"If everyday was like today" problem

1reneeski
1reneeski Posts: 32 Member
edited November 17 in Health and Weight Loss
After I log and I get the message, "if everyday was like today, you would weigh", but it is only 4 lbs lower than what I am now. So how can I only lose 4 lbs in 5 weeks??? In that case, I will be on a diet for the rest of my life, LOL. Is that feature broke? I really hope so : (

Replies

  • jenncornelsen
    jenncornelsen Posts: 969 Member
    What is your weekly calorie goal set to?
  • Zedeff
    Zedeff Posts: 651 Member
    edited April 2015
    Your rate of loss is low because your calorie intake is high. It's that simple. If you want to lose faster, you need a bigger deficit.

    That "feature" is just simple math BTW. Daily deficit multiplied by 35, divided by 3500 is your expected loss. This simplifies to daily deficit divided by 100 of course. For today your daily deficit must have been only 400 calories.
  • Merkavar
    Merkavar Posts: 3,082 Member
    Did you set you goal to lose 1 pound? Did you over eat that day?

    Did you set your goal to half a pound a week and under eat a bit?

    People seem to have issues with this feature. But it's so simple and minor, I don't understand the confusion or anger that some people seem to show it.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    If your goal is 1200, that is the lowest MFP will give you, so you won't be able to reach the deficit you're looking for most likely.
  • maxit
    maxit Posts: 880 Member
    You won't be on a diet for the rest of your life ... it will just feel that way :)
  • atypicalsmith
    atypicalsmith Posts: 2,742 Member
    edited April 2015
    Merkavar wrote: »
    Did you set you goal to lose 1 pound? Did you over eat that day?

    Did you set your goal to half a pound a week and under eat a bit?

    People seem to have issues with this feature. But it's so simple and minor, I don't understand the confusion or anger that some people seem to show it.

    Me neither. As slowly as I am losing, I'm always ahead of MFP's predictions.
  • jascakes
    jascakes Posts: 26 Member
    I have the opposite problem to you! The end of day message predicts MUCH MORE weight loss than actually happens, so looks like I'll be dieting for the rest of my life too!
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    if you're currently fat - the chances are you will be conscious of your diet for the rest of your life

    as in your lifestyle and what it takes to stay healthy once you've hit your ideal weight

    the calculation is just that - a calculation - if it bothers you don't complete your day (completing only gives you that calculation, nothing else)

    what matters is what happens in your body

    so what you lose 4lb in 5 weeks, so you lose 42lbs in a year - sounds a pretty decent weight loss to me
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    If you eat under 1000 calories this message will not pop up...

    But if you eat over 1000 calories this message always pops up. This message is bogus. This same question has come up many times in other threads and I too hate seeing this.

    For example I ate 1200 calories with 500 calories of exercise and I was told I would weight 107 in five weeks. Ate the same calories next day with 80 calories burned at it said I would weight 112 in five weeks. That is only 2.2 pounds from where I am today and I am set to maintain and not loose weight... Go figure this on out.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    That calculation has never once been accurate for me!
    I very rarely close my diary these days, so have no idea what it's wildly predicting for me now :huh:
  • wizzybeth
    wizzybeth Posts: 3,578 Member
    I too do not understand why this bothers people so much. I have found it to be spot on sometimes and off on other times. I use it as a motivational tool to either a) repeat a good day or b) do better tomorrow.
  • alexelmer
    alexelmer Posts: 44 Member
    Are you adding extra exercise each day? When I do a lot of exercise in one day & stick to cals it says I'll loose loads, but if I stay within cals but don't exercise it says ill only be a couple of pounds lighter.

    Even if it is 4lb in 5 weeks it is better than 0lb!
  • leah4590
    leah4590 Posts: 27 Member
    Mine always says I'll weigh so much less, it's not that it's a bogus feature, but I take what it says with a pinch of salt. Like the poster above says, 4lbs is better than 0 lbs! :)
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    I also don't think I've ever had a day thats Exactly the same as another. Which is what it would take for 5 weeks straight for the calculation to be somewhat accurate
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    christinev297 wrote: »
    I also don't think I've ever had a day thats Exactly the same as another. Which is what it would take for 5 weeks straight for the calculation to be somewhat accurate

    Yes the key in that message is If everyday were like today what are the chances that is going to happen?
  • lauracups
    lauracups Posts: 533 Member
    It's just another estimate, nothing is etched in stone. As far as being on a diet forever, well you will either learn to adapt an overall lifestyle change or gain it back when you go off "the diet". Perhaps look at it as "if every day was like today " you would feel more in control because you are aware of your health.
  • jessicadb2
    jessicadb2 Posts: 57 Member
    atypicalsmith wrote: »
    Merkavar wrote: »
    Did you set you goal to lose 1 pound? Did you over eat that day?

    Did you set your goal to half a pound a week and under eat a bit?

    People seem to have issues with this feature. But it's so simple and minor, I don't understand the confusion or anger that some people seem to show it.

    Me neither. As slowly as I am losing, I'm always ahead of MFP's predictions.

    me too. Generally I lose about .5-1lb more than MFP predicts and I stick to the calories they give me.
  • Lois_1989
    Lois_1989 Posts: 6,410 Member
    Its all lies! I've been doing this for 110 days and I haven't reached what it tells me. Bast*rd
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited April 2015
    wizzybeth wrote: »
    I too do not understand why this bothers people so much. I have found it to be spot on sometimes and off on other times. I use it as a motivational tool to either a) repeat a good day or b) do better tomorrow.

    Agreed. It's just simple math, anyway--you can't expect the program to do more than that. If it predicts your weekly results wrong (like when I used to lose 2 lb on a deficit it said would lead to 1.5), then the 5 week prediction will just be that x 5, assuming you hit everything perfectly. If you don't--like you don't eat back all exercise calories or go over and under--of course the prediction will reflect that. For example, MFP will accept the exercise burn as correct. If you don't adjust it but believe it is too high, obviously MFP's predicted results will be too high. If you don't log exercise, MFP will lack information and predict less of a loss than is likely. If you claim to be sedentary and aren't, MFP can't possibly know that, etc.

    Also, as others have said, I've never done the same thing every day for 5 weeks, so I've always ignored it, except to remind myself that if I'm consistent for 5 weeks I really will see a difference.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    it is just an estimate …ignore it and pay attention to the number on the scale at your actual weigh ins….

  • 1reneeski
    1reneeski Posts: 32 Member
    Thank you. I should be better at exercise. I am waiting for it to be nice enough to swim again (my favorite). I manually put in my calories at 1100 per day. I usually come close and sometimes maybe 1x a week go over but only by less than 50. I like to put in my food a little more than I eat, just to be sure I am being true to myself. For example if I have a banana, I will put it in as a larger one than I have. I will watch the scale for now on. Part of my problem is wanting to have all the weight off NOW, lol. Thanks again!
  • freeoscar
    freeoscar Posts: 82 Member
    1reneeski wrote: »
    Thank you. I should be better at exercise. I am waiting for it to be nice enough to swim again (my favorite). I manually put in my calories at 1100 per day. I usually come close and sometimes maybe 1x a week go over but only by less than 50. I like to put in my food a little more than I eat, just to be sure I am being true to myself. For example if I have a banana, I will put it in as a larger one than I have. I will watch the scale for now on. Part of my problem is wanting to have all the weight off NOW, lol. Thanks again!

    We've all been there - the good thing is, 'time flies' so before you realize it you'll be planning for the holidays, and if you've stuck to your eating plan you'll be over 20lbs lighter and amazed at the progress you've made.
  • harpsdesire
    harpsdesire Posts: 190 Member
    I kind of ignore the message because I know everyday will never be like today.

    The message varies widely because it's unlikely to hit the EXACT target calories more than once in a great while unless you're eating the same thing all the time and planning it that way. Even then, the calories in natural foods like meat, fruit, etc vary a bit, making that message essentially meaningless.
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