Huge difference between calorie targets

mhwitt74
mhwitt74 Posts: 159 Member
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: 1,449 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: 19,811 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!

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