Here's why you're not losing weight! Follow this equation!

Jbradbury1964

Hello all!

I am fairly new to MFP (20 days in) but my daughter has been on for almost a year. We were talking about how we are losing inches but not pounds so my daughter started doing some research. She found quite a few posts on what to do but this following post makes it all so clear! Looking back at my diary, I was leaving 500-800 calories per day not eaten and I was not eating back the exercise calories either. On top of that, I was not at my correct caloric intake. No wonder I was not losing the weight! So, my fellow friends in need; I want to share this golden information with you! Feel free to add me as a friend as well!! Good luck my friends! I know you can do it...I believe in YOU!! :flowerforyou:

POSTED BY TIGERSWORD:

BMR is the amount of calories needed to survive in a coma. Maintenance calories are BMR x activity level. Based on the BMR you gave:

Sedentary: BMR x 1.2 = 1766 calories

Lightly Active: BMR x 1.375 = 2024 calories

Moderately Active: BMR x 1.55 = 2282 calories

Vigorously Active: BMR x 1.725 = 2539 calories

Extremely Active: BMR x 1.9 = 2797 calories

So, based on your daily activity level, which depends mostly on your job, you would be at any of those calorie levels. Take that number, subtract 500, and that's your calorie goal. If you burn extra calories by exercising, you add those to your goal.

Example, sedentary = 1766 maintenance. To lose a pound a week, you eat 1266 a day. If you burn 200 calories exercising that day, you eat 1466, which maintains that 500 calorie deficit. 1766+200=1966 maintenance calorie needs for that day. 1966-500=1466. That's why you eat exercise calories back, because your maintenance need increases when you exercise, and you need to account for that to ensure proper nutrition.

The easy part of all of this, is MFP automatically does this for you, as long as you set the goals accurately.
Edited by tigersword on Thu 03/01/12 03:28 PM


This is my equation: EXAMPLE: 1890x1.375=2598.75BMR-500=2098.75+276(burned calories) =2374.75

I will need to eat 2374.75 calories to loose weight. Eat what you want, just eat healthy as well! :drinker:



(To change your BMR go to: settingsupdate file/fitness programchange to whichever BMR best suits your activity level.)

shovav91

Great post!

Jbradbury1964

Thank you. When I read this post I was like a light bulb went off and it completely makes sense to me. I hope it helps others who are a little down about the weight not coming off like we were.

bsexton3

I am sure others will add. You may not be losing weight because you are not drinking enough water. I really have this problem in the winter.

And, a pound is 3,500 calories. If you maintain your activity, when you eat 3,500 less calories than you burn, you will lose one pound. That is simple math.

Truth is, you don't simply want to loss weight. You want to learn to eat healthy and live right. That is the ultimate goal. So, eating 500 less calories than you burn will have you lose a pound a week. Eating 1,000 less calories will have you lose 2 pounds a week. On Biggest Loser, they lose 10 pounds a week. Yep, you figured it out, they are burning 5,000 more calories a day than they are consuming. I wouldn't do this without a doctor and proper vitamins. But, they have the doctors, the trainers and the dietitians to help them. For the rest of us: eat healthy, burn more than you eat, drink water and exercise.

Jbradbury1964

Wonderfully put! I have added another 40 oz of water to what I drink per day. Although I am just beginning; I want to drink ONLY water at some future point in time.

togobug

Bump this is gooe to know

tyra47

bump

Wonderwoman2677

I'm confused actually. MFP says my calorie intake goal to go with my sedentary job is 1600. I thought it was already calculating what I should eat to lose weight. If I don't eat all those calories it says I'm not eating enough.

Can someone clarify?

Wonderwoman2677

Plus... I already feel like I'm starving some days and it's hard to not go over... help!

ImRadical4Jesus

bump

l1ndasedd0n

Hmmmm it's still not happening for me. My sedentary BMR of 1766, less the 500 = 1266. My calorie intake is between 1200 & 1300 per day and my carb, protein and fat ratios fall roughly in line with the pie chart recommendations. I've been using the app for 4 weeks and not lost so much as an ounce.
Obviously, I'm going wrong somewhere but don't know where/how?
Any suggestions
:grumble:

emalbright

interesting!

TheLukePhone

Hmmmm it's still not happening for me. My sedentary BMR of 1766, less the 500 = 1266. My calorie intake is between 1200 & 1300 per day and my carb, protein and fat ratios fall roughly in line with the pie chart recommendations. I've been using the app for 4 weeks and not lost so much as an ounce.
Obviously, I'm going wrong somewhere but don't know where/how?
Any suggestions
:grumble:

Are you exercising too? I found that I actually had to increase my intake a little bit to start losing weight. I went from 1500cal/day to 2000cal/day (my bmr was 2500), and I exercise daily as well as am quite active most days at work. My weight loss has resumed after nothing for 3 weeks (locked myself at 1500 cal, tired/sore/hungry all the time!)

Try adding a little bit to your intake (maybe go for 1300-1400) and see if there's any change.

Also, dont forget that if you do 800cal of exercise, you need to eat that 800cal in food, to keep yourself at the same daily "net" calorie level.

MummyDB

Bump

Jbradbury1964

:happy:

Hmmmm it's still not happening for me. My sedentary BMR of 1766, less the 500 = 1266. My calorie intake is between 1200 & 1300 per day and my carb, protein and fat ratios fall roughly in line with the pie chart recommendations. I've been using the app for 4 weeks and not lost so much as an ounce.
Obviously, I'm going wrong somewhere but don't know where/how?
Any suggestions
:grumble:

Are you exercising too? I found that I actually had to increase my intake a little bit to start losing weight. I went from 1500cal/day to 2000cal/day (my bmr was 2500), and I exercise daily as well as am quite active most days at work. My weight loss has resumed after nothing for 3 weeks (locked myself at 1500 cal, tired/sore/hungry all the time!)

Try adding a little bit to your intake (maybe go for 1300-1400) and see if there's any change.

Also, dont forget that if you do 800cal of exercise, you need to eat that 800cal in food, to keep yourself at the same daily "net" calorie level.

This is so true! I have read and researched alot and the general consession is that you eat what MFP says to do for your goal and when you exercise, eat those calories as well! Do not leave those calories! eat eat eat!

missfancy1980

This is interesting, however my bmr is 1384, now times lightly active = 1904.375. So If I want to lose 1lb a week, i should eat 1404 calories, or for 2lb a week, 904 calories. I currently eat 1,200 - 1,400 per day plus most of my exercise cals and have not lost any weight at all in over a month (aiming for 1/2 - 1lb per week). If i wanted to lose more, the 904 would be way below the minimum level most people say is ok which is 1,200, so how do i win?

ironanimal

Point of contention here - you still need to know your BMR and not eat below that at all. If that means your 1 pound a week goal is impossible, you have two options:
- Drop the rate of loss to 0.5lbs
- Exercise More and raise your activity level.

starcatcher1975

bump

defor5050

Thank you for that information, I started 30 days ago lost 7lb so far maybe not eating enough, I dance most days and earn 668 calories my allowances is 1200 and most day's I am under so maybe this is why my loss is quite small, what do you think
Thanks Jackie

poedunk65

It is ironic that because you are exercsing you need to eat more calories to lose weight. If you don;t your metabloism slows down to save all the carbs it can. I was at 2000 call intake but now that I ma exercising 5 days a week and not the 3 i used to, i need to take in more to keep the metab up. It works.

tamheath

Bumping for later - thanks!

moonsforeyes

fantastic post! I hope people who are struggling read this and it helps them!

LaylaSparkles

Thank you for this, Very great information

ChristinaBarnhouse

BUMP! Great topic!!

Lizzie2As

bump

sunshinesonata

Bump!


This is great information to reference!

❤lindsay❤dawn❤

I think this is wonderful information... Thanks for sharing...

: ))

Larry0445

BUMP

lisaisso

this is basically what i'm doing!
here's to eating more with more results and fat loss!

kimi72

OK slap me I am stupid here... According to the chart above I should be taking in about 1266 a day... I sit at a computer all day... I actually am lucky to take in 900 because I get full to fast and stay that way. So do I eat even if I am not hungry? I lost 14 lbs the first month but nothing since so where am I going wrong.. Any help would be greatly a[ppreciated!!!

cristina_marie

Great info! Thanks!