How often do you adjust your calorie goals/exercise goals

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mpkpbk2015
mpkpbk2015 Posts: 766 Member
edited March 2021 in Health and Weight Loss
How often do you adjust your calorie goals or exercise goals on MFP?
Or do you use the suggested ones?
Or have you never changed them since you started?
And why?
Has it helped you reach your intended overall loss goal?
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Replies

  • lgfrie
    lgfrie Posts: 1,449 Member
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    I've adjusted my calorie goal upward 3 times over the past 21 months. I started at 1600 cals, now 1850. It's been 1850 for a long time. I change it when I feel like I need a change, usually boils down to "want more food".
  • AndreaTamira
    AndreaTamira Posts: 272 Member
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    I adjusted my calorie goals down every 2.5kg for a while. Just refreshed MFP with my updated weight but the same weight loss rate. Bottomed out at 1200 cals now. Will probably stay there till maintanance (either at goal weight or for a naintanance break).
  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,128 Member
    edited March 2021
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    I've always used the calorie goal given by MFP and eaten back all of my exercise calories. (Exercise calories based on the Pacer app first, then a Polar fitness tracker, and then my current Garmin)

    I started out at a weight loss rate of 0.5lbs per week. It took me a long time to figure out that MFP didn't adjust my calorie automatically to my weigh-ins, but after that I 'forced' an updated calorie goal after every 5lbs lost.

    After losing about 40lbs, reaching a BMI of 27.5, I switched my calorie goal to maintenance, aiming for anything between that maintenance number and a 250kcal deficit. Still updating after every 5 lbs lost.

    In numbers my calorie goal started at about 1750 (plus exercise) decreasing, as I lost weight, to 1500, and then back up to 1750 when I switched to maintenance calories. In reality, sure to increasing my activity level, I average about 2000 calories a day while still slowly losing weight.

    I've lost weight at the expected rate (a bit faster in the beginning, I think my Polar underestimated my calorie burn). This show approach had been pretty painless, even if it has taken 18 months so far and probably 6 more months to get to goal.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
    edited March 2021
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    Are you aware the exercise frequency and duration part in your goal set up has no bearing at all on your calorie level?
    (I do wish they would add an explanatory note in there!)

    When I lost weight I only needed to make one adjustment to my calorie goal to lose weight on track all the way to goal (1lb/week) but I didn't have a lot of weight to lose. My logging wasn't particularly accurate but it was consistent.

    My actual exercise goals evolve all the time but that doesn't relate to my calorie or exercise goals on MFP.
  • sarah7591
    sarah7591 Posts: 415 Member
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    How do you adjust your goals on MFP? Thanks in advance.
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
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    I don't use the MFP goals anymore, but when I did, I adjusted them (from 1250 + exercise cals) to a TDEE goal (with exercise built in) and then to different TDEE goals as I increased exercise, slowed down my rate of loss, and went to maintenance.
  • westrich20940
    westrich20940 Posts: 878 Member
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    I don't use MFP to calculate my calorie goal. I use a TDEE calculator (set my activity level to sedentary bc I have a desk job and am sedentary other than my workouts) and log my workouts --- and now eat back most if not all of those cals (bc I'm maintaining).
    I would recalculate TDEE every 10lbs lost. Same with making sure to update your current weight for any other tools you use to calculate calories burned (like I use a HRM and one time I forgot to change my weight in it for a long time and so my calories burned for my runs during that time weren't accurate - they're only so accurate anyway).

    But overall...the closer you get to your goal weight, the higher your calorie goal should get --- closer and closer to your maintenance level.
  • LisaGetsMoving
    LisaGetsMoving Posts: 664 Member
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    I adjusted my exercise goal when my target of 30 minutes per day/180 min per week (walking) became routine and too easy.
  • wunderkindking
    wunderkindking Posts: 1,615 Member
    edited March 2021
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    So, I started MFP just barely into an obese BMI.

    For 3 months and 15lbs, my goal was set to lose 1lb a week, and I recalculated every 2-3 lbs, dropping my calories to match.

    After those first 3 months and since I have set my calories to maintain and just eat less than those. Over a week it still averages out to about a 1800-2000 calorie deficit. I recalculate maintenance calories every 5lbs or so (so for me that's a 50 calorie drop when I recalculate).

    I am now six lbs and some change from a healthy BMI, and I don't really have a final goal in mind, right now. I will very likely continue doing what I'm doing, all the way to the end - which will either be me deciding I am done -- or me reaching a point where I do not have the ability/desire to further increase activity or reduce calories.

    As long as I am a weight that's supporting my physical health and allows me to be active and enjoy life, I don't much care.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    Your exercise goals are only for you...they don't have any bearing on your calorie targets or anything else. They are just for you to right down whatever your personal goals are...I change my exercise goals when life changes and I have to change my exercise goals.

    Calorie targets should be adjusted every 10 Lbs or so.
  • wunderkindking
    wunderkindking Posts: 1,615 Member
    edited March 2021
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    Oh and I should say I set to maintain early because that red "YOU ARE OVER" thing is super unpleasant for me and I was regularly feeling bad for being a few calories (even one or two) over, or having a single hungry day in a week that netted me a couple of hundred over, in spite of being well under the calorie 'goal' for loss the rest of the week. I could not cope psychologically.
  • Poobah1972
    Poobah1972 Posts: 943 Member
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    I haven't adjusted at all... Personally I'm starting out in the over 400 club, and I've been 500+ at one time. I tend to enjoy eating at what would be about my target if I was at goal weight. So I've been averaging about 1600 calories per day, and the weight is literally melting off over the past 8 weeks. Energy, mood, all great. So I'm just going to continue as is.

    I may actually have to eat a bit more as my fat reserves eventually dwindle... But I won't have to worry about that for a long time.

    As for exercises, I'm just happy to be a little more active as time goes on. Quicker to get off my *kitten*, and do anything. Lugging a 400+ lb body around can be a real chore at times. Once the spring rolls in though, I suspect I'll be feel good enough to start some walking.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    sarah7591 wrote: »
    How do you adjust your goals on MFP? Thanks in advance.

    @sarah7591

    Browser version.
    Home page / Goals tab / View Guided Setup or edit manually.

    (Note that the exercise goal part doesn't have any impact on your calories. Just something to aim for.)
  • mpkpbk2015
    mpkpbk2015 Posts: 766 Member
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    lgfrie wrote: »
    I've adjusted my calorie goal upward 3 times over the past 21 months. I started at 1600 cals, now 1850. It's been 1850 for a long time. I change it when I feel like I need a change, usually boils down to "want more food".

    Thanks - you said in the last 21 months how long have you been a member? And where did you start 1600 ? Just curious.
  • mpkpbk2015
    mpkpbk2015 Posts: 766 Member
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    AndreaTamira wrote: »
    I adjusted my calorie goals down every 2.5kg for a while. Just refreshed MFP with my updated weight but the same weight loss rate. Bottomed out at 1200 cals now. Will probably stay there till maintanance (either at goal weight or for a naintanance break).

    I see I started at 1200 and stalled after 2 year and a half years the last 8 months till goal I downshifted to 1000.That's why I was wondering and did this post. Thanks for sharing.
  • mpkpbk2015
    mpkpbk2015 Posts: 766 Member
    Options
    Lietchi wrote: »
    I've always used the calorie goal given by MFP and eaten back all of my exercise calories. (Exercise calories based on the Pacer app first, then a Polar fitness tracker, and then my current Garmin)

    I started out at a weight loss rate of 0.5lbs per week. It took me a long time to figure out that MFP didn't adjust my calorie automatically to my weigh-ins, but after that I 'forced' an updated calorie goal after every 5lbs lost.

    After losing about 40lbs, reaching a BMI of 27.5, I switched my calorie goal to maintenance, aiming for anything between that maintenance number and a 250kcal deficit. Still updating after every 5 lbs lost.

    In numbers my calorie goal started at about 1750 (plus exercise) decreasing, as I lost weight, to 1500, and then back up to 1750 when I switched to maintenance calories. In reality, sure to increasing my activity level, I average about 2000 calories a day while still slowly losing weight.

    I've lost weight at the expected rate (a bit faster in the beginning, I think my Polar underestimated my calorie burn). This show approach had been pretty painless, even if it has taken 18 months so far and probably 6 more months to get to goal.

    Thanks so much for sharing. Have a great week.
  • mpkpbk2015
    mpkpbk2015 Posts: 766 Member
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    sijomial wrote: »
    Are you aware the exercise frequency and duration part in your goal set up has no bearing at all on your calorie level?
    (I do wish they would add an explanatory note in there!)

    When I lost weight I only needed to make one adjustment to my calorie goal to lose weight on track all the way to goal (1lb/week) but I didn't have a lot of weight to lose. My logging wasn't particularly accurate but it was consistent.

    My actual exercise goals evolve all the time but that doesn't relate to my calorie or exercise goals on MFP.

    No I was not aware - yes I wish they would add that explanation. Thanks for sharing. I actually changed mine after over 2 years and stalling the last 9 months to goal and I had a lot to lose 100 pounds to be exact started at 1200 cals and then went to 1000 based on metabolism test taken at my doctor's office. Have a great rest of your week.
  • mpkpbk2015
    mpkpbk2015 Posts: 766 Member
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    sarah7591 wrote: »
    How do you adjust your goals on MFP? Thanks in advance.

    It's under the goals section looks like this 7hqvx5u0wkmq.png
  • mpkpbk2015
    mpkpbk2015 Posts: 766 Member
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    sarah7591 wrote: »
    How do you adjust your goals on MFP? Thanks in advance.
    hiqwkkvhzek1.png


  • mpkpbk2015
    mpkpbk2015 Posts: 766 Member
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    lemurcat2 wrote: »
    I don't use the MFP goals anymore, but when I did, I adjusted them (from 1250 + exercise cals) to a TDEE goal (with exercise built in) and then to different TDEE goals as I increased exercise, slowed down my rate of loss, and went to maintenance.

    I am sorry for my ignorance but what is TDEE your the second person who has mentioned it and I don't know what it means. Thank you.

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