100 lbs. to lose, MFP always says net 1200?

McKayMachina
McKayMachina Posts: 2,670 Member
edited September 2024 in Food and Nutrition
I am 33 lbs. down in 4 months (67 to go) so I'm making good progress but I'm curious...MFP has *always* told me to net 1200 calories. Sounds like most women in my height/weight goal range started a lot higher. Goals and data have always been properly set. Is something amiss?

I'm content to net 1200 calories through to maintenance. At this point, I have it down to an art :laugh: and it seems to be going quite well.

Just curious. Thx for any insight!

Replies

  • PonyTailedLoser
    PonyTailedLoser Posts: 315 Member
    What is your activity level set at? Mine was set at a lightly active level, for a 2lb loss per week and over 100lbs to lose and it gave 1400 calories per day.
  • McKayMachina
    McKayMachina Posts: 2,670 Member
    Set to sedentary as I work from home at a computer. I log any kind of exercise.
  • HolsDoinIt
    HolsDoinIt Posts: 327 Member
    i am also set at sedentary but I have like 200 to lose and mines set at 2200 daily..with also 2lbs to lose per week
  • cupfanncbms
    cupfanncbms Posts: 101 Member
    I had a lot to lose (70-ish pounds) and I had sedentary as my activity level since I haven't done much until now except for some housework. I also had that I wanted to lose the max per week.

    Congrats on the loss!
  • Samerah12
    Samerah12 Posts: 610 Member
    If you're set to lost 2 lbs/week it will give you a 1,000 calorie deficit, 1 lb/week will give you a 500 cal deficit. Maybe thats it?
  • jllipson
    jllipson Posts: 646 Member
    Same as Pony... mine was 1440 when I first started, it's 1300 now. I also have low or sedentary chosen for activity level. It may also depend on how much exercise you put in that you plan to do.

    Also, just for information, regardless of what it recommends - I try to range between 1200 - 1400 each day, has worked for me so far, on average 2 pounds a week or almost that. Put it this way, I'm down 46 since January 1st, didn't really start tracking calories daily until January 16th though,
  • callipygianchronicle
    callipygianchronicle Posts: 811 Member
    Are you set at 2 pounds lost per week? I started with 90 pounds to lose (until I adjusted my goal weight). But goal is 1 pound per week.
  • McKayMachina
    McKayMachina Posts: 2,670 Member
    If you're set to lost 2 lbs/week it will give you a 1,000 calorie deficit, 1 lb/week will give you a 500 cal deficit. Maybe thats it?

    That explains it then. Maintenance when I started was about 2200. Thx!!! :drinker:
  • MicMar66
    MicMar66 Posts: 186 Member
    I am 5'10" and have mine for active and my calories are 1220. Have to say that I have lost 2 lbs every week since I started. I was only looking to lose 10 lbs. (mini goal) then another 10 lbs. which would bring me down to a weight I haven't seen since...well almost birth!
  • RCKT82
    RCKT82 Posts: 409 Member
    Have you tried using a calculator that incorporates your body fat %? I think those are a tad bit better... well at least with breaking down your calorie intake ratios... my net was roughly the same with other calculators... I believe they all use the same in calculating net calories for age, height, weight, and sex.

    I too sit at a desk all day, so my net intake is ridicously low... If you don't like it that low you can always have it calculate your BMR for maintaining and manually do a 500-1000 calorie deficit.
  • ladyhawk00
    ladyhawk00 Posts: 2,457 Member
    Actually you're getting close to the point you need to lower loss per week goal to 1.5 lbs per week. Depending on your size, that might still have you at 1200; but usually will give you a little more. About 70 lbs to lose (or BMI 32 or under) is a good point to lower the goal.
  • fat214
    fat214 Posts: 109 Member
    bump
  • McKayMachina
    McKayMachina Posts: 2,670 Member
    Actually you're getting close to the point you need to lower loss per week goal to 1.5 lbs per week. Depending on your size, that might still have you at 1200; but usually will give you a little more. About 70 lbs to lose (or BMI 32 or under) is a good point to lower the goal.

    MFP still has me at 1200 with a 1.6 lb./week loss target. Deficit is currently 810. Does that sound right?
  • ladyhawk00
    ladyhawk00 Posts: 2,457 Member
    Actually you're getting close to the point you need to lower loss per week goal to 1.5 lbs per week. Depending on your size, that might still have you at 1200; but usually will give you a little more. About 70 lbs to lose (or BMI 32 or under) is a good point to lower the goal.

    MFP still has me at 1200 with a 1.6 lb./week loss target. Deficit is currently 810. Does that sound right?

    Could be - your BMR calculation has probably gone down a bit since you've lost weight. Have you actually gone in and told it to recalculate everything? Just weighing in doesn't actually recalculate goals.
  • McKayMachina
    McKayMachina Posts: 2,670 Member
    I have. I've read that it doesn't auto-calculate for you so I try to do it anytime I log a loss. I will be sure to stay on top of it.

    Thanks!
  • LeelaLosing
    LeelaLosing Posts: 237 Member
    if you wanna compare, the WebMD site has a more in-depth way to calculate calorie consumption in conjunction with weight loss goals...definitely worth checking out. My problem is the opposite, I'm a shorty 5' 1/4" and I sometimes think that with my slow metabolism I need to be under 1200 on low-no exercise days, but it never goes below 1200. If my healthy weight range is 96-126, how is that right? I am gonna get my HRM fixed so at least I'll have a more accurate picture of how many calories I'm probably burning.....
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