1200 calories to lose 2lbs a week but only 1250 to lose 1lb? Does that make sense?

lisafrancis888

Sorry I may be being stupid. Can’t get my head around this.
For June I put settings to lose 2lb a week which I did so that was great.
I now want to alter to losing 1lb a week as I am very close to my weight goal. However it’s only giving me 1250 calories I was expecting maybe 200 or 300 more? I was previously on 1200.
I am 51 and 130lbs. I run 5 times a week and always eat most exercise calories back but other than that I am very inactive. Sat on my bottom most of the time.
Anyone any thoughts on the calories? Seems odd to me.
Thank you.

avskk

1200 is the lowest number of calories MFP will recommend. It sounds like 2lb/week is too aggressive for you; to create that kind of loss you'd need to eat fewer than 1200 a day, which MFP will not tell you to do. If 1lb/week gives you 1250 calories, then your goal for 2lb/week would be 750 calories per day -- completely unhealthful and unsustainable.

It's probably worth adjusting your goal for reality. At 130lbs, unless you are extraordinarily short, you should not be aiming to lose two pounds per week (or probably even one). Set your goal to half a pound per week and remind yourself that you still need enough energy to thrive.

taco_inspector

@lisafrancis888 -- the 1200 number is a "floor" or minimum value that MFP will set for females.

The numbers you're seeing are related to a 2lb/week loss goal falling somewhere below a 1200 calorie/day intake, and your 1lb/wk goal being slightly above that lower limit. (note that the 1-lb.wk value is also very well supported by your observed weight loss rate of 1-lb/wk on 1200 cals/day)

kgirlhart

For a 2 pound per week loss you would need a calorie goal of 750 per day. Mfp won't give you a goal that low since that would be very unhealthy so it bottoms out at 1200. Since you don't have much weight to lose you should really set your goal at .5 pound per week loss which would give you 1500 calories per day.

lisafrancis888

Ah that makes total sense. Thank you both very much. .5 sounds fine so I will adjust.