Mistrust of MFP calculations - Anyone else?

TrefG
TrefG Posts: 112 Member
edited November 27 in Health and Weight Loss
Hey Folks,

So I've been through a bit of a journey over the last 8 years. I started out at 30st back in 2010 - and got down to 16st within about 12 months. However, over the years I've slowly crept back up to just under 21st.

All of my initial weight loss was done by exercising every day, using MFP and sticking very rigidly to 1200 cals per day - it just seemed to work for me back then!

I recently decided it was time to start using MFP again and do something about the weight gain - so I tried the 1200 cal thing but just couldn't stick to it this time - I always seem to end up going well over my calories each day and then self-sabotaging (because if I'm already over it's fine to keep going right? :p ).

So this past week I decided to let MFP do it's own thing and choose my calories for me. I'm 21st and 6ft 1in and want to lose 2lb a week - MFP decided I should be eating 1870 cals per day.... but here's the thing - it seems far too easy! So easy that I'm starting to doubt if I could really lose 2lb a week consistently at this level. I'm often a couple of hundred cals under. Seems too good to be true?

Anyone else experienced this? How reliable do people generally find MFP's suggested calorie calculation?

Thanks for any help

Trev

Replies

  • snemberton
    snemberton Posts: 175 Member
    I'm 5'7" and 203lbs. I'm set to lose 1 lb a week (lightly active). MFP gives me 1810 calories for that. I eat back most of my intentional exercise calories and I'm losing just over a lb a week on average.

    You are taller than me and weigh more than me, not to mention just being male is going to give you more calories. 1870 sounds quite right for your stats and wanting to drop 2lbs a week.

    Make sure you are being accurate with logging though. Scales, watching serving sizes on packages, etc. Your previous experience with 1200 calories a day was probably so hard for you because it was WELL below the minimum your body needed. Men should have at least 1500 a day minimally unless you are on doctors supervision for less for medical reasons. It's easier now because you are eating the level you should be eating for your size and trying to drop weight.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    Count me as another vote for you using MFP's calories.

    For the most accurate assessment of your calories, do weigh your food on a food scale.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    TrefG wrote: »
    Hey Folks,

    So I've been through a bit of a journey over the last 8 years. I started out at 30st back in 2010 - and got down to 16st within about 12 months. However, over the years I've slowly crept back up to just under 21st.

    All of my initial weight loss was done by exercising every day, using MFP and sticking very rigidly to 1200 cals per day - it just seemed to work for me back then!

    I recently decided it was time to start using MFP again and do something about the weight gain - so I tried the 1200 cal thing but just couldn't stick to it this time - I always seem to end up going well over my calories each day and then self-sabotaging (because if I'm already over it's fine to keep going right? :p ).

    So this past week I decided to let MFP do it's own thing and choose my calories for me. I'm 21st and 6ft 1in and want to lose 2lb a week - MFP decided I should be eating 1870 cals per day.... but here's the thing - it seems far too easy! So easy that I'm starting to doubt if I could really lose 2lb a week consistently at this level. I'm often a couple of hundred cals under. Seems too good to be true?

    Anyone else experienced this? How reliable do people generally find MFP's suggested calorie calculation?

    Thanks for any help

    Trev

    Are you a guy?...If so, you should never have been eating 1200 calories in the first place. 1200 calories is an aggressive weight loss goal for small, sedentary women.

    I lose about 1 Lb per week eating 2300-2500 calories...so yeah, I'd easily lose 2 Lbs per week eating 1800-1900.

  • TrefG
    TrefG Posts: 112 Member
    The 1200 thing was controlled under my doctor's supervision - so at the time worked well.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,944 Member
    Do you use a scale to weigh all your food? If not it might be worth investing in one. That's the best way of making sure you stick with your calorie allowance.
  • TrefG
    TrefG Posts: 112 Member
    Yes to the weighing foods question. I know exactly what's going in 😊

    I just really wanted some feedback on whether others found that the recommended calorie intake set by MFP was working for them...

    Thanks everyone!
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,944 Member
    it generally does, though it's a statistical mean. That means some people will lose a bit faster, some a bit slower. But on average it's pretty correct <3
  • fb47
    fb47 Posts: 1,058 Member
    Mfp lists me as extremely active when I hardly do any cardio. You simply have to adjust if you don't hit your weight loss rate, you can't just rely on mfp.
  • toloseme
    toloseme Posts: 40 Member
    Everyone is different. It may be that MFP's calorie goals don't work for you. They do work for me - I've been losing weight by making sure to stay under my calorie goals and exercise. Maybe it just isn't for you in particular.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    toloseme wrote: »
    Everyone is different. It may be that MFP's calorie goals don't work for you. They do work for me - I've been losing weight by making sure to stay under my calorie goals and exercise. Maybe it just isn't for you in particular.

    There's no evidence in the OP that the suggested goal *won't* work for OP.
  • rosebarnalice
    rosebarnalice Posts: 3,488 Member
    Give it two weeks and see what happens
  • PokeyBug
    PokeyBug Posts: 482 Member
    I had some issues with MFP's calorie estimates. The solution for me was that I just stopped eating back all my exercise calories (on most days), and using the Harris-Benedict equation to calculate my calorie needs, rather than the Mifflin-St. Jeor equation MFP uses. You've got to experiment with what works for you, because no equation is going to give you a perfect number for the amount of calories you need daily. It's just a starting point.
This discussion has been closed.