Why does MFP say I will lose X lbs in 5 weeks?

ainokea8

After you enter in your food diary, it says "if everyday is like today you will lose X lbs in 5 weeks"

So for example, my starting weight is at 115 lbs. And it says I will be down to 114 lbs in 5 weeks.

Isn't the calorie goal set so you would lose 1 (or 2) lbs within 1 week? So by 5 weeks I should already be at 110 lbs not 114 lbs, assuming everyday is like today.

I know it's just a small detail, but I'm curious what this means.

parkscs

It's just an algorithm. For instance, if you were 500 calories under your TDEE today, MFP will tell you you'll lose 500 * 7 * 5 / 3500 pounds in 5 weeks.

Akraz

It goes based off your current profile. In accordance to your heigh/weight, it does BMR calculations behind the scenes and adds it to any calorie burns youve done that day (cardio) - the BMR + Caloric burns = TDEE.

If you were unaware, like parkscs said, there is 3500 calories in 1lb of body fat.

Assuming your BMR + Caloric burns was 2100, if you ate 1592 calories that day, you were a deficit of 508 calories.

Multiply 508 * 7 days * 5 weeks = 17800 calories "burnt".

17800/3500 = 5.08 lbs

But you would have to be at a 500 caloric deficit every day for 35 days.

parkscs

17500/3500 = 5, but otherwise agree entirely.

Basically, it pretends that your caloric deficit for the next 5 weeks will be exactly the same as it was today, and it tells you approximately what you'd weigh if that was the case.

Akraz

17500/3500 = 5, but otherwise agree entirely.

Basically, it pretends that your caloric deficit for the next 5 weeks will be exactly the same as it was today, and it tells you approximately what you'd weigh if that was the case.

Had a preschooler moment. I subtracted rather than divided. Fixed now. LOL

Amiwil

After you enter in your food diary, it says "if everyday is like today you will lose X lbs in 5 weeks"

So for example, my starting weight is at 115 lbs. And it says I will be down to 114 lbs in 5 weeks.

Isn't the calorie goal set so you would lose 1 (or 2) lbs within 1 week? So by 5 weeks I should already be at 110 lbs not 114 lbs, assuming everyday is like today.

I know it's just a small detail, but I'm curious what this means.

It's just an assumption from what you're doing. Good luck!

Mr_Knight

So for example, my starting weight is at 115 lbs. And it says I will be down to 114 lbs in 5 weeks.

For the example you gave, it means that you are eating more than your target and are barely at a deficit at all, at least for that day.