Calorie Tracker Confusion

tootsiefoot

Hello!

So I reached my first goal and updated my weight and entered my new goal; however, my calorie goal went up.

Specifically, I was at 382lbs with a goal of 2570. My goal had been 375. Today I logged 374 lbs and updated my goal to 340 (I prefer to set small mini goals) and didn't update my activity level or my goal of losing 1 pound per week. Now my calorie goal is 2800. I checked an online calculator and should be around 2300. I've tried moving things back then redoing it or changing activity level then changing back and it'd still 2800.

Any ideas or is this just a bug? I'm wondering if the app thinks I'm maintaining even though I have a new goal.

Thanks for any help

AnnPT77

The app doesn't decide you're maintaining until you set your goal to maintaining.

If you didn't change your activity level, here's my best bet for explanation: Somewhat recently, MFP changed their calorie estimation formulas to be more in line with recent research. In most cases, this would result in a higher calorie goal at the same activity level setting. If you happened to have set your profile up for your first chunk of loss under the old formulas, and updated it under the new formulas, it's possible that your goal would be higher at the lower body weight. (Details matter.)

So: Double check your profile settings, just in case. But the new formulas may be the reason.

Also: If you have at least 4-6 weeks of experience data with your current routine (or one or more whole menstrual cycles if you have cycles), that's a better guide to your calorie needs than MFP, any other calorie calculator, or even a good fitness tracker.

If you've been losing at a sensible rate you like, set your calorie goal manually to keep going on that trend (until you lose enough weight that your weight loss gradually slows to maintenance calories, assuming you still have more weight to lose).

Alternatively, if the rate isn't right, do some arithmetic to get a calorie goal, assuming that your calories eaten plus pounds-lost calories over X days are current maintenance calories, and that 500 calories deficit daily would yield about a pound a week of fat loss. (Pounds-lost calories = pounds times 3500, where 3500 is roughly the number of calories in a pound of body fat. Add up the total calories eaten and the pounds-lost calories, divide by the number of days in the time period to get a daily number.)

Best wishes!

tootsiefoot

Oh that makes sense I did set everything up awhile ago as hadnt been tracking for a bit. I've changed it manually to and I'll keep an eye on it. I've been coming in lower than the goal anyway so not a big deal, just thought the number going up was odd

Thanks for your help