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Can I adjust daily calorie amount?

nm_momtoccc
nm_momtoccc Posts: 2 Member
edited March 1 in Getting Started
Hello

I started MFP last week and MFP is setting my daily calorie amount to 1200 cal. After reading about TDEE, BMR, etc.. I realize that is probably too low. (I currently weight 200lbs, initial goal is to lose 20 lbs... overall I really need to lose about 50 lbs)

Anyway.. is there a way to set my daily limit to a different number? Or do I leave it like it is and just track to a different number (say 1500-1600 cal)?

I did lose 4 lbs this week eating about 1200 cal/day but I didn't really exercise other than walking (fitbit tracker). I like exercising but wanted to get used to eating less this first week.

Thanks.

Replies

  • marcellomoo
    marcellomoo Posts: 107 Member
    My home > Goals > Change goals > Custom

    Alternatively, set your mfp goal to lose 1-1.5lbs per week as this would be a reasonable pace for you.
  • kateharp2112
    kateharp2112 Posts: 8
    I think the weight loss calculators are set up for failure. They should calculate what goal weight you want to "maintain" for your life (vs what you want to lose in a certain time period). For example: I want to get down to 140. If I put it into the calculator it says I should only eat 1200 calories a day (impossible) to lose a pound a week by December. But I'd rather learn how to "live a lifestyle" of 140 pounds, which is actually 1700 calories a day (much more doable). Therefore in all the calculators I type in as if I am 140 already and want to maintain that weight. Otherwise, no matter what weight you put in, most of them tell you to start eating 1200 calories a day which I think is personally undoable and ridiculous.
  • nm_momtoccc
    nm_momtoccc Posts: 2 Member
    My home > Goals > Change goals > Custom

    Alternatively, set your mfp goal to lose 1-1.5lbs per week as this would be a reasonable pace for you.

    Thanks! I set it to 1500 cal per day which says it will drop my weight loss to 0.7 lbs per week, but I think that will really depend on my exercise amount.
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