MFP underestimates my daily caloric intake

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nerdlyness
nerdlyness Posts: 28 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Anyone else have trouble with their daily caloric intake values? Every (I've tried 8) other daily caloric calculator I go to estimates (for my fitness level, height, weight, and age) that I should eat 2100 (average) calories a day for 2 lbs a week weight loss. MFP estimates 1510. I am starving at 1510. I workout on average 2 hours a day and even when I eat my exercise calories on top of the 1510 I am still hungry and I don't lose weight (plateau now for over a month). When I increase my range to 2100 calories a day and eat some of my exercise calories I'm satisfied. I have done multiple food diary programs and all have suggested around 2000 calories a day for me when I am this weight, but MFP is the first to ever tell me to eat that little. I'm having trouble trusting this food tracking program...

Any advice?

Replies

  • str0nger
    str0nger Posts: 36 Member
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    Try adding fat to your diet, like bacon or whole milk. Fatfree diets tend to make people feel like they're starving...
  • str0nger
    str0nger Posts: 36 Member
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    Also: Read "Eat fat, Loose fat" by Dr. Mary Enig. http://www.eatfatlosefat.com/
    It works for me,.
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
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    Yes. MFP has my daily caloric intake way too low. It wants me to maintain at 1980. I have upped it to 2200-2500 in order to maintain - if I'm much under 2200 for too many days I see a weight GAIN.
  • AZTrailRunner
    AZTrailRunner Posts: 1,199 Member
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    Set your weight loss to 1lb per week, and also how is your activity level set in your fitness profile? That will alter your calorie numbers a bit.
  • nerdlyness
    nerdlyness Posts: 28 Member
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    I am vegetarian and I make sure to eat olive oil every day to get in the amount of fat I need (learned this from Weight Watchers). I do eat eggs and cheese quite often too.
  • Hernandezedw
    Hernandezedw Posts: 284
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    When you say the other sites calculate based on "fitness level", does that meanyou're telling them how much you work out? Or your basic level of activity without working out?
  • nerdlyness
    nerdlyness Posts: 28 Member
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    The adjustment still doesn't make sense though because according to MFP to lose 1 lb a week I should eat the same amount as all the other calculators I've gone to say I need to eat to lose 2 lbs a week. The difference is 500 calories for 1 lb and 1000 for 2. MFP is off by 500. I want to know which daily caloric intake calculator to trust.
  • terrysgirl0829
    terrysgirl0829 Posts: 21 Member
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    Sounds like you exercize a bit more than I do, I am calorie restricted and not eating my exercize calories, but I am not hungry at the end of the day. (I also have 90 pounds left to lose so maybe that impacts my weight loss?) Since you are hungry maybe you could look at what you are eating, and make sure you are including healthy proteins and some fats. There are lots of healthy foods out there! Nuts, lean meats, and avocado are some we eat regularly. Just have to watch your portion sizes so you don't get too much. : ) Hope you past the plateau! I know you can do it! Keep exercizing and eating right!
  • nerdlyness
    nerdlyness Posts: 28 Member
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    I do tell them how much I workout each day which is quite a lot. I run 30 min to 60 min (depends on training schedule) 3-4 times a week, Zumba twice a week for 2 hrs each time, Elliptical for 30 min and weights for an 60 min 3 times a week. According to MFP I'm moderately active because I am a student (I sit on my butt most of the day). It still tells me such a small amount of calories.
  • AZTrailRunner
    AZTrailRunner Posts: 1,199 Member
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    The adjustment still doesn't make sense though because according to MFP to lose 1 lb a week I should eat the same amount as all the other calculators I've gone to say I need to eat to loose 2 lbs a week. The difference is 500 calories for 1 lb and 1000 for 2. MFP is off by 500. I want to know which daily caloric intake calculator to trust.

    000
  • quietlywinning
    quietlywinning Posts: 889 Member
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    Trust the one you trust. If you don't trust this one, use the others. Do what is best for YOU.
  • Hernandezedw
    Hernandezedw Posts: 284
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    I do tell them how much I workout each day which is quite a lot. I run 30 min to 60 min (depends on training schedule) 3-4 times a week, Zumba twice a week for 2 hrs each time, Elliptical for 30 min and weights for an 60 min 3 times a week. According to MFP I'm moderately active because I am a student (I sit on my butt most of the day). It still tells me such a small amount of calories.

    I would have to guess you're telling other sites you daily routine + workout and then it's calculating how many calories you should have. On MFP, you're telling the site your daily routine (without a work out) and it's calculating how many calories you should have. That's why everyone has the whole eating back calories debate.
  • All_Mimsy
    All_Mimsy Posts: 49 Member
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    MFP recommends a daily caloric intake that is way too low for me as well. When I put in my information and told it I wanted to lose 1 pound a week, it recommended a daily caloric intake that caused me to lose around 2 pounds per week (and I always eat back my exercise calories). Sure, it was nice to be able to say I had lost that much weight so fast, but it actually made me nervous to lose weight that quickly; I was afraid I was losing too much muscle. So I just manually set my goals and added 500 calories a day to what I was eating (500 calories a day = 3500 calories a week = roughly a pound of body weight) so that I would lose only a pound per week. I feel much better now. I, too, felt like I was DYING at the goal MFP recommended (1230 calories per day if I didn't exercise!). I don't know if MFP underestimates everyone's daily calories burned or if we just have higher-than-average metabolism for our ages and weights, but it wouldn't hurt to set your own goals and see how it works for you. Good luck!
  • All_Mimsy
    All_Mimsy Posts: 49 Member
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    MFP recommends a daily caloric intake that is way too low for me as well. When I put in my information and told it I wanted to lose 1 pound a week, it recommended a daily caloric intake that caused me to lose around 2 pounds per week (and I always eat back my exercise calories). Sure, it was nice to be able to say I had lost that much weight so fast, but it actually made me nervous to lose weight that quickly; I was afraid I was losing too much muscle. So I just manually set my goals and added 500 calories a day to what I was eating (500 calories a day = 3500 calories a week = roughly a pound of body weight) so that I would lose only a pound per week. I feel much better now. I, too, felt like I was DYING at the goal MFP recommended (1230 calories per day if I didn't exercise!). I don't know if MFP underestimates everyone's daily calories burned or if we just have higher-than-average metabolism for our ages and weights, but it wouldn't hurt to set your own goals and see how it works for you. Good luck!

    P.S. To respond to those who are saying that you're reporting your activity level incorrectly: that may be true (I have no idea how active you are, what you reported as your activity level, or whether you log your exercise), but I correctly reported my activity level (Sedentary--I have a desk job and I drive to work) and I log ALL my exercise in MFP using the number of calories my heart rate monitor estimates that I burn. I just think MFP's calculations are way off for me.
  • nerdlyness
    nerdlyness Posts: 28 Member
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    I am so relieved to see I'm not the only one that gets underestimated daily caloric values. I think I'm going to go with what the other sites (they are reputable) tell me and see how it goes.

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