Calorie Count through MFP

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wanttolose40lbs
wanttolose40lbs Posts: 239 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
When I started out MFP told me to eat 1200 calories a day, but that wasn't enough. I calculated my TDEE and BMI and came up with eating 1500 calories a day and not eating back exercise calories. I have lost 34 lbs doing this, but MFP still says I can only eat 1200 calories a day or I won't lose any weight. I am 10 lbs away from my goal weight, is it never going to change and say I can eat more? I will keep doing it my way because it's working, but it still baffles me.

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  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
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    1. MFP gives you a calorie # based on the information & weight loss goal you provide.

    2. MFP assumes you will eat X plus your exercise calories.

    3. TDEE calculates all your burn and gives you a calorie goal Z where your exercise is already counted.

    If MFP gives you 1200 before exercise and TDEE gives you 1500 after exercise, I'm assuming you exercise an average of about 300 calories a day. 1200 + 300 = 1500



    You need to update your goals at MFP from time to time. Go in to adjust goals, and with only 10 pounds to lose put in .5 or 1 pound per week. And log & eat some of your exercise calories back.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,488 Member
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    Well MFP tells you to eat 1200 plus exercise. Wouldn't take an extreme amount of exercise to get to 1500. So they're pretty much telling you the same thing.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    1200 + about 300 calories of exercise (not that much) = 1500 calories.
  • wanttolose40lbs
    wanttolose40lbs Posts: 239 Member
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    Yes, I do realize that eating 1200 + exercise calories, it all kind of work out the same,although I do burn more than 300 calories per workout, but wouldn't it change after a while. I have always set it at .5 lbs a week and the calories never change, so according to MFP I shouldn't have lost any weight
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,488 Member
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    1200 is the lowest it can go, so the only way it could change would be to go up.
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
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    The calories on MFP won't change on its own. Only if you go in and revise your goal.

    Note: if MFP gives you 1200 at a .5 loss rate than you must have a very low BMR and set to sedentary. Or something isn't right. If you're not sedentary, then you can change to lightly active.

    For comparison, I'm 39, female, 5' 5.5", 146.0 pounds and at lightly active and 1 pound per week I'm set at 1390.
  • wanttolose40lbs
    wanttolose40lbs Posts: 239 Member
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    I must have done it wrong before, I did have it at sendentary because of my job. But if I change it to slightly active it gives me 200 more calories to eat. Makes me feel a little better, I was worried when I hit maintenance that it was only going to give me 1200 calories to eat. Thanks for all your help
  • StarmakerK
    StarmakerK Posts: 11 Member
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    Also, given that you're still losing weight, MFP is still calculating a deficit for you (e.g., 250 cal/day if you have it set to 0.5lb/week). When you get to maintenance and re-set your goal to lose/gain 0 lbs / week, you will get those 250/cal day back; otherwise you'd continue to lose weight.

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