Calorie allowance for weight loss - help I'm confused!!

HiddenPretty

Hi

I need some advice, guys!

My calories as per MFP are almost 1000 LESS per day than any other calculation I use.

I'm hesitant to drop to the 1200 this gives me as I don't think I'll have the energy for my workouts and, as I lose weight, I'll just hit a brick wall unless I drop below this range.

I have a fair bit to lose hence my basic calories being high and, even taking into account a 20% calorie reduction to drop weight, other calculators and people come up a hell of a lot more!

Any advice ?

skymningen

What are your stats that gave you this number? Also, on MFP calories are calculated in a way so you are supposed to eat back your workout calories, so you should be able to have enough energy for that. Or your goal is to lose too fast. What did you set as your weight loss goal?

HiddenPretty

Thanks. I've set at 2lbs per week. I'm 240lb (

MaddMaestro

While working out, try working on hitting your protein and fat intake so you don't feel as hungry. 1200 is low, but you'll do it

Seffell

In MFP you are supposed to eat back your exercise calories. So the 1200 figure is just the baseline for you.

lexington88

At 2lb per week, you should be eating 1000 calories less than your TDEE, which I'm assuming is where the calculation has come from - Though MFP will always cap the lower end of your calorie intake at 1200. When you've been doing your calculations elsewhere, have you been looking at just the TDEE as this could be where the discrepancy is. If you set your goal to 'maintain', MFP will calculate your current TDEE, and you can compare that to the calculations from other sites.

Edited for spelling errors.

HiddenPretty

Thanks both

My exercise doesn't seem to register maybe I'll reinstall and start again!

irishgo

Tried 5:2 diet it works for me, but the problem is indeed MFP will only log a minimum of 1200 cals. So I just add more cals of future foods intake next day.

sijomial

It's not that straightforward to compare this site to other site's calorie calculations.
TDEE accounts for your average exercise, not accounted for on here at all (not part of activity setting).
TDEE sites tend to work on percentage deficit, you select a desired rate of weekly loss on here.

If you set both to maintain weight and enter zero exercise you should find numbers are the same or very similar.

HiddenPretty

Reinstalled, get a few more calories now for my exercise so I don't feel as traumatised!

Sorry what is TDEE?

Irish - thank you. Do you feel 5:2 is sustainable long term?

lexington88

Total Daily Energy Expenditure. Basically how many calories you burn in a day.

https://www.iifym.com/tdee-calculator/

This site does a good job of explaining it, and also has a calculator.

TavistockToad

irishgo wrote: »

Tried 5:2 diet it works for me, but the problem is indeed MFP will only log a minimum of 1200 cals. So I just add more cals of future foods intake next day.

you can still log your food, it just wont let you 'complete' your diary so that you get an automatic update on your wall.

pamfgil

5:2 doesn't work for everyone, if you're interested try it, but you would probably need to do the fasting days on rest days