Quick question

Dobbythefreelef

So when I set my mfp calories to maintainence, I get an allowance of 1874 calories. When I set them to lose 0.25lbs per week, I get an allowance of 1574.
This means if I eat 1574 kcals daily, I will be in a deficit of 300kcals per day, right?
And when I eat 1600kcals I am still in deficit, right?
So lets say if I eat 1400kcals per day, my total deficit for that day is 174 + 300 = 474kcals.
Am I right?

sarabushby

Right

cwolfman13

Yes...because your estimated maintenance without exercise is 1874...anything less than that by definition would be a deficit.

Dobbythefreelef

Thankyou so much!!

AnnPT77

The arithmetic is right on.

I'm not sure I like the trend there, though, which sounds like "if I eat less will I lose faster": How much should you be trying to lose per week, for sustainability and to keep health risks reasonable?

Also, if you set up MFP per its instructions (setting activity level based on daily life before exercise), the maintenance calories would be 1874 plus a reasonable estimate of that day's exercise calories, not just 1874.

Dobbythefreelef

AnnPT77 wrote: »

The arithmetic is right on.

I'm not sure I like the trend there, though, which sounds like "if I eat less will I lose faster": How much should you be trying to lose per week, for sustainability and to keep health risks reasonable?

Also, if you set up MFP per its instructions (setting activity level based on daily life before exercise), the maintenance calories would be 1874 plus a reasonable estimate of that day's exercise calories, not just 1874.

Yes you got me there. That thought dif enter my mind. But don't worry, I'm not planning to put myself in an unhealthy deficit to lose weight faster. My question actually originated because i had constantly gone a little over 1574kcals last week. But since it was less than 1874 i wondered if i was still in deficit.

A few years ago when you went over your daily calorie requirement, the calories exceeded would show in red colour. I'm glad they changed it now because the red would give me serious anxiety. So much so that I set my goal to maintainence instead, eventhough I wanted to lose. Just to avoid the red colour. Funny how something so small can effect you.

I never met my goal, but kept coming back to mfp to try again each time. I see hope this time. And that is because I have set my losing goal to the bare minimum (0.25lbs per week). Its frustrating because of how slow its going, but I can see it lasting because the deficit isnt high or drastic.

As for exercise, my lifestyle is pretty sedentary right now. I plan to introduce exercise, at some point, probably after June, and will obviously maintain a healthy deficit then too.

My days of unhealthy deficits, crash dieting and yo yo ing weight are over.