Maintenance Calories Accuracy In MFP

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  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,728 Member
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    stej5639 wrote: »
    Thanks for the replies. Strange how its so different for so many people. I think ill try eating slightly under and see how it goes then tweak it if i need to. Do you eat all exercise calories, as they seem to be really high?
    Thanks.


    By the time you get to maintenance, you should have a pretty solid grip on whether your exercise estimates are high, low, or dead on.
  • CarvedTones
    CarvedTones Posts: 2,340 Member
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    I guess it all boils down to this - if the scale and/or tape reads more or less than you want then you need to eat less or more respectively. You won't really know if you are eating more or less unless you have a reasonable idea of what you have been eating and also know when to ignore a big surplus in calories because of a corresponding large expenditure of energy.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    That's why really the simplest method is to not make wholesale changes on both the eating and exercise side, as most are gung-ho to do.

    Eat a little less, move a little more.

    Even there though, when it stops working (because of TDEE changes with less weight) - change a little more on one side or the other, or a little of both.

    But so many make massive changes to both sides, basically starting at square one again with any concepts they have for calorie levels - which for most is seeing 1200 diet programs everywhere - so no idea what they might really burn an avg.

    I haven't watched Biggest Loser in ages - I don't recall them ever mentioning calories burned, just eating goals - did they or do they?
    That might be another place where concepts are developed, no matter how poor that example is.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,166 Member
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    MFP's estimate is several hundred calories low for me, and I do eat back all exercise (after estimating it as meticulously as I can). My own loss-rate data from the latter stages of weight loss was a pretty accurate guide to what my maintenance calories would be, though.
  • errollmaclean
    errollmaclean Posts: 562 Member
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    Low for me too.
  • LiftHeavyThings27105
    LiftHeavyThings27105 Posts: 2,086 Member
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    I do not use it. I understand how MFP does things and find that it is indeed very modular (which can be a good thing). However, I much prefer to use an on-line TDEE Calculator (there are many...I tend to use the one at https://tdeecalculator.net).

    I find that works much better for me. And, here is why:

    1. I find that using the MFP database for the caloric values for 'food eaten' is a total crap shot. I just do not trust this "user-created" database. Just don't. People are - generally speaking - not very mindful.
    2. I find that using MFP for "exercise calories" is 'less than'. And this is not a criticism of MFP. I just find - generally speaking - that the number of calories burned for "XYZ" activity that people log is absolutely WAY TOO high. Often, it is borderline absurd.
    3. To clarify #1, I do find that using the labels from the food directly or that using the "manufacturer's web site" or some third party web sites (thinking https://www.nutritionix.com and https://www.fatsecret.com) really help with ensuring some consistency and accuracy.
    4. To clarify #2, I do find that using common sense and critical thinking does help to mitigate that issue. For example, on most treadmill machines I have found - based on my own research - that most outputs are 125% of a more accurate number. Meaning, if you do 25 minutes of LISS on a treadmill and it spits out that you burned 125 calories in those 25 minutes then you likely burned 100 calories.

    I just much prefer to use things that I have created for this sort of thing. And, it works well for me.

    And, the key is to use what works well for you. We are all different. There are lots and lots and lots of people who use MFP and have a ton of success!
  • comptonelizabeth
    comptonelizabeth Posts: 1,701 Member
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    It's far too low for me. But I think that may be down to inaccurate logging (I tend to overestimate portions and also the database isn't accurate) and also I underestimate my activity level (since I started using a fitbit I've realised I'm more active than I thought) I add at least 250 calories to mfp estimate and that seems to work for me
  • CarvedTones
    CarvedTones Posts: 2,340 Member
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    @LiftHeavyThings27105 - I set my base calories by hand and then use mfp for calories, trying to find USDA and/or verified entries for food and either using integrated apps or the mfp database for exercise. I do adjust exercise calories, editing them after they are posted. I think a lot of it is just having an inventory to look at and see that I am not eating absurd amounts of food and I am getting reasonable amounts of exercise. I watch the scale and adjust my base and/or how heavy handed I am with edits to exercise calories based on the trend. It's inexact, but working. It got me to goal and has kept me below.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
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    CarvedTones wrote: »
    @LiftHeavyThings27105 - I set my base calories by hand and then use mfp for calories, trying to find USDA and/or verified entries for food and either using integrated apps or the mfp database for exercise. I do adjust exercise calories, editing them after they are posted. I think a lot of it is just having an inventory to look at and see that I am not eating absurd amounts of food and I am getting reasonable amounts of exercise. I watch the scale and adjust my base and/or how heavy handed I am with edits to exercise calories based on the trend. It's inexact, but working. It got me to goal and has kept me below.

    I'm basically the same, except my lower maintenance is among other things (PCOS and low-ish thyroid) is likely due to my sedentary being lower than what would be expected for sedentary. I can't really sit for extended periods so my sedentary time is spent lying down which burns fewer calories than sitting. After nearly 7 years of logging and tracking my calories and exercise, I have a good grasp of it and know how to use more accurate entries.
  • LiftHeavyThings27105
    LiftHeavyThings27105 Posts: 2,086 Member
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    CarvedTones wrote: »
    @LiftHeavyThings27105 - I set my base calories by hand and then use mfp for calories, trying to find USDA and/or verified entries for food and either using integrated apps or the mfp database for exercise. I do adjust exercise calories, editing them after they are posted. I think a lot of it is just having an inventory to look at and see that I am not eating absurd amounts of food and I am getting reasonable amounts of exercise. I watch the scale and adjust my base and/or how heavy handed I am with edits to exercise calories based on the trend. It's inexact, but working. It got me to goal and has kept me below.

    Hey! Hey! Thanks for the input. I keep on trying to use this tool....I honestly do. I have no problem creating the foods that I eat from scratch....this tool just does not seem to compute (to my messedd up brain, at least). I know that it works well for a lot of people....thank the good Lord above, right? It just does not work well for "this guy" (how cheesey was that? AWESOME! I was going for that!!!!).

    I just use Notepad and my e-mail for calorie | macro tracking. For some reason this just works for me. I use Excel for my training sessions. I am running my own program now....generally not recommended, I know...but I do a pretty good job. Now that the concept of "de-load" is firmly implanted into my brain.
  • CarvedTones
    CarvedTones Posts: 2,340 Member
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    @LiftHeavyThings27105 I think we get way too hung up in the details sometimes. I definitely do. Being aware of how much and what I am eating, how much exercise I am getting and adjusting either or both depending on what I see on the scale and in the mirror is really what is working. Being off by a few hundred calories every now and then is not what gets me in trouble.
  • Lillymoo01
    Lillymoo01 Posts: 2,865 Member
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    Mine are about 250 calories too low. I have put that down to being restless which means I am always moving at least one part of my body. Even when sleeping it is not uncommon for my feet to be moving.
  • mrsjen1310
    mrsjen1310 Posts: 6 Member
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    Mine was 300 cals per day too low, I changed to "active" which I'm not sure reading the description I actually am...but that's spot on, I've been recording cals (net after taking out exercise cals) for about 4 months now and sure enough if I stay at Active Maintain I do, if I go 4000 cals over I'm up a pound and vice versa, so I've verified it with my own data, which I think in the end is what we all have to do to get the "real" number
  • mtaratoot
    mtaratoot Posts: 13,243 Member
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    One thing I notice is how it rates bicycling. There are seven entries (leisurely, light, moderate, vigorous, very fast, racing, and BMX/mountain. There are speed ranges related to that. If I ride my Trek Soho (belt-drive commuter bike with a roller brake in the rear and disc on front) for my commute, I am solidly in one of those ranges. If I ride my Trek 420 (old sport-touring bike with rim brakes), I can put out the same effort but go MUCH faster. The database says the faster range oxidizes 20% more calories. But it's not the speed, it's how hard the muscles in my legs are pumping.

    I also notice what it assigns to SCUBA diving, and I think it's way high. There's other threads about that. Go figure.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
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    OP if you were using MFP and tracking calories while you were losing weight why not use those actual numbers to calculate your maintenance cals and see how that compares to the number the system gave you for maintenance?

    You can look at your average calorie intake over a period of time and depending on how much weight you were losing and how consistent that was you can add back in (500 cals if losing 1 lb/week) to estimate your TDEE.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,166 Member
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    There are several methods of estimating your maintenance calories. This post/thread summarizes several of them:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10638211/how-to-find-your-maintenance-calorie-level
  • Noreenmarie1234
    Noreenmarie1234 Posts: 7,493 Member
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    Mine are quite a bit too low.
  • CarvedTones
    CarvedTones Posts: 2,340 Member
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    WinoGelato wrote: »
    OP if you were using MFP and tracking calories while you were losing weight why not use those actual numbers to calculate your maintenance cals and see how that compares to the number the system gave you for maintenance?

    You can look at your average calorie intake over a period of time and depending on how much weight you were losing and how consistent that was you can add back in (500 cals if losing 1 lb/week) to estimate your TDEE.
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    There are several methods of estimating your maintenance calories. This post/thread summarizes several of them:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10638211/how-to-find-your-maintenance-calorie-level

    I know how to calculate mine. Because my calories were so different than the estimate, I was curious if substantial in accuracy is common. It appears so.
  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
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    MFP gives me 1750 to maintain at 150, and I've been losing about half a pound a week at this setting, which is fine since I hope to gradually lose a few more pounds.

    I know I don't eat back all my exercise calories sometimes, and I also give myself a double helping of almond butter with breakfast sometimes, and so far my logging inaccuracies have mostly balanced out. If I start seeing results I don't like, I'll tighten up my logging.

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