Why such low calories?

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staceybug85
staceybug85 Posts: 1 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm trying to lose weight. A LOT of weight. Every thing I have read states to eat like 1800+ calories for weight loss (sedentary lifestyle, female, 30, etc). If this is true, why does my fitness pal only allow me 1200 calories? I'm confused.

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  • heidim44444
    heidim44444 Posts: 27 Member
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    In your settings, what did you choose for rate of loss?
  • ncboiler89
    ncboiler89 Posts: 2,408 Member
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    staceybug85 wrote: »
    I'm trying to lose weight. A LOT of weight. Every thing I have read states to eat like 1800+ calories for weight loss (sedentary lifestyle, female, 30, etc). If this is true, why does my fitness pal only allow me 1200 calories? I'm confused.

    1800 seems kind of high but I heard there may be a bug that sometimes shows up in the MFP calculation.

    You can eat at 1800 if you think that is correct and if you haven't lost any weight (fat) in a couple of months re-evaluate. You can do the same with the 1200 calorie figure and just add calories if you are losing too fast.
  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
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    Are the articles you read based upon TDEE or NEAT? Are you aware that MFP's totals do not include exercise calories and that you are expected to eat those back (requires accurate logging)?
  • Timorous_Beastie
    Timorous_Beastie Posts: 595 Member
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    A lot of calorie counting plans include the exercise you say you'll do in your calorie goal. MFP doesn't include it until you log it. So when you add the calories you "earn" from exercise, your goal might end up being closer to 1800.

    I also think, for some people at least, the default calorie goals are a little low. I live a fairly sedentary lifestyle, not including my exercise, but I need to set my activity level at lightly active or moderately active, plus my exercise calories to have enough calories for it to match close to the calories I'd get from a TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) calculator.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    If you pick 2 lb/week, MFP has to cut 1000 calories from your maintenance assuming you are sedentary and do no exercise (although you get the exercise calories back if you do exercise). Most other methods include the exercise upfront or are based on a lower per week loss.

    If you identify the other calorie estimates you are looking at I can probably be more specific about the differences.
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
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    1800 seems very high. That is above maintenance for some people.
  • bootybotty
    bootybotty Posts: 1 Member
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    its based on what you inputted when you were editing your fitness goals. If you put that you wanted to lose say, 2 pounds per week you would need to eat a lot less calories per day to achieve that so myfitnesspal adjusted it's settings for you. If you wanted to eat 1800 calories a day you would probably only be losing around .5 pounds a week, depending on what you weigh. If you want to change it you can go to your settings and adjust the fitness goals, but realistically if you eat 1800 calories a day you won't be losing a lot of weight and it will take you quite a while to reach your goal. 1500 seems more realistic.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
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    If you set your goal too aggressively, you will get a lower number. Remember, you will be earning calories through exercise.
  • fattymcrunnerpants
    fattymcrunnerpants Posts: 311 Member
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    Because that's MFP's default. I sweet mine manually. 1200 would have my eating my own arm off. I'm sedentary (desk job), 28, and have a lot of weight to lose as well. I have it set at just above 1600.
  • Psychgrrl
    Psychgrrl Posts: 3,177 Member
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    Welcome to MFP! :smiley: It seems like you set your goal to two pounds/week. Try one pound/week. That should give you more daily calories. Read this, it should help!

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants#latest

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