MFP Calories WAY off

Sydneymchamberlain

So after using MFP's suggested intake for a month, I realized I was not getting anywhere so I started dropping my calories lower over time.

Over summer, I found out the only way I could actually lose 1-2lbs/week (being 150lbs at the time) was by eating around 750 calories a day. That was with daily leisurely swimming and a 1 hour bike ride 5 days a week. I got down to 135 in about three months.

I realized it was unsustainable. So I set MFP to maintenance and eased to that calorie recommendation, thinking I could at least maintain. Now it's been three more months and I've gained 10 pounds back

I log every single thing I eat BEFORE I eat it. I don't really snack, I drink only water, and I exercise every day. I have no idea why my calorie requirements are so far off what MFP recommends.

Any suggestions would be really appreciated

malibu927

How are you measuring your intake?

crzycatlady1

If you're gaining weight then you're eating over your maintenance calorie level. Your diary is locked-could you make it public so we can take a look at it?

And what are your current stats?

And how are your figuring out your exercise burns?

jemhh

Sydneymchamberlain wrote: »

So after using MFP's suggested intake for a month, I realized I was not getting anywhere so I started dropping my calories lower over time.

Over summer, I found out the only way I could actually lose 1-2lbs/week (being 150lbs at the time) was by eating around 750 calories a day. That was with daily leisurely swimming and a 1 hour bike ride 5 days a week. I got down to 135 in about three months.

I realized it was unsustainable. So I set MFP to maintenance and eased to that calorie recommendation, thinking I could at least maintain. Now it's been three more months and I've gained 10 pounds back

I log every single thing I eat BEFORE I eat it. I don't really snack, I drink only water, and I exercise every day. I have no idea why my calorie requirements are so far off what MFP recommends.

Any suggestions would be really appreciated

Could you please make your profile and diary public so that we can see what you have been eating. Without more info, I'm going to say that you are measuring your intake incorrectly and possibly that you are logging exercise at calories higher than it is worth and then eating back those calories.

Also, without further info I can say that a goal of 1-2 pounds per week ranges from difficult to nearly impossible to do in a healthy manner when you are only 150 pounds.

kshama2001

Please change your Diary Sharing settings to Public: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/diary_settings

jmp463

I always have to go under the calories MFP says because I know that I am under logging. I try to be as accurate as I can be and use a food scale when I am home - but even so I under log. So I just move the target down some and then it works just fine. Just a couple 100 cal a day - but it makes a big difference in how fast or slow I lose.

GottaBurnEmAll

I'm going to be the one to say it. There has to be something wrong with how you are quantifying your intake. Please make your diary public.

silverfiend

GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »

I'm going to be the one to say it. There has to be something wrong with how you are quantifying your intake. Please make your diary public.

If the OP's log is saying 750 calories, then that won't show anything. This is almost certainly a case of underestimating food amounts, overestimating calorie burns, or a combination of the two.

TeaBea

silverfiend wrote: »

GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »

I'm going to be the one to say it. There has to be something wrong with how you are quantifying your intake. Please make your diary public.

If the OP's log is saying 750 calories, then that won't show anything. This is almost certainly a case of underestimating food amounts, overestimating calorie burns, or a combination of the two.

She set MFP to maintenance for now. If her diary shows a medium banana (for example)....that's a problem. Users can point to specific entries that are (likely) erroneous.

snickerscharlie

OP - have you had your thyroid functions checked?

Failing that, the answer to your issue is contained somewhere in this chart:

nutmegoreo

silverfiend wrote: »

GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »

I'm going to be the one to say it. There has to be something wrong with how you are quantifying your intake. Please make your diary public.

If the OP's log is saying 750 calories, then that won't show anything. This is almost certainly a case of underestimating food amounts, overestimating calorie burns, or a combination of the two.

There's plenty of common errors that are visible in a diary, including incorrect database entries.

Christine_72

silverfiend wrote: »

GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »

I'm going to be the one to say it. There has to be something wrong with how you are quantifying your intake. Please make your diary public.

If the OP's log is saying 750 calories, then that won't show anything. This is almost certainly a case of underestimating food amounts, overestimating calorie burns, or a combination of the two.

You can usually tell if something is off. Most times they're using

spoon and cup measurements
Generic entries
Slices or pieces
medium apple, banana etc

PaulaWallaDingDong

I think if one were routinely eating only 750 calories per day and their body was not tapping into energy stores, they wouldn't have the energy to post about it on a message board.

Francl27

You're either underestimating your food intake by a lot, or you have a serious thyroid condition (unlikely).

markrgeary1

Look at the flowchart above. It doesn't lie.

WinoGelato

More likely than MFP calories/target being way off is that you are underestimating calories in and overestimating calories out. You can most certainly lose weight eating more than 750 cals/day.

That said, MFP goals are based on averages and data that you entered. They are not infallible. Many people find they have to tweak them slightly in order to optimize weight loss, but going down to 750 cals is too extreme and indicative that you're eating more than you think.

Lastly, you're 150 lbs now, how much more weight are you trying to lose? 2 lbs/week is going to be too aggressive, and even 1 lb/week may not be reasonable if you have less than 25 lbs to lose.

Opening your diary and providing more info will help people give you more specific advice.

SLLRunner

GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »

I'm going to be the one to say it. There has to be something wrong with how you are quantifying your intake. Please make your diary public.

This.

The evidence of how much (or how little) we are eating is always in the results. It's so easy to unknowingly underestimate our calorie intake and overestimate calories burned.

Christine_72

SLLRunner wrote: »

GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »

I'm going to be the one to say it. There has to be something wrong with how you are quantifying your intake. Please make your diary public.

This.

The evidence of how much (or how little) we are eating is always in the results. It's so easy to unknowingly underestimate our calorie intake and overestimate calories burned.

So easy!
That small handful of cashews i grabbed on the way through the kitchen doesn't really count, when in reality there's a quick 200 unaccounted for calories. That extra spoonful here, guestimatation there, "serving size" here there and everywhere soon add up.

WatchJoshLift

She posted this earlier today, about 10 hours ago. She has yet to make her profile public, or respond beyond the OP. She ate a ridiculously low amount of calories for three months and it was the only way she lost weight. I think OP is trolling. I could be wrong, but I don't think so.