How to set calorie??

lucidchroma
lucidchroma Posts: 57 Member
edited December 25 in Health and Weight Loss
I have been logging food very meticulously (Using a food scale) for the last 10 days. Today will be my 11th. According to MFP, my maintenance is 1420 calories. I have been having somewhere around 2200-2500 calories a day (2346 on average) and haven't gained a pound or lost any. I used a weight trending app and it was only mild fluctuations.

I have 10+ lbs to lose. And I want to aim for 0.25-0.5 lbs at max a week. Should I make it 2300-250 = 2050 or the 1400-250 = 1150/1200 calories a day?

Replies

  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    MFP estimates that you will maintain on 1,420 given the activity level that you provided when you set up your account. If you're actually maintaining on 2,200ish (which I think is a bit early to conclude after just 10 days), then it means that your activity level is probably higher than what you estimated.

    I suggest double-checking your activity level to ensure it reflects your actual everyday activity. If you're doing intentional exercise, you'll want to be logging that as well.
  • lucidchroma
    lucidchroma Posts: 57 Member
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    MFP estimates that you will maintain on 1,420 given the activity level that you provided when you set up your account. If you're actually maintaining on 2,200ish (which I think is a bit early to conclude after just 10 days), then it means that your activity level is probably higher than what you estimated.

    I suggest double-checking your activity level to ensure it reflects your actual everyday activity. If you're doing intentional exercise, you'll want to be logging that as well.

    I chose sedentary. I am not that active. I am a painter and I am almost always painting which is technically not sitting since I am always standing. Another thing is that, I haven't logged any workout. But I do an hour+ of yoga in the morning. But I did not think yoga is something I needed to log since most of the post I read here yoga burns very few calories. Oh, I also live in the mountain. Oh, now I get it.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    lucidchroma wrote: »
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    MFP estimates that you will maintain on 1,420 given the activity level that you provided when you set up your account. If you're actually maintaining on 2,200ish (which I think is a bit early to conclude after just 10 days), then it means that your activity level is probably higher than what you estimated.

    I suggest double-checking your activity level to ensure it reflects your actual everyday activity. If you're doing intentional exercise, you'll want to be logging that as well.

    I chose sedentary. I am not that active. I am a painter and I am almost always painting which is technically not sitting since I am always standing. Another thing is that, I haven't logged any workout. But I do an hour+ of yoga in the morning. But I did not think yoga is something I needed to log since most of the post I read here yoga burns very few calories. Oh, I also live in the mountain. Oh, now I get it.

    An hour of yoga a day plus a job where you are on your feet for a good part of the day may not be sedentary.

    If you do think that the past ten days aren't typical and you're closer to the 1,420 to maintain, you can always begin there and then adjust upward if you find yourself losing faster than you expected. It's not something you have just one shot at getting right, you can always make adjustments upwards (or you can start at the higher level and go downwards too, it works both ways).
  • Strudders67
    Strudders67 Posts: 989 Member
    250 cals deficit equates to 0.5lb a week weight loss. But there are limitations.

    If MFP calculates your maintenance as 1420, you'd aim to eat 1200 (the minimum recommended) but would therefore only have a deficit of 220. You could expect to lose at a bit under 0.5lb a week.

    On top of that, you'd log your intentional exercise and eat those calories too. Your NET calories (food-exercise) shouldn't go below 1200.

    It's not as clear as it could be but your set-up in MFP should be based on your usual day-to-day activity. Although some steps are built in - even a sedentary person will walk around a bit - those of us sitting at a desk or supermarket checkout all day aren't walking / burning nearly as much as a nurse or a teacher or a postman, never mind a labourer.

    All that aside, 10 days is too soon to be able to tell much at all. Keep tracking and see what the change is after 4-6 weeks. However, if your maintenance truly is 1420, I find it hard to believe that you're not having any impact from eating over 2200 a day unless an entry, somewhere, is incorrect. I'd also check that the entries you're selecting for your food logging are correct.
  • lucidchroma
    lucidchroma Posts: 57 Member
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    lucidchroma wrote: »
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    MFP estimates that you will maintain on 1,420 given the activity level that you provided when you set up your account. If you're actually maintaining on 2,200ish (which I think is a bit early to conclude after just 10 days), then it means that your activity level is probably higher than what you estimated.

    I suggest double-checking your activity level to ensure it reflects your actual everyday activity. If you're doing intentional exercise, you'll want to be logging that as well.

    I chose sedentary. I am not that active. I am a painter and I am almost always painting which is technically not sitting since I am always standing. Another thing is that, I haven't logged any workout. But I do an hour+ of yoga in the morning. But I did not think yoga is something I needed to log since most of the post I read here yoga burns very few calories. Oh, I also live in the mountain. Oh, now I get it.

    An hour of yoga a day plus a job where you are on your feet for a good part of the day may not be sedentary.

    If you do think that the past ten days aren't typical and you're closer to the 1,420 to maintain, you can always begin there and then adjust upward if you find yourself losing faster than you expected. It's not something you have just one shot at getting right, you can always make adjustments upwards (or you can start at the higher level and go downwards too, it works both ways).

    I was very honest about my logging. I mean the days were very typical. Eating at higher level will keep me satisfied I feel. Thank you very much.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    lucidchroma wrote: »
    I have been logging food very meticulously (Using a food scale) for the last 10 days. Today will be my 11th. According to MFP, my maintenance is 1420 calories. I have been having somewhere around 2200-2500 calories a day (2346 on average) and haven't gained a pound or lost any. I used a weight trending app and it was only mild fluctuations.

    I have 10+ lbs to lose. And I want to aim for 0.25-0.5 lbs at max a week. Should I make it 2300-250 = 2050 or the 1400-250 = 1150/1200 calories a day?

    I'm confused. If you are trying to lose weight, why are you eating over maintenance?
  • lucidchroma
    lucidchroma Posts: 57 Member
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    lucidchroma wrote: »
    I have been logging food very meticulously (Using a food scale) for the last 10 days. Today will be my 11th. According to MFP, my maintenance is 1420 calories. I have been having somewhere around 2200-2500 calories a day (2346 on average) and haven't gained a pound or lost any. I used a weight trending app and it was only mild fluctuations.

    I have 10+ lbs to lose. And I want to aim for 0.25-0.5 lbs at max a week. Should I make it 2300-250 = 2050 or the 1400-250 = 1150/1200 calories a day?

    I'm confused. If you are trying to lose weight, why are you eating over maintenance?

    Haha. Let me explain. I felt like I have gained weight and wanted to do something. So, I opened the MFP account a few days back and just logged everything I eat to see how much I eat on typical days and what it does to my body or weight in general. Although MFP suggested my maintenance calorie is 1420, I ate my typical way which is 2346 calorie on average. I did not gain weight, did not lose any either. So now when I want to deduct calories to create calorie deficit, I am confused as to which one I should deduct it from the 1420 or 2300

  • lucidchroma
    lucidchroma Posts: 57 Member
    Strudders67 wrote: »
    250 cals deficit equates to 0.5lb a week weight loss. But there are limitations.

    If MFP calculates your maintenance as 1420, you'd aim to eat 1200 (the minimum recommended) but would therefore only have a deficit of 220. You could expect to lose at a bit under 0.5lb a week.

    On top of that, you'd log your intentional exercise and eat those calories too. Your NET calories (food-exercise) shouldn't go below 1200.

    It's not as clear as it could be but your set-up in MFP should be based on your usual day-to-day activity. Although some steps are built in - even a sedentary person will walk around a bit - those of us sitting at a desk or supermarket checkout all day aren't walking / burning nearly as much as a nurse or a teacher or a postman, never mind a labourer.

    All that aside, 10 days is too soon to be able to tell much at all. Keep tracking and see what the change is after 4-6 weeks. However, if your maintenance truly is 1420, I find it hard to believe that you're not having any impact from eating over 2200 a day unless an entry, somewhere, is incorrect. I'd also check that the entries you're selecting for your food logging are correct.

    Like Jenjellyy suggested I did not account for my activity level. I was unsure if how I live is sedentary or not. But come to think of it, I have to do plenty of work living in the mountain than I ever did when I lived in apartment.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    lucidchroma wrote: »
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    lucidchroma wrote: »
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    MFP estimates that you will maintain on 1,420 given the activity level that you provided when you set up your account. If you're actually maintaining on 2,200ish (which I think is a bit early to conclude after just 10 days), then it means that your activity level is probably higher than what you estimated.

    I suggest double-checking your activity level to ensure it reflects your actual everyday activity. If you're doing intentional exercise, you'll want to be logging that as well.

    I chose sedentary. I am not that active. I am a painter and I am almost always painting which is technically not sitting since I am always standing. Another thing is that, I haven't logged any workout. But I do an hour+ of yoga in the morning. But I did not think yoga is something I needed to log since most of the post I read here yoga burns very few calories. Oh, I also live in the mountain. Oh, now I get it.

    An hour of yoga a day plus a job where you are on your feet for a good part of the day may not be sedentary.

    If you do think that the past ten days aren't typical and you're closer to the 1,420 to maintain, you can always begin there and then adjust upward if you find yourself losing faster than you expected. It's not something you have just one shot at getting right, you can always make adjustments upwards (or you can start at the higher level and go downwards too, it works both ways).

    I was very honest about my logging. I mean the days were very typical. Eating at higher level will keep me satisfied I feel. Thank you very much.

    I wasn't at all trying to say that you haven't been honest about your logging. I was more saying that ten days is a bit too early to draw conclusions about how many calories you need to maintain.
  • lucidchroma
    lucidchroma Posts: 57 Member
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    lucidchroma wrote: »
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    lucidchroma wrote: »
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    MFP estimates that you will maintain on 1,420 given the activity level that you provided when you set up your account. If you're actually maintaining on 2,200ish (which I think is a bit early to conclude after just 10 days), then it means that your activity level is probably higher than what you estimated.

    I suggest double-checking your activity level to ensure it reflects your actual everyday activity. If you're doing intentional exercise, you'll want to be logging that as well.

    I chose sedentary. I am not that active. I am a painter and I am almost always painting which is technically not sitting since I am always standing. Another thing is that, I haven't logged any workout. But I do an hour+ of yoga in the morning. But I did not think yoga is something I needed to log since most of the post I read here yoga burns very few calories. Oh, I also live in the mountain. Oh, now I get it.

    An hour of yoga a day plus a job where you are on your feet for a good part of the day may not be sedentary.

    If you do think that the past ten days aren't typical and you're closer to the 1,420 to maintain, you can always begin there and then adjust upward if you find yourself losing faster than you expected. It's not something you have just one shot at getting right, you can always make adjustments upwards (or you can start at the higher level and go downwards too, it works both ways).

    I was very honest about my logging. I mean the days were very typical. Eating at higher level will keep me satisfied I feel. Thank you very much.

    I wasn't at all trying to say that you haven't been honest about your logging. I was more saying that ten days is a bit too early to draw conclusions about how many calories you need to maintain.

    Haha, I completely understand that. It was more like I was explaining it to myself. It was quite difficult for the first time in life to see how much I eat. I did feel a little guilty sometimes of how much and how often I eat but I logged every single thing. It was a very successful mind and body connection exercise for me to be honest. Taught me how much pasta I consume and how little serving size is. Very educational.
  • Strudders67
    Strudders67 Posts: 989 Member
    Make sure you're selecting accurate entries - there's a huge difference between 75g of dry weight pasta and 75g of cooked pasta. Many entries in the database, for multiple foods, are not specific / are entered incorrectly / are out of date. I always check against the packaging.
  • lucidchroma
    lucidchroma Posts: 57 Member
    Strudders67 wrote: »
    Make sure you're selecting accurate entries - there's a huge difference between 75g of dry weight pasta and 75g of cooked pasta. Many entries in the database, for multiple foods, are not specific / are entered incorrectly / are out of date. I always check against the packaging.

    I am double checking them from google and weighing and logging raw/dry weight of everything.
  • Strudders67
    Strudders67 Posts: 989 Member
    I've just noticed that you've said you're a painter and are on your feet all day. Even just 4 hours at 2mph would give me an extra 510 calories. 4 hours of fishing whilst standing on a riverbank (MFP doesn't have 'standing' as an exercise, but both fishing and painting involve holding something and doing a bit of moving) would give me over 700 cals. An hour of yoga would give me 128 on top of that. That's how you're maintaining on over 2200 cals when MFP thinks your maintenance is 1452.

    I'd suggest you change your activity level in the setup screen. The second one down (Lightly Active) refers to being on your feet most of the day. Log your yoga as intentional exercise too. That may give you a more realistic starting point and number of calories to eat in order to lose at a sensible rate.

    After 4-6 weeks you should have enough info to know what rate you're actually losing at.
  • lucidchroma
    lucidchroma Posts: 57 Member
    Strudders67 wrote: »
    I've just noticed that you've said you're a painter and are on your feet all day. Even just 4 hours at 2mph would give me an extra 510 calories. 4 hours of fishing whilst standing on a riverbank (MFP doesn't have 'standing' as an exercise, but both fishing and painting involve holding something and doing a bit of moving) would give me over 700 cals. An hour of yoga would give me 128 on top of that. That's how you're maintaining on over 2200 cals when MFP thinks your maintenance is 1452.

    I'd suggest you change your activity level in the setup screen. The second one down (Lightly Active) refers to being on your feet most of the day. Log your yoga as intentional exercise too. That may give you a more realistic starting point and number of calories to eat in order to lose at a sensible rate.

    After 4-6 weeks you should have enough info to know what rate you're actually losing at.

    My goal is to lose weight, but I am not sure if the weight is what I am mostly concerned about. I have always been a skinny fat person. I am 30F, 5'1'', always sits somewhere around 110-112 lbs my adult life. I don't necessarily look fat with my clothes on, just a bit wider than I used to be 7-10 years back when I was 100 - 105 lbs. I am decently strong since I have to carry 1.5-2 times my body weight of produce, water up a hilly road. I also am going to work in a farm on weekends from this month to learn about farming to get off the grid within the next 5 years.

    Now that I think of it, I probably should have taken those things in consideration.
  • Strudders67
    Strudders67 Posts: 989 Member
    Definitely re-look at your set-up. Being on your feet all day makes you lightly active. If you're not carrying produce and water daily, I'd time it and track that walk as exercise - either x mph uphill or x mph carrying a load. If you are doing it daily, maybe consider the next level up re activity.

    Perhaps you should search the forums for recomp and start looking at doing more strength building to tone up instead, although carrying stuff up & down hills and working on a farm might do that for you anyway!
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