Why won't it predict me 2lb a week loss?

tattycakes

Hi there,

I've been fiddling with my goals trying to see if there's a better way to keep myself on track, and I've set myself as wanting to lose 2lb a week. Despite adding plenty of exercise, it keeps telling me that my projected loss with the plan above is only 1lb a week. How can I do myself a plan which will get me a little bit more weekly progress?

mazdauk

Losing too fast is not good for you and can be counter-productive. Don't worry too much about the prediction - I've averaged more than 1 lb a week deslite that being my target. As your metabolism speeds up and you exercise more you may lose quicker whatever your target is.

KarenJanine

A 1lb per week loss is based on a deficit of 500 calories per day. To get a predicted 2lb per week loss, MFP would calculate you to need a 1000 calorie deficit.

However MFP has a cut off point of 1200 cals per day. To get a 1000 deficit it may be that you need to eat well below 1200 cals (e.g. if your TDEE is 1800 to get a 1000 per day deficit you would need to eat only 800 cals per day). This of course is not healthy.

1lb per week loss is healthy and sustainable. Trying to lose too fast is what causes most people to fail at diets as they cannot conitnue eating such low levels and/or regain weight easily afterwards.

LadyPakal

MFP will not allocate fewer than 1200 calories a day - whatever you choose to set your desired loss to. Obviously, by setting 2lb/wk loss you would need a deficit too great to maintain than minimum calorie goal.

MFP does not take your projected exercise calories into account when setting this goal, so extra exercise will just give you more calories to eat back as they get added onto your daily calorie goal.

tonytoo

However MFP has a cut off point of 1200 cals per day. To get a 1000 deficit it may be that you need to eat well below 1200 cals (e.g. if your TDEE is 1800 to get a 1000 per day deficit you would need to eat only 800 cals per day). This of course is not healthy.

^This

Kst76

Its just simple math. Make sure you have a 1000 calorie deficit each day, that equals 7000 calories a week and 2 pounds.

This is not a too fast of a rate by the way. Its perfectly safe and doable.

LittleMissDover

Its just simple math. Make sure you have a 1000 calorie deficit each day, that equals 7000 calories a week and 2 pounds.

This is not a too fast of a rate by the way. Its perfectly safe and doable.

That depends on HOW you do it. If that 1000 calorie deficit takes your net calories into the region of 500 cals then no, it's not safe.

Kst76

Its just simple math. Make sure you have a 1000 calorie deficit each day, that equals 7000 calories a week and 2 pounds.

This is not a too fast of a rate by the way. Its perfectly safe and doable.

That depends on HOW you do it. If that 1000 calorie deficit takes your net calories into the region of 500 cals then no, it's not safe.

True.

TavistockToad

Its just simple math. Make sure you have a 1000 calorie deficit each day, that equals 7000 calories a week and 2 pounds.

This is not a too fast of a rate by the way. Its perfectly safe and doable.

if a person only had 10lbs to lose, it would not be safe or easily doable to lose 2lbs a week.

bye bye muscle!

Katetw

you can manually change your calorie allotment. That's what I did.

Just keep in mind, the less you have to lose, the harder it will be. Make sure you are making sustainable changes. If you do something to lose 2 pounds a week and once you hit your goal you go back to your old habits, sorry, but the weight will come back. So make sure the changes you are making are changes you can do the rest of your life.

Good luck!

Kst76

Its just simple math. Make sure you have a 1000 calorie deficit each day, that equals 7000 calories a week and 2 pounds.

This is not a too fast of a rate by the way. Its perfectly safe and doable.

if a person only had 10lbs to lose, it would not be safe or easily doable to lose 2lbs a week.

bye bye muscle!

What if you build muscle, weight lifting every day?

albertabeefy

What if you build muscle, weight lifting every day?

You do not build muscle in a caloric-deficit. The exceptions to this are SOME morbidly obese people and SOME people just starting to train - but even in those rare exceptions, it's very little lean muscle gains.

For almost everybody, you simply do NOT build muscle while in a caloric deficit. (You can increase in strength, but that's not the same as building muscle.)

xMonroeMisfit

What if you build muscle, weight lifting every day?

You do not build muscle in a caloric-deficit. The exceptions to this are SOME morbidly obese people and SOME people just starting to train - but even in those rare exceptions, it's very little lean muscle gains.

For almost everybody, you simply do NOT build muscle while in a caloric deficit. (You can increase in strength, but that's not the same as building muscle.)

^mmhm.

You're telling your body "build muscle with this little bit of food"

not gonna happen. 0.5 lb - 1 lb a week is sufficient/optimal.

tattycakes

A 1lb per week loss is based on a deficit of 500 calories per day. To get a predicted 2lb per week loss, MFP would calculate you to need a 1000 calorie deficit.

However MFP has a cut off point of 1200 cals per day. To get a 1000 deficit it may be that you need to eat well below 1200 cals (e.g. if your TDEE is 1800 to get a 1000 per day deficit you would need to eat only 800 cals per day). This of course is not healthy.

1lb per week loss is healthy and sustainable. Trying to lose too fast is what causes most people to fail at diets as they cannot conitnue eating such low levels and/or regain weight easily afterwards.

This is very helpful, thank you. It wasn't including the calories from exercise in the calculations, nor telling me how much exercise per day or per week I would need to do in order to hit the 2lb mark.

So if I was able to eat 1200 and then burn an extra 1000 on top of that, I'd be more likely to see a 2lb/week loss, rather than 1lb?

ami5000psu

A 1lb per week loss is based on a deficit of 500 calories per day. To get a predicted 2lb per week loss, MFP would calculate you to need a 1000 calorie deficit.

However MFP has a cut off point of 1200 cals per day. To get a 1000 deficit it may be that you need to eat well below 1200 cals (e.g. if your TDEE is 1800 to get a 1000 per day deficit you would need to eat only 800 cals per day). This of course is not healthy.

1lb per week loss is healthy and sustainable. Trying to lose too fast is what causes most people to fail at diets as they cannot conitnue eating such low levels and/or regain weight easily afterwards.

This is very helpful, thank you. It wasn't including the calories from exercise in the calculations, nor telling me how much exercise per day or per week I would need to do in order to hit the 2lb mark.

So if I was able to eat 1200 and then burn an extra 1000 on top of that, I'd be more likely to see a 2lb/week loss, rather than 1lb?

Don't do that. It's a terrible idea. Stick to losing 1lb a week. It's healthy and sustainable.

TavistockToad

So if I was able to eat 1200 and then burn an extra 1000 on top of that, I'd be more likely to see a 2lb/week loss, rather than 1lb?

no, the point most people have been trying to make is that losing 2lbs per week is not doable, unless you have a lot to lose. eating 1200 and burning 1000 is like just eating 200 cals per day.... not a good idea, and in no way healthy or sustainable.

why the mad rush to lose 2lbs per week?

rekite2000

Your quote on your page says you want to be healthy- 200 calories is the exact opposite of your goal. Learn about TDEE and BMR please- there are about 1000 posts in it. Try and average .5-1 lb a week.

Greenrun99

Set Realistic Goals.

AllonsYtotheTardis

I've been fiddling with my goals trying to see if there's a better way to keep myself on track, and I've set myself as wanting to lose 2lb a week. Despite adding plenty of exercise, it keeps telling me that my projected loss with the plan above is only 1lb a week. How can I do myself a plan which will get me a little bit more weekly progress?

Because you don't have enough left to lose, that would make 2 lbs a week a reasonable goal. That's only reasonable for people who are at least 75lbs overweight.

Here's a great post that you might find helpful:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/952996-level-obstacles-lose-weight-target-fat-easy

IronPlayground

You have 22 lbs to go out of the 61 lbs you wanted to lose. You've done great this far.

However, it's time to be realistic about the remaining pounds. You are more than welcome to go with whatever approach you'd like. But, I think most people are correct in saying that 2 lbs/wk isn't the best option and you will see better, more sustainable results with .5 -1 lb/wk at this point.

butterfli7o

A 1lb per week loss is based on a deficit of 500 calories per day. To get a predicted 2lb per week loss, MFP would calculate you to need a 1000 calorie deficit.

However MFP has a cut off point of 1200 cals per day. To get a 1000 deficit it may be that you need to eat well below 1200 cals (e.g. if your TDEE is 1800 to get a 1000 per day deficit you would need to eat only 800 cals per day). This of course is not healthy.

1lb per week loss is healthy and sustainable. Trying to lose too fast is what causes most people to fail at diets as they cannot conitnue eating such low levels and/or regain weight easily afterwards.

This is very helpful, thank you. It wasn't including the calories from exercise in the calculations, nor telling me how much exercise per day or per week I would need to do in order to hit the 2lb mark.

So if I was able to eat 1200 and then burn an extra 1000 on top of that, I'd be more likely to see a 2lb/week loss, rather than 1lb?

So that you'd net 200 cals a day? No. Not good at all.