Is MFP calories correct?

nuttynetty114

I was just wondering if I put my info in and they tell me to eat this many calories is that correct??
My main question is when do I need to update the info - every 2lbs, 5lbs or 10lbs?? I have lost a lot of weight and gained it back because I admit I'm an emoitonal eater but , now I believe I can do it & I'm starting over and losing so I want to get it right. Thanks for your help!

stroutman81

Beats the heck out of me.

Haha, how do you like that for an answer? Here's the deal. The array of calculators online, including MFP, are merely estimates. For some they'll be right on the money. For others the can be substantially off... in the tune of 15-30% or even more.

As I like to say though, it's really not that important. Pick a calorie target based on any of these calculators. Be consistent. That's the hard part. And if things aren't going as planned, adjust accordingly. The magic lies in the process. Not the initial calorie goal. Does that make sense?

And yeah, as you lose weight, you need to adjust your calorie target. Think of it like this. I tend to tell people (of average size) that a good target for fat loss is 10 calories per pound. If that's the case, and they go losing 10 lbs, that's a 100 calorie swing in calorie needs. So a good rule of thumb is to readjust things every 5-10 lbs. The more weight you have to lose, the less frequently you have to readjust, generally speaking.

stormieweather

Just a note: If you are entering your weight changes in the MFP "check in" section, it will update your calorie goal every 10 pounds of loss.

nuttynetty114

Thanks so much!

tameko2

For the record, MFP uses Mifflin-St. Jeor which is the lowest calculation, AND the way it instructs you to select activity level leads people to end up with very low calories unless they remember to log all their exercise. A lot of us find it annoying to remember to do that or annoying to change our daily calorie target so we just bump up our activity level.

For example, MFP gives me a BMR of 1484. If I pick Sedentary, according to their description of my day job (desk job) that gives me a tdee of 1780. Assuming I take the recommended 1lb/week I get 1280 calories, plus exercise.

Using MFP's exercise calculator now:
I tend to walk at least 30 minutes a day, in some capacity or another, so average in another 175. (1455)
Lift weights 4x a week, for about 40 minutes is another 150 (1605).

But lets say I used the usual system of calculating my activity level - I think I'd be classified as "Moderate Activity" (3-5 days of moderate activity).

Still using Mifflin-st. Jeor for my BMR that gives me 1484 x 1.55 = 2300, minus the 500 for 1lb/week, and i'm at 1800.

That's a 200 calorie difference probably due to underestimated burns and there's a corollary which is that SOME exercise estimates are super high, like 40 minutes on the elliptical for me spits out 450 calories. If you replace my 4x a week of lifting with 4x a week on the elliptical, suddenly I'm eating 1900/day. which is 300 more than the 4x a week of lifting, but would probably STILL be considered "moderate activity"

So.... You know. MFP is as accurate as anything. Except the quality of data on exercise burns matters a lot more using that system, if you are trying to eat back the right amount of exercise calories. (alternately you can set yourself up with no deficit in MFP and then not eat exercise cals back, and make those your deficit. It makes it unlikely that you will significantly undereat.)

*edited to add* PS I'm 5'6" 165 so if I do 14 calories x 165, I get 2310. More or less spot on with Mifflin + "moderate"

jacksonpt

As I like to say though, it's really not that important. Pick a calorie target based on any of these calculators. Be consistent. That's the hard part. And if things aren't going as planned, adjust accordingly. The magic lies in the process. Not the initial calorie goal. Does that make sense?

Couldn't agree more.