Confused... Please Help

lisabrady70
lisabrady70 Posts: 3
edited September 24 in Introduce Yourself
Hi, my name is Lisa and i joined my fitness pal to help keep track of what I eat. I currently weigh 9 stone 3lbs (130lbs) and I am 4ft 11inches tall. I would like to get down to 112lbs. I set up my profile saying i wanted to lose 2lbs per week and would aim for 3 x 30 minute workouts a week. Based on that my fitness pal came back with a recommended diet of 1200 calories daily. Today I consumed +1475 calories but spent -294 when i went running for 30 minutes giving me a total of 1181 for the day (19 calories remaining). According to my fitness pal I have completed my food and exercise diary for the day for 02/14/2011 and i was under my calorie goal however it then goes on to project that if ever day was like to day then i would lose 2.7lbs in 5 weeks!!! I have stuck to what it asked me to do so why will i not be projected to lose 10lb in the next 5 weeks like i set it up to do??

Replies

  • hpsnickers1
    hpsnickers1 Posts: 2,783 Member
    MFP will not go below 1200 calories. That is a baseline because going under that number for too long can put you into Starvation Mode and your body will stop burning fat and carbs and start eating up protein from your muscles. You are not real big to begin with so you won't get a loss of 2 pounds per week. That would be a daily calorie deficit of 1000 calories which is impossible (3500 caloires = 1 pound) for your size because your BMR isn't high enough (you would need a 2200 BMR). Go with .5 pounds per week and read the links attached to my signature.
  • gebnpb
    gebnpb Posts: 166
    I never go by what it says when u hit that!! Its never right. I have no idea what it goes off of but I have read alot of topics about it and alot of people say its wrong so I wouldn't worry to much about what it says!!:happy:
  • kmtetour
    kmtetour Posts: 300 Member
    Keep doing what you're doing. The "in 5 weeks" is just a calculation that really doesn't mean anything. Also, don't be surprised if you don't lose 2 pounds per week. That is really fast for someone as little as you, especially when you are only trying to lose 18 pounds. Just take it slow and be healthy.
  • epj78
    epj78 Posts: 643 Member
    Because you have so little to lose and your goal weight is lower than the average person's. You can't really get the nutrients your body needs with under 1200 calories a day (at least according to conventional wisdom). No credible diet will recommend under 1200 calories a day. So, you will lose a bit slower, but you will be doing it in a healthy way.

    Roughly speaking, you have to put your body in a 3,500 calorie deficit to lose one pound. At 130 --- roughly --- you burn 1300 calories a day without exercise. At 1200 calories, you are at about a 100 calorie deficit for the day --- or 700 for the week. So it will take awhile to lose the weight. But stick to it, and you will lose the weight.
  • bizco
    bizco Posts: 1,949 Member
    Here's my guess... to lose 2 lbs. per week you would have to consume less than 1200 net calories. However, 1200 net calories is the lowest possible consumption MFP will allow. It's unhealthy to eat any less than this.
  • reemasolanki
    reemasolanki Posts: 15
    MFP does not recommend calorie consumption of lower than 1200, so for most people that is the default amount. Also, maybe 2lb a week is a little too much, as with your current weight, any weight loss will be slow. I am 5ft 2in and weigh about 10 stone. If I manage to lose half a pound a week that will be about right for my current weight and size. If you were heavier, your weight loss would be more dramatic. Just keep it up and you may be surprised at the weight loss you have. I would not recommend lowering your calorie intake though. I know none of this is much help, but I do know that no matter how much you want to lose, MFP will never go under 1200 calories a day.
  • lisabrady70
    lisabrady70 Posts: 3
    Thanks for the quick reply - very helpful! Should I aim to just consume the 1200 calories it recommends and try not to go over that even if I exercise? Or should I look at the exercise as a way of allowing me to consume a few more calories without gaining weight?
  • zakku1
    zakku1 Posts: 32
    Hey, I'm 4'11'' also. I started MFP at 146 and want to get down to 120. MFP won't let me go below 1200 but I find I'm losing weight faster than the projection it gave and way faster then I was when I used a different app that had me at ~1000 cals a day for 2 lbs a week. Sometimes your body needs to eat more in order to feel safe enough to let go of the weight. I've lost 7 pounds in 4 weeks at the 1200 calories, in the beginning it was slow but I stuck with it and am on track :) Hope this helps.
  • lisabrady70
    lisabrady70 Posts: 3
    Thanks for all the helpful replies, I was never going to eat less than 1200 calories a day particularly when I exercise as even if you only consume healthy food, 1200 would definately be the minimum for me to eat and not feel hungry. I am really trying to reduce my portion sizes, snacking at night and just generally perk up my metabolism. I am fairly fit but go through periods of running loads then long periods of nothing so I am trying to get into a more healthy habit. Good Luck everyone with your own weight loss goals and thanks again for the help and support.
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