MFP calories vs. Fat2fit calories

anabanana73
anabanana73 Posts: 13
in Food and Nutrition
So, I started changing my eating habits and working out in the beginning of Feb. this year, and have been following MFP guidelines of 1200 cal./day. Up until about a week ago everything was going great, I was losing right at 2lbs. A week, yeah! Within the last week I have been up in weight, and still doing the same 1200 cal./day and exercise 5 days/week. I was getting frustrated and rather then give up, I have been researching trying to figure out if I am doing something wrong, (it seems the guidelines that MFP use are rather generic). I came across Fat2fit and info. On figuring out my TDEE and BMR to really figure out how many calories I should be eating. The difference between what MFP says my calories should be and Fat2fit is over 600 calories more w/ Fat2fit. Basically it is telling me I am putting my body into a nutrient deficiency which is causing it to "hold-on" to every once of fat I am giving it. On a basic level, I get that, but to tell my brain I should be eating 600 more calories a day then I have been is REALLY tough.

So, someone please tell me this is correct and I will not totally negate the 13lb. Weight loss I have achieved. And, secondly I neEd some help with menus to fill a 1800 calorie day, obviously going to Dairy Queen to get the extra 600 calories is not the answer.

Replies

  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    First, I don't understand why you're at 1200 a day if you still have 35 lbs to lose. Change your setting to losing 1 lb a week, not 2.

    The confusing thing for me is that everyone basically tells you that you're not eating enough. I'm in the same situation really. MFP tells me 1450 calories without exercise, F2F 1700, but Fat2fit also tells me that it's ok to eat 200 or 300 calories less at this point, which takes me back pretty much to what MFP is saying. Go figure. And I eat close to 1700 when I have a big workout as well...

    For now I'd change your settings to 1 lb a week and see how it goes. I think I've just hit a plateau again here (lost 1.5lb then got it back), but I'm just going to keep doing what I'm doing. One week is nothing. Plus if you do any kind of lifting or strength training, you might actually gain for a bit.
  • Mads1997
    Mads1997 Posts: 1,494 Member
    The difference is probably the exercise calories that i'm guessing you were not eating back if you are following MFP. MFP has already built in a deficit to your calorie goal, if you then exercise and dont eat those calories back you are creating a deficit too large which can be counter productive to your weight loss efforts.
  • anabanana73
    anabanana73 Posts: 13
    Thanks for the advice, Franc127' but not sure why I should change my goals to 1lb. A week. I thought the heavier you were, in the beginning you should be going for more weight loss per week?
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Because 1200 is too low. I've been at the 1 lb a week setting and I've been losing 2 in average. I know we want to lose fast, heck I want to be thin NOW lol. But starving yourself, even if you don't realize it, is not the way to do it. You need to eat your BMR minimum every day.
  • tmauck4472
    tmauck4472 Posts: 1,785 Member
    The morbidly obese can eat lower calories than someone who just needs to lose a few lbs. Although most people on here will disagree with me on that matter, it's okay I've done my research. Your body will pull what it needs from the fat first. Whether or not it's sustainable in the long run is still up for discussion. I believe it is for someone who is ready to change their lifestyle of eating and exercising. Any way of dieting can turn into failure if the person is not ready to change. You have to want this bad enough. Your body will not hold onto the fat because it thinks your going to starve it, you will lose some muscle mass but it's not enough to worry about.....YET. I am NOT telling you to go below 1200, and I also don't believe you HAVE to eat those exercise calories back. My suggestion is to find what works for you. I've been on this lifestyle change for 15 months now and my weight loss should tell you something I'm doing is right. My body did not hold onto the fat, I have a ton of energy, I exercise 3 to 4 times a week and that will change when the warm weather gets here and my work is ending. I'll be getting in some sort of exercise every day of the week. I take a multi vitamin, vitamin b complex, fish oil (for my heart) and just started taking something for my nails. My nails were bad before I started this diet so my diet has nothing to do with that and there is nothing wrong with my hair it's not falling out or anything (people said it would but it hasn't). I'm going to start makeing my own calcium to take out of egg shells for my bones. This is my opinion and others will disagree with me but that's okay we are all entitled to our opinions.

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