Some MFP Basics

cmriverside

here, I'll help

ladyhawk00

Newbie night... :laugh:

mo4xdamomma

In the beginning of my journey I had over 100 lbs to lose. I put in all my information/ 2lb loss a week and got the calorie goal of 1310 a day. That worked for me! I was losing at a steady rate. Then MFP reset my calories as I lost to 1200

I stalled. I think I have lost 1 lb this month but have lost and gained the same 3 lbs over and over again. Today I stumbled on this thread and I saw that if I have 50-75 lbs to lose I need to have my goal at 1.5 lbs a week. So...I changed it and now I am UP to 1400 calories a day.

Will upping my calories really work even though I have lost 45 lbs? Im willing to try anything. It just shocked me that as Im losing I may possibly have to eat MORE to keep losing weight.

Im actually hoping this is the answer to busting through this plateau!

ladyhawk00

In the beginning of my journey I had over 100 lbs to lose. I put in all my information/ 2lb loss a week and got the calorie goal of 1310 a day. That worked for me! I was losing at a steady rate. Then MFP reset my calories as I lost to 1200

I stalled. I think I have lost 1 lb this month but have lost and gained the same 3 lbs over and over again. Today I stumbled on this thread and I saw that if I have 50-75 lbs to lose I need to have my goal at 1.5 lbs a week. So...I changed it and now I am UP to 1400 calories a day.

Will upping my calories really work even though I have lost 45 lbs? Im willing to try anything. It just shocked me that as Im losing I may possibly have to eat MORE to keep losing weight.

Im actually hoping this is the answer to busting through this plateau!

I know it sounds counterintuitive to eat MORE when you're still trying to lose. But as you lose fat, it becomes more difficult for the body to access it to make up for the energy when you're at a caloric deficit. The less fat you have, the less of a deficit your body can handle. So, while your maintenance level decreases a bit as you lose (which is why MFP set you back to 1200), once you reach a certain level of fat stores, you also need a lower deficit - so you end up needing to increase calories periodically.

By far, the most common thing I hear is that when people have lost a good amount and begin to slow down or stop, and increase calories, they begin losing again. Obviously, I can't guarantee it will work for you, but it's worth a try. Just remember to give it time to work.

mo4xdamomma

Thanks--Im willing to give it a shot! So far what Im currently doing isn't working and I gave it a month.

Ratgirl35

Great post, thanks for sharing! I upped my calories since I'm getting closer to my "short term goal".

When I first started I had it set for 1 1/2lbs a week which was great, the weight came off no problem. Within the past couple weeks I have started to lose about lb a week, sometimes not even that. I need to be more realistic, I should've changed my goals when I started to hit a wall. :frown:

Hope this will help.. those 1200 calories a day was a pain trying to stay within.

cmriverside

bump

marianne_s

very well said....

mo4xdamomma

Thanks--Im willing to give it a shot! So far what Im currently doing isn't working and I gave it a month.

The scale moved!!!! I was 233 and this morning the scale said 231.2

runningneo122

Thanks--Im willing to give it a shot! So far what Im currently doing isn't working and I gave it a month.

The scale moved!!!! I was 233 and this morning the scale said 231.2

Amazing how that works, isn't it??

marianne_s

bump

ladyhawk00

Thanks--Im willing to give it a shot! So far what Im currently doing isn't working and I gave it a month.

The scale moved!!!! I was 233 and this morning the scale said 231.2

Fantastic!

DeniseGdz

Okay, just for my understanding...

My first 4 pounds lost came off pretty easy, and then I have been stuck for about a week and the last 2 days I was tired. I thought yesterday and this morning that maybe I am not eating enough. I have been trying to not eat my 1200 calories a day because I didnt want to maintain my weight, as I have 50 pounds to lose.

So are you saying, I need to eat my allotted 1200 calories and then some if i have a huge burn? I was going for a high deficit everyday, so if my workout was small I would eat less (sometimes a lot less) than 1200 calories so I could have a deficit.

But, MFP has already calculated that eating 1200 calories for my lightly active lifestyle will help me lose weight and I dont need to adjust it anymore? I was shooting for like a 400-500 calorie deficit each day. I am going to stop doing that and eat my 1200 calories and get my energy back and hopefully get back on track of losing weight!

Thanks for the post, and typing this out just helped me clarify things in my mind, so tell me if i am way off base on where I am heading!

Yes, MFP has already calculated the deficit for you (as long as you chose something other than "maintain current weight" in your loss per week goal) - if you eat under cal goal, you're making the deficit larger and a large deficit will often backfire. Your NET calories (on home page) should always be at least 1200. Just aim for your cal goals and let MFP do the work for you.

Oh my gosh, I think my lightbulb just came on! NET calories (on home page) should always be at least 1200. Its just that simple. We don't have to do any extra math or leave any calories on teh table because it's already set up for that! So the first month I lost the 10 pounds was because i was eating less calories and my body wasn't use to it. Now in month two I'm not losing ANY pounds because I'm not eating enough? Yowzers....okay, going back through my diary right now so that I can see how bad I was messing up!! :noway:

goldenbutterfly

cool thanks for the info will stick with what you have said as everyone has had confusing veiws on this topic

ladyhawk00

Okay, just for my understanding...

My first 4 pounds lost came off pretty easy, and then I have been stuck for about a week and the last 2 days I was tired. I thought yesterday and this morning that maybe I am not eating enough. I have been trying to not eat my 1200 calories a day because I didnt want to maintain my weight, as I have 50 pounds to lose.

So are you saying, I need to eat my allotted 1200 calories and then some if i have a huge burn? I was going for a high deficit everyday, so if my workout was small I would eat less (sometimes a lot less) than 1200 calories so I could have a deficit.

But, MFP has already calculated that eating 1200 calories for my lightly active lifestyle will help me lose weight and I dont need to adjust it anymore? I was shooting for like a 400-500 calorie deficit each day. I am going to stop doing that and eat my 1200 calories and get my energy back and hopefully get back on track of losing weight!

Thanks for the post, and typing this out just helped me clarify things in my mind, so tell me if i am way off base on where I am heading!

Yes, MFP has already calculated the deficit for you (as long as you chose something other than "maintain current weight" in your loss per week goal) - if you eat under cal goal, you're making the deficit larger and a large deficit will often backfire. Your NET calories (on home page) should always be at least 1200. Just aim for your cal goals and let MFP do the work for you.

Oh my gosh, I think my lightbulb just came on! NET calories (on home page) should always be at least 1200. Its just that simple. We don't have to do any extra math or leave any calories on teh table because it's already set up for that! So the first month I lost the 10 pounds was because i was eating less calories and my body wasn't use to it. Now in month two I'm not losing ANY pounds because I'm not eating enough? Yowzers....okay, going back through my diary right now so that I can see how bad I was messing up!! :noway:

Yep, it's pretty simple. If you enter the correct settings, you just follow your goals and don't need to do anything else. It's not easy (losing weight is never easy), but it is simple! :laugh:

Good luck to you!

SarahJaneDeschamp

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ladyhawk00

Weekend bump

ladyhawk00

Weekday bump? :smokin:

MZNIKKIBOO

BUMP

cmriverside

froggy15

Great info. Thanks!

cmriverside

bump

Sweetlost

Bump MFP Basics

ladyhawk00

A lil bump...lots of questions out there today

Lauriek70

Ladyhawk- this page has great information on it and I have shared it with the newbies on the different forums. Thanks for writing this. Do you have a list of the topics you have posted. I know you did at one time, it may be time to bring some others back.

ladyhawk00

Ladyhawk- this page has great information on it and I have shared it with the newbies on the different forums. Thanks for writing this. Do you have a list of the topics you have posted. I know you did at one time, it may be time to bring some others back.

Well thank you. :blushing: :smooched: Um, I think the following are all the other topics I've written so far -

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/158143-tough-love

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/175241-a-personal-view-on-exercise-cals-and-underfeeding

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/230930-starvation-mode-how-it-works

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/222019-60-lbs-in-60-days?hl=60+lbs

Probably will be coming up with a new one soon.

Lauriek70

Great Advice as always- it pays to be reminded the basics and what these terms mean. It can get complicated on this site if you are unfamiliar with the vocabulary being used. I will be sharing with others on this site who may not have found the pages. Have a great day.

ladyhawk00

Bump

marianne_s

Hi LadyHawk....

Just wanted to say, that whenever I can - I direct members to this post....

Because it is so clearly explained..... which is why I've added the URL to my signature....

kettlenic

bump