How many people use the guided goal suggestions

cedman1
cedman1 Posts: 104 Member
edited January 5 in Health and Weight Loss
I have a question about the guided goal suggestions for total calories burned in a day. I believe the amount to be low based upon checking the BMR at other sites. I guess the confusion is over activity level as I have a desk job but with my workout I can burn upwards to 1300 cal in a session. Just wanted to hear what others experience is when setting their daily calorie intake needs?

Thanks

Replies

  • Gramps251
    Gramps251 Posts: 738 Member
    I started with the suggested goals but as I learned more I started messing with calories and macro ratio. I agree that sometimes the calorie goal seemed low for me but I just changed stuff and monitored the outcome after a few weeks.
  • cedman1
    cedman1 Posts: 104 Member
    Thats a good idea and more than likely what I'm going to try as well.
  • kaervaak
    kaervaak Posts: 274 Member
    The guided goals are far from ideal. They're an ok baseline to get you started but they generally recommend protein and calorie totals that are far too low.

    Take a look at this site for a really nice calorie and macro calculator: http://www.weightrainer.net/losscalc.html
  • Mongre12
    Mongre12 Posts: 2
    I lowered the calorie goal since I had bariatric surgery and initially lost weight really fast then plateaued. I have found that the calorie goal on this site was too high for me to continue to lose weight and I have 18 more lbs to lose to reach my goal weight!
  • Pandorian
    Pandorian Posts: 2,055 Member
    "They" meaning MFP can only work with what you give them. MFP does NOT include exercise you "plan" that's why when you log it as complete you "get extra calories" that you can eat and still keep your deficit at your desired level.

    If you have 15 lbs to lose but come on here and set 2lbs per week desired loss then yes you're going to wind up with a small calorie goal, if you're realistic and perhaps try the 0.5 to 1lb per week setting you'll have "more" calories to start with and still get more added as you log exercise as complete.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,442 MFP Moderator
    I don't use the guided approach as it doesn't incorporate lean body mass and I have more LBM as the average person. It actually under estimates my calories by around 300-400. BTW, what workout are you doing that burns 1300 calories and how are you measuring?
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
    I don't use the guided approach as it doesn't incorporate lean body mass and I have more LBM as the average person. It actually under estimates my calories by around 300-400. BTW, what workout are you doing that burns 1300 calories and how are you measuring?

    Not sure about OP, but I burned about 1100 running the other day. Of course that was for over 2 hours of running ;-)
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
    For the OP, I do use the MFP guidelines. I currently have it set to lose 1.5 lbs per week, but since MFP won't go under 1200 calories a day, it estimates I'll lose 1.2 lbs. per week. I tend to go over by about 200 calories on non workout days (2 to 3 non workout days a week) because 1200 gross calories is just too hard for me to hit. My weekly average ends up being around 1350 each week. I lose, on average, .8 lbs. per week, so right where I would expect to be. I'm on 19 months of using MFP and have not plateaued even once.
  • raiderman60
    raiderman60 Posts: 1 Member
    I've been using this program since mid January 2012, along with a couple of friends and I/we think that the count is pretty accurate.
  • cedman1
    cedman1 Posts: 104 Member
    My workout is a custom job.

    20 minutes HIIT Stationary bike
    Compound lift circuit
    20 minutes HIIT Stairmill
    Pull-ups, Abs, back-ext circuit
    20 minutes HIIT Elliptical

    On Saturdays I add an extra 20 minutes to the elliptical and those are the 1200 to 1300 days.

    Nice, quick 1.5 hour workout, usually just 4 days/week

    Calorie measurements are taken from the machines after entering weight, etc. (Not sure how accurate)
  • belladonna786
    belladonna786 Posts: 1,165 Member
    I started with the suggested goals but as I learned more I started messing with calories and macro ratio. I agree that sometimes the calorie goal seemed low for me but I just changed stuff and monitored the outcome after a few weeks.



    ^This
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