Why is Mfp telling me to eat only 1200 calories?

Iluvmyfurbabies wrote: »

I'm 5'6 190lb 34 years old. I chose sedentary but told it I would work out 5 days a week for 40 minutes. Is 1200 calories accurate?
I'm a noob, I don't understand all this fitness talk.. Macros and micros and TDEE and blah. I've come across good links here on Mfp but it's too much. I just want to know how many calories I should eat.

You've gotten lots of good answers, but let me see if I can explain it even more clearly.

MFP asks how much you will exercise so you can set it as a goal, but unlike lots of methods of setting a calorie goal it does not take the exercise into account when it gives you the calorie goal. Whether you say no exercise or 2 hours a day, 6 days a week, you will get the exact same calorie goal.

Instead, MFP has you log the exercise when you do it and then adjusts the calorie goal to reflect that you actually are exercising. That way someone ambitious in their goals but lacking in their execution doesn't end up with too high a calorie goal and fail to lose when he or she fails to exercise.

Eating back the exercise calories, then, is not counterproductive, but essential to how MFP works, certainly if you say 2 lbs/week as a goal.

Many plans have you split your calorie cutting between exercise and calorie cutting (I will cut 500 calories/day for one lb/week and then try to exercise an additional 500 calories/day for another one lb/week). In essence, if you tell MFP 2 lbs and then exercise and eat back exercise calories, that's what you are doing.

If you tell MFP 2 lbs/week and then exercise on top of that and actually log and track accurately, you are going for a loss goal (more than 2 lbs) that MFP considers extreme and that for people who are not extremely obese is probably too extreme and likely to undermine their fitness goals.

Does that make sense?

The exercise you enter in your goals is pointless, it's just used to keep track of your own goals, but it's not factored in your calories at all. You're supposed to log your exercise and eat the calories back on top of your 1200 calories.

TavistockToad wrote: »

Because you told MFP you want to lose 2lb per week.

when you exercise you then eat those calories back to NET your calorie goal, thats how MFP works. so if you burn 200 cals when you work out, you should eat 1400 that day.

^^^^^
(*) THIS (*)

I think that MFP tells people 1200 calories because the way the interface is designed, it gives you the option of choosing two pounds per week. And sure, if you ask a hundred people whether they'd rather lose half, one or two pounds per week, probably ninety-nine of them will say two pounds. All things being equal, of course I'd love to lose weight faster. But all things aren't equal.

The TDEE calculator at http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/ is much smarter, I think. It gives options up to a 25% calorie deficit, but puts in a strong warning to consult a doctor before attempting more than 15-20%. It's just more realistic for most people to lose weight at a slower, steadier pace that can be maintained longer.

ETA: According to the TDEE calculator I linked above, At 5'6, 190lbs, 34 years old, you'd be looking at 1500 calories/day at a sedentary activity level, which will give you a weight loss of about 0.8lbs/week or 40lbs/year.

If you add in a moderate exercise level like you said, of 5 days/week at 40 minutes, you should up your calories to 1960 and that will bump you to 1lb/week.

More than that is probably bordering on unhealthy and unsustainable. But these calculators are only tools to get you started. Try eating at that level for a bit, log your results, and adjust as you go.

(All this to say, 1200 calories/day is probably too low for you, with or without your workouts but especially with them.)

Iluvmyfurbabies wrote: »

Yeah, I have been going through a lot of depression so I REALLY am sedentary... I'm just now feeling a bit back to normal so I'm trying to move more. I have gained 30 pounds during this "chapter" of my life so I'm panicking now to lose the weight haha
I'm really excited to get back into the swing of things so maybe I will just have to consult with a professional to tell me what to do (for now) thanks for the help.

Working out will help with the depression : ) Personally, I think 1200 is too low. How do you feel if you eat 1200 calories? Tired, lightheaded, energized, etc? That's the biggest gauge of whether or not your getting enough. If you don't eat enough, as TeaBea said, your body will be burning off whatever muscle you have or have built rather than fat cells.

I won't get into completely explaining macros - PM me if you want to know more. I will advise aiming for 40% fat, 30% protein, and 30% carbs. Sounds weird, but the fat and protein keep you full and fueled. Carbs are necessary, but not your body's only source of fuel. health fats (avacado, olive oil, etc) and protein are preferred. Carbs are also the easiest macro for your body to convert to fat cells, so it should be your lowest source of energy.