Too few calories suggeted by MFP

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  • SyntonicGarden
    SyntonicGarden Posts: 944 Member
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    I exercise 6 days a weeks, rotating swimming, rowing machine, elliptical, and weights. I do not eat back my calories intentionally, but if I go over by 100-200 I don't stress about it.

    Since March, when MFP took me down to 1450 calories, my weight loss has drastically stopped. That is also when my exersise increased. Does MFP have my calories to low?

    Thoughts?

    Hi! Thanks for having an open diary. Your food logging looks great! I didn't notice any exercises in there since March though. The way that MFP works is that it's based on Net intake, or what helps me remember it, meaning what's left in your "net" after everything else has been added/subtracted.

    That being said, if you're eating 1300 cals (for the sake of round numbers), put in 300 cals of exercise and don't eat back your exercise calories, you're eating at a net of 1000 cals. That means 300 of them were taken out of your "net" of available calories and not put back in.

    The body's like a car. If your tank holds 10 gallons and you take 3 gallons out and don't replace them, it makes sense that you're not going to have what you need to get you where you want to go. If you have a 10 gallon tank, trying to put an extra 3 gallons isn't going to work out well either. ;)

    So yeah, it would seem that you're not eating enough. And if that's the case, then it also suggests that you're eating below MFPs recommended amount. While I'm not a nutritionist or a dietician (nor do I play one on tv), I would suggest logging your exercise, seeing where that puts you, and then eating back your exercise calories so that you get that recommended net.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    I think you misunderstood. I am following the MFP plan, exactly. I have my goals set and I stick to them. I eat my calories and I exercise. Some people eat back their calories and some don't. Sometimes I do and sometimes I don't, but I never go over my calories whether it be eating back calories or not.

    There is a lot of information about consuming two few calories. I am simply asking for opinions on the 1370 MFP set for me this morning. I am not sure where the confustion or the sarcasm is coming from.
    The confusion perhaps comes from you saying you follow the plan exactly but when MFP says eat 1400 calories plus exercise calories you don't.
    The sarcasm came later on...
    you may be building muscle as you lose fat, and since muscle weighs more than fat, well, there ya go.
    Well at least I hope it was sarcasm!

    I suggest that if you don't like 1370 (+ exercise) calories you custom set your calorie goal higher, so that you still lose weight but eat at a calorie level that is sustainable for you. Actual results and finding a way that makes adherence easier matters most, my suggested numbers were always off by 300 cals a day by the way.

    1000 calorie deficit a day is a tough ask whether you have a lot to lose or not.
  • younginaz
    younginaz Posts: 71 Member
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    you may be building muscle as you lose fat, and since muscle weighs more than fat, well, there ya go.

    No... Sorry, that's a big old myth. It's nearly impossible to gain muscle on a calorie deficit, especially for women. Being obese gives her a bit of an advantage as she has a surplus built in but it's still not enough to allow for gains that will negate a loss on the scale.

    I agree that since OP's exercise has increased recently, thsi is likely the reason. When you start exercising or increase the intensity of your workout (faster, more time, more weight, higher resistance, etc) you muscles will sustain microtrauma - this is why we feel sore after a hard workout. And the body's natural response to this damage is to retain water and glycogen. (It's kind of like when you turn your ankle and it swells - only not as visible as it's spread out over a larger area.) And we all know what happens when we retain water...the scale shows no loss and maybe even a slight gain.

    Once youre body becomes accustomed to the new routine, this retention will lessen.

    I also agree that you should try eating back more of your exercise calories - maybe half of them on a regular basis. Or change your goal to 1.5 pounds per week.

    Good luck!!

    Thank you!! That makes sense since my exercise intensity has increased quite a bit.
  • helsbelshms
    helsbelshms Posts: 93 Member
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    MFP only takes into account your weight loss goal and lifestyle when calculating the calorie amount, it ignores your exercise. This is because it expects you to eat ALL of your exercise calories back. Your calorie goal is based on you doing nothing other than dieting, so any exercise calories are a bonus.

    I ignored MFP's calorie goal and upped mine to 1600, then depending on how much I exercise, I might not eat all of my exercise calories back but will always make sure I'm over 1200 NET calories.

    1370 is very low for the amount of weight you still have to lose. Personally I would up that by several hundred calories and still eat all of my exercise calories back. You need a deficit of 1000 calories per day to lose 2lb per week and that is built in to your MFP calories, having a bigger deficit isn't healthy or sustainable.

    Good luck, you've done well so far.
  • coachpepper
    coachpepper Posts: 8 Member
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    Following calories suggested by MFP is a horrible idea. They take nothing into account regarding your body fat composition, individual needs. Would you take advice from a dietician who gave you a cookie cutter plan which was generic to every single person they saw who was X weight and X height. MFP is an APP with a generic calulation. Do yourself a favor and consult a dietician or a nutritionist. For your refrence, I follow an IIFYM (flexible dieting), weight 180ish.. workout 5x a week, am 5'5 and eat 1800 calories a day. I eat 150 gram of carbs, 140 grams protein, 70 grams fat... It is so much more complicated than simply calories in vs. calories out. Good luck!!
  • cindyj7
    cindyj7 Posts: 339 Member
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    Hi! Congrats on your loss so far! That's amazing!

    Please read this blog post from one of my bad azz girls MireyGal76: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/MireyGal76/view/in-5-weeks-you-ll-lose-10lbs-why-s-it-not-working-668182

    This should answer your questions. Good luck!
  • dmenchac
    dmenchac Posts: 447 Member
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    I think most of us are missing a more pressing issue.

    The OP is claiming to only be eating 13xx-14xx calories a day and says her weight loss has stopped which is nearly impossible given her age, weight, and height.

    And no it is not starvation mode. Are you 100% sure you are logging everything correctly? If you were truly eating that much and burning that many calories, it would be impossible for your weight loss to stall.
  • little_waa_
    little_waa_ Posts: 6
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    Hi! Congrats on your loss so far! That's amazing!

    Please read this blog post from one of my bad azz girls MireyGal76: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/MireyGal76/view/in-5-weeks-you-ll-lose-10lbs-why-s-it-not-working-668182

    This should answer your questions. Good luck!

    This blog post is bloody brilliant! It should be a sticky thread for newbies!
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    I think most of us are missing a more pressing issue.

    The OP is claiming to only be eating 13xx-14xx calories a day and says her weight loss has stopped which is nearly impossible given her age, weight, and height.

    And no it is not starvation mode. Are you 100% sure you are logging everything correctly? If you were truly eating that much and burning that many calories, it would be impossible for your weight loss to stall.

    I agree...

    To the OP based on your data entered MFP has given you the calories to lose the weight without exercise. But if you have another 100lbs to lose and you stopped losing eating 1400 you are eating more than you think.

    I looked at your diary and you don't weight solids...ever.
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,725 Member
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    I think most of us are missing a more pressing issue.

    The OP is claiming to only be eating 13xx-14xx calories a day and says her weight loss has stopped which is nearly impossible given her age, weight, and height.

    And no it is not starvation mode. Are you 100% sure you are logging everything correctly? If you were truly eating that much and burning that many calories, it would be impossible for your weight loss to stall.

    I'm sorry , I disagree

    She's been successful with losing weight in the recent past

    Weight loss is not linear. It is extremely common for weight loss to "stop". Just be a woman and be near your cycle for example

    She's recently increased exercise intensity.

    I'd say it's a bit more likely she's retaining water. However, with the increased exercise she's doing, I'd say she needs a bit more food to adequately nourish and fuel her body, but proper logging shouldn't hurt, so:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1296011-calorie-counting-101
  • dmenchac
    dmenchac Posts: 447 Member
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    I think most of us are missing a more pressing issue.

    The OP is claiming to only be eating 13xx-14xx calories a day and says her weight loss has stopped which is nearly impossible given her age, weight, and height.

    And no it is not starvation mode. Are you 100% sure you are logging everything correctly? If you were truly eating that much and burning that many calories, it would be impossible for your weight loss to stall.

    I'm sorry , I disagree

    She's been successful with losing weight in the recent past

    Weight loss is not linear. It is extremely common for weight loss to "stop". Just be a woman and be near your cycle for example

    She's recently increased exercise intensity.

    I'd say it's a bit more likely she's retaining water. However, with the increased exercise she's doing, I'd say she needs a bit more food to adequately nourish and fuel her body, but proper logging shouldn't hurt, so:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1296011-calorie-counting-101

    You are more than welcome to disagree :D

    Her weight loss has been stalled since March and that is when she increased her exercise. That is over 2 months of getting over the water retention.

    I realize weight loss is not linear as I myself have lost a decent chunk! Given her net calories (she claims), her age, her weight, her hieght, and her gender, her weight loss should not even be close to stalling. She is undereating by a pretty wide margin.

    Also, her diary reflects not weighing foods which indicates she is more than likely eating more than she thinks.


    The facts are this: If she has been eating and exercising as much and as little as she claim from March, she should have seen a significant amount of weight lost.
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,725 Member
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    Oh, I know I'm welcome to disagree. Hence the post. My response now is assuming you meant it in a passive aggressive manner. If you didn't, no qualms, Mate :wink:

    I don't think the facts may be as clear as you laid them out. Her weight loss has "drastically stopped" but she's lost 25 lbs since January. Exercise intensity increased in March. Does that mean 25 lbs lost in January and February alone, and nothing lost since March? Some clarification may be needed from OP. :D
  • younginaz
    younginaz Posts: 71 Member
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    I think most of us are missing a more pressing issue.

    The OP is claiming to only be eating 13xx-14xx calories a day and says her weight loss has stopped which is nearly impossible given her age, weight, and height.

    And no it is not starvation mode. Are you 100% sure you are logging everything correctly? If you were truly eating that much and burning that many calories, it would be impossible for your weight loss to stall.

    I agree...

    To the OP based on your data entered MFP has given you the calories to lose the weight without exercise. But if you have another 100lbs to lose and you stopped losing eating 1400 you are eating more than you think.

    I looked at your diary and you don't weight solids...ever.

    You are right. I don't "weigh" everything, but I do meaure out the food I don't weigh and log it by cups, etc. I try to log the way the package indicates. If the package indicates 1 cup =40 calories, I put the food in a cup and log in a cup. I have tried to keep a good grip on the actual calorie intake, but if you are suggeting I should weigh food, I will give that a try. Maybe I have been underestimating. Thanks.

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