MFP for Dummies....

JLCusenza
JLCusenza Posts: 2
edited November 2023 in Getting Started
Hi,

I'm a newbie and I've read through so many of the 'getting started' posts and still don't understand what my final numbers should look like at the end of the day in order to lost that 1 pound per week. From what I understand (the basis of 'more calories out than calories in')....you're supposed to leave 500 calories at the end of each day and each week that amounts to 3,500 calories = one pound loss.

So, on MFP...that "Remaining" number over to the far right....I'm thinking I need that to read 500 or so at the end of each day. As in...500 calories that have gone uneaten. If I leave 500 calories in that "Remaining" category for seven days of the week, then I will have my total of 3,500 calories or 1 pound gone.

Does this make sense?? I just don't understand and want to so badly b/c this app is so awesome and easy to count calories!

Here are my numbers from yesterday across the top of my Diary:

Goal - 1,580. Food - 1,570. Excercise - 771. Net - 799. Remaining - 781

I just want to know, simply, what to look for at the end of the day. If I had eaten those remaining 781 calories.....my "Food" would've been at 2351. I just don't understand when simply looking at Food (intake) of 1570 calories and Excercise (output) at 771....how I'd lose weight?? I need to have my exercise number be MORE than my food number to lose weight.

Can someone explain this simply for me. I just don't get it and have been doing so good with this all week. I just want to know what all these numbers mean in the most basic terms - what do I need to see at the end of each day to know I've done good?

Thanks!!

Jenny

Replies

  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    MFP has your deficit already figured in. If you set it for "lose 1 lb per week" and then eat until your remaining calories equal 0. Also if you exercise you need to eat back at least half of those calories as well. MFP will add it to your goal automatically when you enter the exercise.
  • TwoPointZero
    TwoPointZero Posts: 187 Member
    If you enter your weight loss goal properly, and you don't specify any exercise, the number is the number. If it's ~1500, then eat ~1500.
  • FlaxMilk
    FlaxMilk Posts: 3,452 Member
    Yes, your final number goal for calories left for the day is 0. If it seems like you are getting too many calories from exercise, see if the exercise calories are reasonable. You may be burning 770 calories, but that would take me about 3-4 hours of exercise to achieve. It depends on your current weight and type of exercise. Sometimes the exercise calories are overestimated.
  • FlaxMilk
    FlaxMilk Posts: 3,452 Member
    Also, don't compare your exercise # to your food #. They are pretty much unrelated in terms of goal. The exercise # simply tells you how many calories got added to your goal # before you exercised.

    To lose 1 lb a week without exercise, MFP put you at 1500. You would eat 1500 calories on days you don't exercise. On days you do, and you burn around 300 calories, you would eat 1800.
  • TwoPointZero
    TwoPointZero Posts: 187 Member
    MFP will add it to your goal automatically when you enter the exercise.
    A question: what happens if you have specified exercise (in general), but on a particular day, you don't exercise???
  • FlaxMilk
    FlaxMilk Posts: 3,452 Member
    MFP will add it to your goal automatically when you enter the exercise.
    A question: what happens if you have specified exercise (in general), but on a particular day, you don't exercise???

    Do you mean when you set up your profile with what you expect to do? If this is what you mean, MFP doesn't base your calorie goal on what you say you will do. That's just a goal. Your daily calorie goal is based on what you actually do.

    If you mean you set your activity level based on exercise, but you find yourself not exercising as much, I'd drop back the activity level. (Also, if you set your activity level based on exercise, don't eat back exercise calories.)
  • scottaworley
    scottaworley Posts: 871 Member
    MFP will add it to your goal automatically when you enter the exercise.
    A question: what happens if you have specified exercise (in general), but on a particular day, you don't exercise???

    Then you will just not eat back your exercise calories. The base number shouldn't change.
    Might I suggest http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/
    Input your stats, specify how much you want to lose, and find out exactly what you need to eat.
  • TwoPointZero
    TwoPointZero Posts: 187 Member
    Then you will just not eat back your exercise calories. The base number shouldn't change.
    Agreed, it shouldn't, but it does. That is, when I enter some non-null information in "Fitness Goals", my base calories decrease a _lot_ . . .
  • acec00p
    acec00p Posts: 61 Member
    Can I add a question?
    When I do a weigh in at the end of the week and if I lose or gain does it automatically change my food goal number or do I need to do this manualy
    Thanks
  • TwoPointZero
    TwoPointZero Posts: 187 Member
    Can I add a question?
    When I do a weigh in at the end of the week and if I lose or gain does it automatically change my food goal number or do I need to do this manualy
    Thanks
    Good question. I assumed that it automatically adjusted the caloric goal, but I just tried radically changing my weight, and nothing happened. Maybe it doesn't make caloric changes until the next day, or something . . .
  • carolemack
    carolemack Posts: 1,276 Member
    Can I add a question?
    When I do a weigh in at the end of the week and if I lose or gain does it automatically change my food goal number or do I need to do this manualy
    Thanks

    No it doesn't, if you lose or gain you need to input your new weight on the goals page and then it will recalculate your goal. I would suggest doing this only on a monthly basis as your weight can fluctuate quite a bit on a daily basis.
  • foleyshirley
    foleyshirley Posts: 1,043 Member
    Can I add a question?
    When I do a weigh in at the end of the week and if I lose or gain does it automatically change my food goal number or do I need to do this manualy
    Thanks
    Good question. I assumed that it automatically adjusted the caloric goal, but I just tried radically changing my weight, and nothing happened. Maybe it doesn't make caloric changes until the next day, or something . . .

    You have to do this yourself. I believe it will prompt you every 10 pounds. At least that is my understanding. Every five pounds or so, I would go in and do it myself.
  • JLCusenza
    JLCusenza Posts: 2
    Thank you "I Lift Heavy"....

    So, what you're saying is (referring back to my numbers) that I should eat that "Remaining" number of 781. And then, also eat half of that "Exercise" number of 771 (so 385 or so) ??

    Thanks everyone for your help so far....
  • acec00p
    acec00p Posts: 61 Member
    Thank you all for your reply, I lost 7 pounds this week (my first week) and it still stayed the same
    I still have it in losing 2 pounds a week but my goal calorie consumption stayed the where it was, I'll wait a couple of more weeks and see if it changes :-)
    Thanks again
  • acec00p
    acec00p Posts: 61 Member
    Thank you "I Lift Heavy"....

    So, what you're saying is (referring back to my numbers) that I should eat that "Remaining" number of 781. And then, also eat half of that "Exercise" number of 771 (so 385 or so) ??

    Thanks everyone for your help so far....
    I've noticed my goal number is 1890, food is 1800... If I exercise it automatically increases the food I can additionally eat if I choose (I'm new) so I could be wrong but that's what I see?
  • SailorKnightWing
    SailorKnightWing Posts: 875 Member
    The Calories Remaining number also has your Exercise Calories already totaled in. Just eat the 781.

    Under just about any circumstances, try to eat until the Calories Remaining number is around 0. When you log your exercises, the number reflects that automatically.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    You guys are making this more difficult than it is. When you enter your exercise MFP will automatically change your goal. Just eat until your calories remaining is 0. Or, if you are using MFP's calorie burn numbers, you may want to eat your original goal plus half the exercise calories. Calorie burns are always going to be an estimate, so the best thing to do is try something for awhile and see if it's working. If it isn't, adjust after a month.

    So for today. My goal is 1500. I worked out and burned 250 additional calories. When I entered my exercise my calorie goal went up to 1750. I would eat 1750, or if I was worried that my exercise burn wasn't as high as MFP says it is, I might eat 1500 + 125, so 1625 total.

    If I don't do any exercise, I just eat the 1500. Make sense?

    And yes, you need to go in and redo your goals every 10 pounds or so. MFP should prompt you.
  • Jameson1984
    Jameson1984 Posts: 100 Member
    Bumping for info.
  • minimoo666
    minimoo666 Posts: 4
    Can I add a question?
    When I do a weigh in at the end of the week and if I lose or gain does it automatically change my food goal number or do I need to do this manualy
    Thanks

    When I lost over a st it asked me would I like mfp to recalculate my cal goal, I said yes and it took 200cal Off my goal also popped up something saying would you like us to do this for every ten lb lost. Maybe you have to loose a certain amount before it does it?
  • acec00p
    acec00p Posts: 61 Member
    Can I add a question?
    When I do a weigh in at the end of the week and if I lose or gain does it automatically change my food goal number or do I need to do this manualy
    Thanks

    When I lost over a st it asked me would I like mfp to recalculate my cal goal, I said yes and it took 200cal Off my goal also popped up something saying would you like us to do this for every ten lb lost. Maybe you have to loose a certain amount before it does it?
    Great thank you, I'll wait a week or 2 more and see what happens
    Herbie
  • Seesawboomerang
    Seesawboomerang Posts: 296 Member
    Don't overcomplicate.

    Set your weight loss target (0.5lb per week to 2lb per week)
    Let MFP calculate your daily allowance based on age, current weight, and target
    Each day, aim to stay 'in the green' as near to zero as possible/comfortable

    You will be prompted to reset your long-term goal (weight loss or maintenance target) after a while
    You will get a re-set daily target if you log cardio exercise done

    Your planned exercise regime won't affect your calorie allowance set by MFP
    Your lifestyle/activity level (sedentary through to active) will affect your calorie allowance. So be realistic or set at sedentary and log every bit of exercise you do.
  • gracielynn1011
    gracielynn1011 Posts: 726 Member
    You need to eat back your exercise calories. Actually because j don't trust the amount that Mfp figures for exercise, I usually just eat back 50-75% of the exercise calories. Your goal at the end of the day is for your net calories to be as close to your original calorie goal as possible without going over. Mfp already figures your deficit in, so if you are netting your goal, you are still at a deficit. Going below that can actually stall your weight loss.

    Also, any time you start or change an exercise or diet routine, it can take a few weeks to see results, so give it 4-6 weeks to really see progress.
  • sanndandi
    sanndandi Posts: 300 Member
    You guys are making this more difficult than it is. When you enter your exercise MFP will automatically change your goal. Just eat until your calories remaining is 0. Or, if you are using MFP's calorie burn numbers, you may want to eat your original goal plus half the exercise calories. Calorie burns are always going to be an estimate, so the best thing to do is try something for awhile and see if it's working. If it isn't, adjust after a month.

    So for today. My goal is 1500. I worked out and burned 250 additional calories. When I entered my exercise my calorie goal went up to 1750. I would eat 1750, or if I was worried that my exercise burn wasn't as high as MFP says it is, I might eat 1500 + 125, so 1625 total.

    If I don't do any exercise, I just eat the 1500. Make sense?

    And yes, you need to go in and redo your goals every 10 pounds or so. MFP should prompt you.

    This^
  • Hannah_Hopes
    Hannah_Hopes Posts: 273 Member
    Don't overcomplicate.

    Set your weight loss target (0.5lb per week to 2lb per week)
    Let MFP calculate your daily allowance based on age, current weight, and target
    Each day, aim to stay 'in the green' as near to zero as possible/comfortable

    You will be prompted to reset your long-term goal (weight loss or maintenance target) after a while
    You will get a re-set daily target if you log cardio exercise done

    Your planned exercise regime won't affect your calorie allowance set by MFP
    Your lifestyle/activity level (sedentary through to active) will affect your calorie allowance. So be realistic or set at sedentary and log every bit of exercise you do.

    pretty much this
  • acec00p
    acec00p Posts: 61 Member
    You need to eat back your exercise calories. Actually because j don't trust the amount that Mfp figures for exercise, I usually just eat back 50-75% of the exercise calories. Your goal at the end of the day is for your net calories to be as close to your original calorie goal as possible without going over. Mfp already figures your deficit in, so if you are netting your goal, you are still at a deficit. Going below that can actually stall your weight loss.

    Also, any time you start or change an exercise or diet routine, it can take a few weeks to see results, so give it 4-6 weeks to really see progress.
    Thank you, for this ^^^^^
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