Calorie reductions with weight loss

photo_kyla
photo_kyla Posts: 322 Member
edited September 2024 in Food and Nutrition
I have a question about how MFP figures out your alloted calories for the day. I have been on MFP for almost 2 months and I'm making good progress. I read somewhere that every time you drop 10 lbs, you should reset your goals, and each time it has dropped me by 50 calories. Unfortunately, the next time it drops me, it would put me below 1200 calories. I still have over 40lbs to lose and with my work schedule, time for the gym can be difficult.

Have any of you faced this problem? What did you do? Do you keep reducing your calories? Or do you stick with 1200 and just have your weight loss slow?

Replies

  • 4lafz
    4lafz Posts: 1,078 Member
    It did not drop below 1200 for me. I think it will only go to 1200 for you too! I could be wrong - but the only time I have seen below 1200 is when someone manually set it that way. They say 1200 is minimum for women - and not to drop below.
  • photo_kyla
    photo_kyla Posts: 322 Member
    I know that MFP doesn't like to put your goal below 1200, but you have to have a calorie deficit to keep losing.
  • trinityj1
    trinityj1 Posts: 97 Member
    It's really not healthy to eat fewer than 1200 calories a day if you aren't morbidly obese. Depending on your BMR, you're probably burning more than that just staying alive and without truly excessive fat stores to rely on, you'll just be losing muscle and destroying your metabolism.

    ETA: If you starve yourself to drop weight quickly, it will come back the second you begin to eat normally. Better slow and steady, less strain on your body and the weight will stay off.
  • lordofultima
    lordofultima Posts: 293 Member
    The closer you get to your goal, the less calorie deficit you should have, it should begin to even out a bit towards the end until you're finally eating to maintain bodyweight. You can't eat in calorie deficit forever, you'll disappear! Based on how much you currently weigh (according to your signature thing) you should definitely be eating more than 1200 calories, especially if you exercise. I weigh 159 and my BMR is 1750..

    Try shooting for 1 lb. lost a week, that's a much healthier weight loss, more of it will be fat. I'm guessing your BMR is about 1650 calories, and to lose 1 lb. a week you should eat about 1550. (that's without factoring in exercise)
  • photo_kyla
    photo_kyla Posts: 322 Member
    My starting weight was 229, my current weight is ~205, and my current daily calories are 1260. I set my goal at 2lbs/week and my goal weight is 150.

    I don't get to the gym as regularly as I'd like, so those calories are not including exercise. I'm at the point where it takes a lot of effort to stick to those calories, so I'm worried about the next drop. At this rate, when I hit 199, it will drop me to 1210 calories; 189 (which is only halfway to my goal) would put me well under the 1200 calorie mark.

    The calories that it has me set at are the ones determined by MFP based on the info it collected when I signed up.
  • YourFriendBecky
    YourFriendBecky Posts: 229 Member
    I think what everyone is saying is that once you get to that 189 weight, MFP will probably tell you that either you need to do one of two things:

    1. Plan on losing less than 2 pounds a week, or...

    2. Do some exercise in addition to the 1200 calories minimum per day so that you can retain your current calorie deficit.
  • DaveF66
    DaveF66 Posts: 234 Member
    The closer you get to your goal, the less calorie deficit you should have, it should begin to even out a bit towards the end until you're finally eating to maintain bodyweight. You can't eat in calorie deficit forever, you'll disappear! Based on how much you currently weigh (according to your signature thing) you should definitely be eating more than 1200 calories, especially if you exercise. I weigh 159 and my BMR is 1750..

    Try shooting for 1 lb. lost a week, that's a much healthier weight loss, more of it will be fat. I'm guessing your BMR is about 1650 calories, and to lose 1 lb. a week you should eat about 1550. (that's without factoring in exercise)

    I`d agree with this and reduce your goal to 1lb a week. I did this and most weeks I still lose slightly more. Good luck :smile:
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
    they aren't just talking about letting MFP reset your calories, you should also be re-evaluating your goal deficit every time you drop significant weight. A 2 lb goal may be correct for someone who is obese, but not for someone with only 20 or 30 lbs to lose. If you've dropped enough to move your calories to below 1200, then I would say that in almost every case, your goal deficit is to large.
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