Changed weight goal settings

shazia20
shazia20 Posts: 18 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So initially I started off putting down in settings that I wanted to lose 2lbs a week and this gave me a calorie goal of 1200 calories. However I found that it was too restrictive so I switched to losing 1lb a week and this changed the calories to 1400. Im hoping I will be able to stick to it and remain within calories.
Im fed up of not being able to stay within my calories. Any advice would be appreciated

Replies

  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    Yeah, I lasted until lunchtime the first day on 1200 calories :lol:

    If you have less than 20 pounds to lose, drop your weekly weight loss goal to a half pound per week.

    9kjwnia17qv9.jpg

    I get more calories through exercise. I need an extra 500 calories to feel satiated. I could get by with less calories if I were eating more protein and less fat, but I like the way I'm eating and I like to exercise, so it all works out for me.

    In case you have questions about exercise calories, here's my standard answer:

    https://support.myfitnesspal.com/hc/en-us/articles/360032625391-How-does-MyFitnessPal-calculate-my-initial-goals-

    Unlike other sites which use TDEE calculators, MFP uses the NEAT method (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis), and as such this system is designed for exercise calories to be eaten back. However, many consider the burns given by MFP to be inflated for them and only eat a percentage, such as 50%, back. Others are able to lose weight while eating 100% of their exercise calories.
  • Lildarlinz
    Lildarlinz Posts: 276 Member
    I did 1200 calories for 5 weeks…I lost 9lb…but I’m not gunna lie it was hardddddddddd!

    I went out for cake with my friend and I had this bigggggg massive slice but I ate like 1 spoonful…rest is in the fridge and it’s tempting me to eat it 🤣🤣🤣

    So I’m going to also up my calories after this month :D when I say month I mean after the menstrual cycle has finished 😖😖😖😩😩😩

    Sometimes I wish I was a guy…I hate it 🤣🤣🤣
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,454 Member
    shazia20 wrote: »
    So initially I started off putting down in settings that I wanted to lose 2lbs a week and this gave me a calorie goal of 1200 calories. However I found that it was too restrictive so I switched to losing 1lb a week and this changed the calories to 1400. Im hoping I will be able to stick to it and remain within calories.
    Im fed up of not being able to stay within my calories. Any advice would be appreciated

    The other thing is you may have set your "Activity Level" too low. For instance, NO ONE is actually Sedentary. A sit-down job still requires you to get up, get dressed, prepare meals, drive or walk, do laundry, clean house, shower, take out the garbage, etc. Don't choose Sedentary. The next level up (Lightly Active) will add another 250 calories.

    Then, if you exercise, eat more on those days. Enter it into the Exercise area of the site.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    cmriverside wrote: »
    shazia20 wrote: »
    So initially I started off putting down in settings that I wanted to lose 2lbs a week and this gave me a calorie goal of 1200 calories. However I found that it was too restrictive so I switched to losing 1lb a week and this changed the calories to 1400. Im hoping I will be able to stick to it and remain within calories.
    Im fed up of not being able to stay within my calories. Any advice would be appreciated

    The other thing is you may have set your "Activity Level" too low. For instance, NO ONE is actually Sedentary. A sit-down job still requires you to get up, get dressed, prepare meals, drive or walk, do laundry, clean house, shower, take out the garbage, etc. Don't choose Sedentary. The next level up (Lightly Active) will add another 250 calories.

    Then, if you exercise, eat more on those days. Enter it into the Exercise area of the site.

    I agree that MFP's sedentary is more active than my definition of Sedentary, which would be how my partner's elderly mother lived right before she needed to go into a nursing home.

    However, if I set myself on Sedentary, and don't count the first mile I walk (which agrees with when Fitbit starts giving me calories for steps), hour I cook, and half hour I clean, I can eat back 100% of my exercise calories. I prefer this to trying to figure out what % of my exercise calories to eat back.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,454 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    cmriverside wrote: »
    shazia20 wrote: »
    So initially I started off putting down in settings that I wanted to lose 2lbs a week and this gave me a calorie goal of 1200 calories. However I found that it was too restrictive so I switched to losing 1lb a week and this changed the calories to 1400. Im hoping I will be able to stick to it and remain within calories.
    Im fed up of not being able to stay within my calories. Any advice would be appreciated

    The other thing is you may have set your "Activity Level" too low. For instance, NO ONE is actually Sedentary. A sit-down job still requires you to get up, get dressed, prepare meals, drive or walk, do laundry, clean house, shower, take out the garbage, etc. Don't choose Sedentary. The next level up (Lightly Active) will add another 250 calories.

    Then, if you exercise, eat more on those days. Enter it into the Exercise area of the site.

    I agree that MFP's sedentary is more active than my definition of Sedentary, which would be how my partner's elderly mother lived right before she needed to go into a nursing home.

    However, if I set myself on Sedentary, and don't count the first mile I walk (which agrees with when Fitbit starts giving me calories for steps), hour I cook, and half hour I clean, I can eat back 100% of my exercise calories. I prefer this to trying to figure out what % of my exercise calories to eat back.

    I think "sedentary" is way too low.

    I am set at the third level up...what's that? Active? (yeah, checked) and it gives me 1900. I eat 2200-2300 consistently, including exercise...I'm retired, tiny condo. Not a lot of necessary activity in my daily life.

    I feel like the Activity Level calories are way too low, for every category. If I pick "Sedentary" based on the descriptors then I get 1500. No. Just no.

    The descriptors tell me I should choose Sedentary. I know better from 15 years of logging food and exercise.

  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,984 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    cmriverside wrote: »
    shazia20 wrote: »
    So initially I started off putting down in settings that I wanted to lose 2lbs a week and this gave me a calorie goal of 1200 calories. However I found that it was too restrictive so I switched to losing 1lb a week and this changed the calories to 1400. Im hoping I will be able to stick to it and remain within calories.
    Im fed up of not being able to stay within my calories. Any advice would be appreciated

    The other thing is you may have set your "Activity Level" too low. For instance, NO ONE is actually Sedentary. A sit-down job still requires you to get up, get dressed, prepare meals, drive or walk, do laundry, clean house, shower, take out the garbage, etc. Don't choose Sedentary. The next level up (Lightly Active) will add another 250 calories.

    Then, if you exercise, eat more on those days. Enter it into the Exercise area of the site.

    I agree that MFP's sedentary is more active than my definition of Sedentary, which would be how my partner's elderly mother lived right before she needed to go into a nursing home.

    However, if I set myself on Sedentary, and don't count the first mile I walk (which agrees with when Fitbit starts giving me calories for steps), hour I cook, and half hour I clean, I can eat back 100% of my exercise calories. I prefer this to trying to figure out what % of my exercise calories to eat back.

    I have a desk job. If I don't exercise I barely get 2000 steps per day. I might walk to the supermarket around the corner, or cycle to physio where I'm currently getting massages but none of this really adds an awful lot of calories. Cleaning? I switch the vacuum bot on every now and then, and if I run out of dishes or pots and pans I put everything into the dishwasher. Thus no, it doesn't add a lot and I'm pretty certain this does count as truly sedentary 😂 However, I have a very good grip on my exercise calories and eat back 100% of what I log. I do have custom entries though.

  • herringboxes
    herringboxes Posts: 259 Member
    For the record, I’m sedentary. Not proud of it or anything, but it’s definitely not true that “nobody” is sedentary.
  • Lildarlinz
    Lildarlinz Posts: 276 Member
    herringboxes wrote: »
    For the record, I’m sedentary. Not proud of it or anything, but it’s definitely not true that “nobody” is sedentary.

    I’m deffo sedentary…well I have been this week anyway 🤣🤣

    I do enough walking at work…I needed a break 🤣🤣
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,598 Member
    I'm pretty darned close to actually sedentary in Winter, outside of exercise I estimate carefully and eat back. Days of a couple of thousand steps are common (and there's no secret special activity that's not steps). I still require more calories than MFP thinks I'd need if set on "Active". Not everyone matches the average calorie needs estimates the so-called calculators (or even fitness trackers) spit out.

    Lots more matters to these estimates' accuracy than activity level. Lots more matters than exercise estimates. Even logging accuracy isn't the holy grail, because (IMO) consistency matters more than accuracy, and food logging is still only a piece of the puzzle.

    Nonetheless, calorie counting can succeed.

    OP, find a calorie level you can live with. For a few women, that's 1200 . . . but more women adopt it than should, for best results. Follow the weight loss rate guidance in the chart upthread. (Extremes don't work well - either food or exercise.)

    Follow the guidance to set activity level realistically - folks with a busy home life or a job involving walking around (even pretty mildly) at the worksite are not "sedentary". Log accurately. Notice what keeps you full/happy, and tweak your eating to keep it sustainable.

    Notice whether other things in your life (besides fullness) matter to your appetite (like stress, overly intense exercise for current fitness level, poor sleep quality/quantity, boredom, emotions, etc.). If so, address those directly rather than through food. If fueling/nutrition/hunger isn't the problem, the best solution isn't food.

    If necessary, experiment with eating timing - how many meals/snacks, at what times, of what relative size (calorie wise or physical volume), composed of which foods, including which macros. Try things for a few days at a time until you find your personal easiest routine.

    Reviewing your food diary often and thinking about these things can be useful: Which days did you feel relatively more full or relatively more hungry? What was different those days? (Sometimes the trigger can even be the day before, like intense exercise on Tuesday spiking appetite on Wednesday, etc.)

    To me, weight loss - especially at first - was like a fun, productive science fair project for grown-ups. Try things, assess the results, adjust the process, keep going. With patience and persistence, you'll accomplish your goals.

    Best wishes!
  • herringboxes
    herringboxes Posts: 259 Member
    Lildarlinz wrote: »
    herringboxes wrote: »
    For the record, I’m sedentary. Not proud of it or anything, but it’s definitely not true that “nobody” is sedentary.

    I’m deffo sedentary…well I have been this week anyway 🤣🤣

    I do enough walking at work…I needed a break 🤣🤣

    You’re not sedentary ;)

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