The last 15lbs!

Hey y’all! I have about 15 lbs left to goal! I came back to MFP after using LoseIt for awhile! MFP suggests I eat 2,000 calories in order to lose 1lbs a week. I know it’s recommended for the last bit of weight only aim to lose .5 to 1.0lbs a week, I’m pretty active (super busy job with 3-5 days of exercise) but 2,000 seems like a lot since I’ve been eating 1,700 to lose 1lbs on LoseIt! Wondering what everyone’s experience has been? Should I just keep playing with my calories?

Replies

  • MichelleSilverleaf
    MichelleSilverleaf Posts: 2,028 Member
    I've found MFP's numbers to work pretty well. The only way you're going to know is to try it for a month and see what happens. Either you're going to lose weight as expected or you'll have to adjust. All calculators are estimates when it really comes down to it, but MFP seems pretty reliable.
  • angelsja
    angelsja Posts: 860 Member
    1lb loss per week = 1700 0.5lb would be 1700+250 so 1950 only 50 calories difference
  • LauraSrock18
    LauraSrock18 Posts: 125 Member
    angelsja wrote: »
    1lb loss per week = 1700 0.5lb would be 1700+250 so 1950 only 50 calories difference

    Do you think I can adjust to an increase pretty well? My weight is always fluctuating but I seem to be in a downward trend. I just worry about staying at lower calories & then trying to maintain would be more difficult
  • garystrickland357
    garystrickland357 Posts: 598 Member
    It took me too long to finally understand that (once you're at goal, or close) you constantly "play" with those last 250 calories...

    Right now my current maintenance is about 2200 calories per day. if I consistently eat more I gain, less and I lose weight.
    If I occasionally eat more or less though I don't necessarily gain or lose. That's why I use a trending app. Some days (like yesterday) I'm just not as hungry. I finished the day about 600 net calories below maintenance. I don't "make" myself eat those calories. Here's why - yesterday was a big exercise day. Today is a rest day. I know today I will most likely eat into those 600 calories I "saved".

    So my point and suggestion for you is, yes - go ahead and raise your calorie goal and see what happens. That's what maintenance will be like. You'll have to eat a bit more; then see what happens and adjust. Why not start getting comfortable with the process now?
  • apullum
    apullum Posts: 4,838 Member
    It took me too long to finally understand that (once you're at goal, or close) you constantly "play" with those last 250 calories...

    Right now my current maintenance is about 2200 calories per day. if I consistently eat more I gain, less and I lose weight.
    If I occasionally eat more or less though I don't necessarily gain or lose. That's why I use a trending app. Some days (like yesterday) I'm just not as hungry. I finished the day about 600 net calories below maintenance. I don't "make" myself eat those calories. Here's why - yesterday was a big exercise day. Today is a rest day. I know today I will most likely eat into those 600 calories I "saved".

    So my point and suggestion for you is, yes - go ahead and raise your calorie goal and see what happens. That's what maintenance will be like. You'll have to eat a bit more; then see what happens and adjust. Why not start getting comfortable with the process now?

    For me, maintenance also means keeping in mind that if I sometimes go over by 100 or 200 or even 500 calories, I'm not going to gain as long as I offset that with some days when I'm under my goal. I *will* gain if I often go over my calorie goal and rarely come in under it. So I use a weekly calorie goal and save up calories for weekends.

    That can also be a good approach for folks who are trying to lose, as long as they're okay with the fact that the scale is probably going to go up after a bigger meal, and it's not fat gain. The problem happens when people stay in their weekly calorie goal, fit in a big dinner on Friday night, and then panic when the scale is up three or four pounds on Saturday due to water/undigested food.

    Also, many of us really do not get a lot more calories in maintenance than we did in weight loss. I get 200 more, but I am very short. Those 200 calories make a noticeable but not dramatic difference in what I can eat. If you're on the last 15 or so pounds, I'm sorry to tell you that your current calorie goal may not be a lot less than your maintenance goal.