Am I not losing as much because i'm not eating enough?

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  • lucerorojo
    lucerorojo Posts: 790 Member
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    Grasschopper wrote: »
    lucerorojo wrote: »
    I can only respond based on my own experience. I started at 237 in July 2017. Initially I lost at 2 lbs. per week until I reached about 212 lbs. In that time I had also reinputted my stats at least 3 times into MFP. (Have you been doing that?? I hear that on the phone app you don't need to, but you do on the computer). You cannot continue to eat the same amount at 250 lbs. that you ate at 212 lbs. and expect to lose at the same rate. Your body needs much less.

    By the time I got to 212 in order to lose 2 lbs. per week I was going to have to eat 1200 calories (or less because MFP will just stop at 1200 and will not show less). I tried that for four days and could not do it. So I tried 1.5 calories per week, but didn't like it so I just changed to 1 calorie per week, which I have been at since. I'm at 189 now, and okay with my progress. It is slower than I initially expected but I work at a job that I need to be alert and not crabby, so I am happy to eat 1550-1700 NET over the past 6-8 months to lose 1 lb. per week. Usually I'm eating 1800-2100 with exercise calories. A LOT better than eating 1200 calories and climbing the walls from hunger.

    I think there is something about getting just over 200 lbs. for women, when it is difficult to lose at 2 lbs. per week because the deficit is too large (1000 calories) and there are no longer the fat stores to draw from.

    I would recommend you 1) reinput your stats if you are on the computer. 2) change to 1-1.5 lbs. per week.

    Can you comment on "reinput your stats if you are on the computer."? I use both the web and my iPhone for MFP and when I go into the web based site I see my current weight (as weighed this am on Nokia Body+ that gets shared to my phone, updates MFP app there which must have updated the web version). Is this not making adjustments in caloric intake?

    I don't know why MFP doesn't do this automatically. I've heard that it "does" on the app. I also use the phone but I always input my stats through the computer. Anyway, every 10 lbs. or so, people on MFP have said to go into SETTINGS and put in your stats again. (It will be there already). Click "Update your diet profile" on the left. You'll see your current stats. When you click the green button to "update your profile" it will recalibrate the daily calories. Each time I have done that it has LOWERED the calories that I need to eat.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    edited June 2018
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    It should be about every 10 lbs lost the web account will do that same notice and offer to lower calories in your daily burn goal. Which of course then lowers your eating goal too.
    And that is from entering a new lower weight though Check-in, shouldn't need to do the whole routine you describe.

    Because indeed - that does need to happen, but takes 10 lbs or more to generally change the eating level enough to matter.
  • Grasschopper
    Grasschopper Posts: 12 Member
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    lucerorojo wrote: »
    I don't know why MFP doesn't do this automatically. I've heard that it "does" on the app. I also use the phone but I always input my stats through the computer. Anyway, every 10 lbs. or so, people on MFP have said to go into SETTINGS and put in your stats again. (It will be there already). Click "Update your diet profile" on the left. You'll see your current stats. When you click the green button to "update your profile" it will recalibrate the daily calories. Each time I have done that it has LOWERED the calories that I need to eat.

    Hmm...I just did it and nothing changed. It DID have my current weight in there as well as my starting weight. I tried changing my starting weight to my current weight and the date to today and that didn't change anything either. I wonder if, because I use both the app and the web, mine updates without having to go in and do it manually.
  • lucerorojo
    lucerorojo Posts: 790 Member
    edited June 2018
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    Grasschopper wrote: »
    lucerorojo wrote: »
    I don't know why MFP doesn't do this automatically. I've heard that it "does" on the app. I also use the phone but I always input my stats through the computer. Anyway, every 10 lbs. or so, people on MFP have said to go into SETTINGS and put in your stats again. (It will be there already). Click "Update your diet profile" on the left. You'll see your current stats. When you click the green button to "update your profile" it will recalibrate the daily calories. Each time I have done that it has LOWERED the calories that I need to eat.

    Hmm...I just did it and nothing changed. It DID have my current weight in there as well as my starting weight. I tried changing my starting weight to my current weight and the date to today and that didn't change anything either. I wonder if, because I use both the app and the web, mine updates without having to go in and do it manually.

    Could be. I don't change my SW. I just click "update profile" and it changes the calories. I didn't WANT to do it, because I didn't want it to lower my calories, but I just did it. And it lowered my calores by TEN. I last inputted my weight on Saturday. So it did not change it automatically for me through "check in."
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Changing the starting weight is just messing with settings that don't matter to the daily burn nor eating level.

    It's current weight that makes a change.

    If current weight is logged under your normal profile settings (starting, height, age, gender), instant update to what you burn.
    Therefore instant change to what you eat.

    If current weight is logged through normal weight update - it will NOT change the eating level until it goes down by 10 lbs from last update.

    Because of exactly what you saw - anything less is meaningless for the change in the calorie eating level - 10 cal isn't worth the update to eating level.

    So again - it should NOT have changed it automatically through check-in. Because it didn't change by at least 10 lbs.
  • AJB1014
    AJB1014 Posts: 1,380 Member
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    Grasschopper wrote: »
    mburgess458 wrote: »
    What are you talking about? GMO stands for Genetically Modified Organism and as far as I can tell is ONLY used to describe plants so far. I googled "GMO bacon" and nothing comes back other than a mention that it MIGHT be possible to genetically modify pigs and produce lower fat bacon. It doesn't exist today.

    Do you mean uncured bacon? The main unhealthy part of bacon is all of the preservatives like nitrates that are in most bacon you buy today. You can buy uncured bacon which is much better, but I still don't know any experts that consider pork fat to be as healthy as plant fats like avocados/nuts/seeds. I would agree it isn't bad, just not as good as healthier fats.

    Sorry...I may have used the wrong term here. I meant the pig's diet. Cows, chickens, pigs feed corn and given supplements to make them bigger and provide more milk/meat faster pass those substances along. Grass fed cows, free range chickens...and I'll be honest I'm not sure what the equivalent is for pigs is called but I'm sure it exists.

    Bacon eaten in moderation (I'm not suggesting having a plate of bacon to snack on at work here) can be a good source of fat to improve satiation.

    Pastured Pork - they can be pasture raised but do need some grain to survive. Pastured unhydrogenated pork lard has actually helped me as woman with PCOS - I use it instead of olive oil when cooking, because it has a nice high smoke point, and adds a ton of vitamin D to my diet that I otherwise lack. Pastured pork lard has increased amounts of vitamin D in it because pigs can absorb vitamin D from sunshine just like we can. I still use olive oil in dressings and marinades but pork lard has been a welcome addition to my kitchen while not killing my wallet.

    OP - your weight loss seems like a good downward trend to me. But, if you feel like your struggling could you discuss options with your doctor? Have they done blood work? I'm insulin resistant so metformin has helped me along my journey. Good luck and keep going!
  • lucerorojo
    lucerorojo Posts: 790 Member
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    heybales wrote: »
    Changing the starting weight is just messing with settings that don't matter to the daily burn nor eating level.

    It's current weight that makes a change.

    If current weight is logged under your normal profile settings (starting, height, age, gender), instant update to what you burn.
    Therefore instant change to what you eat.

    If current weight is logged through normal weight update - it will NOT change the eating level until it goes down by 10 lbs from last update.

    Because of exactly what you saw - anything less is meaningless for the change in the calorie eating level - 10 cal isn't worth the update to eating level.

    So again - it should NOT have changed it automatically through check-in. Because it didn't change by at least 10 lbs.

    So at 10 lbs. it automatically changes? I have never noticed that but I guess since I manually have been changing it, it wouldn't do it.
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,095 Member
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    from memory (is a while since i was trying to lose) it didnt automatically change my numbers - it just gave me a pop up recomending that I now re input my new weight to get new numbers.

    Which I must admit I did not do, I just kept at my original number and if it made me lose a bit slower that was ok.

    But I didnt have large amount to lose - if you do, then I think you would have to adjust at some points.
  • Grasschopper
    Grasschopper Posts: 12 Member
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    AJB1014 wrote: »
    Pastured Pork - they can be pasture raised but do need some grain to survive. Pastured unhydrogenated pork lard has actually helped me as woman with PCOS - I use it instead of olive oil when cooking, because it has a nice high smoke point, and adds a ton of vitamin D to my diet that I otherwise lack. Pastured pork lard has increased amounts of vitamin D in it because pigs can absorb vitamin D from sunshine just like we can. I still use olive oil in dressings and marinades but pork lard has been a welcome addition to my kitchen while not killing my wallet.

    OP - your weight loss seems like a good downward trend to me. But, if you feel like your struggling could you discuss options with your doctor? Have they done blood work? I'm insulin resistant so metformin has helped me along my journey. Good luck and keep going!

    Thank you for the education...now I know the correct term and for sure will be looking for it at the store when I shop.

    To me the best thing is to find something that is healthier and yet you still like it. Is cauliflower good for me? Sure but I hate it so I'm not going on the all cauliflower diet. I like bacon and if there's a healthier option to buy I'm going to buy it on those occasions when I eat bacon...and no I don't eat it every day or even every week. But a couple times a month on the weekend. Heck yes I do and IMO having some foods that you enjoy is a very important part of finding what works for you.
  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
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    mburgess458 wrote: »
    Do you mean uncured bacon? The main unhealthy part of bacon is all of the preservatives like nitrates that are in most bacon you buy today. You can buy uncured bacon which is much better, but I still don't know any experts that consider pork fat to be as healthy as plant fats like avocados/nuts/seeds. I would agree it isn't bad, just not as good as healthier fats.

    All bacon is still cured. As I recall the uncured is preserved with celery salt which is a natural source of nitrates so the "uncured" may have less nitrates it is not without. IMO just another fun marketing plot.



  • strongwouldbenice
    strongwouldbenice Posts: 153 Member
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    I go into settings and change my goal from lose to maintain, and back. That changes the calories for me. From memory it's about 5 calories per pound lost.
  • LaurenMT96
    LaurenMT96 Posts: 184 Member
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    Yeah I have updated my stats and MFP has given me 1200, i dont think it will go lower than that
  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
    edited June 2018
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    LaurenMT96 wrote: »
    Yeah I have updated my stats and MFP has given me 1200, i dont think it will go lower than that

    That's because unless you're really short, the minimum recommended calories for women is 1200 a day. MFP will not allow your allotment to be any lower than that because that would encourage unhealthy and potentially dangerous under-eating.

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