MFP says I should only eat 1,260 calories/day

sammyantics
sammyantics Posts: 191 Member
edited January 19 in Food and Nutrition
I've been reading other posts where people say consuming 1,500 calories in a day is too low, yet MFP recommends my daily calories consumed should be 1,260. Now, I know that it's net calories, but. If I don't make it to the gym that day..should I still try to stay at that level? That's what I've been at least trying to do and I think it's holding me back/confusing the crap out of me.

Any clarity would be really helpful. I've always struggled with understanding proper nutrition, and now I'm more lost than ever.

Replies

  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    MFP does math, you supply common sense. What is your BMR? Don't eat below that. If MFP is giving you a number below your BMR then you've chosen too aggressive of a goal for your loss per week.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    MFP does math, you supply common sense. What is your BMR? Don't eat below that. If MFP is giving you a number below your BMR then you've chosen too aggressive of a goal for your loss per week.

    agreed.


    More to your question, yes you should be eating that amount on rest days, more on workout days (that's the whole net calorie thing in action).
  • m4ttcheek
    m4ttcheek Posts: 229 Member
    What's your weight/height?

    Also remember that doesn't factor in any exercise.

    If you're small and don't exercise then it could fine.
  • sammyantics
    sammyantics Posts: 191 Member
    So, I've never heard of BMR until today. Mine is 1784, apparently. The formula I found to measure my intake says I'd need 2,453 to maintain my weight when I include going to the gym 3 times a week. Seems to me like 1260 is a bit steep of a cutback, even if I'm trying to lose 2lbs/week. Any thoughts?
  • sammyantics
    sammyantics Posts: 191 Member
    If you're small and don't exercise then it could fine.

    I am not small (5'10 and about 212lbs. now) and i DO exercise - about 30-60 minutes, 3-4 times a week
  • m4ttcheek
    m4ttcheek Posts: 229 Member
    I'd say 1,500 would probably be suitable then.
  • FrnkLft
    FrnkLft Posts: 1,821 Member
    I'll keep it simple. It's generally not recommended to eat less than 1200 calories total in a day. If you're eating that much or higher, you're fine and it just depends what goals you want to meet. If you're above this threshold and not passing out, you're perfectly fine.

    MFP will not calculate a goal that is unsafe for you, and eating less than 1,500 calories is perfectly fine. I did it to loose about 20 lbs, while working out, and I never had any energy problems, did not gain the weight back, and am doing fine. But you can look that up for yourself if you need more validation.
  • megsmom2
    megsmom2 Posts: 2,362 Member
    You told the program you wanted to lose 2 lbs a week, I bet. Back that off to 1 and bingo....more calories, which is easier to sustain.
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
    If you're small and don't exercise then it could fine.

    I am not small (5'10 and about 212lbs. now) and i DO exercise - about 30-60 minutes, 3-4 times a week

    5'10" 212 pounds and it set you at 1260! Might want to set your weight loss to something more realistic like 1lb.
  • jessilyn76
    jessilyn76 Posts: 532 Member
    Turn it back to 1lb a week. It's what is actually recommended.
  • m4ttcheek
    m4ttcheek Posts: 229 Member
    to lose 2lbs a week you need to eat 7,000 calories a week less then your body burns. I don't think you're in a position where you need to lose it that quickly.
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
    Doing a very rough estimation and going the low end of 15kcal/kg-20kcal/kg for weight loss I have you at about 1400-1800 calories.
  • RunWinterGarden
    RunWinterGarden Posts: 428 Member
    My initial impression was that if you told it you wanted to lose 2 pounds per week, you confirmed this later in the thread. Ultimately, that's not a really healthy loss. Sure there will be weeks where you lose 2 pounds, but your goal should be 1 pound per week, that's the way to go safely AND that's where you are more than likely going to be able to maintain when you get to your goal weight and start adding some calories back (because you aren't adding that many back compared to trying to lose 2 pounds per week).
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    So, I've never heard of BMR until today. Mine is 1784, apparently. The formula I found to measure my intake says I'd need 2,453 to maintain my weight when I include going to the gym 3 times a week. Seems to me like 1260 is a bit steep of a cutback, even if I'm trying to lose 2lbs/week. Any thoughts?

    using the TDEE calculations, if you want to lose 2lbs per week you would take 1000 cals off your maintenance cals, so 1453, and not eat back exercsie cals.

    MFP says NET 1260, so on days you exercise you eat more and the rest just 1260....

    probably works out as the same number at the end of the week, whichever calculation you use.

    change your weight loss goal to 1lb per week, and you get to eat more....
  • sammyantics
    sammyantics Posts: 191 Member
    Ok, I'm going to change my goal to losing 1 pound a week. I want the weight to come off semi-quickly, so if i eat less than my calorie limit, good for me! I'm just glad to know 1260 hasnt been unhealthy or dangerous or anytthing like that

    Thanks for all of your advice. You've all been really helpful. I think this whole mess makes a bit more sense now :):):
  • socajam
    socajam Posts: 2,530 Member
    Mokey41 replied: "MFP does math, you supply common sense."

    That seems to be missing a lot on this site. Maybe MFP should give exercise points for common sense. MFP set my calorie intake to 1200, I was continuously hungry, up my intake to 1500, bingo, hunger gone, some days I don't even make it to 1500. On the days when I do not exercise, I try to keep to at least 1200 or just over.
  • obrientp
    obrientp Posts: 546 Member
    If you've set up your diet profile honestly and reasonably, I think the number that MFP gives you is perfectly fine. My daily goal is 1230. And I always try to come within 50 calories of that whether I am exercising or not, and it seems to be working.
  • Elzecat
    Elzecat Posts: 2,916 Member
    MFP will not calculate a goal that is unsafe for you

    If her BMR is 1700 something and MFP is "recommending" 1200 something...um...that's not necessarily "safe." I love MFP's tools but I think it can be misleading to automatically set so many people at 1200 calories per day when that's not appropriate for everyone. I had hydrostatic body fat testing done and it showed my BMR to be higher than I expected and the suggested calorie goal was higher than MFP's recommendations.

    To the OP: You can set your weight loss goal to 1 pound a week (or even 1/2 pound) and MFP should allot more daily calories for you. It's likely that with regular exercise and improved eating habits/portion control you will lose more than 1 pound a week anyway, and you won't feel deprived, as some people do on too low of calories. (please know I'm not bashing on anyone who does 1200 calories a day, it just isn't right for everyone and can set some people up for failure when they can't stick with it)

    Good luck!
  • sammyantics
    sammyantics Posts: 191 Member
    Well, I changed my goal to 1 1/2 pounds per week and it gave me 1,480 calories per day, which I think it much more reasonable. It's also more accurate for the 25% calorie reduction I got when I factored in my BMR.

    I'm going to try this way out for a few weeks and see how it goes.
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