Will they Keep lowering my Calorie Goal?

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JJasMyself
JJasMyself Posts: 79 Member
in Motivation and Support
Hey All. I'm was doing a pretty good job staying within my calorie goal because it started out at 1500, though, I've mistepped here and there, but it seems like every time I lose a pound or two they lower my calorie goal by 10 - 30 calories. Is thing going to continue every time I lose a pound? I have 43 more pounds to go to meet my goal weight. So if this trend continues by the time I'm at my goal weight I'll only be eating about 1000 calories a day and I KNOW that's not healthy. Is this happening to anyone else?

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  • peteb79
    peteb79 Posts: 386
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    It should ask you to re calculate your calorie goal about every 10 pounds or so. Not sure why it would be going down every pound.
  • moushtie
    moushtie Posts: 371 Member
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    Don't worry, it won't put your calorie goal below 1200 a day. It just adjusts your weekly loss down to compensate.
  • maryd523
    maryd523 Posts: 661 Member
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    MFP will never set a calorie goal below 1200, that is considered the absolute minimum to ensure you are receiving adequete nutrition.

    As far as the adjustments go, that is to compensate for your lower body weight, which needs less calories to maintain. Therefore, to lose, you must eat a little bit less then if you hadn't lost that pound.
  • JulieBoBoo
    JulieBoBoo Posts: 642
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    it'll bottom out at 1200.
    If you find it difficult to do 1200 then you can lower your weekly weight loss to 1.5lbs per week or 1lb per week or .5lb per week. It is advisable to do this as you get closer to maintenance so that the transition from weight loss mode to maintenance mode isn't such a shock to your system and it easier for you to adjust to.
    As you get fitter there is a good chance your activity level will change so you may have to change yourself from sedentary to lightly active or active. This will give you more calories.

    Good luck.
  • MadBabysMama
    MadBabysMama Posts: 373 Member
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    Also, they won't lower it below 1200, so once you reach 1200 you'll stay there and just lose less weight per week. You also can change your weight loss goals (I assume you chose 2 lbs per week?); if you raise it to 1 lb or .5 lb loss per week you'll get more calories.
  • epj78
    epj78 Posts: 643 Member
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    Yes, it will keep lowering you down to 1200 calories - but won't ever go below that.

    The reason? As you lose weight, it takes less effort for your body to maintain your life functions and perform daily activities. It's getting more efficient; therefore, it needs less calories to keep it going. Highly unfair, I agree, but how our bodies work! So, you need to eat less and less to keep losing weight.
  • max4pups
    max4pups Posts: 29 Member
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    not that it is any less concern but it won't drop below 1200. going below that is only unhealthy if you can't insure you are meeting your nutritional needs.
  • bluemist248
    bluemist248 Posts: 207 Member
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    This happens for me too! Currently my limit is 1430 for 1lb a week loss. It'll surely stop at 1200 since that's it's lower limit. But yes, I see where you're coming from. I have around 50lbs left to lose so that's a further reduction of 500 cals by the end of it which would mean I'd be on 930 cals by then! I'd imagine when we have less to lose it'll take more lb losses to get a reduction of 10 cals.
  • JJasMyself
    JJasMyself Posts: 79 Member
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    it'll bottom out at 1200.
    If you find it difficult to do 1200 then you can lower your weekly weight loss to 1.5lbs per week or 1lb per week or .5lb per week. It is advisable to do this as you get closer to maintenance so that the transition from weight loss mode to maintenance mode isn't such a shock to your system and it easier for you to adjust to.
    As you get fitter there is a good chance your activity level will change so you may have to change yourself from sedentary to lightly active or active. This will give you more calories.

    Good luck.

    This is what worries me. I already haven
    my weekly weightloss set for only 1 lb per week and my activity level is lightly active as I am a preschool teacher which as me on my feet constantly.
  • JJasMyself
    JJasMyself Posts: 79 Member
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    Also, they won't lower it below 1200, so once you reach 1200 you'll stay there and just lose less weight per week. You also can change your weight loss goals (I assume you chose 2 lbs per week?); if you raise it to 1 lb or .5 lb loss per week you'll get more calories.

    I chose 1lb per week because that's what the site recommended. I just happen to be able to workout more and am coming in under my goal enough to lose more than that a week, but now that I'm back to working full time and am taking grad classes I have far less time to do that... It's very discouraging because right now I don't feel hungry all day and I can enjoy a birthday party or a special occasion without having to be a "party pooper" by not eating any cake or icecream, but it scares me to think in the end I'llonly be able to eat 1200 cals for the rest of my life. That seems a little unrealistic, but I guess I'll just have to keep plugging away and see what happens.
  • sugarbomb83
    sugarbomb83 Posts: 67 Member
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    Since I first joined my calories per day have been 1200. It really was difficult at first but there are some pretty filling foods that aren't too many calories (hot air popped popcorn has been a lifesaver!). The hardest part is if you are going out to eat or have a party to go to -- those are the days that I can't seem to get 1200 calories to go very far.

    Good luck in your weight loss journey!
  • TipMcE
    TipMcE Posts: 158
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    My calorie goals have stayed the same, at 1500 since I joined. The only thing that changes as I've lost weight is the calories burned, so when I log my exercise (which is usually 30 minutes of elliptical) I get fewer exercise calories. I'll be interested to see if there is a change in the calorie goals when I pass 10lb lost.
  • MadBabysMama
    MadBabysMama Posts: 373 Member
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    I doubt the 1200 calories would be for the rest of your life - once you stop trying to lose weight and switch to maintainance, you may get more calories (obviously depends on your final weight).
  • rgalloway49
    rgalloway49 Posts: 16 Member
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    Once you hit your goal weight and go into "maintenance" your calories will go up. You need a deficit now in order to lose, but once you hit your ideal weight you will jump up quite a bit in calories. I know that I get over 1700 cals a day when I'm not trying to lose.

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