Precision Nutrition’s Weight Loss Calculator

M30834134

I found this calculator/simulator today and it claims to take into account metabolic adaptation for its calculations.

What do you guys think of this?

http://www.precisionnutrition.com/weight-loss-calculator

rybo

I have no comment with regard to the calculator, but PN is one of the best websites out there for good information about how much a person should be eating.

ManiacalLaugh

It seems a little friendly (they put me at 100 calories more than Scooby's did), but it's close enough to think it's pretty accurate. I like its usability too (once I figured out the numeric value of my activity level - that was a bit odd).

It seems like it'd be a great tool for the many newbies who come here complaining that they have "2 weeks to lose 50 lbs!" (or whatever unrealistic number). It offers some useful perspective on length of time x calories eaten.

seska422

They talk about adaptive metabolism being the reason that the calorie deficit would imply a 70 pound loss but there's only a 40 pound loss. They don't do the math correctly.

"Vanessa" isn't reducing her daily calories to account for her new smaller body size as she goes along, she's keeping the same calorie goal throughout the weight loss year. That 1770 calories is only a 675 calorie deficit for her starting weight. Since the calories are staying the same, the deficit is getting smaller as time passes. She'd have to be 185 pounds throughout the whole year for the deficit to be 246,375 calories.

Yi5hedr3

Wow! The numbers are WAY HIGH!!!! If I ate what it says I should to lose weight, I would in fact gain a couple pounds/week! Also, since it does not allow you to put in low carb macros, your % body fat remains about the same as you supposedly lose weight. What a waste. Gets a thumbs down from me!

ManiacalLaugh

seska422 wrote: »

They talk about adaptive metabolism being the reason that the calorie deficit would imply a 70 pound loss but there's only a 40 pound loss. They don't do the math correctly.

Ah, good catch. I kind of skimmed their explanation section. I was more interested in the usability and clarity of the tool.

seska422

I actually prefer the layout of the original:

Body Weight Planner

I especially like Expert Mode.

yarwell

It models a single change rather than an ongoing deficit that is maintained by dropping intake, it has its uses eg if you want to model a population decrease of 100 calories of intake from a sugary drinks tax but it's a bit simple for a single dieter.

seska422

yarwell wrote: »

It models a single change rather than an ongoing deficit that is maintained by dropping intake, it has its uses eg if you want to model a population decrease of 100 calories of intake from a sugary drinks tax but it's a bit simple for a single dieter.

I prefer losing weight this way rather than nudging my calories down a bit at a time. I like having a steady calorie goal and a decreasing deficit.

I also understand that my weigh loss gets slower as I go along because I have a smaller deficit, not because of metabolic adaptation stealing my progress.

M30834134

seska422 wrote: »

I actually prefer the layout of the original:

Body Weight Planner

I especially like Expert Mode.

NIce! Thanks for the link and info