2260 ... whaaaaaaat?

XianC
XianC Posts: 93
edited November 2023 in Getting Started
So um, I entered all of my info into my profile when I started up yesterday. I plan on starting tracking today once I wake up (I'm still 3 hours away from the end of an overnight shift). But in looking at my targets, I see that MFP has calculated that I should eat 2260 calories a day! That sounds like way crazy a lot of ton. I get that I'm a large man. I'm starting out at 370 (at 6'1"). I guess I expected it to be more in the 1600-1800 range.

Can someone tell me if I broke my internet and it's just showing weird numbers or if that's actually my recommended target?
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Replies

  • candiceh3
    candiceh3 Posts: 379 Member
    Nope that sounds spot on.
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    Well my husband uses MFP as well and his information:

    6'
    194lbs
    MFP Goal: 1890 + exercise calories (fitbit adjustments)

    He has been averaging close to 2lbs per week loss. He has been re-adjusting his goal every 10lbs lost to help maintain the same deficit.

    So honestly that goal, sounds about right.
  • Reevesy07
    Reevesy07 Posts: 6
    Its probably close. I'm 6"3 230lbs and I am losing weight at 3200 calories (so far). I suggest keep on track 100% for two weeks and see what your weight does. Drop it by 200 calories if you haven't lost any weight.
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
    Sounds about right to me. I started at 333 pounds I'm 5 11 and my calories were 1840. It worked for me
  • SHRINKINGG1
    SHRINKINGG1 Posts: 48 Member
    So um, I entered all of my info into my profile when I started up yesterday. I plan on starting tracking today once I wake up (I'm still 3 hours away from the end of an overnight shift). But in looking at my targets, I see that MFP has calculated that I should eat 2260 calories a day! That sounds like way crazy a lot of ton. I get that I'm a large man. I'm starting out at 370 (at 6'1"). I guess I expected it to be more in the 1600-1800 range.

    Can someone tell me if I broke my internet and it's just showing weird numbers or if that's actually my recommended target?

    That sounds right. You can look up TDEE calculators to double check. They use different formulas bit should be close.
  • MikaMojito
    MikaMojito Posts: 680 Member
    That sounds ok to me. I'm a 5'6'' woman who weighs in at around 190lbs and I'm losing at around 1600-1700kcal.
  • SherbAliciouS
    SherbAliciouS Posts: 16 Member
    That sounds right. Keep in mind that as you lose weight MFP will update and subtract your daily calorie intake. You must make sure to update your weight for your check-ins, and for me, about every 10 lbs of loss, they notify me that my intake has changed, due to my weight loss. At that point you can tell them no, or you can choose to go ahead and go with their recommendation. Also, it does depend on how much weight you said you were aiming to lose per week...from half a pound up to two pounds. You will not be staying on the calorie count that you have been given, to start with, unless you either do not lose weight, or do not update your weight loss in your profile.
    Hope that helps.
  • XianC
    XianC Posts: 93
    Wow, thanks everyone. I appreciate the feedback. I suppose I just had it in my mind that in order to lose weight, I was going to have to be at like 1200 calories for the rest of my life (although I figured, as I mentioned before, that it'd be higher at first). I just never realized it would be that high.

    This will be interesting. Thanks again for all of the perspectives. You guys rock.
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  • XianC
    XianC Posts: 93
    One day, I'm gonna come back and read this thread and understand what you just said to me.
  • candiceh3
    candiceh3 Posts: 379 Member
    Yep - reality is that you don't need to walk around starving all day to lose weight. I hope that keeps you incentivised!
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  • Donners185
    Donners185 Posts: 329 Member
    Lol, yes that sounds good! Try it for a few weeks and adjust if necessary :) Soon it will all make sense!!! ;)
  • XianC
    XianC Posts: 93
    Oh, damn, I knew that once. Thanks for the reminder. With a BMR that high then, I can see why my intake is so high.

    Now to work on selecting the RIGHT foods. Somehow I don't think I'll have much success if I eat 2200 calories worth of McDonalds every day.
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    Suggested reading, explains things.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • namitchell04
    namitchell04 Posts: 14
    So um, I entered all of my info into my profile when I started up yesterday. I plan on starting tracking today once I wake up (I'm still 3 hours away from the end of an overnight shift). But in looking at my targets, I see that MFP has calculated that I should eat 2260 calories a day! That sounds like way crazy a lot of ton. I get that I'm a large man. I'm starting out at 370 (at 6'1"). I guess I expected it to be more in the 1600-1800 range.

    Can someone tell me if I broke my internet and it's just showing weird numbers or if that's actually my recommended target?

    I felt the same when I started and sat re-entering my details, sure I'd find an error I'd made!
    It does sound a lot if you are expecting to be at the 1600 mark but once you log and weigh/measure everything it can be easier to get to that amount of intake than you first think (made me shudder to think what my intake was before I started being sensible!)

    You'll find it will gradually head down as you loose weight but I still can't see it getting to much below 1800 given your height.
    I wish you the best of success!
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  • LazyGuy91
    LazyGuy91 Posts: 171 Member
    When I started out, I weighed a little less than you and it had me at 2180 (I think). Since losing some weight, I've lowered it to 1800.

    I can't remember if that's higher or lower from what MFP suggested, but it's a goal and it seems to be working so far.
  • Ophidion
    Ophidion Posts: 2,065 Member
    Suggested reading, explains things.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
    ^QFT, definitely read this!!
  • mikej1978
    mikej1978 Posts: 362 Member
    Wow, thanks everyone. I appreciate the feedback. I suppose I just had it in my mind that in order to lose weight, I was going to have to be at like 1200 calories for the rest of my life (although I figured, as I mentioned before, that it'd be higher at first). I just never realized it would be that high.

    This will be interesting. Thanks again for all of the perspectives. You guys rock.

    I started at 278 (6'1) I went pretty dramatic and cut my calories to 1200. In the first month I am down 20 pounds. I work out 6 days a week and do not eat back my calories. Alot of people will say its crazy not eating back calories but the fact of the matter is more calories burnt then taken in = weight loss. My thing is if it works for these people that get surgery and dont eat more than 1000 calories and lose 80-100 pounds why not me?
  • KinoM
    KinoM Posts: 359 Member
    I started at 278 (6'1) I went pretty dramatic and cut my calories to 1200. In the first month I am down 20 pounds. I work out 6 days a week and do not eat back my calories. Alot of people will say its crazy not eating back calories but the fact of the matter is more calories burnt then taken in = weight loss. My thing is if it works for these people that get surgery and dont eat more than 1000 calories and lose 80-100 pounds why not me?

    go-on.gif
  • blackNBUK
    blackNBUK Posts: 58 Member
    Wow, thanks everyone. I appreciate the feedback. I suppose I just had it in my mind that in order to lose weight, I was going to have to be at like 1200 calories for the rest of my life (although I figured, as I mentioned before, that it'd be higher at first). I just never realized it would be that high.

    This will be interesting. Thanks again for all of the perspectives. You guys rock.

    I started at 278 (6'1) I went pretty dramatic and cut my calories to 1200. In the first month I am down 20 pounds. I work out 6 days a week and do not eat back my calories. Alot of people will say its crazy not eating back calories but the fact of the matter is more calories burnt then taken in = weight loss. My thing is if it works for these people that get surgery and dont eat more than 1000 calories and lose 80-100 pounds why not me?

    The problem with having a big deficit is that it is much harder to sustain over the long term. It makes 'falling off the wagon' much more likely. It also doesn't get you into the habit of eating a normal amount of food which we need to maintain a weight loss. Finally it makes getting the nutrition you need more difficult and hence makes it more likely that bad things will happen to your body. Having a bit of patience and aiming for a maximum of 2lb per week loss (1 lb if you've got less to lose) seems like a much less risky course.

    I would hope that after weight loss surgery, patients are given a detailed diet plan and very carefully monitored to ensure that they are getting the nutrients that they need.
  • Pugwash4x4
    Pugwash4x4 Posts: 24 Member
    I was 350 and b'1 when I started.

    I'm on a VLCD out of choice BUT a couple of years ago I lost a lot of weight by sticking to 2200cals and doing 1 hour of exercise 3 times per week.

    Happily lost 2-3lb for 4 months.

    my BMR was professionally calculated at 3300cals- a bit of exercise shoots that right up.

    One silver lining of being so heavy is that any exercise consumes a HUGE amount of calories- going for a 45 min walk can get through 600cals!
  • blackNBUK
    blackNBUK Posts: 58 Member
    yeah your bmr is 3033 and with a sedentary lifestyle 3640 calories to maintain. at 2260 you will lose ~2.76lbs a week average

    Not to confuse the issue, but your calculation assumes that XianC is of average body composition which at 370lbs seems pretty unlikely. To get an accurate BMR or TDEE for someone significantly outside the norm you really need a body fat percentage. If body fat is 40% then BMR falls to 2550 calories.

    If anybody is wondering, the reason that body fat percentage is important is that the body needs less energy to maintain fat cells then it does muscle cells.
  • XianC
    XianC Posts: 93


    go-on.gif

    I'm friending you solely on the basis that you used an IT Crowd gif as a reply.

    Not to confuse the issue, but your calculation assumes that XianC is of average body composition which at 370lbs seems pretty unlikely. To get an accurate BMR or TDEE for someone significantly outside the norm you really need a body fat percentage. If body fat is 40% then BMR falls to 2550 calories.

    If it's possible to have like a 70% body fat, I think I'm there.
  • mikej1978
    mikej1978 Posts: 362 Member
    Wow, thanks everyone. I appreciate the feedback. I suppose I just had it in my mind that in order to lose weight, I was going to have to be at like 1200 calories for the rest of my life (although I figured, as I mentioned before, that it'd be higher at first). I just never realized it would be that high.

    This will be interesting. Thanks again for all of the perspectives. You guys rock.

    I started at 278 (6'1) I went pretty dramatic and cut my calories to 1200. In the first month I am down 20 pounds. I work out 6 days a week and do not eat back my calories. Alot of people will say its crazy not eating back calories but the fact of the matter is more calories burnt then taken in = weight loss. My thing is if it works for these people that get surgery and dont eat more than 1000 calories and lose 80-100 pounds why not me?

    The problem with having a big deficit is that it is much harder to sustain over the long term. It makes 'falling off the wagon' much more likely. It also doesn't get you into the habit of eating a normal amount of food which we need to maintain a weight loss. Finally it makes getting the nutrition you need more difficult and hence makes it more likely that bad things will happen to your body. Having a bit of patience and aiming for a maximum of 2lb per week loss (1 lb if you've got less to lose) seems like a much less risky course.

    I would hope that after weight loss surgery, patients are given a detailed diet plan and very carefully monitored to ensure that they are getting the nutrients that they need.
    [/quote

    See what I mean? Find what works for you and follow thru with it. Doing what I do works for me. Once I am down 50 lbs I will start gradually increasing my calories. Right now I get the nutrients I need and dont starve myself. I just eat the lower calorie items and dont over indulge. Which for me was my normal life style. I used to eat a half large pizza by myself.
  • mikej1978
    mikej1978 Posts: 362 Member
    I started at 278 (6'1) I went pretty dramatic and cut my calories to 1200. In the first month I am down 20 pounds. I work out 6 days a week and do not eat back my calories. Alot of people will say its crazy not eating back calories but the fact of the matter is more calories burnt then taken in = weight loss. My thing is if it works for these people that get surgery and dont eat more than 1000 calories and lose 80-100 pounds why not me?

    go-on.gif


    I cant see the pic what is it?
  • SOCOLOCO87
    SOCOLOCO87 Posts: 128 Member
    MFP recommends 2160 calories for me and i am now 210 lbs 5'9 body fat (according to fat2fit) 19.9%. Started at 250 lbs about 27% BF. When I started I was reccomended at around 2300 Calories. So based on that i say give it two weeks of staying within Macros and adjust from there.
  • KinoM
    KinoM Posts: 359 Member
    I cant see the pic what is it?

    Popcorn gif in waiting for reaction to your unnecessarily harsh & potentially negative diet choices. You're talking about netting less than 1200 per day after exercise which is, I believe, classified as a very low calorie diet and is against the terms of the community guidelines. It's not safe or sustainable, and there are many threads which explain why that is the case. You can do what you like, but you can't espouse it as a choice here.
  • mikej1978
    mikej1978 Posts: 362 Member
    I cant see the pic what is it?

    Popcorn gif in waiting for reaction to your unnecessarily harsh & potentially negative diet choices. You're talking about netting less than 1200 per day after exercise which is, I believe, classified as a very low calorie diet and is against the terms of the community guidelines. It's not safe or sustainable, and there are many threads which explain why that is the case. You can do what you like, but you can't espouse it as a choice here.

    Well to me there are 2 "harsh" diet plans. One in which you eat like a pig and dont care how fat you get and 1 in which you eat when you are hungry, work out every day and lose weight. I see what you are saying but, it is not like I am not eating. I eat a normal lunch, a chicken salad for dinner and a bowl of cereal in the morning. I work out for over an hour a day. Mostly because I am deployed overseas and have alot of time off after my shift of work. I will just go on the treadmill for 60-90 minutes and burn close to 1500 calories. I dont see a need for eating when I dont feel hungry.
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