Should I Increase my Calorie Goals?

healthyinspirationss

MFP puts me at 1230 calories a day and I eat around 1200-1400 on any given day. I never eat all of my exercise calories back (I burn between 350-550 around 5 days a week) I feel like 1230 is a bit too low and it's starting to reflect in my weight loss. It's very slow and I know I have a lot to lose. I was going through my settings and switched it from sedentary to lightly active which put me at a 1470 calories a day goal. Should I switch to this and see how it goes? I'm still trying to figure out this whole thing and I'd appreciate as much advice as possible! Thank you guys.

Swiftdogs

That's a low goal with 79 pounds to go, even if you're very short. At that level you should at least eat most of your exercise calories, only adjusting if you think something is inflated. Lightly active sounds like a better setting, or change your pounds-per-week loss goal down a bit.

I'm 5' 9" and started with a 1200 target. I lost some weight quickly, then stopped cold. It was only when I bumped up my calories that I started a nice even loss rate.

stt43

If I were you I would set myself as sedentary, set it to lose 1lb per week, and then add in all exercise (including walking etc.) and eat back all the exercise calories.
The amount you are consuming now seems far too low to me.

davert123

I try and eat all my exercise calories back (averaged over a week). I also set my protein level to what it would be if i was eating my TDEE and exercising but then eat back the exercise calories as mainly carbs and fat.

healthyinspirationss

Thanks, guys! I'm always afraid to eat all my exercise calories back because I don't have a HRM so I can't get the most accurate reading of what I burn. I'll try your suggestion stt43, though. Hopefully I'll see some more progress.

mccindy72

MFP puts me at 1230 calories a day and I eat around 1200-1400 on any given day. I never eat all of my exercise calories back (I burn between 350-550 around 5 days a week) I feel like 1230 is a bit too low and it's starting to reflect in my weight loss. It's very slow and I know I have a lot to lose. I was going through my settings and switched it from sedentary to lightly active which put me at a 1470 calories a day goal. Should I switch to this and see how it goes? I'm still trying to figure out this whole thing and I'd appreciate as much advice as possible! Thank you guys.

I agree with everyone above. You should eat your exercise calories back, otherwise you'll be too low for the day. MFP adjusts for that; you shouldn't be hundreds of calories under your goal for the day, if you have it set to lose weight already.

stt43

Thanks, guys! I'm always afraid to eat all my exercise calories back because I don't have a HRM so I can't get the most accurate reading of what I burn. I'll try your suggestion stt43, though. Hopefully I'll see some more progress.

There shouldn't be any rush to lose as much weight as possible as quickly as possible, so although MFP often ends up suggesting low calorie diets, in reality dropping calories really low is usually unnecessary.
As long as you are losing weight then you are moving in the right direction, and the higher you can keep your calories whilst doing so the better off you will be.
Unfortunately working out your calories burned on MFP is never going to be accurate. But with time and consistency you learn to discover how inaccurate it is. For example, I log all of my food and exercise and am in a 250 calorie deficit every day. This should mean that I lose 0.5lbs per week. However, I have been losing, on average, 1lb per week. This means that I now know roughly what I need to do to lose 1lb per week, and gives me an idea of what I would need to do if I wanted to change and lose 0.5lbs per week, or 2lbs per week.
Just be as consistent and patient as you can, and make changes if and when you need to

SLLRunner

You say:

I feel like 1230 is a bit too low and it's starting to reflect in my weight loss. It's very slow and I know I have a lot to lose

If you are losing weight slowly at 1230 calories plus eating some of your exercise calories, then chances are you are underestimating food intake and/or overestimating calorie burns.

Are you weighing all solid food and measuring all liquids and logging every single thing you put into your mouth?

How are you estimating your calorie burns? 350-550 calorie burns sounds kind of high to me. Beware of MFP and gym machines because they both tend to overestimate calorie burns. My heart rate monitor is at least 100-200 calorie less than MFP and the gym machines.

It's all about the math. If you eat less calories than you burn you will lose weight.

Awesomers

I think the calorie intake thing is somewhat subjective. MFP tells me to eat 1490 (sedentary) but I typically eat around 1600-1700, since I generally exercise 6 days a week. However, I've been doing this since October and have lost just 14 pounds. Considering that I have 100+ to go, it's a little disheartening. As of 2 days ago, I increased by daily intake to a minimum of 1900 (max. of 2200) and I'm going to give that a try for the next couple of weeks. I think my problem (and maybe your problem, who knows?) is not eating enough. It seems counterproductive but it's the only option I haven't tried. 1200 seems really, really low. Good luck!

stt43

I think the calorie intake thing is somewhat subjective. MFP tells me to eat 1490 (sedentary) but I typically eat around 1600-1700, since I generally exercise 6 days a week. However, I've been doing this since October and have lost just 14 pounds. Considering that I have 100+ to go, it's a little disheartening. As of 2 days ago, I increased by daily intake to a minimum of 1900 (max. of 2200) and I'm going to give that a try for the next couple of weeks. I think my problem (and maybe your problem, who knows?) is not eating enough. It seems counterproductive but it's the only option I haven't tried. 1200 seems really, really low. Good luck!

Losing 14lbs since October is great! You shouldn't feel disheartened, you're doing things right!