1200 cals for all loss rates??
Options
Replies
-
OP you are considered a short in height. No matter what weight goal you put in to loose weight, the minimum MFP is going to allow is 1200.
I too am short, and this is the same allotment for me as well. So we can take a look at age, height, current weight and come up with your TDEE and BMR and see just how many calories you need to perform work, and daily activities and how much the deficit really is off of those numbers.
Customizing the setting while not a great idea, IMHO and should use MFP recommendations. Eat back your exercise calories when you start this activity up (at least a portion to keep your energy balance in check).
ETA: I see that someone ran your stats in Scooby and TDEE is 1585, so your deficit is 300 calories a day at 1200. I just saw this, sorry about that.
Would I then eat back the calories shown on my fitbit for exercise? Actually no, if I want to lose more than 0.5lbs a week, I suppose I better stick to 1200.0 -
melissa112 wrote: »Yes, I am going to start moving more. This time last year I was really active, then things changed. I moved in with my partner, we like those cosy nights in etc, I get home from work late and have to leave early now because of change in location, so by the time I get home, cook something, I never feel like doing much!
He's said he wants to start exercising too so this will be good.
As my calories are set to 1200, which is still wrong unless it's 0.5lb a week, I guess I can never eat more than that without doing a lot of exercise!
What does your Fitbit suggest your daily calorie requirement is?
0 -
When you are short and you are already close to a healthy weight (vs at an obese BMI), weight loss moves at a glacial pace because the calorie deficits are very small. As a fellow short gal (though shorter than you at about 5 foot) that is also relatively sedentary, I would accept that your base calorie intake should be around 1200 (especially since you have had success with that!) for loss and then log all of your exercise into MFP. Once you log those exercise calories, eat up to half of them back if you are hungry. MFP does overestimate how many calories you burn doing exercise, so if you eat all of them back you will likely "undo" the calorie burn from the exercise.
Remember that when you only have a few calories to eat, choosing the right things to eat will help you to feel full! This means lots of protein and fiber. You also don't have to give up things you love! You can have the things you crave if you really want them, just in smaller portions.
Also, remember that the first few weeks of weight loss also include water loss, so don't be discouraged if your rate of loss lows down a little bit. So long as the scale as moving in the correct direction (even in decimals), then its a success!
Thanks, how I wish I was taller! Yes usually when I am eating at a deficit I tend to homecook stuff and make healthier meals, last week was particularly not great. I stayed under the calories, but ate more processed stuff.
I don't feel that hungry to be honest, but I guess that will change.
So I should log my cals for exercise on MFP and not use the fitbit adjustment when I do exercise? I thought the fitbit would be more accurate?0 -
Just to confirm, you are pressing "update profile" when you change your loss goal, aren't you? That leads to a page that will tell you exactly what MFP predicts your loss will be, and if it gives you 1200 (because that's the lowest amount) it will tell you how much loss that is per week. For example, if I choose 2lb per week it will let me enter it, but when I update it gives me 1200 cals and says "Your projected weight loss is 1.3 lbs/week".
Try it, and see what rates it gives you when you input various amounts (I would recommend not doing 2lb per week though!)
This works on the web interface, I'm not sure about doing it via apps.0 -
If you are on the 1200 "floor" MFP will make an error with the exercise calories so I wouldn't follow it.0
-
While the exercise calories can be quite inaccurate, the amount IS NOT ZERO. Losing weight is a matter of burning more calories than you consume (CICO, Calories In- Calories Out). MFP is set up to measure your calories in by tracking your food and estimating your calories out by 1) you activity level 2) the exercises you log. Those who say they don’t eat back their calories fall into a few categories 1) they don’t exercise enough were it matters and is effectively included in their level of activity 2) they are tracking their intake of calories so bad that their error in not tracking exercise calories corrects for it 3) they are losing faster than they should.
The best way to determine what percentage of exercise calories to eat back is to start with a guess, like 50%, and review the results over 3-6 weeks.
Encouraging people not to eat back exercise calories whose non-exercise calories goal is at the limit for their gender is akin to encouraging a VLCD.0 -
3dogsrunning wrote: »melissa112 wrote: »Yes, I am going to start moving more. This time last year I was really active, then things changed. I moved in with my partner, we like those cosy nights in etc, I get home from work late and have to leave early now because of change in location, so by the time I get home, cook something, I never feel like doing much!
He's said he wants to start exercising too so this will be good.
As my calories are set to 1200, which is still wrong unless it's 0.5lb a week, I guess I can never eat more than that without doing a lot of exercise!
What does your Fitbit suggest your daily calorie requirement is?
I'm not sure where that is? My activity goal on fitbit is 2222? But it's not set to lose any particular lbs per week? I just have my goal in there of 126lbs.
Yesterday it said I burned (including BMR), 2048 calories. This included a dog walk for 90mins, at brisk pace, and just 10 mins of squats, mountain climbers etc. 200 reps in total of all exercise.
Just out of interest, if I started to walk the dog each evening for at least an hour, would I still be classed as sedentary?0 -
-
Sorry for all the questions, I'm just quite confused!0
-
melissa112 wrote: »3dogsrunning wrote: »melissa112 wrote: »Yes, I am going to start moving more. This time last year I was really active, then things changed. I moved in with my partner, we like those cosy nights in etc, I get home from work late and have to leave early now because of change in location, so by the time I get home, cook something, I never feel like doing much!
He's said he wants to start exercising too so this will be good.
As my calories are set to 1200, which is still wrong unless it's 0.5lb a week, I guess I can never eat more than that without doing a lot of exercise!
What does your Fitbit suggest your daily calorie requirement is?
I'm not sure where that is? My activity goal on fitbit is 2222? But it's not set to lose any particular lbs per week? I just have my goal in there of 126lbs.
Yesterday it said I burned (including BMR), 2048 calories. This included a dog walk for 90mins, at brisk pace, and just 10 mins of squats, mountain climbers etc. 200 reps in total of all exercise.
Just out of interest, if I started to walk the dog each evening for at least an hour, would I still be classed as sedentary?
On MFP you would be classed as sedentary as they would expect you to log it an eat those calories back. On a TDEE calculator, no. You would be the next step up. But then you wouldn't eat those exercise calories.
If it said 2048 was your total calories yesterday that means eating at 1200 left you in about an 800 calorie deficit.
I'm not familiar with the Fitbit site, so I can't help.
Why not check out the group and see how you can best use it to set your calorie goal by using it.
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/1290-fitbit-users0 -
melissa112 wrote: »Sorry for all the questions, I'm just quite confused!
It is.
Double check your settings. I just changed my profile to reflect your stats and MFP gives me 1400 calories for .5lb a week.
If you use MFP, log additional exercise and eat at least 50% of those calories back. Try it for several weeks, ie more than 3-4, and evaluate. Adjust up or down if needed.
Or check out the Fitbit group to see if they have suggestions on how best to use it with MFP.
ETA - at 1lb a week I get 1200 with a projected goal of .9lbs a week loss. So even then you would be safe eating at least half your exercise calories back.0 -
Thanks will do, I just logged onto MFP on the web as opposed to my phone and changed my goal manually to 0.5lbs per week at sedentary, now it gives me 1400! I was updating the goal on my phone. Think I'll switch to 1lb a week and eat back calories from walking and any exercise?0
-
3dogsrunning wrote: »melissa112 wrote: »Sorry for all the questions, I'm just quite confused!
It is.
Double check your settings. I just changed my profile to reflect your stats and MFP gives me 1400 calories for .5lb a week.
If you use MFP, log additional exercise and eat at least 50% of those calories back. Try it for several weeks, ie more than 3-4, and evaluate. Adjust up or down if needed.
Or check out the Fitbit group to see if they have suggestions on how best to use it with MFP.
ETA - at 1lb a week I get 1200 with a projected goal of .9lbs a week loss. So even then you would be safe eating at least half your exercise calories back.
Thanks, I just don't think my phone app was updating the goal! I changed to 1lb a week and it gave me 1200 again. I'll just need to work out the best way to estimate my exercise calories, which I thought was fitbit.
Given I had 400 left over, I was planning to eat back 200, so 1400, which I guess is about right for 1lb a week lightly active if I did the same every day as I did yesterday?0 -
melissa112 wrote: »Thanks will do, I just logged onto MFP on the web as opposed to my phone and changed my goal manually to 0.5lbs per week at sedentary, now it gives me 1400! I was updating the goal on my phone. Think I'll switch to 1lb a week and eat back calories from walking and any exercise?
I just added on to my post -
When I looked, 1lb a week gave me 1200 calories with a goal of .9lb per week loss. So you should be safe eating at least half of your exercise calories back as well.0 -
melissa112 wrote: »OP you are considered a short in height. No matter what weight goal you put in to loose weight, the minimum MFP is going to allow is 1200.
I too am short, and this is the same allotment for me as well. So we can take a look at age, height, current weight and come up with your TDEE and BMR and see just how many calories you need to perform work, and daily activities and how much the deficit really is off of those numbers.
Customizing the setting while not a great idea, IMHO and should use MFP recommendations. Eat back your exercise calories when you start this activity up (at least a portion to keep your energy balance in check).
ETA: I see that someone ran your stats in Scooby and TDEE is 1585, so your deficit is 300 calories a day at 1200. I just saw this, sorry about that.
Would I then eat back the calories shown on my fitbit for exercise? Actually no, if I want to lose more than 0.5lbs a week, I suppose I better stick to 1200.
Yes you should eat back the exercise. MFP is not TDEE. It is NEAT (non exercise activity thermogenesis). MFP says goal = deficit of 1200 + exercise (example 300) .. therefore energy balance for the day is eating 1500 based on what you exercised. You are still in your deficit to loose weight.
http://myfitnesspal.desk.com/customer/portal/articles/12031-what-are-net-calories-
The key in point to make sure that Fitbit is acurrate in calorie burns which it is only an estimation, so eat back IMHO around 50% to 60% of those to continue to loose weight.
Do not go below the 1200, this cause issues down the road if you purposefully go below MFP recommendations and possibly follow a VLCD to loose more weight at a rate that is not sustainable in the long run and perhaps too aggressive.
0 -
melissa112 wrote: »Thanks will do, I just logged onto MFP on the web as opposed to my phone and changed my goal manually to 0.5lbs per week at sedentary, now it gives me 1400! I was updating the goal on my phone. Think I'll switch to 1lb a week and eat back calories from walking and any exercise?
That's what I thought would happen as we're pretty much exactly the same and that's what I get at .5 lbs per week. This is what I keep it at, we're small. Slow and steady wins the race!0 -
melissa112 wrote: »Thanks will do, I just logged onto MFP on the web as opposed to my phone and changed my goal manually to 0.5lbs per week at sedentary, now it gives me 1400! I was updating the goal on my phone. Think I'll switch to 1lb a week and eat back calories from walking and any exercise?
That's what I thought would happen as we're pretty much exactly the same and that's what I get at .5 lbs per week. This is what I keep it at, we're small. Slow and steady wins the race!
Yes I think you are right. I've heard said before that I didn't put on this weight quickly, so I shouldn't try and lose it so quick. I think it's just tempting when I see the pics of me from last year looking a stone and half lighter. It makes such a difference on a small frame I think.0 -
One option might be to set yourself to lightly active and enable negative adjustments, that should get you off the 1200 floor. Worth a try at least.
Otherwise I would just eat about 1200-1300 and bank the exercise as extra loss.0 -
I do not subscribe to the whole you need 1200 calories to be healthy. That was put in place long before sedentary lifestyles, computers and office jobs. I live on 1000 calories most of the time. When I want to lose weight I will drop to 500-900 calories. I participate in intermittent fasting when I want to go out to eat and it does not slow my metabolism. I lose weight when I need to. I have my MFP set at 1000 calories all of the time. I pay no attention to exercise calories burnt. 1000 calories period. To lose weight, one must eat less food. Yes, I know this will probably cause a windfall of "I am doing it all wrong" and I will ignore it all, but do what works for you. This most definitely works for me. I will point out that I double my multivitamins, calcium and Vit C and on days I need to drop below 1000,I triple them.Again, find what works for you and go with it.
500 & 1,000 is a crash diet of your own creation......don't call it intermittent fasting
5:2 = 5 days at MAINTENANCE and 2 days at 500. There are many "claims" associated with 5:2, but if you read the book by Dr. Mosley you will find all the evidence is anecdotal.
It takes more than vitamins to fuel existing lean muscle (your heart is one of those). I choose a moderate approach because healthy weight loss helps you lose fat, not muscle.0 -
OP, what ever you do.... do NOT listen to this hogwash quoted below. It's down right dangerous, unless you're like, shorter than 4'...I do not subscribe to the whole you need 1200 calories to be healthy. That was put in place long before sedentary lifestyles, computers and office jobs. I live on 1000 calories most of the time. When I want to lose weight I will drop to 500-900 calories. I participate in intermittent fasting when I want to go out to eat and it does not slow my metabolism. I lose weight when I need to. I have my MFP set at 1000 calories all of the time. I pay no attention to exercise calories burnt. 1000 calories period. To lose weight, one must eat less food. Yes, I know this will probably cause a windfall of "I am doing it all wrong" and I will ignore it all, but do what works for you. This most definitely works for me. I will point out that I double my multivitamins, calcium and Vit C and on days I need to drop below 1000,I triple them.Again, find what works for you and go with it.
Yeah, but....
Are you going to ignore hair falling out, brittle nails and teeth, and sallow skin? Muscle loss (heart is a muscle)...Yeah, because it is TOTALLY safe to double the recommended daily dose of vitamins and minerals. /sarcasm
Seriously, I feel sad for you because you believe in starvation to lose weight. Not starving? Well, you're obviously eating much more than you realize since it's clear you're not weighing your food.
All i have to say to you is good luck. *shrug* You obviously know more than people who have been there and done that, and scientists.
0
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 391.8K Introduce Yourself
- 43.5K Getting Started
- 259.8K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.6K Food and Nutrition
- 47.3K Recipes
- 232.3K Fitness and Exercise
- 395 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.4K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 152.7K Motivation and Support
- 7.8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.3K MyFitnessPal Information
- 23 News and Announcements
- 960 Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.3K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions