MFP suggested weight????

cwolfman13

What's with the MFP suggested weight in 5 weeks? Past 2 weeks I've been eating less than my 9 year old and working out 4-5 times a week. Guess what? I gained 3 pounds. Its been saying 159-160 everyday for almost 2 weeks.

To answer your original question:

MFP's "If every day were like today..." is an estimate what you would weigh in 5 weeks if a number of conditions are true:

1. You have accurately measured and logged calories eaten.
2. You have accurately estimated calories expended in exercise.
3. You accurately determined your activity level when setting up MFP.
4. Your basal metabolic rate (BMR) is in a normal range.

So if it's telling you that you'll weigh 159-160 (which I am presuming is below your current weight), and you're gaining rather than losing, then there's an inaccuracy in at least one of those 4 things.

#4 is unlikely. Those of us who have lost significant amounts of weight do need less energy to maintain weight than people at the same weight who were never overweight (adaptive thermogenesis), but it's not a huge effect.

#3 is possible. Some people "double-dip": they exercise a lot, so they set their MFP profile to "Active" or "Very Active," but then they also log calories from exercise. That's counting those calories twice. If you sedulously log all your exercise, set your activity level to "Sedentary" unless you really are that active not counting logged exercise.

#2 is quite possible. MFP's database, and many heart rate monitors, overestimate calories burned in exercise, sometimes by 50% or more.

And #1 is quite possible, even likely: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/872212-you-re-probably-eating-more-than-you-think

So if your results aren't matching the prediction, work on those, especially #1 and #2.

TR0berts

Full F'ing Stop.


You're a 5'8" male that weighs approximately 160 lbs.

Why in the blue hell are you eating only (less than, actually) 1200 Calories per day? Did you do something rash, such as input to MFP that you wanted to lose 2 lbs per week? That's far too aggressive. If so, change it to lose 1/2 lb per week.

Lastly, weigh your food.

Kenazwa

In the long run, I think you will be happier if you eat more. Bodies get used to what you're giving them and lower the metabolism to stabilize weight loss, which your body senses is a bad thing. If you're eating 1800 calories, you can shave off 100 calories to get weight loss going again. You can't do anything if you're at something like 900 calories.

The best advice I've seen is calculate maintenance calories for your goal and start eating that now. You will never have to diet again. I'm doing that minus about 100.