MFP SETTINGS HELP

kellieolson05
kellieolson05 Posts: 11 Member
edited December 2024 in Getting Started
How do you know what the right amount of calories a day is correct? Do you use the basic MFP set up or do you adjust it differently. It seems the generic is only 1200 for me. I have over 50 lbs to lose so that seems pretty low?
Also- do you eat your fitbit calories or just ignore them?

Thanks!

Replies

  • ceiswyn
    ceiswyn Posts: 2,256 Member
    The number of calories MFP gives you depends on your height, your weight, your activity level, and what rate of loss you chose.

    Did you, by any chance, choose 2 lb per week? What happens if you choose 1.5 or 1 lb instead?
  • kellieolson05
    kellieolson05 Posts: 11 Member
    It is 1200 for 2 lbs and 1.5 lbs. If I go down to 1 lb a week then it gives me 1440 a day. Should I just trust it? LOL
  • ceiswyn
    ceiswyn Posts: 2,256 Member
    Why wouldn't you trust it?

    Also, yes, you should eat back your exercise calories. Or at least some of them; exercise burns, even from fitbits, are often overestimates. Maybe start by eating back half and adjust depending on how that goes.
  • kellieolson05
    kellieolson05 Posts: 11 Member
    Thank you!
  • ceiswyn
    ceiswyn Posts: 2,256 Member
    edited June 2019
    ...the reason it's giving you 1200 calories for both 2 lb and 1.5 lb, by the way, is that in order to lose weight at those speeds you would have to eat only 940 or 1190 calories per day, but MFP considers goals lower than 1200 to be unsafe.

    Basically, 1 lb is equivalent to roughly 3500 calories. That means that to lose 1 lb per week, you need to undereat by 3500 calories over the week, which is about 500 calories per day. So to lose 2 lb per week, you would need to undereat by 1000 calories every day. For most people, that isn't possible, let alone healthy.
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