MFP adjusted my caloric intake down....why?

anashnyc
anashnyc Posts: 39 Member
edited November 8 in Health and Weight Loss
So, I have really had great success with using mfp. With no exercise at all except for long walks of about 4 miles daily, I have lost about 22 pounds in 11 weeks. My start weight was 196 and I am now 174. My goal is about 165. I will start weight training this week. When I had my last weigh in on the app, it asked if wanted to adjust my goals and I said yes. The app automatically adjusted my caloric intake down to 1200 per day vs my original 1360 per day. I was surprised by this as I thought it would actually go up! Anyone understand why the app would say i needed to eat less calories? I mean, if I was losing about 2 lbs per day at 1360 why does it now say i need 1200 for the exact same weight loss?

Replies

  • lolly715
    lolly715 Posts: 106
    You weigh less now, so it takes less calories to keep your body running. My current TDEE is about 2400, it drops way down to about 1900 at goal.

    Also, you shouldn't have it set to 2lbs per week with only 9lbs to lose. Decrease that to 1lb per week (max) and you'll get more calories.
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,724 Member
    You braggin', Slim? :bigsmile: You got smaller so your body now needs less calories to function and therefore to shed the same amount of weight. If you want more food you'll need to change the 2 lb per week goal to something less. Honestly by the time MFP gets to 1200 that's actually the lowest it'll ever go. Imagine you need to eat 1210 calories per day to lose 1.5 lb per week. To lose the additional .5 lb per week to get to 2 lbs per week, you'll need to eat 250 cals less per day, or 1210-250=960. However, MFP bottoms out at 1200 and will simply tell you "1200". If you're seeing 1200, you really should consider adjusting your goals
  • williams969
    williams969 Posts: 2,528 Member
    With less than 10lbs to go, switch your goal to 0.5 lb/week loss. BAM! Lots more calories. You're welcome ;)
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    What they said. ^^^ The smaller you are, the fewer calories it takes to fuel you.
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
    Because you weigh less now and don't need as many calories to sustain your current weight. Which means if you one maintained on 2800 calories you now maintain on 2600 calories.

    But your intake is already too low. I'm assuming you've set your goal to 2lbs/week, and possibly set yourself up as sedentary. Few people are truly sedentary and 2lbs/week is excessive for anyone who is not legitimately obese. Which you are not.

    As you lose weight you don't need as many calories. I'd recommend making your goals much more reasonable so that as you continue losing weight you can continue lowering your caloric goal without reaching numbers that are not sustainable.
  • anashnyc
    anashnyc Posts: 39 Member
    Wow, thanks for the fast replies and the help. Ill adjust my goal to 1 pound per week.
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