MyFitnessPal Calculator Calculated Too Few Calories??

mandikins115
mandikins115 Posts: 7 Member
in Food and Nutrition
MyFitnessPal estimated that I should eat 1,200 to 1,600 calories a day to lose 2 to 1 pounds a week. That is what I have been eating since I started my weight loss journey six months ago and I have lost 20 pounds in the first four months! I lost on average 1 pound a week during that time. Recently, my weight loss has slowed down in these last two months. My new personal trainer seems to think it is because I am not eating enough calories. He says that according to his calculations, I need to be eating at least 1,900 calories a day and that if I eat less, my body will go into starvation mode. That seems like too many calories to me... I am afraid I won't lose as much or will actually gain weight if I eat that many calories a day. MFP says if I eat 1,900 calories a day, I will only lose .5 pounds a week, which I guess is better than what I have been losing a week in the last two months. I am also afraid that since my body is used to only eating 1,200 to 1,600 calories a day, that increasing my calories will actually make me gain weight. MFP says that I burn 2,160 calories a day from normal daily activity. Anyone have any experience with MFP estimating too few calories for weight loss?! By the way, I workout 4 to 6 times a week now. Any advice or opinions are are appreciated!! Thanks! :smile:

Female
Age: 22
Height: 5'7
Starting Weight: 186
Current Weight: 165

Replies

  • louisekerry86
    louisekerry86 Posts: 58
    I think if you are working out that much now then yeah, you need to eat more calories. Listen to your trainer, they know best :) I've been eating more calories the last couple of weeks and I've started losing again. That's me having gone up from anything between 1200-1600 to 1800-2000 a day. Some days I hit 2000 and think this is way too much, and I struggle with it because everyone's telling me its what I need but it feels like a lot to me compared to how much I ate before. I'm not very keen on big portions either so its hard.

    But yeah, give it a try for a week or two and see what happens, if you're not happy with the outcome, talk to your trainer again :)
  • astronomicals
    astronomicals Posts: 1,537 Member
    why change anything if you're still losing weight... If you think slowed weight loss is bad, tell that to someone who plateaued. Weight loss isn't linear or consistent.

    You cals sound low for your bodyweight, but, your body adapts (which isn't necessarily a good thing)...

    What is this 1200-1600 figure? does that mean you eat 1200 unless you exercise?

    not enough information. do you eat back exercise cals?
  • segovm
    segovm Posts: 512 Member
    Eating more food can potentially improve performance but it doesn't help you lose weight.

    To be honest, you are probably just running into the same wall many people run into, where they lose for a while based on guesstimates of their food and as they get closer to their goal their guesses no longer create a deficit so they stop losing weight and think they have reached a plateau of some kind.

    My advice, redouble your efforts to measure and weigh your food accurately. Everyone thinks they are doing it right and most just end up getting it wrong after a while since it is so much easier to just guess.

    Good luck!

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