We are pleased to announce that as of March 4, 2025, an updated Rich Text Editor has been introduced in the MyFitnessPal Community. To learn more about the changes, please click here. We look forward to sharing this new feature with you!

Change goals on MFP

recipe4success
recipe4success Posts: 469 Member
edited September 2024 in Food and Nutrition
How often do you all recalculate your goal calories on MFP?

When I started I was 279.2 lbs and to lose 1.5 lbs a week it told me to eat 1750 calories/day (with exercise 4 x a week for 30 minutes).

I am now 270.2 lbs so I thought I'd recalculate, and it stated 1700 calories/day.

However, I have consistently been losing more than 2 lbs/week, so I actually set my calorie goal to 1850 calories/day. During the 9 lb loss I have had so far, I have varied between 1700-2300 calories/day and been successful.

Just wondering how often you change goals and whether anyone else personalizes caloric needs.

Replies

  • 1Steph1
    1Steph1 Posts: 145
    My calories go down a bit every time I lose a pound.
  • recipe4success
    recipe4success Posts: 469 Member
    My calories go down a bit every time I lose a pound.

    Oh wow,so you recalculate every time you lose weight then?
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
    I think a good rule of thumb is that you update your goals every 10 pounds... MFP might even prompt you to do so, but I could be wrong... It's been awhile since I've lost 10 pounds. :tongue:
  • recipe4success
    recipe4success Posts: 469 Member
    I think a good rule of thumb is that you update your goals every 10 pounds... MFP might even prompt you to do so, but I could be wrong... It's been awhile since I've lost 10 pounds. :tongue:

    oh awesome! i'll let you know if it prompts me to (hopefully i'll be at 10 lbs lost soon!)
  • iluvwdw
    iluvwdw Posts: 287 Member
    It will prompt you to recalculate your goals every 10 lbs. I just lost my first 10 lbs and it asked me if I wanted to. I said no, because about 5 lbs of those were Time of Month pounds when I first started!!! So I checked the box that said ask me after the next 10 lbs.
  • iluvwdw
    iluvwdw Posts: 287 Member
    I wonder now if I should recalculate mine now? or wait? what is better?? and how do I do that if it doesn't ask me? thanks.
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
    I wonder now if I should recalculate mine now? or wait? what is better?? and how do I do that if it doesn't ask me? thanks.

    It's up to you - it probably won't make too much of a difference, but it couldn't hurt... You go to "My Home" --> Settings -->
    "Update diet/fitness profile"

    Double check all the info on the there, then hit Update - even if none of the info changes, this will update your goals to match your new current weight.
  • iluvwdw
    iluvwdw Posts: 287 Member
    I wonder now if I should recalculate mine now? or wait? what is better?? and how do I do that if it doesn't ask me? thanks.

    It's up to you - it probably won't make too much of a difference, but it couldn't hurt... You go to "My Home" --> Settings -->
    "Update diet/fitness profile"

    Double check all the info on the there, then hit Update - even if none of the info changes, this will update your goals to match your new current weight.

    Thank You. I updated it based on my current weight and losing 1 1/12 lbs per week. It downed my calories by about 100 or so per day which is ok cause I have been at a deficit of 400 or so anyways. About 1/2 the week I excercise more than my goal of 30 mins per day.

    Thanks for the info!!
  • cparter
    cparter Posts: 754 Member
    Everytime I lose weight. Around 3 lbs at a time.
  • AllisonMO
    AllisonMO Posts: 68 Member
    MFP has asked me every ten pounds about recalculating. I have lowered my goal twice, and each time MFP lowered my allowable calories for a pound a week loss. End result is that I can't eat a whole lot because I weigh less, and I burn fewer calories when I exercise. Not sure if I will go on maintenance or lower my goal another few pounds as I am getting the hang of tracking calories.
  • annedwds
    annedwds Posts: 2
    Hi does anyone know how I can lower my goal weight? I put in the wrong one!!
  • akaDumbo
    akaDumbo Posts: 187
    Hi does anyone know how I can lower my goal weight? I put in the wrong one!!

    Click "My Home" then "settings" then select update my diet/fitness profile, you can change your goal weight there
  • tommygirl15
    tommygirl15 Posts: 1,012 Member
    When MFP asks you to consider changing your goals, I'm torn as to whether I'm suppose to increase my calories or decrease? I haven't hit a plateau yet, and most of the time I'm under my calorie goal for the day. Should I just keep it the way it is?
  • navstar
    navstar Posts: 113 Member
    I changed my suggested calories as they were under my BMR! So each time I lose weight I recalculate my BMR and redo my calories so I'm always above my BMR.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories