Updated goals and MFP telling me to eat fewer cals - why?

samcat2000
samcat2000 Posts: 106 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I apologize in advance if I irritate some of you seasoned MFP peeps with this post, but I'm totally confused by MFP today...someone help!
My info:
Female
Age: 39
Height: 5'10"
Original weight on Jan. 23, 2013: 158 lbs
Current weight on Mar. 10, 2013: 146.4 lbs
Goal weight: 140 lbs
Goal weight loss per week: 1 lb.

Today I updated my weight to 146.4 lbs. I got some pop up saying to update my goals because I'd lost more than 10 lbs. So I said ok. Then I entered in new info with same goal weight loss per week (1 lb) and MFP bumped my calories DOWN from 1,340 to 1,270. I know that's only 70 cal less per day, but I think it's weird that it's telling me to consume fewer calories now than before when I'm meeting my goals and then some.

I know I don't have this broken down to a science by any means. I've generally lost closer to 2 lbs/week over the last 7 weeks rather than 1 lb. goal. I've usually stuck pretty close to the calorie goal/day and I almost always eat back all of my exercise calories. A couple of times I've gone quite a bit over on my caloric intake and a couple of times under. I do work hard at ending each week on a good note - i.e. if I ate over a couple of days I try to balance it out by eating a little better the next day or two and also try to exercise a bit more by the end of the week. On days I don't exercise, I have really tried to stick to the 1,340 range. When I exercise I usually eat closer to 1,900 or 2,000 calories/day What I know today is that I AM NOT going to only eat 1,270 cal/day (on non-exercise days). What am I missing? Thanks for any feedback.

Replies

  • lizzyb83
    lizzyb83 Posts: 107 Member
    I am not 100% sure how MFP figures out its calories. I think that is just hopes you will eat back all the calories you burn when you workout. Because I don't know one person how could survive at 1270. I am 5'7 and it had me at 1260 lol I adjusted it myself to 1500, because that's where I know my body likes it right now. So I have been trying to focus on the food calories total now, instead of the net total.

    And I think that MFP must assume that since you lost weight, you just need fewer calories. In theory that's right. But again, I am just not really sure how it figures it all out lol
  • corsayre8
    corsayre8 Posts: 551 Member
    It takes fewer calories to maintain weight at 146 than it did at 158. So the calorie count before deficit, (-500 to lose 1lb a week), was higher at you previous weight. 1840-500=1340 and 1770-500=1270.
  • samcat2000
    samcat2000 Posts: 106 Member
    It takes fewer calories to maintain weight at 146 than it did at 158. So the calorie count before deficit, (-500 to lose 1lb a week), was higher at you previous weight. 1840-500=1340 and 1770-500=1270.

    well that was easy...thanks for the quick response!
  • samcat2000
    samcat2000 Posts: 106 Member
    I am not 100% sure how MFP figures out its calories. I think that is just hopes you will eat back all the calories you burn when you workout. Because I don't know one person how could survive at 1270. I am 5'7 and it had me at 1260 lol I adjusted it myself to 1500, because that's where I know my body likes it right now. So I have been trying to focus on the food calories total now, instead of the net total.

    And I think that MFP must assume that since you lost weight, you just need fewer calories. In theory that's right. But again, I am just not really sure how it figures it all out lol

    I'm going up my calories too...someone already told me to do the same with protein levels. I'm always over on protein and to be honest often over on the fat intake. I'm not out eating ice cream every day but I guess my food is fatty. lol.
  • lizzyb83
    lizzyb83 Posts: 107 Member
    I am not 100% sure how MFP figures out its calories. I think that is just hopes you will eat back all the calories you burn when you workout. Because I don't know one person how could survive at 1270. I am 5'7 and it had me at 1260 lol I adjusted it myself to 1500, because that's where I know my body likes it right now. So I have been trying to focus on the food calories total now, instead of the net total.

    And I think that MFP must assume that since you lost weight, you just need fewer calories. In theory that's right. But again, I am just not really sure how it figures it all out lol

    I'm going up my calories too...someone already told me to do the same with protein levels. I'm always over on protein and to be honest often over on the fat intake. I'm not out eating ice cream every day but I guess my food is fatty. lol.

    I eat a lot of fruit, so I am always way over for my sugar most days :) I think just use this as a guide, not a Bible! It went much better for me when I did that!

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