Is this correct?

Theerod · March 2014

I just wanted to know if these calorie goals are logical that my girlfriend and I have. They seem a bit absurd to me, but this is my first time doing this. To me, they seem way too high.

Me: 2510 per day. Settings are : Starting Weight - 188 lbs ; Goal Weight - 170 ; Activity Level - Active (Running at LEAST a mile a day, about 20 min, + other strength exercise) ; Exercise Goal - 6 times per week ; Weight Loss Goal - 1 lb per week

Girlfriend: 1790 per day. Settings are : Starting Weight - 215.2 lbs ; Goal Weight - 180 ; Activity Level - Active (Running at LEAST a mile a day, about 20 min, + other strength exercise) ; Exercise Goal - 6 times per week ; Weight Loss Goal - 2 lb per week

Unknown · March 2014

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Theerod · March 2014

Alright, thank you. I just had to make sure. Yeah, I ate a lot before but I feel like I eat just about the same with these calories! Maybe because of smarter choices? Who knows, thanks anyways

I will try to keep on track

LH85DC · March 2014

Well, you don't give your heights or ages below, which would be helpful, but I think the goals look reasonable. To put things in perspective, I'm 5'4" and lost my last 15 or 20 pounds eating 1850-1950 calories. Now I'm trying to figure out maintenance but still losing very very slowly at 2150 calories. And that's with no exercise other than walking between 3 and 4 miles a day. They seem like perfectly reasonable goals, but you'll have to do some trial and error to sort things out for sure. If you want to try a different calculator to double check your goals, use http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ and be sure to estimate your activity level as accurately as possible (don't overestimate your exercise).

3dogsrunning · March 2014

I just wanted to know if these calorie goals are logical that my girlfriend and I have. They seem a bit absurd to me, but this is my first time doing this. To me, they seem way too high.

Me: 2510 per day. Settings are : Starting Weight - 188 lbs ; Goal Weight - 170 ; Activity Level - Active (Running at LEAST a mile a day, about 20 min, + other strength exercise) ; Exercise Goal - 6 times per week ; Weight Loss Goal - 1 lb per week

Girlfriend: 1790 per day. Settings are : Starting Weight - 215.2 lbs ; Goal Weight - 180 ; Activity Level - Active (Running at LEAST a mile a day, about 20 min, + other strength exercise) ; Exercise Goal - 6 times per week ; Weight Loss Goal - 2 lb per week

Yes. If you had chosen 2 lbs a week your goal would be around 2010 calories. So similar. Plus men usually get a higher calorie goal than women.

Keep in mind, if these are MFP numbers the activity level does not include your exercise. It is meant to include daily life only. Even though you chose an exercise goal, that does not affect your calorie goal. MFP expects you to log exercise and eat at least some of those calorie back. They do not factor in exercise until you log it. So you may want to adjust goals from there.

ETA - I know it is confusing becasue you chose an exercise goal, but it does not affect your calorie goal.

2nd edit - the post above mentions the scooby calculator. That calculator includes exercise in the factor. You will get different numbers than MFP because it is a different formula. In the end, it is basically two paths to the same end.

LH85DC · March 2014

I just wanted to know if these calorie goals are logical that my girlfriend and I have. They seem a bit absurd to me, but this is my first time doing this. To me, they seem way too high.

Me: 2510 per day. Settings are : Starting Weight - 188 lbs ; Goal Weight - 170 ; Activity Level - Active (Running at LEAST a mile a day, about 20 min, + other strength exercise) ; Exercise Goal - 6 times per week ; Weight Loss Goal - 1 lb per week

Girlfriend: 1790 per day. Settings are : Starting Weight - 215.2 lbs ; Goal Weight - 180 ; Activity Level - Active (Running at LEAST a mile a day, about 20 min, + other strength exercise) ; Exercise Goal - 6 times per week ; Weight Loss Goal - 2 lb per week

Yes. If you had chosen 2 lbs a week your goal would be around 2010 calories. So similar. Plus men usually get a higher calorie goal than women.

Keep in mind, if these are MFP numbers the activity level does not include your exercise. It is meant to include daily life only. Even though you chose an exercise goal, that does not affect your calorie goal. MFP expects you to log exercise and eat at least some of those calorie back. They do not factor in exercise until you log it. So you may want to adjust goals from there.

ETA - I know it is confusing becasue you chose an exercise goal, but it does not affect your calorie goal.

This too. If you're using the MFP setup make sure that you eat back at least some of your exercise calories. And be careful not to set your goals too high. If you only want to lose 20 lbs, losing 2 lbs/wk is too aggressive, .5 (1 at the most) is best. If you use the scoobysworkshop link that I gave you, keep in mind that it already includes exercise and you won't want to eat back exercise calories on top.

Theerod · March 2014

Thank you so much you two! This helps me so much!

I will definitely look at the scooby calculator. When I tried MFP two months ago before giving up, I wasn't exercising. I started to just before I quit because of confusion and I planned on eating back the calories any who, I just want to reach the goal.

lynn_glenmont · March 2014

Thank you so much you two! This helps me so much!

I will definitely look at the scooby calculator. When I tried MFP two months ago before giving up, I wasn't exercising. I started to just before I quit because of confusion and I planned on eating back the calories any who, I just want to reach the goal.

It sounds from your OP as though you chose "active" in the MFP calculator based on work-out exercise, not based on your daily life activity level (if you just omitted info about daily life activity in your OP, and you really are "active" without your workouts, just ignore me). If you've already included your workouts in determining your activity level, you should not eat back your exercise calories. MFP is designed to calculate your activity level absent work outs, and then have you eat back your exercise calories, but the tool can only work with the info you give it. It thinks when you say you're "active" that you are up on your feet and walking around for a good portion of the day. If you spend most of the day sitting at a desk, you should either change your profile and redo the calculations, or just don't eat the exercise calories back.

lesteidel · March 2014

Going to the gym doesn't make one active. Being on your feet all day physically working does. I am on my feet all day long, run three miles four times a week and if I set mine to active I gain weight, Unless you are on your feet all the time and working out strenuously, I suggest checking sedentary and logging your exercise. It will add the appropriate amount of calories for your exercise. Few people are truly "active". By calorie standards.

SezxyStef · March 2014

Going to the gym doesn't make one active. Being on your feet all day physically working does. I am on my feet all day long, run three miles four times a week and if I set mine to active I gain weight, Unless you are on your feet all the time and working out strenuously, I suggest checking sedentary and logging your exercise. It will add the appropriate amount of calories for your exercise. Few people are truly "active". By calorie standards.

This...

Change your activity level to what you do now. Not the exercise you plan on doing.

When I started I walked everyday for 20mins..but most of my day was sitting at a desk...I chose sedentary.

Pirate_chick · March 2014

since you selected active lifestyle, don't log your daily exercise as it's already calculated in your numbers. I would recommend changing to sedentary unless you have a physically demanding job.

Is this correct?

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