Calories on MFP too low for me??

Did you set up to lose weight each week? What MFP does is calculate your Maintenance Calories (BMR + activity level) then gives you a Daily number to meet based on how much weight you want to lose.

My Maintenance was 1480 (BMR = 1188 + activity level (sedentary)) and I wanted to lose .5lb per week (3500 = 1 pound; 3500/7 = 500 calorie deficit per day). So I get a 250 daily calorie deficit which gave me a 1250 Daily Goal. Then, if I exercise and burn 300 calories then I have to eat those calories to get back to 1250.

You are probably already at a healthy weight since you don't have a lot to lose. Try setting up your goal to lose .5 per week. If you are trying to lose more and exercising then there is a good chance your NET calories (Daily Goal + exercise calories burned) are coming up short.

When you don't have a lot of weight to lose you can't get enough of a calorie deficit to lose fast without going too low and chancing a metabolic slowdown (this will happen if you are eating too few calories) and having your weight loss stall. Re-set your goals and choose "lose .5lb per week" (if it isn't there already). That should increase the amount of calories you can take in each day. And very, very important when you don't have a lot to lose: eat your exercise calories and keep you NET calories above 1200 (you'll see this number at the top of your Home page).

Try this

http://www.healthyweightforum.org/eng/calculators/calories-required/

You are probably already at a healthy weight since you don't have a lot to lose. Try setting up your goal to lose .5 per week. If you are trying to lose more and exercising then there is a good chance your NET calories (Daily Goal + exercise calories burned) are coming up short.

When you don't have a lot of weight to lose you can't get enough of a calorie deficit to lose fast without going too low and chancing a metabolic slowdown (this will happen if you are eating too few calories) and having your weight loss stall. Re-set your goals and choose "lose .5lb per week" (if it isn't there already). That should increase the amount of calories you can take in each day. And very, very important when you don't have a lot to lose: eat your exercise calories and keep you NET calories above 1200 (you'll see this number at the top of your Home page).

Exactly! Well said...
OP, your weight loss and maintenance is outstanding! Great job!

And check out the links in my signature:

"links in MFP you want to read again and again".
"relatively light people trying to get leaner".

The second one might be good reading for you. We want to shed fat to lose weight. Unfortunately diet and cardio exercise cause lean muscle mass loss (along with fat loss). If you want to burn the fat off your body get into heavy weight lifting. Do some research on it. You won't bulk up - that almost impossible for women to do. It's hard for men to do. The more lean muscle mass you have, the higher your metabolism and the more fat burning you will do during rest, normal activity and even sleeping. You will need to eat more to do this and make sure you get plenty of protein. I custom changed my percentages and I'm set at 40%carb/40%protein/20%fat. So maybe check out the link: "An email response that might help some".

And check out the links in my signature:

"links in MFP you want to read again and again".
"relatively light people trying to get leaner".

The second one might be good reading for you. We want to shed fat to lose weight. Unfortunately diet and cardio exercise cause lean muscle mass loss (along with fat loss). If you want to burn the fat off your body get into heavy weight lifting. Do some research on it. You won't bulk up - that almost impossible for women to do. It's hard for men to do. The more lean muscle mass you have, the higher your metabolism and the more fat burning you will do during rest, normal activity and even sleeping. You will need to eat more to do this and make sure you get plenty of protein. I custom changed my percentages and I'm set at 40%carb/40%protein/20%fat. So maybe check out the link: "An email response that might help some".

hpsnickers is awesome.
I get so tired of copy/pasting those awesome links for people. Great idea putting them in your signature!

Definitely read the "Relatively Light People Looking to get Leaner". It is SOOOO long but read it all, especially stroutman's answers to people's questions....
and LIFT WEIGHTS! Heavy weight! You will not get "big", it is not possible to GAIN lots of muscle while in a catabolic state (calorie deficit).
You will simply be PROTECTING the muscle you have so you will lose fat and not muscle.
He explains it so much better. Read it!:laugh: