MFP, deficit calculator weirdness

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bkbirge
bkbirge Posts: 107 Member
edited January 2017 in Health and Weight Loss
So I just achieved my 3rd "recalc" for my daily target calories, yay me. I had been on 1270/day which at the time 10 lbs ago I thought seemed a bit light but I got used to it and have mostly kept my crayons inside the lines, seeing the losses as predicted. I'm 5'8", 47 years.

Went to recalc the goals today (using the guided view) and it upped my cals to 1500/day. Same weight target as before. I redid it a couple times changing parameters such as activity level (sedentary computer jockey) and weekly loss goal (2lb) thinking maybe they needed a reset or something... nope, got same result.

Changed my gender to woman thinking maybe I had accidentally done that when I set the last 10lb cycle up, I mean I'm not usually *that* confused but maybe lol. That makes the cal deficit to 1200, not 1270. Switched back to male and target also went back up to 1500.

Anyone else run into this? My guess is the devs fixed a bug that allowed me as a male to drop below the 1500 recommended limit, curious if anyone else ran into similar.

The kicker here is that with my 1270/day target I was losing at the expected rate of 2'ish lb/week. If the calc was way off I'd expect different results. Right now I just hand set it to 1270 since it's working for me and don't want to mess with the results.



Replies

  • CyberTone
    CyberTone Posts: 7,337 Member
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    bkbirge wrote: »
    So I just achieved my 3rd "recalc" for my daily target calories, yay me. I had been on 1270/day which at the time 10 lbs ago I thought seemed a bit light but I got used to it and have mostly kept my crayons inside the lines, seeing the losses as predicted. I'm 5'8", 47 years.

    Went to recalc the goals today (using the guided view) and it upped my cals to 1500/day. Same weight target as before. I redid it a couple times changing parameters such as activity level (sedentary computer jockey) and weekly loss goal (2lb) thinking maybe they needed a reset or something... nope, got same result.

    Changed my gender to woman thinking maybe I had accidentally done that when I set the last 10lb cycle up, I mean I'm not usually *that* confused but maybe lol. That makes the cal deficit to 1200, not 1270. Switched back to male and target also went back up to 1500.

    Anyone else run into this? My guess is the devs fixed a bug that allowed me as a male to drop below the 1500 recommended limit, curious if anyone else ran into similar.

    The kicker here is that with my 1270/day target I was losing at the expected rate of 2'ish lb/week. If the calc was way off I'd expect different results. Right now I just hand set it to 1270 since it's working for me and don't want to mess with the results.



    Are you weighing all solids and measuring all liquids? If not, you might be underestimating your intake. The difference of 230 Cals (1500 Cals - 1270 Cals) per day if you are not weighing all solids and measuring all liquids would most likely account for the discrepancy between predicted loss rate and actual loss rate.

    Prior to 2015, MFP allowed fewer than 1500 Cals per day for men, but except for a bug in the app in early 2015, I am not aware of any other reported bugs.

    You really should not be averaging fewer than 1500 Cals per day as a man. You need essential amino acids, vitamins, and minerals from food. I am 5'8" 55 148 lbs. and I will lose weight if I *net* fewer than 1750 Cals per day. I weigh all solids and measure all liquids, with only occasional meals out.
  • sllm1
    sllm1 Posts: 2,114 Member
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    The minimum allowed calorie target for women is 1200 and the minimum for men is 1500. Two pounds per week is probably too much for you at this point. Try 1.5 and you'll have more calories.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    I think your initial 1270 was a glitch...to my knowledge, the floor for a male is 1,500 and the floor for a female is 1,200
  • sllm1
    sllm1 Posts: 2,114 Member
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    I think you had it on female before when you got the 1270. Now that level has dropped due to your weight loss, so that's why you're getting the 1200.
  • bkbirge
    bkbirge Posts: 107 Member
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    Thanks for the insight all! My measuring and weighing is pretty good, I am consistent about using my kitchen scale though I can't claim 100% 24/7 adherence and of course it never hurts to tighten up discipline, maybe that is the discrepancy.
    sllm1 wrote: »
    I think you had it on female before when you got the 1270. Now that level has dropped due to your weight loss, so that's why you're getting the 1200.

    Well, that's the weird thing, when I was playing with the numbers I thought the same so I went back for a recalc where I said my weight was +10lb and chose woman thinking that would put me back at 1270 and explain why this last cycle I was at that deficit. But that just sent it to 1200 right away also. So mystery remains.
  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
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    bkbirge wrote: »
    Thanks for the insight all! My measuring and weighing is pretty good, I am consistent about using my kitchen scale though I can't claim 100% 24/7 adherence and of course it never hurts to tighten up discipline, maybe that is the discrepancy.
    sllm1 wrote: »
    I think you had it on female before when you got the 1270. Now that level has dropped due to your weight loss, so that's why you're getting the 1200.

    Well, that's the weird thing, when I was playing with the numbers I thought the same so I went back for a recalc where I said my weight was +10lb and chose woman thinking that would put me back at 1270 and explain why this last cycle I was at that deficit. But that just sent it to 1200 right away also. So mystery remains.

    For your height weight etc., a 2 lb per week loss will need less than 1200 calories, so it defaulted to 1200 for a woman and 1500 for a man. Don't know about your weird glitch. It sounds to me like 2 lb per week is too aggressive. What are your stats?
  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
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    bkbirge wrote: »
    Tacklewasher wrote: »
    What are your stats?

    5'8", 47, sedentary, leo, likes long walks on the beach, no cats.

    Weight????
  • bkbirge
    bkbirge Posts: 107 Member
    edited January 2017
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    lol, yes...
    starting: 235 lbs
    current: 205
    goal: 155
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
    edited January 2017
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    For a guy the lowest recommended is 1500/day. SO if you were on 1270 before that would have been the error.

    Based on your stats, as sedentary, you probably burn about 2100/day (as a guy, as a gal of your height/weight/age only 1875). So 1500 in would be a little over 1 pound weekly as a target. But that is before/without exercise, and you may actually be more active than 'sedentary'.

    So be glad you're a guy lol. You burn more. :)
  • bkbirge
    bkbirge Posts: 107 Member
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    Thanks everyone, I'll just mark the last 10lb cycle deficit target as a glitch in the system and go with the current recommended 1500 cal/day, I was losing when I started and it was at 1600 or thereabouts so I'm sure this will be fine. Ate at the 1500 limit yesterday and it felt like I gained a whole meal, lol.

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