My calorie deficit changed and now it says I'm not eating enough unless I fill it entirely!

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tristaninpdx
tristaninpdx Posts: 2 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
The safe calorie deficit is 500 calories, yet MyFitnessPal is telling me it isn't and that I need a calorie deficit of 300lbs. I am a 29-year-old male who uses a wheelchair for all of my mobility. I have no way to take my weight, there are no nearby hospitals where I can weigh myself with a wheelchair-accessible scale, and they are far too expensive for me to purchase. My gripe/issue here is I think MyFitnessPal is broken. It started being broken earlier this year. Tech support has not been helpful.

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  • simply_shawnmarie
    simply_shawnmarie Posts: 23 Member
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    I don't use my fitness pal to tell me how much I eat. Have you researched Intuitive eating? There are books on it, but it is about learning the skill to listen to your body. That may be your best bet. If you really want to lose weight through calorie counting it is possible but i would put in the macros from https://www.calculator.net/macro-calculator.html

    For weight put in your goal weight, activity put in, "Basal Metabolic Rate". and "maintain weight" for your goal.

    why maintenance, and this kind of information? Because you are looking to become who your future will be. So put in the information your goal weight would need to survive.
  • caseylizbeth
    caseylizbeth Posts: 112 Member
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    Hi, I'm not sure what exactly you're trying to say here, but I'm willing to help? What does MFP have your daily calories set at, and how much are you eating?
  • sheahughes
    sheahughes Posts: 133 Member
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    I peeked at your diary, for 3 of the last 4 days you have ranged from 150 to 400 calories under your goal. That is probably why you are getting the message saying you aren't eating enough?
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,021 Member
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    What do you mean you need a calorie deficit of 300 lb's???

    do you mean you weigh 300 lb now or you have 300 lb to lose or ??

    I'm not sure what you think is broken with MFP ??
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,015 Member
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    Well, nothing is broken on the site...can you give us more info?

    If you weigh 300 pounds and are sedentary (sounds like you may be) then set your goals to "Lose 2 pounds per week." Log your food and any additional exercise you do. When you add exercise you'll get more calories.

    A calorie deficit is merely the amount calculated by the site to enable your weight loss. So (for instance) if you need 3200 calories a day to maintain your current weight and you ask for "2 pounds per week" loss, the site will deduct 1000 calories per day from your 3500 and that will lead to weight loss. It will tell you to eat 2200 per day plus any exercise calories.

    A pound of weight is generally thought to equal 3500, so 1000 X 7 = 7000. That's two pounds, approximately. The 1000 "deduction" is called your calorie deficit. (Or, alternately, 7000 calorie deficit per week.)

    At the end of the day you *can* click on that "Complete This Entry" button if you want. If you are under-eating it will tell you but it isn't in any way necessary to click that button. Don't worry about it, it affects nothing. Your day's data is still recorded regardless.

    You certainly don't have to weigh yourself. You'll start noticing when your clothing is looser. :)

    Good luck, keep us posted.
  • cbihatt
    cbihatt Posts: 319 Member
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    I am not clear on how your deficit has changed if you have not updated your weight in the app, but I just wanted to add that you can manually adjust your calorie target in the app. Go to goals, then under nutrition goals you can choose the first option to manually adjust your calories and/or macro ratios.

  • wunderkindking
    wunderkindking Posts: 1,615 Member
    edited November 2021
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    500 calories is a safe deficit UNLESS it takes you past 1200 calories. If you're trying to eat under 1000 MFP will absolutely tell you about it. As you get close to goal weight your deficit will either need to decrease or you will need to up your activity.
  • millcreek5
    millcreek5 Posts: 1 Member
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    What to do when weight loss stops and you're still at 1200 calories? I'm late 60's, just over 5 feet and have been on 1200 calories from the start. Have lost @ 40 pounds and am stuck. Need to lose another 20. The same 2 pounds keep coming and going. Should I reduce calories further? Tricky, since this is the first "diet" that has not made me sick. And, yes, I am tracking everything. Though I don't log exercise, I am a farmer and am outside doing every day. What say you?
  • wunderkindking
    wunderkindking Posts: 1,615 Member
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    millcreek5 wrote: »
    What to do when weight loss stops and you're still at 1200 calories? I'm late 60's, just over 5 feet and have been on 1200 calories from the start. Have lost @ 40 pounds and am stuck. Need to lose another 20. The same 2 pounds keep coming and going. Should I reduce calories further? Tricky, since this is the first "diet" that has not made me sick. And, yes, I am tracking everything. Though I don't log exercise, I am a farmer and am outside doing every day. What say you?

    That's why we don't recommend eating 1200 calories from the start. Once that happens your option is basically to move more, or to take a diet break, let your body adapt, accept a small gain and start over with more calories and a smaller deficit. If your weight is already so low that your maintenance calories won't allow ANY deficit (even 150/200 calories a day) then your only option is move more. Reducing further is bad news, almost always and if you even think that direct you need to get a doctor and/or registered dietician involved.

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