MFP daily calorie amount too high for obese?

BuddhaB0y

Looking for some help/advice on the recommended daily calorie amounts.

I am extremely overweight and the tracker is suggesting a daily calorie allotment of 3700 calories will allow me to lose 1lb per week.

Does the mfr calculation hold true regardless of how large someone is, or at some point does it become skewed?

I am currently eating about 1600 Cals per day on average and while I do feel hunger pangs I don't feel like I'm starving myself.

I had a total thyroidectomy and I'm on daily synthroid.

I lost 24lbs in about 20 days but in the last week I am only down 4lbs.

Any advice would be welcome.

corgicake

Your tracker is set to have you lose a pound a week of fat and going by what happened the last week, it's likely working as intended. The other 21 pounds you've lost so far were probably water. Expect the tracker to continue functioning as intended and be patient.

rainbowbow

If you could provide the following:
Height-
Weight-
Activity Level (non-exercise, just your day to day)-


The highest MFP will allow you to lose is 2 pounds per week. Since you have a lot to lose, i suggest you pick that option. But as you said, if you're big enough that 3700 calories still gives you the option of losing, you may be able to lose more than 2 pounds per week safely.

The general rule is that it's safe to lose 1% of total body weight per week. If you provide the above, I can give you that calorie goal so that you can adjust your calorie goal manually with MFP.

malibu927

corgicake wrote: »

Your tracker is set to have you lose a pound a week of fat and going by what happened the last week, it's likely working as intended. The other 21 pounds you've lost so far were probably water. Expect the tracker to continue functioning as intended and be patient.

He's eating basically at a 5-pound deficit, though.

OP, what are your stats?

BuddhaB0y

As of today I'm:
6'2
510lbs
42 years old
Extremely sedentary due to a number of medical factors.

Ninkyou

Typically, yes. The more you weigh the more calories your body needs to maintain your weight. As you lose weight, the amount of calories you consume (or should consume, rather) will decrease.

rainbowbow

BuddhaB0y wrote: »

As of today I'm:
6'2
510lbs
42 years old
Extremely sedentary due to a number of medical factors.

Okay, I will recommend a calorie intake for you based on your current size. I do believe, however, you should consult with a physician/dietician if you haven't already to monitor your progress. As you continue to lose weight (great job, by the way!) you need to be monitored for the effects of weight loss including excess skin, blood serum levels, vitamin levels, etc. Just putting this out there since what i'm providing you is GENERIC in nature.

That aside....
Your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (calories to maintain your current weight) - 4732
According to your current weight you can safely lose 5.1 pounds per week.
This would give you a deficit of 2500 calories per day.
This would leave your calorie goal at 2232 calories per day give or take.

I would manually set my calorie goal to this in MFP. Remember, this is the time to make slow and steady changes to your current lifestyle. You want to be able to maintain your weight once you reach your goal, and part of that includes learning how to eat, how to move, and how to maintain this lifestyle... for... LIFE! You must maintain these changes over time if you want long term success.

For satiety and overall health i suggest filling up most of those calories with high-bulk but low-calorie items like fruits and veggies, lean meats, fish, and plenty of water. This is common sense, but eating these types of foods is more likely to assist you in feeling full during this period of calorie deprivation.

BuddhaB0y

Thank you for your help, it seems like all I do these days is see doctors lol.

Do you suggest a change in the daily percentages of carb/fat/protein?

I try to take in as much protein as I can over fat and carbs but generally my percentages are pretty close to the 50/30/20 recommendations

rainbowbow

BuddhaB0y wrote: »

Thank you for your help, it seems like all I do these days is see doctors lol.

Do you suggest a change in the daily percentages of carb/fat/protein?

I try to take in as much protein as I can over fat and carbs but generally my percentages are pretty close to the 50/30/20 recommendations

I think the macro recommendation is irrelevant right now as long as you are hitting your calorie goal. Focus on the calories, FIRST, then you can focus on the macros.

I would personally recommend you find the macro ratio that allows you to be energized, full, and feeling best. If it's 50/30/20 then so be it.

For me I do best around 40/30/30, but that's just my personal preference. If you are not diabetic and have no other health problems I don't see any reason 50/30/20 would cause any issues for you whatsoever.

BuddhaB0y

I have an ascending aortic aneurysm and signs of cardio pulmonary hypertension. No diabetes though. But I want to keep fat on the lower side.

I've actually been feeling ok with the 1600 calories per day but it's good to know I can take in a bit more to minimize cravings.

I cut sugary soda cold turkey and stopped eating fast/processed foods. Been eating chicken and vegetables and brown rice, some fruit, protein bars and meal replacement shakes. The couple of times we went out for a bit we went to pita pit and subway and had chicken lots of veg and no cheese etc on whole wheat.

What are your thoughts on peanut butter? I like putting 3TBsp reduced fat PB on a whole wheat wrap and wrapping it around a banana as an occasional lunch. I find it helps fight cravings, but I read people saying it's the devil.

CoffeeNCardio

BuddhaB0y wrote: »

I have an ascending aortic aneurysm and signs of cardio pulmonary hypertension. No diabetes though. But I want to keep fat on the lower side.

I've actually been feeling ok with the 1600 calories per day but it's good to know I can take in a bit more to minimize cravings.

I cut sugary soda cold turkey and stopped eating fast/processed foods. Been eating chicken and vegetables and brown rice, some fruit, protein bars and meal replacement shakes. The couple of times we went out for a bit we went to pita pit and subway and had chicken lots of veg and no cheese etc on whole wheat.

What are your thoughts on peanut butter? I like putting 3TBsp reduced fat PB on a whole wheat wrap and wrapping it around a banana as an occasional lunch. I find it helps fight cravings, but I read people saying it's the devil.

There is no individual food that is good or bad for you. That's where those macro allotments come into play. If you need carbs/sugar at any given moment, in the CONTEXT of your diet, it's totally fine to eat peanut butter, or sugar, or foods with high fat content. For weight loss, all that matters is a caloric deficit. For health, making food choices that allow you to feel satiated, meet your macros, and get your vitamins in is all that matters. You're of course free to go paleo or vegan any time you want, just be sure you're doing it for the right reasons, and not because a lot of BAD SCIENCE has made you concerned about sugar or carbs or fat. No one thing is "bad" for you, it only matters in the CONTEXT of your personal diet.

ETA: "I like putting 3TBsp reduced fat PB on a whole wheat wrap and wrapping it around a banana as an occasional lunch. "

That sounds delicious.

rainbowbow

BuddhaB0y wrote: »

I have an ascending aortic aneurysm and signs of cardio pulmonary hypertension. No diabetes though. But I want to keep fat on the lower side.

I've actually been feeling ok with the 1600 calories per day but it's good to know I can take in a bit more to minimize cravings.

I cut sugary soda cold turkey and stopped eating fast/processed foods. Been eating chicken and vegetables and brown rice, some fruit, protein bars and meal replacement shakes. The couple of times we went out for a bit we went to pita pit and subway and had chicken lots of veg and no cheese etc on whole wheat.

What are your thoughts on peanut butter? I like putting 3TBsp reduced fat PB on a whole wheat wrap and wrapping it around a banana as an occasional lunch. I find it helps fight cravings, but I read people saying it's the devil.

There are pretty much three things that assist in satiety.
Fat, Fiber, and protein.

So i personally see no problem with having peanut butter, or other healthy fats in your diet. It most definitely helps keep you full. The only reason to be careful with fats is the fact that they are 9 calories per gram (nearly double the calories of protein and carbohydrates). It is easy to pack in a LOT of calories without a lot of food.

For example, the following foods are all 200 calories.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMQDPXDtLh8

You'll notice peanut butter and butter are the very last two on the list. Look how little you can eat for that amount of calories.

In my opinion though, you're better off eating a LOT of the lower calorie veggies. Try eating a pound or two of greens and talk about fighting off cravings. Phew.


Either way, find what works best for you. You need to find something you ENJOY eating and can maintain forever.

BuddhaB0y

Honestly I have nothing against veggies.... But I have never been a huge fan. I eat them because they are good for me but you will never hear me go "mmmmm that's a yummy raw piece of broccoli" I'm open to suggestions on how to enjoy veggies more without adding a ton of prep or fat/sugar etc

blankiefinder

BuddhaB0y wrote: »

I have an ascending aortic aneurysm and signs of cardio pulmonary hypertension. No diabetes though. But I want to keep fat on the lower side.

I've actually been feeling ok with the 1600 calories per day but it's good to know I can take in a bit more to minimize cravings.

I cut sugary soda cold turkey and stopped eating fast/processed foods. Been eating chicken and vegetables and brown rice, some fruit, protein bars and meal replacement shakes. The couple of times we went out for a bit we went to pita pit and subway and had chicken lots of veg and no cheese etc on whole wheat.

What are your thoughts on peanut butter? I like putting 3TBsp reduced fat PB on a whole wheat wrap and wrapping it around a banana as an occasional lunch. I find it helps fight cravings, but I read people saying it's the devil.

It sounds like you're making some solid progress. Be sure to use a food scale, and weigh and log everything. Peanut butter should always be weighed. The $10 I spent on my food scale is the best $10 I've ever spent.

BuddhaB0y

blankiefinder wrote: »

It sounds like you're making some solid progress. Be sure to use a food scale, and weigh and log everything. Peanut butter should always be weighed. The $10 I spent on my food scale is the best $10 I've ever spent.

I have one thanks

MsJulesRenee

BuddhaB0y wrote: »

Honestly I have nothing against veggies.... But I have never been a huge fan. I eat them because they are good for me but you will never hear me go "mmmmm that's a yummy raw piece of broccoli" I'm open to suggestions on how to enjoy veggies more without adding a ton of prep or fat/sugar etc

Roasted veggies are my favorite. It caramelizes the natural sugars and makes the veggies a little sweeter but smokey tasting at the same time. You can make them in the oven and if you have a built in broiler, turn that on for a couple minutes before you pull them out of the oven for crispy, slightly burnt edges. Here's a good site for learning how to do this (a lot of ads but very informational article): bhg.com/recipes/how-to/cooking-basics/how-to-roast-vegetables/. If you are a "meat and potatoes" kind of guy you'll love roasted veggies.

JShailen

BuddhaB0y wrote: »

Honestly I have nothing against veggies.... But I have never been a huge fan. I eat them because they are good for me but you will never hear me go "mmmmm that's a yummy raw piece of broccoli" I'm open to suggestions on how to enjoy veggies more without adding a ton of prep or fat/sugar etc

Well these include some prep but what I would suggest is to try adding veggies to your favorite meals to bulk them out, start with basics then add more exotic choices as you develop a taste for them.

Some ideas:
Add peppers, tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, or spinach (or all of them) to scrambled eggs
Chopped sauteed greens can be added to pasta/rice
Baked eggplant or zucchini on top of spaghetti
Veggie sticks, or apple sticks go great dipped in hummus
Make a homemade salsa to go with any mexican dish

Also, fresh herbs and garlic with salt & pepper go great on just about any roasted veggie. Add oil as needed (I usually omit).

Grats on your weight loss by the way

CoffeeNCardio

BuddhaB0y wrote: »

Honestly I have nothing against veggies.... But I have never been a huge fan. I eat them because they are good for me but you will never hear me go "mmmmm that's a yummy raw piece of broccoli" I'm open to suggestions on how to enjoy veggies more without adding a ton of prep or fat/sugar etc

For veggies: give up on raw, they taste way better cooked, and feel free to buy stock in morton's salt company, land o lakes, and Knoll's for the bernaise. Makes any vegetable delicious and you needn't use much at all (I think the last tiem I dumped bernaise on asparagus it resulted in all of 42 calories increase.)

BuddhaB0y

Thank you ladies for all your help!!! (Seems to be all ladies anyway) you guys are great!!!

rainbowbow

BuddhaB0y wrote: »

Honestly I have nothing against veggies.... But I have never been a huge fan. I eat them because they are good for me but you will never hear me go "mmmmm that's a yummy raw piece of broccoli" I'm open to suggestions on how to enjoy veggies more without adding a ton of prep or fat/sugar etc

Broccoli is one of my most favorite veggies!!

Depending on the vegetable i prepare them differently. I like to make a ton at one time so i can put some in the fridge and reheat as necessary. Especially since they can be a pain in the butt to prepare.

Roasting- (probably my favorite method)
I like to roast with a tablespoon of olive oil, 2-3 cloves of garlic, and herbs (400 for 20-30 minutes)-
Broccoli
green beans
carrots
chunked sweet potato
eggplant
tomatoes
potatoes


Saute-
I like to saute with a tablespoon of olive oil and toss in garlic at the end (5-10 minutes)
green beans
zuchinni
squash
mushrooms/peppers/onions
cabbage


Stir Fry-
Recently I made some amazingly delicious veggies with this recipe-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykmxe6v6yW0
this method can be done for almost all veggies


I like to boil-
Carrots
potatoes
broccoli
green beans

If you don't like a veggie prepared ONE way, i suggest you try another method. I went years thinking certain veggies are not for me, and once i had them prepared correctly, they were amazing. I was even craving them. Don't get me started on my late-night cabbage and green bean or roasted tomatoes cravings.

It's important to note that your veggies SHOULD be cooked with or eaten with some fat. Some vitamins and nutrients such as vitamin A, beta carotene, vitamin d, etc. cannot be properly absorbed unless eaten with fat.

Remoth

I get what you are saying, I would say MFP calorie goals are more set for the over weight and not the obese like us. Last time I tried to lose weight, I lost 60 lbs in 15 weeks by just setting the calorie goal at 2000, which should be plenty for most anyone who isn't a real athlete. Unfortunately I gained it all back and then some due to slight depression from my father's death, but this time I plan on changing this for good.

Our calorie deficits are so large, that for a long time, we don't need to worry about macros since we can easily lose 2-4 lbs a week by eating a normal persons amount.

BuddhaB0y

I agree but I just want to do this right. My doctor says I'll be dead in 5-10 years if I don't lose weight.

threadmad

Kudos for asking for help. Please keep checking back and letting us know how you do. We are here for you.

lynn_glenmont

Obviously strangers on the Internet are no substitute for advice from a doctor who knows your medical history and conditions, but as a general thing, the more fat you have, the larger calorie deficit your body can "fund" from fat reserves without being forced to tap into significant amounts of lean body mass to meet its energy needs (which you really want to avoid). Roughly, the body can recover 30 kcal per day per pound of fat. Even a conservative 25% BF (which I think would be much higher in almost anyone weighing 500 lbs) would support -- well, I'm not going to do the math, because I don't want to be accused of promoting a VLCD, but it will certainly support your deficit at your current 1600 kcals a day regimen.

However, to stay healthy and function well, your body needs things beside energy that it can't generate itself--protein, essential fatty acids, essential vitamins and minerals. Fiber is good, too, for digestion and possibly for avoiding some cancers. Focus on getting those things in a varied diet of foods you enjoy and hopefully leave you reasonably satiated. If you can do that on 1600 calories a day, that's great. But if 1600 begins to leave you feeling lethargic (I missed it if you mentioned how active you are, or even if you're ambulatory) or too hungry too much of the time, or if just having some flexibility helps you in adherence, keep in mind that if you eat 2000, 2500, even 3000 calories on some days, you're still going to be in a deficit, and you'll still be on the right path.

The only other thing I didn't notice anyone mention is that, if your doctor clears you, you might consider beginning resistance/strength training (weight lifting or body-weight exercises). You may not be aware of it, or be able to see it under the surface fat, but you probably have substantial muscle mass if you're ambulatory, but it takes muscle to carry 500+ pounds from one place to another. As you lose weight, your body won't maintain the muscle mass you don't need or use anymore (especially when you're eating at a deficit), so strength training can help to hold on to it.

The best of luck. This is going to take a while, but in two years you could be less than half the man you are now

BuddhaB0y

I can't do any hard resistance training because of the aortic aneurism. I'm using flex bands where I can. I also have significant leg weakness which I think is synthroid related but the docs don't know. I also take a multi vitamin and D3 as I live in Canada and its winter. I do not move around much due to muscle weakness and joint pain, but I can walk short distances etc.

lynn_glenmont

OK. Hopefully weight loss will help improve some of the medical conditions (e.g., joint pain).

I wish you success. It sounds like you're well motivated. It was health concerns (primarily high blood glucose, although my blood pressure and cholesterol weren't great either) that finally got me to make a sustainable commitment to weight loss, and MFP (along with a food scale) was the tool that let me make progress. I'm still teetering on the line between overweight and mildly obese, but my glucose, BP, and cholesterol numbers are satisfactory now, so I'm a lot more focused on not regaining then I am on losing what I tend to view as vanity pounds (I suppose my doctor might disagree ). I've kept the weight off for about two years now using MFP, which feels like more of a victory to me than the initial weight loss.

pstegman888

Lemon pepper is a vegetable's best friend, IMO. No matter how they are prepared, lemon pepper enhances the flavor.

BurnWithBarn2015

For extreme obese, disabled, older and other out of shape people you can always try the Youtube chair exercise movies.
They are an excellent way to start.

And respect for your brave decisions to lose weight Keep it up.
Dont worry to much about your macros for now. Calories vs calories out is important.

beachgal0626

Just wanted to chime in with my best wishes to you, Buddha. Congrats on your weight loss so far. You sound very motivated and determined -- I'm proud of you! Please keep us posted on how you're doing.

BuddhaB0y

Thank you all for being so sweet, helpful and supportive!

VykkDraygoVPR

Everyone has covered all of this pretty well. My only addition is to suggest roasting veggies with cajun seasoning. So good! Broccoli and Brussel's sprouts especially. I use about a teaspoon of olive oil to help the seasoning stick, but it's not absolutely necessary.

Good luck in your journey! On the hard days, just remember that the end result is worth it.