When should I change my goals on MFP?

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LoriT129
LoriT129 Posts: 312 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello all,

I'm just wondering about the fact that when I started MFP I was pretty much sedentary. I didn't exercise every day and was a coach potatoe. Now that I am more active, I pretty much exercise every day and burn anywhere from 500 - 1,000 cals a day from exercise. When/should I change my goals on MFP? I have been fairly consistent with the weight loss and have lost 10 pounds in a month and a half. I'm just uncertain when, or if, I should make the changes in MFP. Today I played around with it and ended up with a lot more calories than I originally started out with. I'm confused!!! Help!!

Thanks! :smile:

Replies

  • LoriT129
    LoriT129 Posts: 312 Member
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    PS...I know it is going to be different because it bases it on height/weight and I have lost lbs. Just not sure how often it should be changed!
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    Your activity level on MFP should exclude working out. So when you are not working out what is your lifestyle. Exercise should only be considered when you do it and entered in the exercise section. When it comes to goals do you mean 0.5 or 2 pounds per week. If so the closer you get to your goal weight the smaller your weekly loss should be set to, this well also help get you ready for maintenance calories.

    Every 5 to 10 pounds you should change your caloric intake. The more weight you loose the less calories you get to eat as you typically burn less calories the less you weigh.
  • jrich1
    jrich1 Posts: 2,408 Member
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    Your activity level on MFP should exclude working out. So when you are not working out what is your lifestyle. Exercise should only be considered when you do it and entered in the exercise section. When it comes to goals do you mean 0.5 or 2 pounds per week. If so the closer you get to your goal weight the smaller your weekly loss should be set to, this well also help get you ready for maintenance calories.

    Every 5 to 10 pounds you should change your caloric intake. The more weight you loose the less calories you get to eat as you typically burn less calories the less you weigh.

    This.. leave it and just log your exercise, it seems to be working, just readjust your cals about every 10lbs
  • faithstephenson
    faithstephenson Posts: 280 Member
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    I have not changed my profile from sedentary, even though I was exercising regularly. When I'm not exercising, my life is still pretty sedentary. This also helps motivate me when I don't feel like exercising, because I can see what extra I can eat if I do it. But I do update my goals every 5-10 pounds so that my daily calorie goal changes as my weight changes. This way, I get a gradual reduction to what I can eat, rather than trying to go from 1500 to 1300 in one day.
  • faithstephenson
    faithstephenson Posts: 280 Member
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    I have not changed my profile from sedentary, even though I was exercising regularly. When I'm not exercising, my life is still pretty sedentary. This also helps motivate me when I don't feel like exercising, because I can see what extra I can eat if I do it. But I do update my goals every 5-10 pounds so that my daily calorie goal changes as my weight changes. This way, I get a gradual reduction to what I can eat, rather than trying to go from 1500 to 1300 in one day.
  • BeautifulScarsWECHANGED
    BeautifulScarsWECHANGED Posts: 749 Member
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    What do you mean by updating your goals? Doesn't the calorie amount change when you update your weight automatically? Now I'm confused. :frown:
  • LoriT129
    LoriT129 Posts: 312 Member
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    Ok...that makes sense! When you choose your lifestyle, i.e....sedentary/lightly active/ etc....it doesn't ask about exercise. It asks about your normal, everday lifestyle, not including exercise. Thanks for clearing this up for me. I am going to put it back on sedentary and see where the calories are now! I was afraid to change anything because whatever I am doing is working!
  • LoriT129
    LoriT129 Posts: 312 Member
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    What do you mean by updating your goals? Doesn't the calorie amount change when you update your weight automatically? Now I'm confused. :frown:

    I meant as far as exercise goes. I wasn't exercising when I signed up for MFP and I exercise almost everday now. I thought I was either eating too many calories or not enough based on my original input. However, MFP doesn't include your exercise calories in its original calculations. That is what I didn't get and was asking about. Probably didn't ask as clearly as I should have but thankfully there are those here that understood me better than I understood myself! With a 40+ weight loss you shouldn't change a thing! You are doing wonderful! :flowerforyou:
  • BeautifulScarsWECHANGED
    BeautifulScarsWECHANGED Posts: 749 Member
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    Oh phew!! Thanks!! :laugh:
  • faithstephenson
    faithstephenson Posts: 280 Member
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    What do you mean by updating your goals? Doesn't the calorie amount change when you update your weight automatically? Now I'm confused. :frown:

    It seems to vary. Some people say that their calorie goal changes when they update their weight, but mine (and some other people's) doesn't. So I have to go in and redo my goals to get a new calorie goal.

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