Diet Goal settings - do you use the guided or custom ?

syguy
syguy Posts: 35
edited October 2 in Food and Nutrition
Hi all,

I am wondering if many people customise their goals to set their own calorie limits or use the default MFP guided settings ?

Have you had success using the default settings or have you had to change them yourself to continue losing weight ?

Thanks

Ed

Replies

  • Pandorian
    Pandorian Posts: 2,055 Member
    I let MFP set my calorie goal for me. I do customize my macro nutrient breakdown. I have it set to 35% carbs 35% protein and 30% fat and it's working for me. I also tweaked the sodium settings to aim for 2000 mg a day and fiber is roughly doubled at 40 grams daily goal.
  • rwd5046
    rwd5046 Posts: 302
    I use the MFP guided settings and have been successful thus far.
  • channa007
    channa007 Posts: 419 Member
    I use the MFP guided. I simply looked up what I'm suppoed to weigh based on my height/age and set my goal accordingly. MFP did the rest.
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
    I do custom.

    I changed my daily calories because MFP had me set way too low. I know that I need to consume 2200-2500 net calories a day and MFP wanted me around 1900 for maintenance.

    I changed it to 40% carbs, 35% protein and 25% fat.
  • bry_all01
    bry_all01 Posts: 3,100 Member
    I'm not losing weight, but to answer your question, I use the custom settings.
  • dez_yaoichan
    dez_yaoichan Posts: 454
    i first used guided. but when the goals got too low at 2 pounds, i changed it 1.5 pounds and that was too high. so i custom set mine to half way between the two and its a lot better.
  • GaiaGirl1992
    GaiaGirl1992 Posts: 459 Member
    I don't care if I go over protein or iron values, but I mainly watch calories, exercise, carbs, and fat. it isn't bad to go over micronutrients, like vitamins and minerals (too much!)
  • mermx
    mermx Posts: 976
    I use MFP, but never eat all the carbs and go over on the protein. Mine is set at 1200 and I usually exercise cals by 225 most days. It works for me so am happy with it
  • melizerd
    melizerd Posts: 870 Member
    I use the guided option and then go into custom and change my protein to 30% so I'm at 40/30/30 for carbs, protein and fat.

    That just means you have to go BACK to guided every 10lbs or so because it won't automatically tell you that you need to drop calories because you've lost weight.
  • inlander
    inlander Posts: 339 Member
    MFP sets my calorie goal but I use custom percentages: 40% carbs, 30% protein, 30% fat. I'm a balanced to fast oxidizer (per jillian michaels' book) so a lower carb and higher protein diet works better for me.
  • starwhisperer
    starwhisperer Posts: 367
    I use the custom option because I went in and got my BMR checked, and it is higher than the average that this site uses. It has worked thus far.
  • katertot98
    katertot98 Posts: 5
    I also customize the macronutrient percentages (one of my favorite features of this app/site). Right now I am preparing for a figure competition so I am cycling carbs to drop body fat but maintain as much muscle as possible. The default macros are a good place to start though, but everyone is different and will have to see what their own body responds to.
  • syguy
    syguy Posts: 35
    Thanks for the replies !

    I've used custom for a while but have noticed that over the last few weeks, losses have been harder to obtain even with increased intensity of cardio / strength training (have been at 5 days per week for last 4 months) so I am thinking its starvation mode kicking in.

    I've been eating in the range of 15-1700 calories for the last few months (more towards 1500 than 17 if I am honest but eating around 500-700 more exercise cals) and have lost a substantial amount of weight but in the last 2 - 3 weeks, things have started to slow down a bit.

    Just run through the guided and it's coming in at around 1920 now, so will give that a try for the next month and see how it works out, just going to take a bit of getting used to eating more when I don't feel ravenous !
  • dimond1610
    dimond1610 Posts: 46
    i think it depends on whether you are trying to follow a certain food plan. they guided recommendations are just for a balanced diet, but lets say you are trying to cut way down on carbs, then you would want to custom set those goals.
  • Suzannejl
    Suzannejl Posts: 212
    I had to switch it up. I finally had another MFP'r help me change the numbers, high protein, low carbs, etc. But the biggest learning has been that no matter what you have to burn 300 cal a day to lose one pound in a week. So I bought a body fat and weight scale, found out that no matter what I do, I burn 1360 cal a day. So I dropped it down to 1200 cal a day, and try to always stay a little under that.
  • babygurl48
    babygurl48 Posts: 1,237 Member
    I use the MFP guided settings and have been successful thus far.
    Me too
  • Soccer_chick916
    Soccer_chick916 Posts: 159 Member
    I use the MFP guide. It helps me.
  • abby459
    abby459 Posts: 694 Member
    I think it depends....MFP settings seem to work for most people, but for me (since I only have about 20lbs to lose) the settings just dont seem right.....no matter how I adjust my goal or activity level MFP always tells me 1200/day and I think thats a little low for me....So I manually upped mine to 1300 and set it to 40% carbs, 30% protien and 30% fats
  • Melmade
    Melmade Posts: 349 Member
    So far I'm using the MFP guidelines--except that I go over on protein and under on carbs. I just make sure to stay near the calorie range. Sometimes I go over, sometimes under--but I think the zig-zag approach will work to avoid plateaus so much. We'll see since I'm just under a month with MFP.
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
    I use the guided to give me a calorie goal, then go into custom and change the macro-nutrient rations to 40% carbs, 30% protein, 30% fat.

    Although I did just change my activity level to "active" even though I don't really fit the description but I don't think it's quit got the right level for me.
  • fromaquasar
    fromaquasar Posts: 811 Member
    I use custom as I have worked out and am experimenting with my own cal intake and macros - you can see how I've worked out my set up here http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/fromaquizer/view/going-geek-140951
  • caroltina
    caroltina Posts: 453 Member
    I use custom because I train quite hard - about 800 cals a day - but I train at 6 pm so if I tried to eat back after this I'd feel pretty sick fir bed! So I upped my allowance by 200 so that I can spread it through the day.
  • caroltina
    caroltina Posts: 453 Member
    I use custom because I train quite hard - about 800 cals a day - but I train at 6 pm so if I tried to eat back after this I'd feel pretty sick fir bed! So I upped my allowance by 200 so that I can spread it through the day.
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