I don't understand the calories math

AvonBell

I'm losing too much weight too fast. According to the MFP I've lost 10 lb in 16 days. I want to average ~2 lb per week.

I'm sedentary and my BMR is 2595 calories.

My math:

2595 calories * 7 days = 18,165 calories/week

3500 calories * 2 = 7000 calories (=2 lb)

18,165 calories - 7000 calories = 11,165 calories

11,165 calories / 7 = 1595 calories


So according to my math I need to consume 1595 calories per day to lose 2lb every week. But the app has it at 1,870 calories per day. Yet I'm averaging a 3.8lb per week loss so far. The math must be wrong somewhere!


Maybe I'm overestimating my calories when counting?

uconnwinsnc

Your BMR would be how much you need to eat if you spent all day, every day laying in bed. Even with a sedentary life you are burning more than your BMR.

If you are very heavy, it is highly likely that you will lose significantly more than 2lbs a week at first. Lots of it is water weight.

simplydelish2

Remember your BMR is what you would burn if you did absolutely nothing all day. The difference appears to me to be the number of calories you are burning through exercise and other activities. Good luck!

colortheworld

Highly likely that around 5 lbs of that is water weight and your loss will slow down soon.

AvonBell

So you guys think I should stick with the calories MFP suggests and see how it goes? Does the calories cap go down automatically as you lose weight?

Unknown

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ElectroJay

Your body may be burning more calories with your current lifestyle than what MFP is automatically set at

AvonBell

^^^

Seems unlikey. All I'm really doing right now is studying for exams. When I say sedentary, I mean it!

So you guys think I should stick with the calories MFP suggests and see how it goes? Does the calories cap go down automatically as you lose weight?

Yes and yes

Thanks, I think I'll just do this. I'll give it a month or two to see how things settle.

DopeItUp

So you guys think I should stick with the calories MFP suggests and see how it goes? Does the calories cap go down automatically as you lose weight?

Yes and yes

This. 16 days is way early. Give it at least another week or two to even out. I bet it will slow way down. If not, increase intake until desired weight loss rate is achieved.

colortheworld

So you guys think I should stick with the calories MFP suggests and see how it goes? Does the calories cap go down automatically as you lose weight?

MFP reminds you to reset your goals every 10 lbs you lose.

ell_v131

You may be overestimating what you eat. Are you weighing all.your food.on a digital scale? If not, they only cost about $10 and this will help you be more accurate on the calories. I def think slow loss is healthier unless one is severely obese. So it depends on your starting point.

scottkjar

I'm losing too much weight too fast. According to the MFP I've lost 10 lb in 16 days. I want to average ~2 lb per week.

I'm sedentary and my BMR is 2595 calories.

My math:
2595 calories * 7 days = 18,165 calories/week
3500 calories * 2 = 7000 calories (=2 lb)
18,165 calories - 7000 calories = 11,165 calories
11,165 calories / 7 = 1595 calories

So according to my math I need to consume 1595 calories per day to lose 2lb every week. But the app has it at 1,870 calories per day. Yet I'm averaging a 3.8lb per week loss so far. The math must be wrong somewhere!

Maybe I'm overestimating my calories when counting?

OK, something is wrong here.

First, you are probably confusing BMR (basal metabolic rate) with TDEE (total daily energy expenditure).

Second, it seems unlikely that your TDEE is 2595 if you are sedentary unless you are much heavier than your picture suggests. When I started, I weighed 251 and my TDEE was around 2350. You don't give your height or weight, so I estimated your TDEE assuming 6 feet and 200 pounds at age 28 and sedentary. According to IIFYM.com, your TDEE would be about 2319 and your BMR would be about 1932. Feel free to put in your actual values there and see what your TDEE and BMR really are. If you are heavier than 200, then your TDEE would be higher.

Third, when you start losing weight, you lose it three ways: fat, muscle, and water. When I started, I had a monthly body scan at my physician's office. For the first month, with a 1k deficit per day, I lost 5 pounds fat, 5 pounds muscle, and 5 pounds water -- 15 pounds, rather than 8 pounds expected. For the second month, I lost a little more fat, a little less water, and about the same muscle -- still 15 pounds rather than 8. For the third month, I lost more fat, and virtually no water or muscle, and I lost about 10 pounds. For the fourth month, I lost 9 pounds of fat, and a fraction of a pound of muscle.

So it is likely that you are doing the same. That's why so many people here will tell you that it is crucial that you do some lifting during your weight loss. That helps you keep your muscle mass intact. Otherwise, you lose muscle while you lost fat, and then you have to rebuild the muscle later.

So don't stress about losing that much weight at the beginning, but do be concerned that some of it is muscle. The first few pounds come off the easiest because they are water and muscle in addition to fat. The later pounds come off much harder but they are all fat.

JTick

According to your ticker, you weight ~300 lbs. It is definitely not unheard of for you to be able to eat more when you first start...you are burning a lot of calories just doing normal functions/being alive. Also, the heavier you are, the faster the weight comes off at first. Enjoy eating more at this time...eventually the weight loss will slow down and you will have to start eating a bit less.