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GraceFast

I set up Fitness Pal a few days ago, and my profile told me my calories for the day were 2380. This is way too high, and I didn't know how to change it, so I cancelled my account and started again.

I weigh 244 lbs, and I'm 5'7". I would like to get down to 150 lbs.

So I started a new account. Now it says my calories for the day are 1200. That is pretty low, and I don't think it's right for me. I would starve on that.

I've been entering food that I've been eating, hoping that the allowance would readjust itself, but it's not. I'm not sure what to do.

CometView10

Ummm, I think it's right. I'm about the same height. I started at 170, gave me 1200 calories a day. After anout 6 weeks of trying to stay within the calories or lower I've lost about 7 pounds. Yes, I'm starving.

ObsidianMist

so lower the amount of pounds you want to lose a week.

robynleebarry

Doesn't seem right to me, MFP maxes out on letting you lose 2 pounds per week so your calorie threshold should reflect that- which it isn't. (For example I'm 171 pounds, looking to lose two pounds a week, with an active lifestyle and I'm at 1450 calories a day) If MFP isn't doing the calculation right for you, you can do it the old fashioned way.

First step- find your basal metabolic rate - how many calories your body needs when resting.
For women, the BMR = 655.1 + (weight in kilograms x 9.6) + (height in centimeters x 1.8) − (age in years x 4.7)

Once you've got that figured out you need to take into account your exercise regimen. Multiply your BMR by;
1.2 if you don't exercise
1.375 for light exercise
1.55 if you exercise 3-5 times per week

Now you need to think about creating a caloric deficit - the number thrown around is 3500 calories = a pound of weight loss. So if you want to lose say 3 pounds a week you need to create a deficit of 10500. You can do that by; eating less than your BMR. But for me cutting 1500 calories a day is simply impossible so I added in more exercise to make up the difference!

Hope this helps! It's a bit confusing at first but once you understand your numbers I'm sure it will make things much easier!

Phrick

At 255 and 5'8" when i started on MFP even selecting 2 lbs a week I was given a limit of 1700 calories a day - something is off with your input I think. What activity level did you select? Almost no one is truly sedentary - just because you may sit for 8-10 hours at work (or more accounting for commute) there are a lot of other hours in a day that you are more active. Lightly Active is appropriate for many people.

Also remember that the limit you're given is BEFORE EXERCISE. MFP is designed so that you are supposed to EAT BACK at *least* a portion of the calories you burn from any exercise.

Edit to add:

Instead of deleting your account and starting over, adjust your profile settings at this link:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/change_goals_guided

Phrick

robynleebarry wrote: »

Doesn't seem right to me, MFP maxes out on letting you lose 2 pounds per week so your calorie threshold should reflect that- which it isn't. (For example I'm 171 pounds, looking to lose two pounds a week, with an active lifestyle and I'm at 1450 calories a day) If MFP isn't doing the calculation right for you, you can do it the old fashioned way.

First step- find your basal metabolic rate - how many calories your body needs when resting.
For women, the BMR = 655.1 + (weight in kilograms x 9.6) + (height in centimeters x 1.8) − (age in years x 4.7)

Once you've got that figured out you need to take into account your exercise regimen. Multiply your BMR by;
1.2 if you don't exercise
1.375 for light exercise
1.55 if you exercise 3-5 times per week

Now you need to think about creating a caloric deficit - the number thrown around is 3500 calories = a pound of weight loss. So if you want to lose say 3 pounds a week you need to create a deficit of 10500. You can do that by; eating less than your BMR. But for me cutting 1500 calories a day is simply impossible so I added in more exercise to make up the difference!

Hope this helps! It's a bit confusing at first but once you understand your numbers I'm sure it will make things much easier!

Honestly none of this is necessary. Plug your numbers in to MFP, be realistic in your loss per week goal, be honest in your activity level, and use the number MFP gives you. You don't have to over -think it, really I promise. Just double-check your input at the link I gave above, chances are there is an error in there. Maybe she input her starting weight incorrectly, or it is set to kilograms (or lbs) instead of the correct setting for her country, or some other thing. The chances of a math program getting it somehow wrong are slim I would think.

Also, MFP has a BMR calculator (or did.. let me go look for the link) if you want to save yourself a math headache

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/tools/bmr-calculator

Finally, losing 3 lbs a week is past the recommended maximum and generally not considered to be a safe or reasonable level of weight loss, and you'll be lucky if you don't get your fingers slapped for suggesting it (meant as a friendly warning not to be mean...)