Weight maintenance and this app.

jamusftrip

So, most research I've done indicates that to maintain my weight I need to slowlyincrease my calorie intake leveling off somewhere between 1900 to 2000. However, this app tells me to level out at 1600. Seems odd, incorrect even. That's merely 100 calories more than it recommends to lose the weight.
What am I missing?

collectingblues

Because the app doesn't include your exercise calories. Unless you are specifically looking at NEAT sites, your calculators/research does.

nxd10

The difference between calories and net calories is key.

lorrpb

If you were losing the last 10-15 lbs at the recommended 0.5 lb per week, that's only 250 calories difference between losing and maintaining.

__TMac__

That still seems low. Have you double-checked your settings for height, current weight, activity level, and maintenance goal?

sijomial

What are your stats?
As 2500 gross is often stated for a mythical average male to maintain 1900 to 2000 seems low and 1600 + exercise calories seems awfully low.

cwolfman13

Did you double check all of your inputs and stats? That's super low for a male. Without exercise I'll maintain on 2400-2500...with regular exercise it can be 2800-3000+

psychod787

Check out Kevin Hall's body weight tracker on the NIH website. Put in weight pre weight loss and work backwards. It will give you maintenance calories for new weight. It's amazingly accurate. It also takes into account metabolic slow down and muscle adaptation. Also, remember diet composition will effect it slightly. Best of luck!

BeccaLoves2lift

I maintain on 1800-2000 and I'm a 5'2" female.

LivingtheLeanDream

Yeah MFP tells me that being lightly active my maintenance is 1620... for me its actually 1950-2000 - I'm 5ft 2 /female.
You'll know by how much you were losing a week, if it was 1/2lb a week then you can bump your cals by 250 a day e.g.

jjpptt2

So, if you tell MFP you want to lose weight, it gives you 1500 cals per day... 1600 cals per day if you want to maintain? That does seem odd/low. Even taking net vs gross cals into consideration, that seems low.

cmriverside

MFP tells me I maintain at 1500, but I actually maintain at 2200-2300, net calories.

Like everyone says, re-check your inputs.

You can manually set your calories anywhere you want. If you know how many calories you want to use, do that. If you don't, run the experiment by keeping good records for a month or two and adjust based on your results and your energy levels.