Calorie Confusion

ra86
ra86 Posts: 12 Member
edited September 20 in Health and Weight Loss
Hey guys, I'm new here, so this is my first post. I've been using MFP for the last two weeks or so, and have noticed a small reduction in weight (from about 232lbs, to 228lbs), but that loss seemed to occur over about 10 days, and it's levelled off at around 228. I'm not quite so impatient to get discouraged by this, but the problem is that there's been something nagging me in the back of mind, which casts this whole calorie counting system into doubt for me.

Other than average GDAs that you see, I've read that depending on your weight, your caloric intake is vastly different. For example, this website (http://www.runningforfitness.org/faq/calories.php) claims that my 'maintenance' intake should actually be around 3000 calories, and therefore my weight loss intake should be around 2500? However MFP seems to use a more generic estimate, and my caloric intake is around 1600. I've been sticking to this as rigidly as possible (the only possible mistakes occur when estimating calories of the foods not in the database), but this doubt is really getting to me. :explode:

Is the bigger estimate a mistake, and should I stick to the MFP formula, or am I in danger of going into 'starvation mode' if it's the other formula which is correct?

Thanks for the help. :drinker:

Replies

  • CricketClover
    CricketClover Posts: 388 Member
    For the link you provided you need to convert your weight to kilograms, that might be why you are getting a bigger number there.
  • lilmissy2
    lilmissy2 Posts: 595 Member
    Hi,

    I dont know how to see if you are male or female but for males (very roughly speaking) maintenance calories will be about 2500, 2000 for females. These are just estimates but 3000 sounds quite high for maintenance unless you are either very athletic and male or very obese.

    1600 calories is a good standard amount for a low calorie diet and shouldn't put you at risk of going into starvation mode.
  • queensara2478
    queensara2478 Posts: 60
    I understand your confusion and have been there! MFP has the best accurate calorie intake for gradual and permanent weight loss. 2500 calories would more likely be maintenence calories. It sounds like you are in plateu(sp?) mode. Are you eating your excersise calories? What do you have for your daily activity level? What types of workouts have you been doing. I know when I first started losing weight after a month, I was stuck then I switched up some of my activities, increased the amount of weight I was lifting and changed some of my cardio routines. Try changing your excersise routines and make sure you are eating back most of your excersise calories. Good luck.
  • lilchino4af
    lilchino4af Posts: 1,292 Member
    You won't go into stavation mode until you consistently eat below 1200 calories a day; that's the minimum recommended amount for a body to function properly.

    With that being said, you can always manually adjust your calories on MFP if you feel like what it recommends is too low. Before you do that though, I would rule out other factors, such as workouts. Are you working out? If so, are you eating back your workout calories? If not, do so! Your body needs those extra calories for fuel. If you are, then it could be that you're starting to gain muscle and your muscles are retaining water to repair themselves are you start a new workout. Give your body and muscles a couple of weeks to get used to the workout and they'll release water and you'll see another drop in weight. As you gain muscle you'll begin to lose fat and the two can offset each other so you may not see progress on the scale, so take measurements!

    You didn't put in on in a day, so don't expect it to come off fast. You have to give it time, experiment with workouts, calories, etc. until you find what works for you. But don't switch too fast before giving your body a chance to adjust and respond. Give yourself a couple more weeks and see what happens.
  • ra86
    ra86 Posts: 12 Member
    Thanks for the reply! But nope, I remembered to convert to KGs. Otherwise it would've recommended over 6000 calories. :noway:

    Is this the type of formula that MFP uses? Or are there different scientific views on the subject?
  • ra86
    ra86 Posts: 12 Member
    Oops, thanks for all the replies!

    I'm male, and I am eating my exercise calories generally. Although again, I'm a little conscious that when I play football and squash, I'm not estimating my caloric usage, but when I'm on the exercise bike, I enter what it says I've used directly, and then replace them. :)

    And I'm not doing any heavy weight lifting, but I am doing a little with dumbbells and a barbell, and some leg strengthening exercises. Most of my exercise comes from the bike and football, though.

    Thanks for the reassurance, though. I hadn't expected huge losses by now, but I just didn't want to risk taking in too few.

    Thanks again!
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
    ra, what is your height? I see that you are a 24 year old male, so I'll find your maintenace calories for you. If you could give me your height and an estimate of your activity level (sedentary, lightly active, active...etc) and what you do for a job, how often (if at all) you work out, and what you set for your goal (I.E. 1lb per week loss, 2 lbs loss...etc)

    once I have these numbers I can more accurately determine your maintenance and thus help you with your goals. Also if you could provide any medical conditions that could affect your metabolic rate, that would help too.

    I'm not saying I'll be 100% accurate, but I should get pretty close, close enough to put you right.

    FYI, 4 lbs in 2 weeks is tremendous weight loss, perfect for someone your weight.
  • ra86
    ra86 Posts: 12 Member
    ra, what is your height? I see that you are a 24 year old male, so I'll find your maintenace calories for you. If you could give me your height and an estimate of your activity level (sedentary, lightly active, active...etc) and what you do for a job, how often (if at all) you work out, and what you set for your goal (I.E. 1lb per week loss, 2 lbs loss...etc)

    once I have these numbers I can more accurately determine your maintenance and thus help you with your goals. Also if you could provide any medical conditions that could affect your metabolic rate, that would help too.

    I'm not saying I'll be 100% accurate, but I should get pretty close, close enough to put you right.

    FYI, 4 lbs in 2 weeks is tremendous weight loss, perfect for someone your weight.

    Thanks for helping! I'm 5'9. I'm just finishing my University projects off, so I'm at the computer most of the day, and therefore sedentary, though as of Saturday I'll be back to lightly active. I work out 5-6 times a week, and have no medical conditions. My goal is 2lbs per week. I realised that I originally set my activity level to LA, but have now changed it to sedentary, and it now recommends around 1500 p/d. Is this a good level, do you think?
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member

    Thanks for helping! I'm 5'9. I'm just finishing my University projects off, so I'm at the computer most of the day, and therefore sedentary, though as of Saturday I'll be back to lightly active. I work out 5-6 times a week, and have no medical conditions. My goal is 2lbs per week. I realised that I originally set my activity level to LA, but have now changed it to sedentary, and it now recommends around 1500 p/d. Is this a good level, do you think?

    Ahh, lets see, 5'9" and 228 you're about 2500 cals as a maintenance if you're truly sedentary, but I doubt you are really sedentary since you exercise 5 days a week and are only 24 years old. I'd probably say you're closer to 2600.


    Even still, I'd say you can probably get away with the 2 lb a week goal for another 15 lbs or so before you have to start tailoring it down somewhat. Just be aware that at your age, you'll probably lose the first 10 or 15 pretty quickly, keep that in mind and adjust accordingly as you drop the weight.
  • KarenECunningham
    KarenECunningham Posts: 419 Member
    If you don't find a food in the database you can add it in by listing the nutritional information. You didn't say what foods you are not finding and if it is a restaurant item that is not on the internet then I guess you would need to estimate. :smile:
  • ra86
    ra86 Posts: 12 Member
    Thanks so much for your help! Do you have any links or information on when and why I should start slowing down, and to what rate?

    @KarenECunningham: Yeah, it's when I have something from a cafe or something, and they don't provide any nutritional info that I've had to make rough estimates. The best thing is probably just to stick to foods that you do have info for, I guess.
  • dlmors1
    dlmors1 Posts: 2
    Water weight? Should I consider other factors suchas sodium, etc? I don't see that on my daily tracker so just counting calories, fat, carbs and protein. Should I stay under a certain amount of sodium, as well?
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