Confused about the calculations in MFP

BrianJLamb

I am a 37 year old male who wants to lose a few pounds. My job is a sedentary job and I am not sure how much I will work out during the week. I am making an effort to work out every day and so far I am on track. I am concerned about the numbers that MFP suggests for me.

Going through the goals and entering different options I am given 2200 daily calories to maintain my current weight, 1700 daily calories to lose a pound a week, and 1400 daily calories to lose 1.5 pounds a week. These are net numbers regardless of the frequency or intensity of exercise.

MFP asks how often I plan to work out and I answer 3 sessions a week at 40 minutes a session. My total caloric intake is only altered by the fact that I will burn X calories on each of those workouts. If I change my number to 5 workouts at 60 minutes each, the number doesn't change.

I am confused by this. I would have assumed that if I habitually workout 6 days a week at 60 minutes to 90 minutes a session, my body is going to naturally burn more calories. It doesn't seem like the 1400 calories that MFP is telling me to eat is enough.
On top of that, I already have food control issues, so the 1400 calories becomes a number for me to beat, not meet.

Any advice?

majope

The exercise you put in as a goal is just theoretical until you actually do it--it doesn't change your calorie number. You're supposed to enter the exercise when you're done, then you get an adjustment to your daily calories. So if your usual calorie allotment is 1700 (you're an adult male, ferchrissake, I'm going to pretend you never mentioned 1400) and you burn off 400 calories in exercise, you'll now have 2100 total calories for the day to make it come out to a NET of 1700.

nefbaker

Additionally, when you log your food, calories are deducted from your total. When you exercise, calories are added to your total. For example, I have a 1,400 goal. Yesterday I ate 1,600 calories, but ran/walked 9 miles over two hours, so ended the day with 500 calories I could still eat if I was hungry.

BrianJLamb

LOL...don't pretend I didn't say 1400 because that is what they are giving me!! I want to pretend that I didn't say 1400. I know that the real exercise that I do increases the gross calories and that that ultimately increased the daily number, but a guy who sits around all day and does no exercise should inherently burn less calories than a guy who sits around all day but then works out for an hour. The guy who works out for that hour seems like he should be burning more daily calories, beyond the workout, just by virtue of working out daily...right?

BuffedMan

The calculation part is a bit confusing, but you'll get the hang of it. As Majope noted, when you enter the daily exercise you have done, it will reflect in the calorie allotment. One note -- the system only recognizes cardiovascular exercise, not strength training. For example, if I burn 335 calories on the elliptical machine, I have "earned" an additional 335 calories to my daily intake. However, if I also do an hour of strength training, the system doesn't add that calculation to my calories. It's understandable -- there are too many factors involved in calculating calories burned in weight training such as your age, reps, sets, amount, etc, to provide a meaningful number. You can always "quesstimate" it and enter a number, but I prefer to think of it as a buffer -- some hidden earned calories -- for those times when I just can't stomach one more rice cake and start pitching them around the room like frisbies... not as if that has ever happened.

NaomiJFoster

When you're entering your stats and goals, the amount of exercise you say that you plan isn't really calculated into anything. I'm not sure why they ask it there, really. I think it's there just so you can mentally say you have a plan. But it is not part of the calculations of calorie goals.

The calorie goal that MFP tells you is 500 calories less per day (if you said 1 pound/week) than what you'd need to maintain your current weight. It sets you at a calorie deficit. So you don't have to beat anything. If you meet that goal, you've already beaten your maintenence target, you've met your loss target. If you have a mental need (and believe me, I understand that mind-set!!) of having to beat what's written, then set your weight-loss goal at losing 1/2 pound per week, and then just try to be below that target each day.

LassoOfTruth

LOL...don't pretend I didn't say 1400 because that is what they are giving me!! I want to pretend that I didn't say 1400. I know that the real exercise that I do increases the gross calories and that that ultimately increased the daily number, but a guy who sits around all day and does no exercise should inherently burn less calories than a guy who sits around all day but then works out for an hour. The guy who works out for that hour seems like he should be burning more daily calories, beyond the workout, just by virtue of working out daily...right?

That's true, but the way MFP works is they tell you 1400 if you don't exercise, even when you told them you would work out X times a week at X minutes/hours.

When you eat, it subtracts. When you exercise, it adds on. Working off the 1400 calories option, let's say you ate 1800 calories, but exercise 400 calories, you still meet the 1400 calories MFP gives you. But, fair warning... there is a lot of arguments about eating back your exercise calories. It's all up to you. If you work out more, say 1000 calorie burn that day, you would have only net 400 calories. No body can really live off of that too long.

Sorry if I confused you more.

BrianJLamb

I appreciate the responses. Just so everyone is clear, I understand how the ACTUAL math on it works. I get the caloric deficit for working out, I understand that if I am allotted 1400 calories and I burn 800 in a workout, then 2200 calories would keep me on track. What I am saying is doesn't working out everyday effect my baseline? Shouldn't the fact that someone works out everyday make their base calories higher?

BrianJLamb

and is 1400 a stupid low number?

LassoOfTruth

I appreciate the responses. Just so everyone is clear, I understand how the ACTUAL math on it works. I get the caloric deficit for working out, I understand that if I am allotted 1400 calories and I burn 800 in a workout, then 2200 calories would keep me on track. What I am saying is doesn't working out everyday effect my baseline? Shouldn't the fact that someone works out everyday make their base calories higher?

From what I understand, the base calories only change if you its sedentary, light activity, vigorous, etc. No?

majope

and is 1400 a stupid low number?

Men are generally advised not to go below 1500.

I'm considerably older than you are and female, and my daily net goal is 1770. Could I lose weight faster at 1400? Sure. But I want to hold onto as much muscle mass as possible, fuel my workouts properly, and eat in a way I can sustain for the rest of my life. For me, it's a no-brainer.

liz3marie

and is 1400 a stupid low number?

RIGHT! that is, i need 1700 myself to lose a lb a week! im 5'4 female weighing 168lbs..
maybe check out
freedieting.com or
scoobysworkshop.com

although if you sit on your but all day your pretty much going to have a very low calorie day, for me however i used to think i wasnt active at all till i got my easyfit, i realized i burn alot more in a day than predicted. i go for walks and use workout videos, something to look into if you cant go to the gym , goodluck!

liz3marie

and is 1400 a stupid low number?

Men are generally advised not to go below 1500.

I'm considerably older than you are and female, and my daily net goal is 1770. Could I lose weight faster at 1400? Sure. But I want to hold onto as much muscle mass as possible, fuel my workouts properly, and eat in a way I can sustain for the rest of my life. For me, it's a no-brainer.

^^^^this exactly!! love this post!

jagi410

When you select your workout frequency and time, it just creates a "goal" for you. When you actually workout and enter your time, it'll show a fraction of actual time vs. goal time. Adding workout info does nothing to your calorie goals.

I think 1400 is too low. What is your height and current weight? What is your goal weight?

BrianJLamb

5'8"....195 lbs... 160 is my goal

BaconMD

5'8"....195 lbs... 160 is my goal

1400 is very low... Men should be at 1600 minimum, and even then, it's way low if you ask me.

Go to a TDEE calculator and enter in the values HONESTLY and see what it tells you. Then, take off 10-20% from that number, and use that as your custom calorie goal.

The calculator I use is http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator but there are many others. I am eating 2700/day.

MFP's numbers expect you to log all of your exercise above and beyond your normal daily activity, AND eat the calories back. I don't work out every day, so I average it all via the TDEE method and eat the same number every day. It makes it easier to plan meals and I don't get hungry on my off-days.

The "exercise goals" that you mentioned in your opening post don't affect anything except for the goals for the week on your exercise page. I don't even track my workouts anymore since I use the TDEE method, and it's all accounted for already.

mycrobemini

I appreciate the responses. Just so everyone is clear, I understand how the ACTUAL math on it works. I get the caloric deficit for working out, I understand that if I am allotted 1400 calories and I burn 800 in a workout, then 2200 calories would keep me on track. What I am saying is doesn't working out everyday effect my baseline? Shouldn't the fact that someone works out everyday make their base calories higher?

Their base numbers are based on an average person. Unless you get your BMR or RMR tested to get your own personal real numbers, you can't really know how you measure up to the "average" and adjust accordingly. Do some research in your area and see if you can get tested. For me it was worth the price, without a doubt.

Edited for new keyboard ridiculousness.

redheadedgal

what is your goal of weight loss per week? Without much weight to lose, I would think it should be set at about 1/2 pound a week. The higher loss per week, the less calories. I am far from an expert, but I just know what I can tolerate and what I can't. I could lose 2 pounds a week, but it cuts my calories too low and I just can't live that way. Just a thought.

RipperSB

Hey there, when I started (Feb 12) I was 205 lbs, I am 5'8" and 50 yrs old. I selected a goal weight of 165 as, according to Health Canada, that is the upper limit for someone who is 5'8". I, also, have a sedentary job where I sit at a desk all day reviewing investigations. So I selected Sedentary and logged my exercises separately, and sometimes days were skipped (mainly due to scheduling). IIRC, my numbers were in the 1700-1800 range to lose .5 lb a week, which sounds like the information you listed in your original post. The lbs came off steadily and I soon revised my goal weight to 145 lbs as that is in the middle of the range recommended by Health Canada. 243 days of MFP, I reached that goal weight and have been maintaining (and have dropped a few more in the last month or so).

FitMrsR

Read this http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/912920-in-place-of-a-road-map-3-2013 it has good info regarding calorie goal and exercise.

I'm a 24 year old woman, 5'6, 131lbs and my TDEE is 2194 calories (based on me exercising 3-5 days per week which I do)

Your TDEE would be 2933 calories doing moderate exercise (3-5 days per week) and 2602 with light exercise (1-3 days per week)

Edited for typos

BrianJLamb

Thanks for all the responses again. I have a HRM. I might just start playing around with it to get a real baseline for myself and daily caloric burn.

@Ripper...thanks for your personal experience. You are a better man than I am in the patience department.

@Genialynn...Without much weight to lose?!?! Thanks for the complement/vote of confidence, but it is a ton of weight to lose. It is funny because realistically, with my current muscle mass, I should really probably be around 155. The 40 lbs that I have to lose are approximately a quarter of my weight. That is a good amount. I can deal with the low calories. My actual issue is that I am eating too few calories. Yesterday, my intake was horrible. I am trying to bring it up today.

@Bacon Doctor....thanks, also.