Changing the daily calories

Goldpanner2015
Goldpanner2015 Posts: 5 Member
in Getting Started
I was wondering if it is possible to lower the daily calories in this program, I'd like to set it to around 1400 or so, the program won't allow me to go below 2200 calories per day, that is way to high. Thanks

Replies

  • SimoneBee12
    SimoneBee12 Posts: 268 Member
    edited June 2015
    Why do you say 2200 is way too high? What are your stats? Age, height, weight, activity level? 1400 is too low for a male.

    Oh also, have you calculated your TDEE? What is it?
  • joeboland
    joeboland Posts: 205 Member
    According to your profile, you're a 54yo male, so I'll work with that. Assuming average height (5'10") and extrapolating a rough weight from what's listed as "to go" (I picked 275lbs), your BMR is likely in and around 2100 calories/day. 1400 is way too low.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    You can manually adjust your goals and set your calorie goal to whatever you want to a point. I don't think MFP will allow you 1400, though. I think 1500 is the lowest for a male.

    That said, losing weight too quickly is not a good idea. When we eat too far under our maintenance calories our bodies freak out and think we're starving and won't have access to food any time soon. Rather than take all of the energy it needs from stored fat it'll start breaking down muscle for fuel especially if you aren't using those muscles. So what you end up with at the end is a higher body fat percentage (since you lost lean muscle mass) and a slightly lower metabolism. If you then put some of that weight back on (and aren't lifting heavy weights) it's going to be all fat. Now your body fat percentage is even higher and it'll be even harder to lose weight the next time around.

    Rather than trying to lose weight really quickly in an unhealthy way, eat at a reasonable deficit and lift heavy weights to maintain muscle mass. It may take a little longer but you'll be happier with the results and it'll be easier to maintain your goal weight when you reach it. Here are reasonable goals:

    Pound per week goals
    75+ lbs set to lose 2 lb range (-1000 calories per day)
    Between 40 - 75 lbs set to lose 1.5 lb range (-750 calories per day)
    Between 25-40 lbs set to lose 1 lb range (-750 calories per day)
    Between 15-25 lbs set to lose 1 -.50 lb range (-500 to -250 calories per day)
    Less than 15 lbs set to lose 0.5 lbs range (-250 calories per day)
  • Goldpanner2015
    Goldpanner2015 Posts: 5 Member
    Thanks for the reply:)
  • Goldpanner2015
    Goldpanner2015 Posts: 5 Member
    joeboland wrote: »
    According to your profile, you're a 54yo male, so I'll work with that. Assuming average height (5'10") and extrapolating a rough weight from what's listed as "to go" (I picked 275lbs), your BMR is likely in and around 2100 calories/day. 1400 is way too low.

    If I eat 2100 calories per day I'd gain weight, I'm on a LCHF diet and it's working pretty good, I can't go that high, I don't get hungry enough to eat that many calories, and I won't eat unless I'm hungry. Thanks for your response but you didn't answer my question.
  • Goldpanner2015
    Goldpanner2015 Posts: 5 Member
    SimoneBee12 wrote: »
    Why do you say 2200 is way too high? What are your stats? Age, height, weight, activity level? 1400 is too low for a male.

    Oh also, have you calculated your TDEE? What is it?

    I don't have a clue what the TDEE means and you didn't answer my question, how do you change the calories per day in this program, mine won't let me input less then 2200.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    Goldpanner2015 wrote: »
    SimoneBee12 wrote: »
    Why do you say 2200 is way too high? What are your stats? Age, height, weight, activity level? 1400 is too low for a male.

    Oh also, have you calculated your TDEE? What is it?

    I don't have a clue what the TDEE means and you didn't answer my question, how do you change the calories per day in this program, mine won't let me input less then 2200.

    They're giving you advice because going below 2200 may not be healthy...especially since you don't really understand what TDEE is.
  • Goldpanner2015
    Goldpanner2015 Posts: 5 Member
    arditarose wrote: »
    Goldpanner2015 wrote: »
    SimoneBee12 wrote: »
    Why do you say 2200 is way too high? What are your stats? Age, height, weight, activity level? 1400 is too low for a male.

    Oh also, have you calculated your TDEE? What is it?

    I don't have a clue what the TDEE means and you didn't answer my question, how do you change the calories per day in this program, mine won't let me input less then 2200.

    They're giving you advice because going below 2200 may not be healthy...especially since you don't really understand what TDEE is.

    Thanks I do now, once again answers are off topic, and I noticed you didn't bother sharing what it meant? The mayo clinic website has a good and simple TDEE calculator. And I didn't need the calculator I already knew how many calories per day I needed to sustain my weight and what I needed to cut to lose weight. But see this thread was started asking about how to change the calories per day in this program, and the answer is you can't go below 2 lbs per week, it won't let you.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    Goldpanner2015 wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    Goldpanner2015 wrote: »
    SimoneBee12 wrote: »
    Why do you say 2200 is way too high? What are your stats? Age, height, weight, activity level? 1400 is too low for a male.

    Oh also, have you calculated your TDEE? What is it?

    I don't have a clue what the TDEE means and you didn't answer my question, how do you change the calories per day in this program, mine won't let me input less then 2200.

    They're giving you advice because going below 2200 may not be healthy...especially since you don't really understand what TDEE is.

    Thanks I do now, once again answers are off topic, and I noticed you didn't bother sharing what it meant? The mayo clinic website has a good and simple TDEE calculator. And I didn't need the calculator I already knew how many calories per day I needed to sustain my weight and what I needed to cut to lose weight. But see this thread was started asking about how to change the calories per day in this program, and the answer is you can't go below 2 lbs per week, it won't let you.

    So you found the answer yourself. Good job.

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