New to MFP and have a question

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amandaterp
amandaterp Posts: 13
in Introduce Yourself
Hi everyone! I have been doing MFP now for about two weeks and have already lost 3lbs. I am really pleased with the website.

My question is this: I went on to livestrong.com today to check it out and when I typed in my information, it said I can eat 1609 calories a day. On MFP it says I can only have 1243 calories a day.

I am 5'7 and weigh 157lbs. I am trying to lose 1.5lbs a week. How come the websites have different calories amounts when I typed in the same information? Which should I do? Do you think I will lose the weight eating 1609 like livestrong.com says? I plan to stick with MFP as the website I use no matter what because I love the website format, but I don't know exactly how many calories to eat now a day! Help please :)

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  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
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    I don't know how livestrong does it, but if they don't do goal plus exercise calories, then they probably assume a certain amount of exercise daily (or weekly) and automatically add that in. It's the same as if you worked out for 400 calories today and added that to your exercise diary (1243 + 400)

    that's just a guess on my part though, maybe someone with Livestrong experience may have a more solid answer.
  • astroub
    astroub Posts: 289 Member
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    Bump! I would also like to know more....
  • DarkenScorpio
    DarkenScorpio Posts: 37
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    I have accounts on about 6 different sites and every single one of them (with the same information) have a different calorie intake. But I am happy with MFP so that is the one I use mostly to chart on and always for the calories.
  • melizerd
    melizerd Posts: 870 Member
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    MFP assumes that you aren't doing any extra exercise. So if you put in sedentary it assumes you sit at a desk or the couch all day and gives you a deficit of how to lose weight doing nothing else.

    Livestrong assumes you are going to do a minimum amount of exercise (usually like 30 min 3x a week or so).

    It's why here at MFP you'll see that when you do exercise you get "extra" calories to eat back and you'll find LOTS of threads about eating back exercise calories.

    I've used only MFP and been here almost a year and I'm down 69lbs using MFP's format and there are lots of us, so it does work :D
  • amandaterp
    amandaterp Posts: 13
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    On livestrong.com they also track fitness and then add that to your daily calorie intake, the SAME way MFP does it. So I am still confused why they say I can have 1609 calories a day and MFP says I can have 1243 a day. Heck, I'd rather have 1609 cals a day if it means the same results!
  • amandaterp
    amandaterp Posts: 13
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    Ok I understand now. So far I LOVEEEEE MFP. It is changing my life. The only problem is, I am starving by the end of the day :( 1243 calories a day is so little!
  • smersh
    smersh Posts: 36
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    Ok I understand now. So far I LOVEEEEE MFP. It is changing my life. The only problem is, I am starving by the end of the day :( 1243 calories a day is so little!

    You may have your weight-loss goal set too aggressively. What is your goal weight?
  • amandaterp
    amandaterp Posts: 13
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    Oh good point. My goal weight is 140lbs
  • smersh
    smersh Posts: 36
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    Oh good point. My goal weight is 140lbs

    You're relatively close to your goal weight. If I were you, I'd probably set my deficit for one pound a week, and at half a pound a week once you're ten pounds away.

    The closer you get, the slower the weight will come off - but as long as you're eating right, accurately tracking your calories, and eating back your exercise calories, you will get there.

    Stick with it, you're doing great so far!
  • amandaterp
    amandaterp Posts: 13
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    I love the positive support from complete strangers. It is so nice and helpful.

    I am going to do 1.5lbs a week now and see how it goes. I am being really eager. I might take your advice and do 1lb a week though...1243 cals a day is so little.
  • W0zzie
    W0zzie Posts: 262 Member
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    In respect of hunger - I also found that with a goal loss of 1lb a week - the extra calories I got from exercise I did outweighed any additional hunger I experienced from that exercise. Also the type of food you eat will effect hunger too - ie. protein based foods are said to satisfy hunger longer.

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