MFP Calculator

perseverance14 · May 2014

So, I wanted to see what MFP would tell me if I did a guided goal at my new weight, it was telling me to eat 1200 calories net, no matter what I put in for exercise, estimated calories burned, etc., and at that deficit I would lose 1 lb. per week...seriously?

Scooby and IIFYM both tell me I burn a lot more to begin with, then at the 10-20% deficit I am anywhere from 1,500 to 1,800 calories AT that deficit no matter what formula I use, I am 1800-2100 before the deficit.

What is up with MFP, is there a way you have to reset it? i really wanted to see what it would have to tell me since I have been using custom for a while, but I just don't get it.

I could see 1200 when I was obese but it shouldn't be telling me that now. I am 5' 2", 154.4 lbs. and I work out at least 5 times per week, I have been doing stronglifts 5x5 3 x per week, also do t-tapp 3 times per week, then cardio 1 or 2 times, pilates 1 or 2 times.

I guess it doesn't matter, I am just going to stick to the 1500 range, but I just don't get it.

StaciMarie1974 · May 2014

MFP does not count any exercise in your calories-to-consume goal, as it assumes you will eat back any exercise calories.

I don't know how many calories you burn during exercise - but if you sum up your weekly cardio calories, divide by 7 (for an average) and add to the 1200: does it come out about 1500-1800? Also what activity level did you use for MFP?

Based on the info you gave, your BMR is in the neighborhood of 1450-1500. (I don't know your age.) If you used sedentary that would explain why the 500 calorie deficit came up with 1200 as a goal for MFP. From the non-cardio activity you mentioned, lightly active or even active would be more realistic and would give you a higher goal. Even then, its goal + exercise. (Meaning eat extra for cardio.)

perseverance14 · May 2014

You misunderstood me, on Scooby or IIFYM the only way I could get that 1200 number at all was if I said sedentary.

I am 52, and I didn't tell MFP I was sedentary, I tried to get MFP's results using IIFYM or Scooby and the only way I could was to say that.

I think 1,500 is a good number for me, or not much less than that, but def. not 1,200, that was good when I started here and was obese, but not now (I am trying to keep my muscle as much as possible, not make my body burn it).

The 1500-1600 comes from taking the IIFYM numbers 1800-2001 and subtracting 10-20% as their instructions say, the Scooby number I used what it gave me to arrive at that range.

MFP is telling me I burn 1,700 + per day so I should eat 1,200+ per day, and I am ignoring that advice as I like my muscle.

StaciMarie1974 · May 2014

I was just trying to figure what info MFP would use.

If MFP is calculating a 500 deficit and giving you 1200 (not counting exercise) then it has your total daily burn would be at/under 1700. BMR is 1374. So its probably using a multiplier of 1.2 based on activity.

YOu won't get MFP results at Scooby, etc. because the calorie goal they give includes exercise calories. MFP always assumes you'll add calories for exercise, so its 1200 + X. MFP + X should roughly equal Scooby, for example. Where X is exercise calories.

MFP is misleading. They probably should not ask about exercise on the same page where you set activity level to determine a calorie goal.

lemurcat12 · May 2014

Like StaciMarie said, Scooby and IIFYM include exercise in the count, whereas MFP does not.

MFP only adds the exercise when you burn it.

It also doesn't decide for you what your weekly goal should be vs. what you tell it, which is the main thing that changes as you are closer to goal, in order to prevent LBM loss. If you put in 1 lb/week at 300 lbs and 150 lbs, the only difference will be that the 300 lb you would have a higher NEAT, so would get a higher goal (before exercise).

If I put your stats into IIFYM's calculator and say no exercise (since MFP's number doesn't include the added exercise), I get a TDEE of 1516 (it might be higher if I did it the way that includes body fat). Minus 500 from that and you are under 1200, so the underlying numbers really aren't that different. MFP just gets you to the 1500 by having you eat back your exercise. Also, chances are a 10% deficit, while sensible for the amount you have left to lose, is more like 0.5 lb/week loss (250 off TDEE).

hellodmo · May 2014

To reset MFP's calculation for you, on the website, go to My Home -> Goals -> Change Goals -> Select Guided.

perseverance14 · May 2014

At scooby you tell it how much you exercise and you tell it your goal, and it tells you how much to eat, pretty straightforward.

At IIFYM, you tell it how much you exercise (and I even did the formula where you enter your body fat, I tried all 3), take that number it gave you and subtract 15-20% to get your deficit (according to the instructions on the page), but a lot of people seem to do 10% as well. Using any of those calculations I was nowhere near 1200, and MFP is wacky for giving me that number.

I get plenty of exercise, I am lifting weights 3 times per week plus other activities and many days I do 2 workouts (this week I am in a time crunch so I only did 2 on 1 of the days).

There is no way my net should be 1200....no thanks I am listening to Scooby and IIFYM and eating an amount that allows me to keep as much muscle as possible.

perseverance14 · May 2014

To reset MFP's calculation for you, go to My Home -> Goals -> Change Goals -> Select Guided.

I did, and it told me 1200 net, so I put it back to custom because it is wacky.

glickman1 · May 2014

I just used scooby's calculator and entered that into MFP

hellodmo · May 2014

So to figure this out:

1. Get your BMR: http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/
2. Find your multiplier: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/518677-bmr-and-activity-level. Note that the multipler should be the activity of your job, your daily routine, EXCLUDING your exercise. Your exercise sessions are entered on a daily basis. For example, if I'm a programmer, but I go riding my bike for an hour a day, that still means I'm sedentary. My job requires me to sit in a chair all day at a computer.
3. Take the number of pounds you wish to lose, and multiply that by 500.
4. Subtract that from your number calculated in step 2.
5. Take the greater of that number in step 4 or 1200. That's the result.

At 5'2, it's not too hard to believe that MFP would calculate 1200 calories if you're trying to lose weight.

BMR for a 52 year old at 5'2 and 154.4 is 1373.64.
Multiply that by 1.2 for sedentary, and you have 1648.368.
Want to lose 1lb/week? That's now down to 1148.368.
MFP REALLY doesn't want you going under 1200, so it ups it to 1200.

perseverance14 · May 2014

I just used scooby's calculator and entered that into MFP

I averaged out Scooby and IIFYM and figured 1500 is good, gives me some leeway but I don't think I will lose much in the way of muscle at that..although I am no expert at these things.

I was just trying to understand the MFP calculator. When I came here it told me 1200 calories 2 lbs. weight loss per week, now I have lost close to 50 pounds it tells me 1200 calories to lose 1 lb. per week (I am losing more than that eating more, but hopefully it is fat not muscle).

perseverance14 · May 2014

So to figure this out:

1. Get your BMR: http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/
2. Find your multiplier: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/518677-bmr-and-activity-level. Note that the multipler should be the activity of your job, your daily routine, EXCLUDING your exercise. Your exercise sessions are entered on a daily basis. For example, if I'm a programmer, but I go riding my bike for an hour a day, that still means I'm sedentary. My job requires me to sit in a chair all day at a computer.
3. Take the number of pounds you wish to lose, and multiply that by 500.
4. Subtract that from your number calculated in step 2.
5. Take the greater of that number in step 4 or 1200. That's the result.

At 5'2, it's not too hard to believe that MFP would calculate 1200 calories if you're trying to lose weight.

BMR for a 52 year old at 5'2 and 154.4 is 1373.64.
Multiply that by 1.2 for sedentary, and you have 1648.368.
Want to lose 1lb/week? That's now down to 1148.368.
MFP REALLY doesn't want you going under 1200, so it ups it to 1200.

I do log all my food and I do log all my excersice too. I was just expecting a different number from MFP at this point. I am not going to pay any attention to that number because I want to keep as much of my muscle as possible. I think MFP should not be telling people who are not in the obese range to eat 1200 calories a day at all, but that is just my opinion. You can get away with eating a lot less in obese range without losing muscle, but once you are out of that you should be eating more so you don't lose as much muscle mass. Otherwise, you end up with a lower metabolism because you have less muscle burning less calories. I have a good amount of muscle, and it is important to me to keep as much as I possibly can, I am listening to Scooby and IIFYM.

snazzyjazzy21 · May 2014

I think you're misunderstanding...if not, I apologize.

MFP does NOT calculate exercise. When you exercise, you add it. So, when you add it, it will probably add up to what Scooby and IIFYM are giving you. I find them both to be the same, after I add exercise to MFP.

You said, you can get to 1200 on the other sites by staying sedentary. So, that means that those two sites, and MFP are in complete agreement. It seems like you have a fundamental misunderstand of what the different sites are measuring and calculating and how they work.

For MFP, it DOES NOT INCLUDE exercise, until you do it. Some people chose not to do exercise. Or maybe they do it sporadically. So, MFP doesn't add it until you log it in.

In the end, you will wind up at the same place.

Agreed. I don't see how they can be different, since they start out using the same formula.

perseverance14 · May 2014

I do understand that, but I think it would be a lot better if they did what the other calculators do, because a lot of people might think they really should eat that much, and many don't log their exercise, or even all their food.

I will just stick with custom, that way I can track it according to what I actually should be eating.

perseverance14 · May 2014

On Scooby with my stats and set to sedentary, 20% calorie reduction: 1313, to get 1213 you have to say 25% calorie reduction...then it warns you that much of a calorie reduction is dangerous and to consult a Physician. MFP gave me 1200 no explanation.

I don't want to save the world, I just think they should do a safer calculation.

perseverance14 · May 2014

I was genuinely shocked, I expected it to tell me at least 1300, but whatever, I do a custom one anyway and have for a long time.

Maybe you should have a warning for that like Scooby does?

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