Calories that MFP has calculated

hclayton46
hclayton46 Posts: 38 Member
edited September 25 in Food and Nutrition
I'm currently 5'6" and 155lbs. I'm trying to lose another 15-20lbs. MFP has me at 1200 calories and I try to eat back some or most of my exercise calories. I exercise regularly Monday-Thursday, usually at least 300-400 calories burned each time. Every other website that has a calorie intake calculator, when I plug my info in, it says I should be eating about 1600 calories to lose weight. I've been stalled at +/- 3lbs of 155lbs for awhile now. Is MFP setting my calories too low?

I can open my diary to those that can give me sound advice, as I would greatly appreciate any recommendations.

Thanks!

Replies

  • kimmerroze
    kimmerroze Posts: 1,330 Member
    Well do you have it set at 1 pound per week loss or 2 pound per week loss?

    I would suggest bumping it up a little.. I was in your same prediciment, and didnt' lose any weight for about three months... I bumped my caloric intake up to 1480 (which is my BMR or calories needed to survive if I were in a coma) and I all of a sudden started losing weight again.

    I would suggest the following

    Switch your calories up to a higher intake around 1400-1500
    Make sure you are measuring yourself (I didn't lose any weight eating 1200 but I lost 7 inches before I bumped my calories up)
    Make sure you have it set at 1 pound lost per week (you will find that you lose more)
    start lifting weights like crazy, and cut your cardio back a little (you lose more inches this way, and you build muscle, which means you can eat more without gaining weight, you will also be more likely to keep your weight off longer having more muscle on your body)
    Bump up your protein level if you still have it set at what MFP manually sets your protein at.

    those are my tips.
  • morganadk2_deleted
    morganadk2_deleted Posts: 1,696 Member
    Are you eating to enough?

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficit


    This is just a part of it! please read the link above


    Generally someone with a BMI over 32 can do a 1000 calorie a day (2 lbs a week) deficit
    With a BMI of 30 to 32 a deficit of 750 calories is generally correct (about 1.5 lbs a week)
    With a BMI of 28 to 30 a deficit of 500 calories is about right (about 1 lb a week)
    With a BMI of 26 to 28 a deficit of about 300 calories is perfect (about 1/2 lb a week)
    and below 26... well this is where we get fuzzy. See now you're no longer talking about being overweight, so while it's still ok to have a small deficit, you really should shift your focus more towards muscle tone, and reducing fat. This means is EXTRA important to eat your exercise calories as your body needs to KNOW it's ok to burn fat stores, and the only way it will know is if you keep giving it the calories it needs to not enter the famine response (starvation mode)


    Also this might be helpful http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/00trayn/view/how-to-bust-a-3-month-plateau-87677



    Good luck on your journey
  • Atlantique
    Atlantique Posts: 2,484 Member
    The difference between MFP and most other sites is that most other sites count your 'planned exercise' in your calorie goals. MFP does not. MFP calculates your goals to create a calorie deficit using your BMR and your regular workday. When you exercise, you have to log it on MFP and MFP will give those calories back to you in your daily goal.

    So in reality, MFP has roughly the same daily calorie goal for you on days that you exercise that the other sites recommend (1200 + 400 exercise calories=1600).
  • ladyhawk00
    ladyhawk00 Posts: 2,457 Member
    MFP isn't setting them too low, but you might be if you chose the wrong goals. :tongue: MFP uses a different formula than most calorie counters/plans/trainers so you can't directly compare the numbers without doing some calculations to get apples vs apples.

    Might help to read these threads that help explain how MFP works and how to determine healthy, realistic goals/deficit. Good luck to you!

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/186814-some-mfp-basics

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits
  • stormieweather
    stormieweather Posts: 2,549 Member
    The difference between MFP and most other sites is that most other sites count your 'planned exercise' in your calorie goals. MFP does not. MFP calculates your goals to create a calorie deficit using your BMR and your regular workday. When you exercise, you have to log it on MFP and MFP will give those calories back to you in your daily goal.

    So in reality, MFP has roughly the same daily calorie goal for you on days that you exercise that the other sites recommend (1200 + 400 exercise calories=1600).

    This ^^. You ARE eating close to what the other site recommends. MFP does the calculation slightly differently, so that you lose even if you do not exercise. But if you DO exercise, and burn 400 calories, and eat them back, you are eating 1600...just like the other site calculated.
  • SheehyCFC
    SheehyCFC Posts: 529 Member
    So in reality, MFP has roughly the same daily calorie goal for you on days that you exercise that the other sites recommend (1200 + 400 exercise calories=1600).

    Agreed - most other sites I've come across add back in your exercise calories. And as a previous poster mentioned, did you set your weight loss goal at 1lb/week or 2? If it's 2, try going down to 1.5 (or even better 1) - it will help your body regulate, while still losing weight. my guess is you are being too aggressive and 1200 calories isn't cutting it. bump up the calories, and expect a more "long-term" loss
  • Blr31977
    Blr31977 Posts: 49
    Well do you have it set at 1 pound per week loss or 2 pound per week loss?

    I would suggest bumping it up a little.. I was in your same prediciment, and didnt' lose any weight for about three months... I bumped my caloric intake up to 1480 (which is my BMR or calories needed to survive if I were in a coma) and I all of a sudden started losing weight again.

    I would suggest the following

    Switch your calories up to a higher intake around 1400-1500
    Make sure you are measuring yourself (I didn't lose any weight eating 1200 but I lost 7 inches before I bumped my calories up)
    Make sure you have it set at 1 pound lost per week (you will find that you lose more)
    start lifting weights like crazy, and cut your cardio back a little (you lose more inches this way, and you build muscle, which means you can eat more without gaining weight, you will also be more likely to keep your weight off longer having more muscle on your body)
    Bump up your protein level if you still have it set at what MFP manually sets your protein at.

    those are my tips.

    Not my post but I think Im gonna follow this too thanks... :wink:
  • hclayton46
    hclayton46 Posts: 38 Member
    Yes, I had it set at 2lbs loss per week, but obviously I'm not achieving that. I'll go back in and set it to 1lb/week.
  • SheehyCFC
    SheehyCFC Posts: 529 Member
    Yes, I had it set at 2lbs loss per week, but obviously I'm not achieving that. I'll go back in and set it to 1lb/week.
    Saw that you lost 56 lbs before MFP (awesome!). That may be why its tough to lose now - I think the 1lb/week will help. Good luck
  • Atlantique
    Atlantique Posts: 2,484 Member
    Yes, I had it set at 2lbs loss per week, but obviously I'm not achieving that. I'll go back in and set it to 1lb/week.

    Also, check what you entered for your "activity level". On MFP, your activity level is only meant to represent exercise in your regular workday--not trips to the gym and the like. So if you have a desk job, your 'activity level' should say Sedentary. Sometimes folks run into trouble on MFP by essentially counting exercise calories twice-once in the activity level and then again by logging exercise as they perform it.
  • hclayton46
    hclayton46 Posts: 38 Member
    Thanks everyone for the recommendations. I'll read the links you submitted as well. I do have my activity set at sedentary since I sit at a computer all day except for when I go to the gym.
  • hclayton46
    hclayton46 Posts: 38 Member
    It didn't make too much difference when I set it to 1lb/week. It's calculating 1,330 Calories / Day. I'll whip out my tape measure and start measuring too. I have increased my weights as well as rotating different cardio machines.
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