Hi... I am new and confused

starheart24

Hi everyone,

I have read most of the articles in the Newbie section of the general help section. I am a little confused about the goals. I have said that I want to lose 2 lbs per week but the most the generated amount will allow me is less then 1 pound. The amount of calories that is recommended for me is 1,200. Also I am confused on the BMR I understand that you have to eat a certain amount of calories to maintain your weight. The BMR calories needed is 1,300. What is the right amount of calories for me to lose weight?

BeautifulScarsWECHANGED

MFP will not give you anything less than 1,200 calories because it puts your body into starvation mode. It's also very difficult, if not impossible, to get the nutrients you need each day if you go under 1,200 calories. Something doesn't seem right with your BMR being 1,300 calories. Mine is over 2,000 calories to maintain my current weight. I would recalulate that. Unless you're super skinny and tiny, you're going to need more than 1,300 calories to maintain your current weight. If that was the case, I assume you wouldn't be here on this site.

starheart24

I redid the BMR and it is 1,305. The info was current weight 144. I am 5 feet 0 inches tall and i am 28 years old and a female. I am not sure what the right amount of calories I am supposed to eat. I want to lose about 20 pounds.

sngnyrslp

MFP doesn't calculate your weight loss goals using your BMR as a starting point. your BMR is simply the amount of calories your body needs to function, and doesn't take into account all of your daily activities, including walking, sitting, moving, driving, etc. If you'd like to know that number, you can find it at a lot of websites, including this one: http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm
MFP uses this number (or a number very similar to it, depending on which formula is used) and subtracts from that to give you your recommended calorie goals for weight loss.

BeautifulScarsWECHANGED

Using your information, I went to this website and found this info out:

http://nutrition.about.com/library/bl_nutrition_need_results.htm?start=1&pounds_100=100&pounds_10=40&pounds=4&dpounds_100=100&dpounds_10=20&dpounds=4&years=NaN&inches=60&years=28&page=4

Women's Calorie Calculator Results

These calorie calculator results will help you understand how many calories you need to maintain your current weight, and the number of calories needed per day to achieve your goal weight in a healthy, steady manner.

You need 1879.6 calories per day to maintain your current weight without exercise.

You need 1794.5 calories per day to reach your goal weight slowly and maintain that weight without exercise.

If you reduce your current caloric intake to 1379.6 calories per day you will lose one pound per week without exercise.

If you increase your current caloric intake to 2379.6 calories per day, you will gain one pound per week.

islandnutshel

Set mfp to the seditary setting and you might get it to budge. For some people 2 pound a week loss is not healthy. Usualy if you have'nt much to lose. So it automaticaly sets it at what it feels is reasonable. You might be able to play with the manual settings.

starheart24

Thank you all I am now a little less confused and will listen to MFP and eat all the 1200 calories. I went to one place and it told me to only eat 1000 calories.