Question about MFP calorie allotments?

ibvitale

Hi everyone,

I'm a weight gainer - trying to go from 109ish lbs at 5'6 to a more muscular healthy weight, whatever that turns out to be. I'm really trying to put on weight as healthily as possible (as much muscle & as little fat as I can), so very little junk food goes into my diet. I'm also a vegetarian, so Greek yogurt is my bff.

My question is about the calories allotted by the MFP app. At the maintenance weight settings, I tend to lose even when I'm at active or very active setting. The frustrating thing is, I'm not even that active! All I do is walk & a few muscle tone videos - right now I'm working on Jillian Michaels' 6 week abs. Anyway, I've only been able to maintain by eating 2000+ cals per day, which is way over what MFP recommends. Are they wrong, or am I just much more active than I'd thought? Could it be possible that my metabolism is faster than normal? I'm a 22 year old female, by the way.

Thanks for your help, everybody!!! Best of luck on your own weight loss/gains!

rowanwood

I would recommend some of the many threads about TDEE. MFP is clearly not feeding you enough because its intended for standard metabolism people who need to lose weight, not the other way.

jrue1985

Have you ever had your thyroid checked?

jmadams111

You have to remember all of these allotments, calculations, etc., are estimates, Use MFP's numbers as a base and add some number of calories you feel comfortable with until you find what works for you.

ecw3780

Are you eating your exercise calories? Because if you aren't then you are still creating a deficit, hence the weight loss. Also, if you are trying to gain, you should have your settings set to weight gain, not maintenance. Also, I recommend changing your macros to 30% protein and 15% fat instead of the default of 15% protein and 30% fat.

ibvitale

I would recommend some of the many threads about TDEE. MFP is clearly not feeding you enough because its intended for standard metabolism people who need to lose weight, not the other way.

What's TDEE?

ibvitale

Are you eating your exercise calories? Because if you aren't then you are still creating a deficit, hence the weight loss. Also, if you are trying to gain, you should have your settings set to weight gain, not maintenance. Also, I recommend changing your macros to 30% protein and 15% fat instead of the default of 15% protein and 30% fat.

I don't really know how many calories I burn during exercise... it's normally probably a total of an hour or two walking, and then a workout video. I'm not sure how to calculate the video, though. Thanks for the recommendation on the protein & fat settings!! I didn't know you could do that. I usually eat way above the recommended protein, though (probably 80-90 grams per day).

rowanwood

I would recommend some of the many threads about TDEE. MFP is clearly not feeding you enough because its intended for standard metabolism people who need to lose weight, not the other way.

What's TDEE?

Total Daily Energy Expenditure

In order to gain weight, you need to eat more than that. Try this:

http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

AllonsYtotheTardis

Are you sure your setting are set to *gain*? It's easy to select the wrong option.

Also, 2000 is not a surprising number for you to eat to maintain. I would have expected the number to be a little higher, if anything. You are younger and more active than me, and taller. I could maintain at 2000, so I suspect you could eat more, if you want to gain.

Ladyinwaiting4

I agree with the above poster on this. but I would love to adopt your healthier eating habits with the clean eating fruits, veggies etc.

Hornsby

I don't really know how many calories I burn during exercise... it's normally probably a total of an hour or two walking, and then a workout video. I'm not sure how to calculate the video, though. Thanks for the recommendation on the protein & fat settings!! I didn't know you could do that. I usually eat way above the recommended protein, though (probably 80-90 grams per day).

Even just walking at a slow pace for an hour burns 200-300 calories roughly. If you aren't taken in that in to account, then 200-300 of your calories that you are eating are canceling out with the exercise.