if every day was like today...

Mistraal1981

I adjusted my weight loss goals profile to lose 1lb a week and I started logging again. I have been careful to log food and exercise and have been just under my calorie allowance. When I pushed that button at the bottom that says if every day was like today in 5 weeks I'd weigh....1lb more than I do now!! How is that even right? Surely I should be 5lb lighter in 5 weeks.

crissi725

On Wednesday you earned only 98 calories from exercise...so you didn't create enough of a deficit. No deficit at all really. On Thursday, you earned more, 218 calories from exercise. But that's still not enough of a deficit. At that rate, yes you will either maintain or gain. To lose weight you need to have a significant daily calorie deficit . For health reasons, and because I'm not a doctor or a nutritionist, I suggest not netting below 1200 calories a day just to be safe but you still need to create a deficit of at least 500 calories a day to lose 1 lb a week.

For example this was my Wednesday. I'm 5'2 and trying to lose 60 more lbs at 2 lbs a week with great success so far:

Eat 1854 calories
Minus my Total Daily Energy Expenditure of 2719 calories
Equals a deficit of -840 calories

THAT is a large deficit. Maybe even more than I need but it means I will continue losing weight.

Try to figure out your Total Daily Expenditure so you can log that (I use a FitBit) as a good estimate to track your daily deficits. You can also make sure you are not NETTING under 1200 calories a day just to be safe and keep your nutrients for basic body function. Many people say this isn't necessary but its still the best way to make sure are getting the nutrition and energy you need for good body function and workouts. If you don't understand what I mean by "net calories", the simplest way to explain is like this: You have $1400 (calories eaten) but someone stole $500 (a heavy workout) leaving you with just $900 (calories). That's not enough for all your bills so now you have to work (eat) to get an additional $300 (calories) to get to your budget of $1200 for you bills. Again, many people say its not necessary, but I've found that its easier to stay on my workouts and stay feeling awesome by netting at least that amount.

Good luck! I hope this answered your question some how. Sorry, for being long winded, lol!

Mistraal1981

I'm really confused then...mfp set me up to he able to eat 1410 cals to lose weight at 1lb a week. The exercise I did meant I could eat more and still be at deficit. Or so I thought.

EmoJew

You are correct. MFP is set up to be your deficit. If it actually said that then something is wrong. If you were under your cals it gave you, you should have had a smaller number than current weight.

Perhaps check that the number in your head you know you weigh now, and the number you've entered are the same. Could be something as simple as a typo.

Nedra19455

You are correct. MFP is set up to be your deficit. If it actually said that then something is wrong. If you were under your cals it gave you, you should have had a smaller number than current weight.

Perhaps check that the number in your head you know you weigh now, and the number you've entered are the same. Could be something as simple as a typo.

I agree with this. My understanding is that MFP assumes you are still whatever weight you entered until you update it. Is it possible you had not updated it?

Mistraal1981

Nope, I made sure all was up to date so I was working with current information. Will watch it over the next few days and update if it does it again.

StaciMarie1974

It looks at the deficit its reporting 'when you push the button* and figuring if you have a deficit of X this day, and you do the exact same thing for the next 35 days (5 weeks), adjust those as 3500 calories per pound, to figure your 5 week weight.

It also assumes you have weighed, logged everything perfectly and your body's metabolism is perfectly working as it should.


Ps-you're fine to have 'only' 98 exercise calories. The deficit is built into MFP before exercise.