MFP calorie goal the same at 2lb & 1.5lb per week??

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fattyfatbum6
fattyfatbum6 Posts: 3
in Health and Weight Loss
I've entered all my info into MFP (I'm 5'5", weigh 152lbs, target is 135lbs, I'm lightly active) and originally put a target of 2lbs per week in. MFP gave me 1200 calories per day which I have stuck to. About 3-4 times a week I do a jog or bike ride and eat back those calories too. It's been a month now and my weight loss is about 1lb per week, which is fine, but if I lower my goal to 1.5lbs per week MFP still allocates me 1200 calories per day! How does that work?

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  • FlaxMilk
    FlaxMilk Posts: 3,452 Member
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    1200 is the lowest it will go. That means you would need to really eat less than 1200 to lose 2 lbs a week. Try 1 lb a week and see what you get. Remember to eat exercise calories.
  • Springfield_Rocks
    Springfield_Rocks Posts: 289
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    because MFP won't go below 1200 cals a day as it is unsafe to do so.

    you may need to learn more about calories and how your body uses them

    check out the group: in place of a road map. very helpful info there.

    don't eat too little!
  • cjh022
    cjh022 Posts: 88 Member
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    1200 is the minimum that mfp will recommend because it is the minimum that anyone should consume, so in reality the math would bring you lower than 1200 for a 2lb loss per week. To check it out simply, you can set it to maintain than subtract 1000 daily calories from that for 2lb per week loss. This number will be lower than 1200 and thus not safe without doctor supervision, so mfp won't recommend it. Since you don't have that much to lose, you shouldn't set it any lower than 1lb per week for the most successful and sustainable weight loss. Also, remember that weight loss in not linear, you may lose nothing for 2 weeks then 3 lbs the next week but don't give up.

    For more accurate and more personalized goals, calculate your BMR and TDEE with an online calculator, then eat a minimum of TDEE-20% every day, you should never eat below BMR. Check out the "in place of a roadmap" threads on here, it will explain everything you need to know. Good luck :smile:
  • onyxgirl17
    onyxgirl17 Posts: 1,721 Member
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    1200 calories is the minimum calories suggested to anybody to eat unless under a medically supervised weight loss plan. Basically this means your TDEE is so low that even eating 1200 calories you won't lose 2 lb a week.
  • fattyfatbum6
    fattyfatbum6 Posts: 3
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    So you're saying that if I enter a 1lb per week loss goal it will give me more calories and if I eat them I'll still lose the same 1lb per week that I'm losing now?

    I am eating my exercise calories.
  • bhmathews
    bhmathews Posts: 43 Member
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    I agree, read through "in place of a road map". Also, read through the MUST READS at the head of this forum.

    MFP puts me at 1200 cals a day, too, but I lose very little on that number. I'm going to do the opposite of what I used to think and I'm going to eat more. I have a bodymedia fit, and between that and figuring out my bmr and tdee, I know I burn wayyyyy more than 1200 a day.

    Good luck! There is do much good info here to combat the 1200/day th
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
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    You have very little to lose which means that 1.5lb and 2lbs a week are probably not probable weight loss goals.

    If you click on "My Home" tab
    then click "Goals"
    Look at the right side and it will tell you your estimated weight loss per week.

    I'm betting that even though you set it to say 2lbs a week, it still only estimates that you will lose somewhere around 1lb a week because of how little you have to lose.

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