Logging proper weights & using proper limits

waster196

So I'm looking for opinions. My calorie limit has been set for the past 341 days on my previous highest weight (before my journey began 6 years ago) which was 340lbs. So I have been eating as if I weighed 340lbs for all that time, because I simply did not know what I actually weighed.

I was finally able to successfully weigh in this morning, as I have scraped off enough weight to be able to use my home scale.

My current weight is now considerably more than 340lbs, but I don't really feel like I need or want to increase my calorie intake. If I put an accurate weight into MFP it will increase my limits, but it will allow me to track progress accurately.

What to do, friends? Should I just follow the guidelines, or keep eating less than I could? Thoughts and opinions please!

tomteboda

Put in the real weight. You'll want to see your accurate progress. Keep in mind you shouldn't be losing more than 2 pounds a week.

cs2thecox

I'd say put in your real weight.
However, if you have a (sensible) calorie goal in mind, you can always tell MFP that you want to lose nothing, and then edit the calories to set them to whatever you want. (I *think* you can do that on the free version - for sure I can do that on premium.)
This doesn't stop you logging your weight via the "check in" thing, so you can still get the graph of your weight.

Machka9

waster196 wrote: »

So I'm looking for opinions. My calorie limit has been set for the past 341 days on my previous highest weight (before my journey began 6 years ago) which was 340lbs. So I have been eating as if I weighed 340lbs for all that time, because I simply did not know what I actually weighed.

I was finally able to successfully weigh in this morning, as I have scraped off enough weight to be able to use my home scale.

My current weight is now considerably more than 340lbs, but I don't really feel like I need or want to increase my calorie intake. If I put an accurate weight into MFP it will increase my limits, but it will allow me to track progress accurately.

What to do, friends? Should I just follow the guidelines, or keep eating less than I could? Thoughts and opinions please!

You can manually set whatever calories you want.

Put in your real weight, compare the result with the current number of calories you're consuming, manually adjust as you would like.

tinkerbellang83

cs2thecox wrote: »

I'd say put in your real weight.
However, if you have a (sensible) calorie goal in mind, you can always tell MFP that you want to lose nothing, and then edit the calories to set them to whatever you want. (I *think* you can do that on the free version - for sure I can do that on premium.)
This doesn't stop you logging your weight via the "check in" thing, so you can still get the graph of your weight.

Yes this is available in the free version but you don't need to set it to maintain you can just amend your calorie goal from the goals menu.

waster196

Thank you all for the helpful answers. I've used MFP for a long time, but never realised you could manually adjust your goals.

The best of both worlds it is then!

Thanks again

DX2JX2

If you've gained above 340 pounds then you haven't been eating at a 340 pound level. Honestly, you could probably drop your calories down a bit more to accelerate loss if you wanted to, but at the very least make sure you accurately weigh and/or measure your food going forward.

I know that 2 pounds per week tends to be the maximum safe rate of loss per conventional wisdom on this board, but I tend to like the 1% of body weight thinking better. You could easily target 3 to 3.5 pounds per week for the first 4-6 months and still have plenty of food in your daily diet.

RodaRose

@waster196 Also this: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1