary for you to reach your goals. A lot of people, especially women, have a tendency to put down their goal weight as well below what they should actually weigh at a healthy body fat level. This has to do with gaining lean mass as a result of exercise. The more lean mass you have, the more you weigh at the same body fat levels. Muscle weighs more than fat, and is more compact, therefore, more muscle means less inches. As a lot of people approach their goal weight, and have a harder time reducing, they go into huge deficit, and begin to waste the hard earned muscle that they put on in order to achieve goal weight, albeit at a higher body fat level than they would have been if they had bothered to check their body fat stats.

On top of that, because they lose lean mass, after eating at too great a deficit, they now have reduced caloric tolerance, and have to stay lower in order to maintain their goal weight. It's not how much you weigh, it's how much you measure, and for this, everyone is different. A certain weight for height can change dramatically between two people of relatively the same size, depending on lean mass. Don't sacrifice your gains in muscle for a better number on the scale. It isn't worth it. Check your body fat, and your measurements. They are better determinations of how far you should actually go to be healthy, and stay leaner for longer.

Just_Scott

HD Stretchman --logic--works every time. Measure screw the number.

akp4Him

Unless I put I'm Very Active, my suggested calorie goal is too low. Even then it still only gives me 1500 cal. However I'm not that active, lift 3x a week and maybe some light walking. The rest of the time I'm on my behind. Maybe MFP is less accurate when you're smallish and oldish like me. Or maybe it's the lifting that throws it off. I just set my own based on TDEE and ignore the MFP suggestion.

I'm 48, 5' 2.5" (short) petite woman. I weigh 125. I've been netting 1300 calories a day and haven't lost anything in over several months. Actually I've gained and lost the SAME 5 pounds over and over again. I would love to lose 10 more pounds to be in the middle range weight for my height. But it won't budge. I tried upping my calories a few months ago...at 1600 calories net. I did this for 6 weeks. I gained a pound every week. Different people...different results.

That has to be frustrating. If I drop below 1500 my body won't budge on the weight. We are very similar on stats, and I'm also on the last 10lbs. Switched to focusing on weight training instead of cardio and that seems to be making a huge difference. Although now I'm ravenous and want to eat EVERYTHING lol

Working on the weight training also. Walking at least 3 miles a day, lifting 4 times...two days of arms and two days of legs. Hoping that makes the difference. Wondering if TOM is causing the 5 pound up and down cycle...or if I'm ready to start Peri-menopause

robinschwalb

I really enjoyed reading your post thank u

MsEndomorph

I agree that setting yourself up for misery is setting yourself up for failure. If you love eating a 2100kcal/day diet and suddenly decide to eat at 1200kcals...it's probably going to be a struggle.

I'm a small person with a slow metabolism and a sedentary life outside of working out. 6 months ago I made the choice to start eating healthily. I wasn't counting calories or working out, just cleaning up my diet. Lost about 4 lbs (my diet wasn't that bad to begin with so not great results lol.) So now that I'm actually calorie counting, I'm not struggling. I was eating salmon and asparagus because it was healthy, and now I can eat it because it's healthy AND low cal. My body loves carbs (so much it wants to hold onto them forever and ever), so cutting back on them is a natural calorie reducer (and can make reaching high kcal limits difficult.)

So, I guess my point is that we're all coming from different places and our mileages vary. In my experience, making small changes over time is more effective than diving into a crash diet that's doomed from the get-go. But others may never get to the finish line if they don't jump right in, come what may, so I don't begrudge them that.

sc10985

You do realize that MFPs way and the TDEE-20% are basically the same.. With mfp you eat your exercise calories with tdee you don't. Yea with the tdee way you may get a few extra cals (when I did mine it was 68 more than mfp) but it's really the same. I actually lose more when I strictly follow mfp though..

Eta: When I followed tdee-20% I actually hit a 6 week plateau. I redid all my mfp numbers and started following what they set for me and have lost 2lbs.

glin23

Honestly, the way I look at it is listen to your body while evaluating your diet and other habits. To use myself as an example, some days I eat back my calories, some days I don't and some days I eat back some.

twinketta

I lost 45 lbs by eating 1200 cals a day + exercise cals as prescribed by MFP.

I have kept the weight off for around 8 months by increasing to my maintenance goal of around 1500 cals a day + exercise.

What works for one person does not work for another.

I have just returned from holiday and I put on 1lb. I ate fries and cake and all sorts of stuff, my body did not suddenly think I had been in starvation mode and kept all the extra cals

IMHO do what works for you, eating and exercising the way I do works for me. I feel great, I feel healthy.

My only downside is I wish I had introduced strength training at the start, when I did not believe I could lose weight.

Erikalynne18

I rant about this because I had a friend and a cousin just join and it set them at 1200 cals instantly

You mean they put in 2 lbs a week and sedentary and don't plan to exercise ?

Can't really blame MFP for any of that. It's an algorithm - garbage in, garbage out.

I must disagree with you. I set myself as ACTIVE and it set me at 1200 calories. Not possible because I have a VERY ACTIVE job! I tried the 1200 calories. I REALLY REALLY tried, but oh my did I feel bad! Headaches, dizzy spells, hunger pains... nope. Was not enough for me! I am now set to net 1750 and feel much much better!

And 1 lb till goal so something must be right :P

lambchristie

Thanks for the post. One of the logically and easy to understand posts I've read.

Its all confusing and each of us is different and different outcomes based on what we do will be achieved.

BUT...I am willing to try anything to start losing again. I am at 1300 (MPF set goal) and I don't always eat back by calories...I thought if I didn't eat them and ate at a deficit every day (you know less food in; burn those calories) I'd lose weight. Hasn't been happening (again) lately. I think I'll print out my last month reports and compare them to weeks I was really losing and see what the difference is/was.

Again, thanks for ranting ... in an easy to understand manner. :laugh:

stormyinfinity

I've lost 54 pounds on a 1200 calorie a day diet. I've never felt like I was starving, and I've never felt like I was losing too quickly or losing muscle. What works for one person may not work for another. And that's totally okay.

schaapj2

MFP sets a proper deficit....that 1200 is NET calories.....hence, If I exercise and burn 500 calories, I am supposed to eat them back. TDEE-20% and the algorithm MFP uses are a little different, but the essentially get at the same thing. TDEE accounts for daily activity, MFP relies on strictly net calories.

For instance, my MFP is set for 1800, but I my average net is about 1520. I've tweaked my numbers to get the results I'm looking for, but don't hate on the 1200 calories without knowing all the pieces.

Those who use the MFP calculations should be eating their exercise calories back to give them a net of 1,200 (*note this is in an ideal world where food is logged 100% accurately and exercise is not ovestimated*)

So most people with a 1,200 calorie net often eat closer to 1300-1600 calories a day and burn significantly less than what MFP or even their HRM indicates.

Take home message:
You will only lose weight in a deficit. Both calculations use a deficit. You just need to know what's actually being calculated. And yes, 1,200 does work for some people depending on body type, height, weight, gender, activity, and a multitude of other factors. and likely, that 1,200 is just an estimate....give or take a few (or as many as several hundred) calories a day.

LorinaLynn

When you understand the system, it works.

A properly set MFP goal + exercise goal should work out about the same as figuring out a reasonable healthy deficit.

This. I lost the weight I wanted to lose (and then some) using MFP's numbers, once I had it set properly, which for me was at "lightly active" and one pound a week until I got within about 10 pounds of my goal, then a half pound a week, plus most of my exercise calories.

The numbers work out about the same if I do that versus going by a TDEE approach. I'm going by TDEE now because my exercise routine is down pat and I don't need the extra motivation to work out I once did, and I'd rather aim for the same goal every day. Otherwise, I end up with a crazy-high calorie goal on a long run day. Long runs kill my appetite. Then a lower calorie goal on a lifting day, which turns me into a walking stomach. :laugh:

thecoffeehound

Hi - just started and set at 1200 calories. I excercise hard 4 times a week and get the extra calories for doing so. I'm confused as to why you should eat the "bonus calories" if you're suppose to burn more calories than taken in. I get that you need to eat ALL of your daily calories, but for those of you who have been doing this a while could you explain it to me a bit more? Thanks!

ash8184

1200 worked for me... and once I started eating what should be maintenance for me, I gained 20lbs back over a couple of months (VERY frustrating).

It's easy to stay at 1200 with lots of leafy greens and lean protein IMO - you can eat A TON of spinach for not very many calories. If I exercise a lot, I'll eat some of the calories back.

I think what it boils down to is that it's about experimentation - some people thrive at 2000 cals/day, some need more, some need fewer.

twinketta

Hi - just started and set at 1200 calories. I excercise hard 4 times a week and get the extra calories for doing so. I'm confused as to why you should eat the "bonus calories" if you're suppose to burn more calories than taken in. I get that you need to eat ALL of your daily calories, but for those of you who have been doing this a while could you explain it to me a bit more? Thanks!

The reason behind the 1200 cals a day is that is what you need to function at your basic metabolic rate BMR. so let us say you eat 1200 cals a day and burn 500 cals then you are under eating as your cals are just 700 cals , which is not enough to sustain your BMR.

To cut a long story short (you can find more in the search bar if you want to look) If you are allocated 1200 cals a day then do not eat below them. If you burn 500 cals a day then you can eat an extra 500 cals a day so you do not drop below the 1200.