MFP Set Calories

eeeekie

I'm just curious if someone could please explain to me why the calories are set so high? After you put in all your information it gives you your daily calorie goals and I was SHOCKED when I saw mine. I was told that if I tracked my calories I may be shocked that I would be eating more than what MFP has set for me but I'm under (I believe on all of them? maybe 1 or 2 not). I know the calories they set for people is like 1200 a day for a healthy diet. MFP gives me over 2000 a day and that's with no exercise...insane.

Any ideas or information as to why this is would be appreciated.

jrt9999

Go back to goals. Check the activity levels and how much you selected as wanting to lose. Sounds like you selected sedentary and no weight loss expected.

eeeekie

Go back to goals. Check the activity levels and how much you selected as wanting to lose. Sounds like you selected sedentary and no weight loss expected.

That's correct...sedentary 3x a week 30 mins at least

That's what I don't get. I'd think that the less you exercise the less calories they'd assign to you because you're not burning them off...?

kkt9999

Exercising is not fractured in.

I set mine for one pound a week weight loss and have a calorie limit of 1500. When i stick to this without exercising i lose weight at a rate of around 1.5 pounds a week. Any exercising I do then adds to the calories allowed and I eat them. I still maintain a 1.5 pound week lost average.

Think of the exercising as meant for building muscles and the cardiovascular system not for weight loss, at least as far as this site is concerned.

MakingAChoice

Go back to goals. Check the activity levels and how much you selected as wanting to lose. Sounds like you selected sedentary and no weight loss expected.

That's correct...sedentary 3x a week 30 mins at least

That's what I don't get. I'd think that the less you exercise the less calories they'd assign to you because you're not burning them off...?

There is still a set amount of calories your body need just to survive. Even if you do nothing all day long it will burn that set amount. Everyone is a little different so you might find you need to move that number up or down a little bit, but it is a starting value. It would be much lower if you set it to lose weight instead of maintain I think.

eeeekie

Right now I'm using MFP as a way to do a food diary. I'm currently super sick and have been in bed. It's not really set for me to maintain my weight, because well...I have tons to lose but it's good to know.

Thank you for the help

ladyhawk00

MFP takes your BMR (basal metabolic rate) and your daily activity level. BMR is what you burn every day just being alive (like in a coma). Then, it adds in your activity level (anywhere from 300-1000 cals or more, depending on weight and how active you are.) You can calculate your BMR by going to Tools and using the calculator there.

These 2 numbers added together give you your maintenance cals - what you would eat to maintain your current weight. Then, it subtracts a certain number of cals based on your loss per week goal. So if you chose 1 lb per week, that deficit is 500 cals per day. This deficit allows for that amount of weight loss, regardless of exercise.

When you log exercise, MFP will add cals back in, to maintain that deficit that you chose. Not eating the extra cals will create a larger deficit, that may be unhealthy and unsustainable.

Now, to the other part of your question - If you weigh a lot, and have a lot of body fat, you burn more cals per day than someone who is smaller. That extra weight takes a lot of energy to move it around, so you burn a lot, and need to eat more than someone who is smaller. If you have a large amount to lose, you may be able to withstand a larger deficit, but your cal intake will still need to be higher than someone who is smaller. As you lose weight, you will burn less, because you will have less weight to carry around. MFP will subtract cals to account for that, as you get lighter.

MFP's guidelines are tried and true - they WORK. You may need to do some tweaking later on, but for now you should follow them. Not eating enough can stall your weight loss, and lead to other health problems, such as loss of muscle, hair loss, organ damage, and substantial loose skin. Losing weight slowly, at a moderate deficit that gives your body time to adjust to the weight loss, and while developing healthy habits that you can maintain for life, is the best way. It's not a race.

Here are some great threads that also explain in more detail how to determine realistic, healthy goals, how metabolism works, and why you need to fuel the body to get the best out of it. Good luck to you!

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/173853-an-objective-look-at-eating-exercise-calories

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo

PS - sorry, this turned out longer than I meant it to be :laugh: