What number to use?

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mmsalmon1987
mmsalmon1987 Posts: 7
in Motivation and Support
Several years ago I was at my all time highest weight. The weight came off a little over the years but my biggest weight loss effeort began at a lower weight. Which number would you use to track your loss? The higher or the lower of the two?

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  • wibutterflymagic
    wibutterflymagic Posts: 788 Member
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    What's happened in the past isn't relevant. MFP calculates your calorie goal based on your current stats. The amount of calories your body needed when you were larger or smaller is completely different then what it needs now.
  • mmsalmon1987
    mmsalmon1987 Posts: 7
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    My fault. Sorry, I didn't explain very well. I have been losing weight long before I found this website. I lost 37 pounds most recently and before joining MFP. But I've lost 65 since my highest weight, ever. I was just cusious what would be the popular vote for which number of pounds lost.
  • maskdfarm
    maskdfarm Posts: 6 Member
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    I have wondered that also. I did WW and lost 70 pounds but on MFP it only shows me down 8 pounds. I have not decided yet if I am going to change my starting weight to reflect my total pounds lost or leave it at pounds lost on MFP.
  • MbiggsHFD319
    MbiggsHFD319 Posts: 427 Member
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    I used my starting weight from when I 1st began my journey to the healthier me which was in 2009 but I have only been on MFP since last year and have really only been using it to aid in my maintenance and fitness goals rather than weight loss. So I say it's up to you but the big loss # helps to keep me motivated and as a reminder of how far I have come.
    Good luck
  • StrongDeterminedDevoted
    StrongDeterminedDevoted Posts: 13
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    Same here. I've lost weight from years past, but I'm just using this site as a way to maintain control of what and how I'm eating. Also for the support! :)
  • wibutterflymagic
    wibutterflymagic Posts: 788 Member
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    Thanks for the clarification. If you started say 2 yrs ago and never "gave up" but may have had some bumps(as we all will) then I would say that any weight lost since then is the # to use as your total weight loss. I'm not planning on making my weight loss a race to finish in 4months so even if I go through some times when I may not eat as well or even go back up a lb or 2 the total amount of weight that I will be counting as loss will be calculated from the weight I logged 2months ago.
  • mmsalmon1987
    mmsalmon1987 Posts: 7
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    So, I've either lost 64 or 38 pounds, depending on how far back I go! Either is impressive to me but I will go with the 64 pounds lost because at the time that I felt I needed to lose 100 pounds it seemed very overwhelming to me. (not changing anything on MFP, just thinking I should cut down my conversations when someone asks how much I've lost and give one answer instead of a long explanation!)
  • blueeylb
    blueeylb Posts: 297 Member
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    i would start with the number when you started on THIS journey good luck :)
  • starspeckled
    starspeckled Posts: 313 Member
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    I lost 30 on weight watchers and I count that on my ticker. I worked for it, I think it doesn't matter which program I used :)
  • laserturkey
    laserturkey Posts: 1,680 Member
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    I started tracking calories on a different website and switched to this one later. I made a backdated weight entry for the date that I actually started trying to lose weight so my ticker reflects my actual loss and not just the amount I have lost since I switched over to MFP. I did not use my all-time high weight because that was a long time ago and I have been down to a healthy weight in the meantime.
  • DonM46
    DonM46 Posts: 771 Member
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    Your starting weight should be your weight when you initially filled in the data to establish your calorie allotment.
    Revise your calorie allotment for each 10 lbs lost while on THIS site.
    You will burn fewer calories just walking around as you lose weight because your body doesn't have to work as hard to carry the lower weight.

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