Calories too low?

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Mugs203
Mugs203 Posts: 26 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Looking for advice. I am 49 and want to lose 15 lbs. On an average day I am burning 500-800 calories per by Apple Watch (this includes workouts). Both MFP and IIFYM have me eating around 1200 calories a day, which seems low since I am burning b/t 500-800. Is my calorie count too low and that's what's causing weight loss to stall? Should I be eating those calories back? Thanks in advance!

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  • Panini911
    Panini911 Posts: 2,325 Member
    edited February 2019
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    MFP gives you calories to eat (for selected rate of loss) BEFORE PURPOSEFUL EXERCISE. You need to eat back your exercise calories

    ETA: here is a link with an explanation of exercise calories and MFP
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10503681/exercise-calories-do-i-eat-these-a-video-explanation/p1
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
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    you are also supposed to eat your calories back from exercise.
  • MichelleSilverleaf
    MichelleSilverleaf Posts: 2,028 Member
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    Mugs203 wrote: »
    Looking for advice. I am 49 and want to lose 15 lbs. On an average day I am burning 500-800 calories per by Apple Watch (this includes workouts). Both MFP and IIFYM have me eating around 1200 calories a day, which seems low since I am burning b/t 500-800. Is my calorie count too low and that's what's causing weight loss to stall? Should I be eating those calories back? Thanks in advance!

    You didn't happen to pick a 2lb/week weight loss, did you? Because with 15lbs to go 0.5lb/week is the most you should go for.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 33,956 Member
    edited February 2019
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    Set your Goals on this site to "Lose 1/2 pound per week." Set your Activity Level honestly. Don't pick Sedentary unless you do absolutely nothing all day. If you have any job, go to school or care for children don't pick Sedentary. It's not true.

    Add in Exercise when you do it. Eat those calories (200-400 calories more per hour of moderate to strenuous exercise.)


    From Help at the top of every page: How does MyFitnessPal calculate my initial goals?


  • Mugs203
    Mugs203 Posts: 26 Member
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    MichelleSilverleaf wrote: »
    Mugs203 wrote: »
    Looking for advice. I am 49 and want to lose 15 lbs. On an average day I am burning 500-800 calories per by Apple Watch (this includes workouts). Both MFP and IIFYM have me eating around 1200 calories a day, which seems low since I am burning b/t 500-800. Is my calorie count too low and that's what's causing weight loss to stall? Should I be eating those calories back? Thanks in advance!

    You didn't happen to pick a 2lb/week weight loss, did you? Because with 15lbs to go 0.5lb/week is the most you should go for.

    Nope, I know there is no way I can lose 2 lbs per week!
  • MichelleSilverleaf
    MichelleSilverleaf Posts: 2,028 Member
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    Mugs203 wrote: »
    MichelleSilverleaf wrote: »
    Mugs203 wrote: »
    Looking for advice. I am 49 and want to lose 15 lbs. On an average day I am burning 500-800 calories per by Apple Watch (this includes workouts). Both MFP and IIFYM have me eating around 1200 calories a day, which seems low since I am burning b/t 500-800. Is my calorie count too low and that's what's causing weight loss to stall? Should I be eating those calories back? Thanks in advance!

    You didn't happen to pick a 2lb/week weight loss, did you? Because with 15lbs to go 0.5lb/week is the most you should go for.

    Nope, I know there is no way I can lose 2 lbs per week!

    Ah okay, well that's good :) You may not be stalling in weight loss, that small amount can easily be masked by fluctuations or water weight. How long have you stalled?

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