We are pleased to announce that as of March 4, 2025, an updated Rich Text Editor has been introduced in the MyFitnessPal Community. To learn more about the changes, please click here. We look forward to sharing this new feature with you!

Huge difference between calorie targets

mhwitt74
mhwitt74 Posts: 159 Member
edited November 2024 in Goal: Maintaining Weight
So I was changing my goals on MFP and found that if I changed from a weight loss caloric intake to a maintenance caloric intake there was a huge difference. Like 800 to 900 calories a day. Has anyone else found this when changing goals?

Replies

  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    That totally depends on what rate of loss you had. 800-900 calories per day would equal a loss of 800-900 grams per week. I "think" it's more common to taper off weight loss as you approach maintenance, and that it makes the trasistions easier mentally/practiacally, but in theory/physically it would make no difference.
  • amtyrell
    amtyrell Posts: 1,447 Member
    A pound is 3500 calories. So 1 lb a week is 500 calories a day. 1.5 is 750 2lbs is 1000
  • jesspen91
    jesspen91 Posts: 1,383 Member
    I only get 150 extra calories for maintenance :( but I am short and sedentary.
  • mhwitt74
    mhwitt74 Posts: 159 Member
    Right now to lose 2 lbs a week it is 1500 calories. To maintain it jumps all the way up to 2300 calories
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    mhwitt74 wrote: »
    Right now to lose 2 lbs a week it is 1500 calories. To maintain it jumps all the way up to 2300 calories

    That means you can't lose 2 pounds per week. 1500 is the lowest MFP will go for a male.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    I noticed from the jeans thread that you were a 38 inch waist and now down to 36. Without knowing your height and weight, it sounds like 2 lbs was too aggressive a goal. The minimum the site will set for a male is 1500 for nutritional safety as that is the minimum a male should have each day. It's giving you 2300 as maintenance so, an 800 calorie increase.
  • mhwitt74
    mhwitt74 Posts: 159 Member
    mmapags wrote: »
    I noticed from the jeans thread that you were a 38 inch waist and now down to 36. Without knowing your height and weight, it sounds like 2 lbs was too aggressive a goal. The minimum the site will set for a male is 1500 for nutritional safety as that is the minimum a male should have each day. It's giving you 2300 as maintenance so, an 800 calorie increase.

    I realize that is to aggressive but I have it set that way to lose as much as possible. I was dropping 1 to 1 1/2 lbs a week. I am getting really close to my goal and the weight is getting harder to lose. My body is much more toned but still have fat to lose.
  • Keapix
    Keapix Posts: 92 Member
    My increase was, disappointingly, only about 200 calories!
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    Keapix wrote: »
    My increase was, disappointingly, only about 200 calories!

    But as you are still losing weight according to your other post - "I've been in maintenance for nearly a month, and I've lost an additional 2lb since then".

    So the good news the real increase required is really more like 430+ rather than 200 that the simple change in target indicates.
    Enjoy!
This discussion has been closed.

Categories