Questions from a newbie to the site

Mandanbil

I joined MFP last week weighing 266 lbs and I input my details saying I wanted to lose 2lbs a week, I was given daily calories of 1540 and my first week I lost 6lbs.

Having now read some of the forum posts I went to Fat2Fit radio to find out my BMR which says is 1871 (MFP says it is 1832) and I worked out my TDEE Sedentary (I walk the dog for about half an hour a day slowly as he is 13) is 2245. I took off 15 per cent from this and it gives me 1909 calories. My height is 5 ft 6 inches (UK measurements) and I am a female.

If I tell MFP I want to lose only 1lb a week it gives me a calorie figure of 1790 before exercise. As both figures from MFP are below my BMR I know do not know what calorie figure I should be following. Obviously I have a long way to go in my weight loss journey and I am feeling guilty if I eat over 1540 calories as I saw such a good weight loss in my first week.

Any advice would be appreciated, thanking you in advance

31prvrbs

Welcome to the group!

I would go with the 1909 cals, but don't eat back the "earned" cals that MFP gives you. Because of the "burned" cals that MFP gives you back, it typically starts you off lower than necessary, with the expectation that you will "earn" them back through exercise. Just eating the same amount daily, will make sure that you don't drop below BMR, which is what we recommend.

Most people actually do lose at first on super low cals, simply because they're eating less, but then that loss tapers off and you're stuck eating next to nothing. So starting at the higher cal level, and losing more slowly, is highly recommended...

~Kiki

Jenn638

at least you found this out on the first week. some of us have been cutting calories for so long that we had to retrain our metabolisms to the correct amount of calories. for me that meant gaining five pounds and then right now hoping that i see the scale drop. But it sure sounds like those numbers are correct. And believe it or not, the math really really does make sense. trust it and lose weight the sure way, eat above your bmr.
1. youll be happier like a human and not a bird - so youll stick with it.
2. youll have a happy metabolism through out the whole process - so youll keep it off.

i think mfp seriously underestimates how many calories we burn.

(my opinion the way i have learned it, feel free to check me on it, if i got something wrong)

Mandanbil

Thank you both for your replies, yes I thought I had better try and get it right before I carry on. Glad I read the posts or I would have been sticking with 1540 and probably struggling with that amount sooner rather than later.