Who goes by the Mfp calorie goals?

Allup2Me78
Allup2Me78 Posts: 589 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I am thinking about giving mfp's guidelines a try. It allows me 1320 calories at sedentary and then 1470 calories for lightly active to lose 1 lb a week. I do have a desk job which would make me sedentary but I do get up to get water etc..throughout the day. I also workout-nothing strenuous for about 30-35 min 4-5 times a week (burn about 150-200 calories) and I put that as well. So would I be sedentary or lightly active and would I eat back exercise calories with the 1470 or no?
I am 4ft 10 193 lbs and my goal is 160 lbs. Please advise.
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Replies

  • happysherri
    happysherri Posts: 1,360 Member
    MFP calories have worked for me. I have a desk job, have mine set to sedentary and then add in my exercise and eat back about half the calories. I do not log casual walks or slow walking. Mine is set at losing 0.5 lbs a week and has my cals at 1600. I have about 6 or 7 lbs to go. I did have it set to losing 1 lb a week it was 1360 cals, but I was losing energy and hungry. I reset it and seem to be losing with tons of energy!
  • Allup2Me78
    Allup2Me78 Posts: 589 Member
    When you say you reset it, what do you mean? You went to the 0.5 lbs a week instead of 1 lb?
    MFP calories have worked for me. I have a desk job, have mine set to sedentary and then add in my exercise and eat back about half the calories. I do not log casual walks or slow walking. Mine is set at losing 0.5 lbs a week and has my cals at 1600. I have about 6 or 7 lbs to go. I did have it set to losing 1 lb a week it was 1360 cals, but I was losing energy and hungry. I reset it and seem to be losing with tons of energy!
  • Allup2Me78
    Allup2Me78 Posts: 589 Member
    I was thinking about going with the 1470 and eating back exercise calories or some of them.
  • tenilleless
    tenilleless Posts: 88 Member
    Sedementry is supposed to be like wheelchair bound. If you don't walk more then from the couch to the bed and you certainly are above that. I'd say at least lightly active, probably even more.

    I use the TDEE-20% method right now, but when I did follow MFP I definitely saw the best numbers when I ate at least 1/2 my exercise back. People will fight over what method you should follow, but 95% of people on here would agree that your net calories should stay above 1200 at least. Otherwise figure out what works best for you. Some people do best at 1470+ exercise, some people follow the TDEE method which factors in your weekly exercise so that you eat about the same amount every day and don't have to figure out exercise calories.
  • agdyl
    agdyl Posts: 246 Member
    I use it as a rough guide - I started off with it at losing 1.5lbs a week and now that I'm basically at my goal I think I have it at losing 0.5lbs/week.. I do eat back some calories burned, usually not all of them - though that probably depends on the accuracy of estimating caloric burn from exercise and I try to stay conservative with it. I think we're all a little different, so I think it helps to use it as a starting point, track your exercise and caloric intake and see how you feel and what happens with your measurements.
  • Allup2Me78
    Allup2Me78 Posts: 589 Member
    Thanks for the reply...I was also doing the TDEE-20% method and it had me at like 1700 calories a day which I felt was just too much for me with the goals I am trying to achieve along with health problems etc that stall my weight loss so I am shooting for lower now and that is what made me look into the mfp database. I used to be at 1300 and that was too low for me. I had headaches, stayed hungry and would binge like crazy! lol
    Sedementry is supposed to be like wheelchair bound. If you don't walk more then from the couch to the bed and you certainly are above that. I'd say at least lightly active, probably even more.

    I use the TDEE-20% method right now, but when I did follow MFP I definitely saw the best numbers when I ate at least 1/2 my exercise back. People will fight over what method you should follow, but 95% of people on here would agree that your net calories should stay above 1200 at least. Otherwise figure out what works best for you. Some people do best at 1470+ exercise, some people follow the TDEE method which factors in your weekly exercise so that you eat about the same amount every day and don't have to figure out exercise calories.
  • Allup2Me78
    Allup2Me78 Posts: 589 Member
    Thanks :)
    I use it as a rough guide - I started off with it at losing 1.5lbs a week and now that I'm basically at my goal I think I have it at losing 0.5lbs/week.. I do eat back some calories burned, usually not all of them - though that probably depends on the accuracy of estimating caloric burn from exercise and I try to stay conservative with it. I think we're all a little different, so I think it helps to use it as a starting point, track your exercise and caloric intake and see how you feel and what happens with your measurements.
  • happysherri
    happysherri Posts: 1,360 Member
    Yes, I used to have my goal set on here to lose 1 lb a week and I though I'm not that impatient to lose this last 8 lbs or so. Slow and steady. So, yes, now my goal is at 0.5 lb a week!

    :-)
  • Naener
    Naener Posts: 167 Member
    I have my account set to lose a pound a week.. i have a desk job so i hit sedentary, with 5 work outs a week averaging 40 minutes per work out... it has me at 1290 a day and i eat back my work out calories.. at least i TRY to eat them all back.. somedays its harder than others to make my net hit 1290... i have seen a steady loss every week... anywhere between .5 lbs to 1.2 lbs a week.
  • samammay
    samammay Posts: 468
    I used them for a while. Then I used the data collected to calculate my real TDEE then tweaked MFP's settings to match what I really should be eating. With my original settings, I lost 2.66 pounds a week for the first 8 weeks. WAY too fast for how much I have to lose. Looks nice on paper but was unsustainable and I was hungry.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    You're sedentary if all you're doing during the day is get up to get a cup of water. Lightly active would be walking 15 minutes to work or something. Then add your exercise calories.

    I use TDEE-20% personally, it's just easier, but it's grossly the same as MFP really. I think my goal would be 1250 or something and I walk for 250-500 calories a day, so I'm eating 1600 a day.
  • Allup2Me78
    Allup2Me78 Posts: 589 Member
    Since I have a desk job, I would be sedentary also correct? and I would also eat back exercise calories in this case..Correct?
    I have my account set to lose a pound a week.. i have a desk job so i hit sedentary, with 5 work outs a week averaging 40 minutes per work out... it has me at 1290 a day and i eat back my work out calories.. at least i TRY to eat them all back.. somedays its harder than others to make my net hit 1290... i have seen a steady loss every week... anywhere between .5 lbs to 1.2 lbs a week.
  • Allup2Me78
    Allup2Me78 Posts: 589 Member
    But I do workout 3-4 times a week for about 30-35 min and burn maybe 150-200 calories. Can't go over 30 min right now for health reasons..So would I still be sedentary?
    You're sedentary if all you're doing during the day is get up to get a cup of water. Lightly active would be walking 15 minutes to work or something. Then add your exercise calories.

    I use TDEE-20% personally, it's just easier, but it's grossly the same as MFP really. I think my goal would be 1250 or something and I walk for 250-500 calories a day, so I'm eating 1600 a day.
  • Allup2Me78
    Allup2Me78 Posts: 589 Member
    & my tdee-20% is 1759 or so and that is no where near mfp suggestions of 1470 or 1320
    You're sedentary if all you're doing during the day is get up to get a cup of water. Lightly active would be walking 15 minutes to work or something. Then add your exercise calories.

    I use TDEE-20% personally, it's just easier, but it's grossly the same as MFP really. I think my goal would be 1250 or something and I walk for 250-500 calories a day, so I'm eating 1600 a day.
  • Allup2Me78
    Allup2Me78 Posts: 589 Member
    What I am scared of is feeling hungry all the time and then not having the energy to workout.
    I used them for a while. Then I used the data collected to calculate my real TDEE then tweaked MFP's settings to match what I really should be eating. With my original settings, I lost 2.66 pounds a week for the first 8 weeks. WAY too fast for how much I have to lose. Looks nice on paper but was unsustainable and I was hungry.
  • ihammen
    ihammen Posts: 55 Member

    I am 4ft 10 193 lbs and my goal is 160 lbs. Please advise.

    You're 4'10" and your goal is to still be in the obese range?
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    But I do workout 3-4 times a week for about 30-35 min and burn maybe 150-200 calories. Can't go over 30 min right now for health reasons..So would I still be sedentary?
    You're sedentary if all you're doing during the day is get up to get a cup of water. Lightly active would be walking 15 minutes to work or something. Then add your exercise calories.

    I use TDEE-20% personally, it's just easier, but it's grossly the same as MFP really. I think my goal would be 1250 or something and I walk for 250-500 calories a day, so I'm eating 1600 a day.

    For MFP, yes. You'd be sedentary but you'd have to eat your exercise calories back. MFP wants to know your activity level when you don't exercise, pretty much... Or use the TDEE-20% method with the lightly active setting and don't eat exercise calories back (http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/).
  • Allup2Me78
    Allup2Me78 Posts: 589 Member
    Of course my goal is NOT to be in the obese range. YES, I am 4 ft 10 but by no means do I want to be skinny. I also come from a Mother who was also maybe 5ft 1 and heavyset and a Father who may be 5 ft 3 and stocky. Skinny is something I have never been and never want to be, I just want to be healthy. My goal is 160 and my ultimate goal weight is 150 and if I go lower than 150 that's fine and if I don't then that's fine too.

    I am 4ft 10 193 lbs and my goal is 160 lbs. Please advise.

    You're 4'10" and your goal is to still be in the obese range?
  • Allup2Me78
    Allup2Me78 Posts: 589 Member
    Scooby is what I was using that gave me a little over 1700..Thanks for your replies and for helping me understand more of what sedentary means.
    But I do workout 3-4 times a week for about 30-35 min and burn maybe 150-200 calories. Can't go over 30 min right now for health reasons..So would I still be sedentary?
    You're sedentary if all you're doing during the day is get up to get a cup of water. Lightly active would be walking 15 minutes to work or something. Then add your exercise calories.

    I use TDEE-20% personally, it's just easier, but it's grossly the same as MFP really. I think my goal would be 1250 or something and I walk for 250-500 calories a day, so I'm eating 1600 a day.

    For MFP, yes. You'd be sedentary but you'd have to eat your exercise calories back. MFP wants to know your activity level when you don't exercise, pretty much... Or use the TDEE-20% method with the lightly active setting and don't eat exercise calories back (http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/).
  • herblackwings39
    herblackwings39 Posts: 3,930 Member
    With MFP a desk job would be sedentary. That includes normal daily functions like showering, getting to work, etc. You would log your exercise and eat some portion of that back. Some people find they can eat all of them and others only eat half. It will depend on how accurate your method of tracking them is.
  • sunshyncatra
    sunshyncatra Posts: 598 Member
    MFP was suggesting a goal below my BMR, which is not good to do at all. I use my TDEE calculated on these two websites for a rough guideline:

    http://www.exrx.net/Calculators/CalRequire.html

    http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/
  • Allup2Me78
    Allup2Me78 Posts: 589 Member
    Thanks for the info but AGAIN, I have used the tdee-20% method and just felt it was too much food for me with the amount of weight I need to lose.
    MFP was suggesting a goal below my BMR, which is not good to do at all. I use my TDEE calculated on these two websites for a rough guideline:

    http://www.exrx.net/Calculators/CalRequire.html

    http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/
  • samammay
    samammay Posts: 468
    Thanks for the info but AGAIN, I have used the tdee-20% method and just felt it was too much food for me with the amount of weight I need to lose.
    MFP was suggesting a goal below my BMR, which is not good to do at all. I use my TDEE calculated on these two websites for a rough guideline:

    http://www.exrx.net/Calculators/CalRequire.html

    http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/

    It might 'feel' like too much food, but your body still *needs* it. Starving isnt going to get you anywhere but sick.
  • Allup2Me78
    Allup2Me78 Posts: 589 Member
    So starving to you is me going by the mfp method of 1470 calories compared to the tdee-20% of 1700?
    Thanks for the info but AGAIN, I have used the tdee-20% method and just felt it was too much food for me with the amount of weight I need to lose.
    MFP was suggesting a goal below my BMR, which is not good to do at all. I use my TDEE calculated on these two websites for a rough guideline:

    http://www.exrx.net/Calculators/CalRequire.html

    http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/

    It might 'feel' like too much food, but your body still *needs* it. Starving isnt going to get you anywhere but sick.
  • EHisCDN
    EHisCDN Posts: 480 Member
    Judging from your ticker you seem to have been successful so far at losing weight using the TDEE method, why do you want to change?
    I'm 5'1, 152 lbs and I eat 1600 gross calories a day using the TDEE method. According to most of the calculators I use I should be eating about 1650 so I'm trying to slowly get up there (most recently I've been eating 1550 and losing a little over a pound a week). I don't understand why you think 1700 is too much. For someone your weight it might not be enough! Why starve yourself? Especially when you're having success? I'm always looking for a way to eat more food and continue to lose weight. I still struggle to stay under 1600 on a daily basis. It's not too much food at all!

    Just my personal experience but I started out using the MFP goals of 1200/calories a day + exercise calories. It was not sustainable to me. I didn't believe in a lifestyle that wouldn't allow me to incorporate a glass of milk into my calories (I realize you can have a glass of milk at 1200 but if I did then I wouldn't have enough calories left in the day to feel satisfied). So I switched to the TDEE method and I feel way better. This is something sustainable to me and that is very important. Sure I'm not losing 2lbs a week but I'm in this for the long haul.
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    I work in an office and get up from my desk chair at least 5 times an hour, but I still have everything set to sedentary. I don't think it is supposed to mean like wheelchair bound as another response suggested. JMHO.

    I log exercise & eat back calories...but I under log in some situations.

    For example 1 hour of walking very quickly, I'll actually go ahead and log that as a full 60 min walking 3.0 mph

    But if I'm out doing errands and shopping for 5 hours I will not log leisurely pace walking for 5 hours. Maybe 40 min of leisurely pace walking.

    I clean my house for 3 hrs every Thursday evening and I might sit down for 15 min out of that 3 hr block (organizing stuff), but I log it as 30 min light cleaning and 10 min vigorous cleaning.

    So far this seems to be working pretty well for me. I am set to lose 1.5 lb per week since I have a lot to lose, and I've lost 1.6 lb per week (average) since March 25 when I joined.
  • Target126
    Target126 Posts: 33 Member
    I have just started wondering if I should change mine, MFP originally gave me 1200 a day but I have started reading about the Biggest Loser and based on my weight they say I should be eating 2500 a day (but I'm guessing that is meant for someone who is VERY active/works out a lot). I am not active at all at the moment due to a health issue (un-related to my weight) so I am not going to go to the full 2500, I think I'm going to up it to 1400 or 1500 and see how I go with that.
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member

    I am 4ft 10 193 lbs and my goal is 160 lbs. Please advise.

    You're 4'10" and your goal is to still be in the obese range?

    eyeroll

    I hate it when people say stuff like this. Would you prefer that the poster just stayed at 193?
  • ihammen
    ihammen Posts: 55 Member

    I am 4ft 10 193 lbs and my goal is 160 lbs. Please advise.

    You're 4'10" and your goal is to still be in the obese range?

    eyeroll

    I hate it when people say stuff like this. Would you prefer that the poster just stayed at 193?

    No, and I knew someone would jump on me for that, but obviously she is trying to get healthy. At 160 her BMI is still in the obese area. Why work so hard, and quit to still be in the obese range?
  • TheDoctor_13
    TheDoctor_13 Posts: 21 Member

    I am 4ft 10 193 lbs and my goal is 160 lbs. Please advise.

    You're 4'10" and your goal is to still be in the obese range?

    eyeroll

    I hate it when people say stuff like this. Would you prefer that the poster just stayed at 193?

    No, and I knew someone would jump on me for that, but obviously she is trying to get healthy. At 160 her BMI is still in the obese area. Why work so hard, and quit to still be in the obese range?

    Well I wouldn't agree with that but stepping down 30 pounds is still a good big step. If they feel they should loose more or a doctor says so, ok then they can continue.

    I go by the MFP goals which is 1820 for me. I used a TDEE calculator and it gave me 3163! I haven't even been meeting my MFP goals. Whats the 20% though, do you take 20% off what the calculator gives you?

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