A different way to set up MFP goals - that WORKS!

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  • jbenton091011
    jbenton091011 Posts: 99
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    bump
  • jchrisman717
    jchrisman717 Posts: 780 Member
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    To OP - I just tried to figure this same thing out yesterday on my own because I'm not losing either and I need to lose. Is it ok if I e-mail you my stats and see if I am doing this right? Thanks!

    Jo
  • anthonysig
    anthonysig Posts: 10 Member
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    great job
  • NettyIOM
    NettyIOM Posts: 44 Member
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    bump

    Thanks for sharing :)
  • kyunda
    kyunda Posts: 340 Member
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    thanks for this i have been stuck at the same weight for a while. i uped my calories and still nothing..no gain or lose. I will try this!
  • jchrisman717
    jchrisman717 Posts: 780 Member
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    Well I thought I might as well just post it here too and see if what I'm doing is right?

    I am at 164 and I want to lose 2 lbs a week - which MFP says to lose only .9 lbs a week. So first I don't understand why I can't set my goals to lost 2 lbs a week or at least 1 lb a week. I am trying to lose this weight by eating healthy and exercising. I went to another web site to figure out my BMR and my calories I should target a day. I came up with a BMR of 1438.9 and I put that I am moderately active meaning that I exercise lightly 3 times a week. So according to this website I should eat between 1563 and 1788 calories a day to lose 1.5 lbs a week. Ok - I can do that. I don't want to log every little exercise I do every day. I walk for lunch around 30 to 40 min. - I don't want to log those as I feel that I added that into the equation when I figured out my calories. I do however do a personal training class with pilates and weight training 3 times a week, and I do the ellliptical or treadmeal for about 45 min. 2 times a week. Those I do feel I need to add in and eat back my calories on because it is extra workouts that I haven't taken into consideration.

    So by MFP guideles if I set my calories - lets just say for easier calcuation because the website says to eat at least 1563 but no more than 1788 calories a day (which isn't that a pretty big gap to have between?) if I set my calories to 1600 a day and I stay on 1600 a day on the days I don't do weight training or elliptical, and on the days I do eat those calories burned back.

    Won't that be a more accurate way to lose than the typical 1200 calories that MFP gives me? I am finding that on most days I am barely hitting my 1200 calories including eating back my workout calories and I am not losing?
  • mindymoore1975
    mindymoore1975 Posts: 4
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    bump
  • thesarahsundae
    thesarahsundae Posts: 240 Member
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    This is exactly my issue! I lost my weight with WW and I started running and I have struggled to get to goal (140lbs) ever since. The two just don't mix (WW and running). I've gained 6lbs since and I can't seem to get past it. I'm going to look into this and see what happens. Thanks!!
  • ncw89
    ncw89 Posts: 61 Member
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    bump for future reference - thanks for sharing :)
  • xtravisfx
    xtravisfx Posts: 44 Member
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    Definitely will check later.
  • lkanover
    lkanover Posts: 2
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    This is really interesting, thank you for sharing! So what happens when MFP calls for less calories as a goal than my BMR? I'm trying to lose 10 lbs (1 lb/week), and here is my info:

    My current BMR: 1492.88
    MFP says:
    Maintenance calories/day: 1,780
    Net Calories Consumed Daily Goal: 1,280 (500 calorie deficit)

    It sounds like I should eat about 1500 calories/day based on my BMR, but that would only be a 280 calorie deficit when I don't exercise and over my daily calorie goal suggested to lose 1 lb/week... I guess the question is, do I ignore the suggested goal and aim to eat 1500/day and burn up to 500/day in exercise when I can? So counter-intuitive! :smile: Thanks in advance for explaining!
  • moomie
    moomie Posts: 6 Member
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    Bump for later
  • CallmeSbo
    CallmeSbo Posts: 611 Member
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    Bump. Will try this after my half marathon Feb.
  • 4hotmama
    4hotmama Posts: 112 Member
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    bump
  • amandacochran15
    amandacochran15 Posts: 112
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    I think I understand, but maybe you can just double check for me?

    My BMR- 1391
    Maintenance- 1808 (1391x1.3)

    Set my daily goal to 1808
    Days that i dont work out I create a 417 deficit
    If i burn 400 (my normal day) I create a 717 deficit?

    Sound right?
    So 6 days of working out at 717 deficit and one day off at 417 deficit equals a 4719 for the week? Which equals almost a 2 pound weight loss a week?
  • purplerain011
    purplerain011 Posts: 53
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    bump
  • yodapooper
    yodapooper Posts: 62
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    Bump!! Double Bump!! Don't understand so I'll go back and refresh.
  • kyunda
    kyunda Posts: 340 Member
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    Ok sooo...


    My BMR-1641
    Maintenance- 1641x1.2=1970

    Set my daily goal to 1970 but eat 1641 cal a day no matter if its an exercise day or not.

    If i burn over 641 cal i need to get them back?

    Thanks!
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    I am at 164 and I want to lose 2 lbs a week - which MFP says to lose only .9 lbs a week. So first I don't understand why I can't set my goals to lost 2 lbs a week or at least 1 lb a week. I am trying to lose this weight by eating healthy and exercising. I went to another web site to figure out my BMR and my calories I should target a day. I came up with a BMR of 1438.9 and I put that I am moderately active meaning that I exercise lightly 3 times a week. So according to this website I should eat between 1563 and 1788 calories a day to lose 1.5 lbs a week. Ok - I can do that. I don't want to log every little exercise I do every day. I walk for lunch around 30 to 40 min. - I don't want to log those as I feel that I added that into the equation when I figured out my calories. I do however do a personal training class with pilates and weight training 3 times a week, and I do the ellliptical or treadmeal for about 45 min. 2 times a week. Those I do feel I need to add in and eat back my calories on because it is extra workouts that I haven't taken into consideration.

    So by MFP guideles if I set my calories - lets just say for easier calcuation because the website says to eat at least 1563 but no more than 1788 calories a day (which isn't that a pretty big gap to have between?) if I set my calories to 1600 a day and I stay on 1600 a day on the days I don't do weight training or elliptical, and on the days I do eat those calories burned back.

    Won't that be a more accurate way to lose than the typical 1200 calories that MFP gives me? I am finding that on most days I am barely hitting my 1200 calories including eating back my workout calories and I am not losing?

    You are doing the math right.

    You are not understanding what is happening to the body.

    Healthy calculated BMR is higher than what you are eating.

    If you don't understand what BMR is, go research it, and see if you should be eating below what you body needs.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    This is really interesting, thank you for sharing! So what happens when MFP calls for less calories as a goal than my BMR? I'm trying to lose 10 lbs (1 lb/week), and here is my info:

    My current BMR: 1492.88
    MFP says:
    Maintenance calories/day: 1,780
    Net Calories Consumed Daily Goal: 1,280 (500 calorie deficit)

    It sounds like I should eat about 1500 calories/day based on my BMR, but that would only be a 280 calorie deficit when I don't exercise and over my daily calorie goal suggested to lose 1 lb/week... I guess the question is, do I ignore the suggested goal and aim to eat 1500/day and burn up to 500/day in exercise when I can? So counter-intuitive! :smile: Thanks in advance for explaining!

    Yes. He emphasised the major rule twice.

    Don't net below your BMR. Which means not providing energy for healthy body daily needs.

    body just slows down to match what you are feeding it.

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