"if everyday were like today"

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sachah94
sachah94 Posts: 1 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
How accurate do you find this? I'm quite new here, I mean I've come on here back and forth but only recently got serious and stuck with it, finding it very helpful. Anyway, just out of curiosity, when you finish logging for the day and it gives you your estimated weight loss in 5 weeks, do you find this to be accurate? More or less? I know it states it can vary, just a general wondering I guess!
thanks in advance xx

Replies

  • momar23
    momar23 Posts: 292 Member
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    For me it tends to be fairly accurate. 7 months in and it matches up with my happy scale app predictions most of the time. I don't pay too much attention though. Some days I'm not particularly hungry or I leave some calories on the table cause I know I have a meal out coming up and I see some # that would be nice but then I have a maintenance day and I see a number not so nice.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1318741/in-5-weeks-youll-lose-10lbs-why-is-it-not-working/p1
  • Merkavar
    Merkavar Posts: 3,082 Member
    edited September 2015
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    I think it's fairly accurate because I normally get a fairly similar net calories at the end of the day.

    But I have recorded its estimate, waited 5 weeks and compared it.

    I would prefer if it was based on the past 7 days, that should improve its accuracy.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
    edited September 2015
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    it's just a projection based on an overly simplified equation...there are a lot of things to consider, one of which is, is everyday truly like today? 'cuz usually not...people have cheat meals, etc...women have cycles for which hormonal changes impact weight management, etc. *kitten* happens...

    IMO, don't put too much stock in it...it's really pretty irrelevant...just watch your overall trends, focus on the process, and win.

    i would add that when I was in the weight loss process, certain 5 week chunks were more accurate than others...just depended how "on" I was during that particular period. I lost my weight over the course of 9 months to a year...that's a long time to be "on" all of the time...it's a long process. 3 years into this good livin' now with over 2 years of maintenance (more or less) for me...stuff happens.
  • momar23
    momar23 Posts: 292 Member
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    Merkavar wrote: »
    I think it's fairly accurate because I normally get a fairly similar net calories at the end of the day.

    But I have recorded its estimate, waited 5 weeks and compared it.

    I would prefer if it was based on the past 7 days, that should improve its accuracy.

    Oh a prediction based on your past 7 days would be so much better!!
  • misterdale67
    misterdale67 Posts: 171 Member
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    Fairly accurate for me as well.
  • Merkavar
    Merkavar Posts: 3,082 Member
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    momar23 wrote: »
    Merkavar wrote: »
    I think it's fairly accurate because I normally get a fairly similar net calories at the end of the day.

    But I have recorded its estimate, waited 5 weeks and compared it.

    I would prefer if it was based on the past 7 days, that should improve its accuracy.

    Oh a prediction based on your past 7 days would be so much better!!

    Well considering they have your food log for weeks or months in the system, could they not base your prediction on 7 days or a month or 3 months.

    Ignoring days you didn't log anything etc

    Mfp/under armour you can send me a cheque for my ideas if you like :tongue:

    Could be a premium feature, hint hint hint


  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,488 Member
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    Not even the tinest bit accurate at all. I have never once even come anywhere near what it predicted.
  • allenpriest
    allenpriest Posts: 1,102 Member
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    If you eat the same calories every day for the next five weeks, and you are logging accurately, and you are measuring your exercise correctly, and you are onlyv eating back about half the exercise calories MFP s as ys you used, and if you have your activity level set properly, snd if you have no medical issues going then it will be accurate within 10-15%.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
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    I don't eat the same amount of calories every day, so for me-not accurate.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,203 Member
    edited September 2015
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    During my first 4 months here, I lost weight quite a bit faster than what it predicted.

    Over the past 6 weeks or so, I have increased my calories and now it is fairly accurate.

    Remember it is just a quick calculation based on how many calories you consumed on that particular day. If you were to consume exactly the same number of calories every single day, then it should be quite accurate, but I don't ... my calories might be close to the same, but not identical every day.

    However, that said, I do find it motivational. :) It shows me what's possible. When I hit my first goal at the end of 4 months, that little message was suggesting I could possibly be a weight I haven't seen since about 2009, and it got me to thinking that perhaps I could shoot for that. I passed that point, and now it is showing me a weight that I haven't seen since about 2003. :grin:
  • Mezzie1024
    Mezzie1024 Posts: 380 Member
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    It's accurate in that if I ate the same every day, I would be there. But I don't. I give myself maintenance days here and there, so the lowest it predicts in five weeks I tend to hit in six or seven. Luckily I have never hit the highest it predicts. :open_mouth:
  • ErinV1974
    ErinV1974 Posts: 21 Member
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    It is the most motivating part of MFP for me!
  • robertf57
    robertf57 Posts: 560 Member
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    On average, pretty accurate. It serves as a little reality check as well as a motivational tool, I think.
  • PaulaWallaDingDong
    PaulaWallaDingDong Posts: 4,641 Member
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    For me, it's not far off. It's also nice to have an idea where I'm going, even if it isn't perfect.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
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    It's a way to give you immediate feedback on how you did that day and to keep you motivated toward your goals. I promise, everyday is NOT like today. Ever.
  • shadowfax_c11
    shadowfax_c11 Posts: 1,942 Member
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    I sort of doubt that anyone has had a 5 week stretch of days that were exactly identical in every way... so... not it is not something I take as a prediction that can be accurate. What I do find is that it is a nice but of encouragement. A sort of "wow you did great today!" or" you could have done better but you still came out a little ahead" or.... "well that sucked, lets do better tomorrow so we don't actually gain 10 pounds in the next month...."

  • Domicinator
    Domicinator Posts: 261 Member
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    Mine is accurate to the exact day sometimes. I got down to 199 on the day it said I would.
  • Lourdesong
    Lourdesong Posts: 1,492 Member
    edited September 2015
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    I usually don't close out my diary but I have every once in a while to see the projection.
    A few weeks ago I was flipping back in my diary like 6 months ago maybe? And came across an entry I had completed, and the projection was for like 5 lbs less than I weigh now. So it was basically projecting a 40+ loss for 5 weeks from that date.
    Maybe everyone knowsIt projects from the present, but I didn't because I rarely close out my diary so it threw me for a loop, lol.
  • KiwiAlexP
    KiwiAlexP Posts: 185 Member
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    Lourdesong wrote: »
    I usually don't close out my diary but I have every once in a while to see the projection.
    A few weeks ago I was flipping back in my diary like 6 months ago maybe? And came across an entry I had completed, and the projection was for like 5 lbs less than I weigh now. So it was basically projecting a 40+ loss for 5 weeks from that date.
    Maybe everyone knowsIt projects from the present, but I didn't because I rarely close out my diary so it threw me for a loop, lol.

    When you look back it works out your predicted weight 5 weeks from today if you were eating the same thing as the day you looked at. So if you look at 5 January, today, it estimates that if for the next 5 weeks you ate the same thing as on the 5th Jan you will weigh for example 5ponds less than today
  • ncboiler89
    ncboiler89 Posts: 2,408 Member
    edited September 2015
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    sachah94 wrote: »
    How accurate do you find this? I'm quite new here, I mean I've come on here back and forth but only recently got serious and stuck with it, finding it very helpful. Anyway, just out of curiosity, when you finish logging for the day and it gives you your estimated weight loss in 5 weeks, do you find this to be accurate? More or less? I know it states it can vary, just a general wondering I guess!
    thanks in advance xx

    I stopped paying attention to this when I figured out what it meant and how the number was calculated. It's meaningless to me.

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