New to this app

m1252

Hi I’m new to this app . Just wondering if your calorie intake is automatically determined by the info you input ? I want to loose weight so does my calorie intake change automatically as I loose as long as I input my weight ?

moonangel12

The calories MFP gives you are based on the info you put in and as long as you have a goal set (pounds per week) it will give you the info you need to lose at that projected rate. There are charts on here (but I never remember where to find them) that have the details you need to set a safe deficit (if you don’t have much to lose it’s best to take it slow).

The biggest thing that can make or break your results is accuracy with food logging - not sneaking little bites here and there, weighing everything with a food scale, even prepackaged goods, etc.

Lietchi

m1252 wrote: »

Hi I’m new to this app . Just wondering if your calorie intake is automatically determined by the info you input ? I want to loose weight so does my calorie intake change automatically as I loose as long as I input my weight ?

moonangel12 wrote: »

The calories MFP gives you are based on the info you put in and as long as you have a goal set (pounds per week) it will give you the info you need to lose at that projected rate.

I'd like to add that MFP is supposed to adapt your calorie goal as you lose weight (a smaller body needs less calories). But many of us find that it doesn't. A workaround to fix this is to go through your goal settings every 5 or 10 lbs lost: choose a different rate of loss and/or activity level and then switch back to the settings you want and your calorie goal will have been updated to your lower weight.

SNL813

I'm new too. I'm finding it difficult to back into a meal plan. I have my calories and macros set, but am not finding suggested meal plans to go with it anywhere. Where do you even start to build a plan first? I've not started yet. I must be over thinking this.

Lietchi

SNL813 wrote: »

I'm new too. I'm finding it difficult to back into a meal plan. I have my calories and macros set, but am not finding suggested meal plans to go with it anywhere. Where do you even start to build a plan first? I've not started yet. I must be over thinking this.

Some people like to create meal plans, but I've never done that. I would suggest to simply eat the foods you usually eat, but in portions that are appropriate for your calorie goal. If needed, you can then make small adjustments: replacing foods that perhaps satiate you less with foods that fill you up more or have less calories, or tweaking the proportions of the foods you eat, etc. Macros don't need to be followed to the gram, it's just an indication (and a loose one at that).

lemurcat2

I mentioned this in the other thread too, but I'd recommend logging your usual days or, if you haven't started yet, maybe a typical day or one you remember (probably not Christmas) and then go through the diary to see if there are easy ways to cut cals. For example, if you use a lot of olive oil in cooking, that's usually something that can be cut way back on without feeling like you are eating less. Portions of starchy sides/components of dishes like bread/rice/pasta can often be reduced and substituted for with more low cal vegetables. If you find you are doing something like skipping meals and then snacking on quick cals because hungry, having a more set schedule with some planned usual meals (like many people have the same breakfast most days) might be a good solution. The trick is looking at your own eating habits to see where your excess cals are coming from and then make the changes that will work for you.

springlering62

Yep, overthinking. In an ideal world under ideal circumstances, your macros would be bang on every day.

What I find is that, taken on a weekly average basis, they’re much closer. I might get more fat one day, less the next couple.

And as @Lietchi says, eat what you’d normally eat, but weigh out the proper portions. And make changes that may seem subtle but really cut calories. Small cuts add up to big calorie savings.

For example, I have an olive oil mister. A couple of squirts are about a gram of oil, which is often all I need instead of dousing a pan or tossing foods in oil. That’s a massive savings.

If I use butter or a spread, I find that .25 servings gives me the taste and “mouth feel” that a full serving would. I kind of get queasy now at the thought of a whole tablespoon of butter or jam on bread.

Love salads? A nice balsamic vinegar is about 15 calories per tablespoon versus 130+ for many salad dressings.

Grilling chicken? Instead of a high calorie sauce, how about a nice dry blackening rub, a honey Aleppo seasoning, or a shake of lemon pepper.

Make your fajitas or stir fry in a dry nonstick pan. No oil even necessary. A1 sauce is 15 calories per tbsp and whipped with a little tomato paste and salsa makes a banging fajita sauce.

I made Duncan Hines Peanut Butter brownies for Christmas. Instead of using 1/4c oil and three eggs, I substituted apple
Sauce and liquid egg whites. They were still delicious and boy, was that a calorie savings! Did you know you can make a cake with just cake mix, kefir or Greek yogurt and water? And they taste just fine.

There’s so many creative substitutions, it’s almost a game to me to try to outsmart my tastebuds!