1200 cals according to MFP?

This is my very first post! I am 5'2", currently 149lbs, goal weight is 120-125lbs. I have lost a total of 66 lbs in the last 3 years.

Why is it that when I enter my goals with MFP it automatically gives me 1200 cals? I know it isn't enough, but no matter what I put my goals as, it still gives me 1200?

I know 1200 isn't enough for me, I've been aiming more towards 1300-1400 or so, and eat back about half my exercise cals, tho most days its a struggle.

Replies

  • Lesley2901
    Lesley2901 Posts: 372 Member
    Try the following site to calculate your goals and then custom set them on MFP

    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
  • 77tes
    77tes Posts: 8,348 Member
    You can customize your goals. Under the goals tab, click change goals. Good luck and congratulations on your loss! :drinker:
  • 20kb13
    20kb13 Posts: 161
    what are your settings at? If you put that you want to lose 2 lbs a week it will set it at 1200. What about activity level, if you are sedentary then maybe that is why the lower numbers, especially if set to lose 2 lbs/week.
  • I'm not sure what algorithm they use for there recommended settings. It gives me more than that. try adjusting how much you want to loose a week. Or you could go in to the manual goal setting option and just set your calories where you know is right for your body and metabolism :)
  • proudjmmom
    proudjmmom Posts: 145 Member
    My goal is to loose 1-1.5 lbs per week and activity level is light. I do kickboxing once a week, and circuit training once a week, the other days its walking on rough terrain, typically all my exercise is about an hour.
  • LuciaLongIsland
    LuciaLongIsland Posts: 815 Member
    This is my very first post! I am 5'2", currently 149lbs, goal weight is 120-125lbs. I have lost a total of 66 lbs in the last 3 years.

    Why is it that when I enter my goals with MFP it automatically gives me 1200 cals? I know it isn't enough, but no matter what I put my goals as, it still gives me 1200?

    I know 1200 isn't enough for me, I've been aiming more towards 1300-1400 or so, and eat back about half my exercise cals, tho most days its a struggle.
    why isnt it enough?
  • babydiego87
    babydiego87 Posts: 905 Member
    um, id say it's plenty actually. we're the same height and started roughly at the same weight. ive lost 13lbs on 1200 and you can eat more when you exercise...so..why isn't it enough? none the less, you can manually set them via the phone app.
  • proudjmmom
    proudjmmom Posts: 145 Member
    According to the formula thats used around here, based on my TDEE and BMR, I should be consuming way more then that, 1597 cals actually. I can't physically eat that. I was doing 1200 for a while, and it was working, then I stalled. So I decided to up my cals a small bit, and the weight is coming off again. I have lost 19lbs since January 1.