MFP weight loss predictor?

Kellyeee2013
Kellyeee2013 Posts: 221
in Health and Weight Loss
Okay! So... I hate the MFP weight loss predictor that pops up after you log your stuff for the day and click "complete". For those of you who have lost weight did you find that it was a good predictor or no? It is discouraging because some days are not as good as other but I am still staying within my cals and workout routines and it will say that 5 weeks from now I will have only lost 5-10 lbs. Grrr
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Replies

  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
    If you have a normal metabolism, yes, it's fairly accurate as long as your logging is accurate.
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,237 Member
    I find it to be reasonably accurate-given that every day is not ever exactly like today.

    If it's telling you that in 5 weeks you'll weigh 5-10lbs less, that's a 1-2lb/week loss. If you're expecting more than that, you may want to adjust your expectations for reasonable weight loss rates. 1-2 lbs/week is perfect (perhaps high depending on how much you have to lose).
  • beccadaniixox
    beccadaniixox Posts: 542 Member
    I find it to be reasonably accurate-given that every day is not ever exactly like today.

    If it's telling you that in 5 weeks you'll weigh 5-10lbs less, that's a 1-2lb/week loss. If you're expecting more than that, you may want to adjust your expectations for reasonable weight loss rates. 1-2 lbs/week is perfect (perhaps high depending on how much you have to lose).

    ^^ This!!
    If you want to lose more than 1-2 pounds a week then you are aiming way too high. 1 pound a week is recommended.
  • fightininggirl
    fightininggirl Posts: 792 Member
    I like it so I can get and idea of what weight I will achieve if I continue to eat the calories alloted.
  • aliencheesecake
    aliencheesecake Posts: 569 Member
    I definitely find it discouraging on days when I overeat...but I guess that's kind of the point. :(
  • Neeser926
    Neeser926 Posts: 100 Member
    It seemed very optimistic to me so I kept a journal. And lo and behold, it was pretty accurate as long as I stayed very much 'like today'.

    Try writing down what it says on a average day for you, make a note of when 5 weeks is up and check it.
  • Colorfan
    Colorfan Posts: 230 Member
    Doesnt seem to work for me. I have a pretty large calorie deficit. Its been saying Id be below 200 lbs for 3 months now.
  • wells0707
    wells0707 Posts: 251 Member
    I don't see a problem with losing 5-10 pounds in 5 weeks. That is 1-2 pounds a week. Sounds good to me! Just keep at it. In five weeks you will be that much lighter and looking towards the next 5 weeks.
  • bumblebums
    bumblebums Posts: 2,181 Member
    It seemed very optimistic to me so I kept a journal. And lo and behold, it was pretty accurate as long as I stayed very much 'like today'.

    Try writing down what it says on a average day for you, make a note of when 5 weeks is up and check it.

    Nice--and thanks, that's very helpful!
  • superchunk17
    superchunk17 Posts: 36 Member
    I don't see a problem with losing 5-10 pounds in 5 weeks. That is 1-2 pounds a week. Sounds good to me! Just keep at it. In five weeks you will be that much lighter and looking towards the next 5 weeks.

    My thoughts exactly.......
  • sophayz
    sophayz Posts: 592 Member
    i think mine is broken , keeps saying if every day was like this i would be 105 lbs in 5 weeks ... been saying that for a year every single day ( variates of one or two pounds) yet i am still at 119 lbs ... LIES lol
  • RobinvdM
    RobinvdM Posts: 634 Member
    The idea is IF you ate exactly that way every day for the next 5 weeks and maintained exactly that same activity level that is your projected estimated weight. Since you know that you are going to have better days than others, just think of it as a mini goal. Log it for "5 weeks from now" and see if you succeed. Some days I pass it, some days I am off the mark.
  • AggieFan2011
    AggieFan2011 Posts: 551 Member
    The problem with the predictor is that it predicts weight loss based on the premise that you will eat exactly the same way every single day, at least in regards to your calorie count. I don't know about you, but mine fluctuates depending on the day. So I tend to not really pay too much attention to it since its predictions fluctuate on almost a daily basis. It's good if you want a ball park range of what you will weight in 5 weeks, but I wouldn't take it too seriously. That's just my opinion though.
  • tashatashae
    tashatashae Posts: 311 Member
    I want 3lbs a week
  • DMW914
    DMW914 Posts: 368 Member
    I thought the same thing at first then I strated following one of my other pals on here & logged in what was estiamted & I have to say it's been pretty close for me. Now I will admit there are times that I've stepped on the scale & the numbers I thought should've been there were waay off but when I went back to te scale a week or so later it comes close to the estimation. So long story short it works for me!
  • MelisRunning
    MelisRunning Posts: 819 Member
    I think it is full of "hooey". If I kept my current eating, I would weigh between 100-105 pounds. But I don't. And I do not cheat. And I am very active. So, I guess that must mean that I have a slow metabolism?:smile:
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    I only wish it was true. Not even slightly close for me. According to the tracker my weight should just be flying off, but no. Not even.
  • barbiesnd
    barbiesnd Posts: 54 Member
    I want 3lbs a week

    This would be hard to maintain. A pound a week doesn't sound like much but it's 50lb's a year.........I'll take it!!
  • sophayz
    sophayz Posts: 592 Member
    ohhh how i would love to lose 15 this year ... just 15
  • emtjmac
    emtjmac Posts: 1,320 Member
    It is ok to lose weight on the MFP plan!
  • ChristineS_51
    ChristineS_51 Posts: 872 Member
    It is an indicator - and 5-10 pounds in five weeks is GREAT!! This is not a rush job - you didn't put the weight on in 5 weeks, so work at it, and you will get there.
  • tootoop224
    tootoop224 Posts: 281 Member
    I agree with those who say, 5-10 in 5 weeks is a worthy achievement.

    I think the 5 week calculation is pretty much simple math. If you look at it as 35 days, (ie: 5 weeks x 7 days), you can take the amount it says you will lose in 5 weeks, divide by 35 and voila! you've got a representative amount you have lost that day. Add them up in between weigh ins and see how it compares.
  • 1Fizzle
    1Fizzle Posts: 241 Member
    The problem with the predictor is that it predicts weight loss based on the premise that you will eat exactly the same way every single day, at least in regards to your calorie count. I don't know about you, but mine fluctuates depending on the day. So I tend to not really pay too much attention to it since its predictions fluctuate on almost a daily basis. It's good if you want a ball park range of what you will weight in 5 weeks, but I wouldn't take it too seriously. That's just my opinion though.

    ^^^This...I've lost quite a bit, but I haven't hit that number once...ah well.
  • Queen_Adrock
    Queen_Adrock Posts: 130 Member
    It'd be nice if MFP had some sort of feature that every Sunday or so you'd be able to look at your average projected weight loss based on what you ate for the week, too. That would probably be a more accurate predictor instead of the day-to-day fluctuations.

    As for me...I plateaued at one point, so it kept promising me weight loss that didn't come for another two months. :grumble:
  • Mcgrawhaha
    Mcgrawhaha Posts: 1,596 Member
    lol... i have 2 planned "cheat" days a month, however, i still log... anyways, one of the last "cheat" days i had, when i finished logging, it said i would way 24 pounds heavier in 5 weeks, if every day was like that... lol that was a shock to see!!!
  • miranda823
    miranda823 Posts: 91 Member
    I like to look at as more of a kick in the butt or a congratulations on the particular day. It motivates me because I either know I need to step it up, or that I did really well for the day. I don't expect accuracy from it, nor do I count on it to tell me what I will weigh, I just look at it as a daily motivator of the *could be* and I like that. Obviously I don't eat the same thing and do the same exact workout everyday, so it's not going to be right on the mark.
  • woodsygirl
    woodsygirl Posts: 354 Member
    It was not accurate for me at all, actually it always tells me I'll gain weight but I always stay the same or lose. *shrug* I like to eat!
  • Erikalynne18
    Erikalynne18 Posts: 558 Member
    It's pretty accurate for me :) And why do you think 5-10 lbs is bad? I think it's pretty friggin awesome! :) A healthy weight loss is to aim for 0.5-2 lbs a week, so 5-10 lbs in 5 weeks is right on!

    Yes you COULD give a company lots of money every month to give you some shake or other food that will cause you to drop weight quickly... then when you stop (which you will eventually, who can live off shakes twice a day for their life? boring....), then you just gain all that weight back and are out that money. What's the point? Lots of people say Weight Watchers or Atkins or Body By Vi or any of the other hundreds of fad diets, made them lose X number of lbs in 2 months, but then what happens? Are you expected to stay on these plans for the rest of your life?

    I decided to SKIP the fad diet stage, I'll spend that money on rewards for myself for meeting my goals :) It's believed that those who loose weight at a healthy rate are much more likely to maintain that new lifestyle, and keep that weight off in the long run. Remember, it took you longer than a week to put on 10 lbs, it's going to take longer than a week to lose it. Keep at it and it WILL come off :)
  • Erikalynne18
    Erikalynne18 Posts: 558 Member
    It was not accurate for me at all, actually it always tells me I'll gain weight but I always stay the same or lose. *shrug* I like to eat!

    I'm guessing it tells you that you will gain (but you don't) because you eat enough calories that you WOULD gain, except that you do strength training which burns off those extra calories. That's my guess at least from looking at your profile pic :) FYI, jealous of your back muscles!!! lol Looking awesome!! I just starting strength training now with machines and some dumbells at the moment, working my way into the weight section :P I find that I need to eat a little extra on days I do strength stuff.
  • linbert57
    linbert57 Posts: 154 Member
    lol... i have 2 planned "cheat" days a month, however, i still log... anyways, one of the last "cheat" days i had, when i finished logging, it said i would way 24 pounds heavier in 5 weeks, if every day was like that... lol that was a shock to see!!!


    I think it is more of a barometer, and it depends if you are being honest in your tracking too, as the cheat day indicated, lol

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