2 lb per week weight loss

So, when I began I set MFP up to lose 2 lbs. per week, however, after reading previous forums it looks like 2 lbs. per week would be a 1,000 calorie deficit which I am not achieving. At the end of the day MFP shows I usually have a 500-800 calorie deficit. Why would this be when I set it up to lose 2 lbs. I thought the calorie amount you were allotted were based off how much you would like to lose a week?
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Replies

  • dragon_girl26
    dragon_girl26 Posts: 2,187 Member
    edited September 2016
    The minimum calories that MFP will calculate for you is 1200. Meaning, no matter what you pick, 1200 is the lowest it will go. MFP doesn't pop up with any kind of warning, letting you know that the pounds per week goal that you picked is too aggressive for your current weight. Not sure why this is and why they just do the 1200 calorie thing...who knows.
  • lthames0810
    lthames0810 Posts: 722 Member
    I believe this app will not give you fewer than 1200 or 1000 cals per day no matter what the calculation says. It may be that you cannot safely lose 2lbs a week without becoming malnourished.
  • Hi Erica,
    If you're deficit is 500 calories daily, then your weekly deficit would be 3500, which is nicely over the 1000 deficit you referenced.
  • dragon_girl26
    dragon_girl26 Posts: 2,187 Member
    edited September 2016
    Hi Erica,
    If you're deficit is 500 calories daily, then your weekly deficit would be 3500, which is nicely over the 1000 deficit you referenced.

    The 1000 calorie deficit she is referencing is per day, not per week. She'd need a 7000 calorie deficit per week to achieve the 2 lbs per week goal.
  • daniip_la
    daniip_la Posts: 678 Member
    EricaH7 wrote: »
    So, when I began I set MFP up to lose 2 lbs. per week, however, after reading previous forums it looks like 2 lbs. per week would be a 1,000 calorie deficit which I am not achieving. At the end of the day MFP shows I usually have a 500-800 calorie deficit. Why would this be when I set it up to lose 2 lbs. I thought the calorie amount you were allotted were based off how much you would like to lose a week?

    Do you mean that you have 500-800 calories in green at the end of the day? Because you shouldn't. If you set MFP for a 2lb/week goal, you're already at a 1,000kcal/day deficit. Not eating 500-800 calories of your goal would put you at a 1500 - 1800 deficit per day. Which is too large and unsustainable unless you're very obese.
  • anthonypotts1
    anthonypotts1 Posts: 2 Member
    Keep in mind that the 3500 calorie deficit is not a hard and fast rule. A pound of fat puts off 3500 calories when burned in a lab. Your body is more complex than a fire in a lab. Set your goal, do what you can everyday until you reach that goal. Don't risk your health by being malnourished, and learn good habits. Good luck!
  • EricaH7
    EricaH7 Posts: 74 Member
    At the end of the day I have an extra 500-800. This is after I work out and I don't eat out my exercise calories. I thought you need to have a deficit of 1000 a day?
  • RobD520
    RobD520 Posts: 420 Member
    edited September 2016
    MFP will not allow you to set your calorie goal at a number that is too low and, therefore, unhealthy. You haven't given your stats; but it sounds like you would have to eat below 1200 to get a 1000 calorie deficit. MFP settings will not allow you to do this as it is not healthy.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,565 Member
    EricaH7 wrote: »
    At the end of the day I have an extra 500-800. This is after I work out and I don't eat out my exercise calories. I thought you need to have a deficit of 1000 a day?

    MFP already sets you up with a deficit when you start, so 1000 calories has already been taken off your maintenance calories (unless you are set to 1200, which is the bare minimum). You should be aiming to eat the number of calories MFP gives you after exercise.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited September 2016
    EricaH7 wrote: »
    At the end of the day I have an extra 500-800. This is after I work out and I don't eat out my exercise calories. I thought you need to have a deficit of 1000 a day?

    I am confused by what you are asking..

    If at the end of the day after you have eaten and logged all exercise and you are in the hole 500-800 calories (on the diary)? If this is the case, then you are actually MORE than 1000 calories a day. Your deficit is on the diary already..

    What are your NET calories for the day?
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
    It looks like you are, in reality, ending up with a 1500-1800 per day deficit, which is dangerous. The goal MFP gives you has your deficit built in, you're supposed to eat all of those PLUS at least some of your exercise calories.
  • EricaH7
    EricaH7 Posts: 74 Member
    RoxieDawn wrote: »
    EricaH7 wrote: »
    At the end of the day I have an extra 500-800. This is after I work out and I don't eat out my exercise calories. I thought you need to have a deficit of 1000 a day?

    I am confused by what you are asking..

    If at the end of the day after you have eaten and logged all exercise and you are in the hole 500-800 calories (on the diary)? If this is the case, then you are actually lower than 1000 calories a day. Your deficit is on the diary already..

    What are your NET calories for the day?


    An example of one of my entries
    h66fz6kblv0n.png


  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
    EricaH7 wrote: »
    At the end of the day I have an extra 500-800. This is after I work out and I don't eat out my exercise calories. I thought you need to have a deficit of 1000 a day?

    You're doing this wrong....

    You're supposed to HIT the number that MFP gives you, not stay 500-800 under it. It's quite possible that being under your goal by 500-800 cals per day, if logged accurately, your deficit is well over 1000 cals per day and far too steep for long term success.

    Would it be possible to get your ht / wt / calorie goal / exercise routine so we can possibly help you understand further? Also, is it possible to look at your diary?

    Like Malibu said, MFP gives you the calorie goal assuming you do no exercise per day so you're supposed to eat those calories back (or at least some of them).
  • LazSommer
    LazSommer Posts: 1,851 Member
    EricaH7 wrote: »
    RoxieDawn wrote: »
    EricaH7 wrote: »
    At the end of the day I have an extra 500-800. This is after I work out and I don't eat out my exercise calories. I thought you need to have a deficit of 1000 a day?

    I am confused by what you are asking..

    If at the end of the day after you have eaten and logged all exercise and you are in the hole 500-800 calories (on the diary)? If this is the case, then you are actually lower than 1000 calories a day. Your deficit is on the diary already..

    What are your NET calories for the day?


    An example of one of my entries
    h66fz6kblv0n.png


    bro that is your net deficit for the day AFTER your calculated 1k deficit. Assuming your 1280 calories is with a 2lb loss set your deficit was actually 1.4k (but your diary entry looks super generic so assuming that's accurate too).
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    edited September 2016
    I think you have a few things mixed up. 1000 deficit is already counted into your allowance, so you don't need to be 1000 calories in the green. In fact you need to eat exactly as many calories as MFP gives you if you want a 1000 deficit without anything left in the green (provided you have enough weight to lose and MFP truly set you to 1000 deficit).

    Edit: awesome looking dog by the way. Breed?
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited September 2016
    EricaH7 wrote: »
    RoxieDawn wrote: »
    EricaH7 wrote: »
    At the end of the day I have an extra 500-800. This is after I work out and I don't eat out my exercise calories. I thought you need to have a deficit of 1000 a day?

    I am confused by what you are asking..

    If at the end of the day after you have eaten and logged all exercise and you are in the hole 500-800 calories (on the diary)? If this is the case, then you are actually lower than 1000 calories a day. Your deficit is on the diary already..

    What are your NET calories for the day?


    An example of one of my entries
    h66fz6kblv0n.png


    You should be NETTING 1280. Your deficit is very steep on this day.

    You would need to eat in the example you provided as below.. your deficit is the 1280, but not eating back all your exercise you increased the deficit further.

    1699 - 419 = 1280 NET GOAL

    You actually NETTED 882 calories for day.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,453 Member
    EricaH7 wrote: »
    RoxieDawn wrote: »
    EricaH7 wrote: »
    At the end of the day I have an extra 500-800. This is after I work out and I don't eat out my exercise calories. I thought you need to have a deficit of 1000 a day?

    I am confused by what you are asking..

    If at the end of the day after you have eaten and logged all exercise and you are in the hole 500-800 calories (on the diary)? If this is the case, then you are actually lower than 1000 calories a day. Your deficit is on the diary already..

    What are your NET calories for the day?


    An example of one of my entries
    h66fz6kblv0n.png

    1280 is your goal to lose 2lbs a week already WITHOUT exercise. That 398 are calories that are left to eat to EQUAL 1280.

    So as of now your NET intake is 1280-398= 882. Not good because eating too little will result in lowering your metabolic rate faster and slowing down any weight loss.

    If you're not over 200lbs, your weight loss goal should be 1% of your body weight a week.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

  • HappyGirl2012
    HappyGirl2012 Posts: 12 Member
    edited September 2016
    Erased because I didn't really answer the question :). You all did a much better job.
  • EricaH7
    EricaH7 Posts: 74 Member
    Thank you guys for the clarification. I was under the impression we weren't supposed to eat back our exercise calories unless we were really hungry? I've been exercising longer most days so that's where it's 500-800 instead of 400 like it is on the day I posted.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    EricaH7 wrote: »
    Thank you guys for the clarification. I was under the impression we weren't supposed to eat back our exercise calories unless we were really hungry? I've been exercising longer most days so that's where it's 500-800 instead of 400 like it is on the day I posted.

    If your calorie goal comes from MFP, it's designed for you to eat back the calories you burn through exercise. Why do you think MFP would give you calories you aren't supposed to eat?

    Depending on how you estimate your calories burnt, some people have found that the extra calories are an overestimate. Some database entries seem to be too high, others seem to be right on. To ensure you aren't eating back too much, some people eat back just a portion of the calories -- like 50-75%. But if you're losing faster than you expect, that means you can eat back more of them.