Does anyone know the answer to this?

anewbeginning
anewbeginning Posts: 53 Member
edited September 18 in Health and Weight Loss
I just started this week and was wondering if anyone knows the answer to my question. If at my starting weight I am allowed 1320 calories a day, as I lose weight do I have to redo the BMR to adjust my calories to continue to lose? Or do I just stay with the original set amount of calories throughout my entire diet plan? Inquiring minds want to know.....thanks for your help!! :flowerforyou:

Replies

  • anewbeginning
    anewbeginning Posts: 53 Member
    I just started this week and was wondering if anyone knows the answer to my question. If at my starting weight I am allowed 1320 calories a day, as I lose weight do I have to redo the BMR to adjust my calories to continue to lose? Or do I just stay with the original set amount of calories throughout my entire diet plan? Inquiring minds want to know.....thanks for your help!! :flowerforyou:
  • auntkaren
    auntkaren Posts: 1,490 Member
    That's a good question........I am new and would like to know to.:smile:
  • Healthier_Me
    Healthier_Me Posts: 5,600 Member
    I stayed with my original setting but when I reached my weight goal, I changed my setting to maintain.

    ~Joanna:flowerforyou:
  • anewbeginning
    anewbeginning Posts: 53 Member
    I have a large amount of weight to lose though....most likely a year's worth...that's why I am wondering if sticking to the same amount of calories throughout the entire time applies for me too......:drinker:
  • Panthera
    Panthera Posts: 23
    I think after you reach 10 pound loss increments, the program asks you if you want to readjust your calorie intake.
  • banks1850
    banks1850 Posts: 3,475 Member
    After any significant change to your body you should redo your goals. I.E. you loose a fair amount of weight, or if your body fat changes drastically, or if you go from sedentary to lightly active...etc.

    Also keep in mind, as you approach your goal weight, it will become more difficult to loose the same amount of weight or body fat % or calorie defecite. Make sure to realize that as you get closer, you don't just need to adjust your goals, but augment your expectations as well. Just because you could loose 4 lbs a week when you were 40 or 50 lbs from your goal, doesn't mean you can do so when you are 10 lbs. It probably isn't going to happen. If you realize that, you are setting yourself up for success!

    I hope this helps. Good luck!
    :happy:
  • momathome
    momathome Posts: 72
    after I lost my first 10lbs it automatically changed my calorie intake.
  • lotusfromthemud
    lotusfromthemud Posts: 5,335 Member
    As long as you're "checking in" and entering your progress, the website does it for you.
  • banks1850
    banks1850 Posts: 3,475 Member
    As long as you're "checking in" and entering your progress, the website does it for you.

    viv is correct, it will keep track of all your settings, BUT, it will not adjust your goals. I.E. if you are trying to loose 2 lbs a week, it will keep trying to give you that result, even if you only have 5 lbs to go. which many people might not realize.
  • DianneLynn
    DianneLynn Posts: 156 Member
    I would think yes you have to as I think if you don't after a certain amount of weightloss, you would either be eventually either maintaining, hitting a plateau or gaining weight.
  • jessneill
    jessneill Posts: 380 Member
    I would think you'd need to. I am planning on recheching my BMR every 20lbs and resetting my calorie intake to the new BMR.

    The funny thing is, as I lose more weight my BMR will go down so I'll reduce my calories somewhat, but then as I get closer to my goal weight I'm planning on slowly adding more calories back in till I'm at maintenance.

    I ran the numbers and it'll look something like this

    Current caloric intake 1700 (211 lbs)
    1st goal 196lbs change to 1600 calories a day
    No longer in "obese" range 186lbs Change to 1550 a day
    2nd goal 176lbs change to 1500 a day

    at 164 I'll change to 1450 until I get down to a weight of 157lbs. When I get to 157 I'm thinking I'll start increasing my calories again to around 1600. Then probably up to 1900 calories when I hit 146lbs. 2000 calories at 142 then if my goal weight stays the same, which is 138lbs I will finish up at my maintenance calories of 2400.

    This whole process will take me probably till May of 2009. :smile:

    But this whole plan could go out the window as I lose the weight and see how my body reacts.
  • SheIsVirgo
    SheIsVirgo Posts: 43
    The site put me on 1200 calories a day.........is it going to go lower than that????

    I can't imagine
  • Mlieb
    Mlieb Posts: 121
    The site put me on 1200 calories a day.........is it going to go lower than that????

    I can't imagine

    I started at 1200 a day but would get to eat more calories when I exercise. I do not think that the program will go any lower than 1200 unless you change it. 1200 a day does not seam like a lot at first but your body will get used to it. When I reach my target weight I will increase it
  • ladyjh578
    ladyjh578 Posts: 207
    I think after you reach 10 pound loss increments, the program asks you if you want to readjust your calorie intake.

    THIS IS TRUE. THE SYSTEM WILL LET YOU KNOW WHEN YOUR CALORIC INTAKE MUST CHANGE.
  • jessneill
    jessneill Posts: 380 Member
    The site put me on 1200 calories a day.........is it going to go lower than that????

    I can't imagine

    The site puts most people at 1200 a day when they say they want to lose 2lbs a week, be sure to check your BMR under the tools section to make sure the 1200 is not below that.

    Many people, myself included, have found that eating below their BMR actually slows their weight loss.
  • lotusfromthemud
    lotusfromthemud Posts: 5,335 Member
    The site put me on 1200 calories a day.........is it going to go lower than that????

    I can't imagine

    The site puts most people at 1200 a day when they say they want to lose 2lbs a week, be sure to check your BMR under the tools section to make sure the 1200 is not below that.

    Many people, myself included, have found that eating below their BMR actually slows their weight loss.

    seconded!:flowerforyou:
  • SheIsVirgo
    SheIsVirgo Posts: 43
    My BMR is 1347, so I should be eating more?

    I'm a bit confused with this stuff.

    Thanks for the replies.
  • banks1850
    banks1850 Posts: 3,475 Member
    The site put me on 1200 calories a day.........is it going to go lower than that????

    I can't imagine

    The site puts most people at 1200 a day when they say they want to lose 2lbs a week, be sure to check your BMR under the tools section to make sure the 1200 is not below that.

    Many people, myself included, have found that eating below their BMR actually slows their weight loss.

    seconded!:flowerforyou:

    LOL, unless your a big fatty like me. I still am at like 1600 even if I max out everything.:cry:
  • WillPillageYourVillageForFood
    WillPillageYourVillageForFood Posts: 777 Member
    Okay, I am totally confused now, HELP!!! When I do the BMR calculator is says 1255 calories so if I subtract out 500 calories from that to lose weight then I can only eat 755 calories a day????:noway: I know that by doing that I will just be letting my body feed off of itself and that is not a pleasant thought. Can someone enlighten me on what to do?
  • banks1850
    banks1850 Posts: 3,475 Member
    Okay, I am totally confused now, HELP!!! When I do the BMR calculator is says 1255 calories so if I subtract out 500 calories from that to lose weight then I can only eat 755 calories a day????:noway: I know that by doing that I will just be letting my body feed off of itself and that is not a pleasant thought. Can someone enlighten me on what to do?

    Oop. No, BMR is as low as you want to go. The definition of BMR is the amount of calories your body needs to function if you did nothing at all all day (I mean lay in bed and don't do anything). Don't use it for anything besides a reference point. Use the goal calculator to find what you should be eating, then generally, add to it if you exercise (add the amount of calories you burned when exercising)

    I.E. If MFP tells you that in order to loose1 lb a week you need to eat 1500 cals, then eat 1500, but if you exercise for 300 cals, add that to the 1500 for a total of 1800.
  • MontanaGirl
    MontanaGirl Posts: 1,251 Member
    SharonB . . .You don't subract calories off of your BMR. You subtract the calories off of your Maintenance Calorie needs. If you need 2000 to maintain your current weight you would subtract 500 to lose 1 lb per week - 1500 then add back in what you burn exercising. BMR is the absolute basic calories you body needs just to function. You don't want to go under that number for an extended period - say more than 1 day. See the post in General Discussion titled "THE answers to THE questions" A lot of good info in there.
  • WillPillageYourVillageForFood
    WillPillageYourVillageForFood Posts: 777 Member
    Thanks for all the info....sometimes senility creeps up and I just don't quite understand things the way I should. :laugh: So I went back into my goals and set it up for maintaining my present weight (which I don't want to be) and it told me I needed 1570 calories to maintain so I guess if I subtract off the 500 calorie deficit I will still be below the recommended 1200 calorie cutoff. I guess I will just have to resign myself to losing the weight slower but knowing that I am not harming my body along the way. Oh well, I guess being the turtle in the race has it's benefits. Thanks again for answering my questions.
  • MontanaGirl
    MontanaGirl Posts: 1,251 Member
    Ahhh, yes. When you have that last little bit to lose, it goes pretty slow! (or so I've heard! :laugh: Maybe someday I'll get to experience trying to lose those last few!) Keep on keeping on and if you feel stuck, maybe change up the exercise routine a little (or a lot!) Once it warms up there are lots more possibilities - have fun while finishing up your journey!!
  • mommared53
    mommared53 Posts: 9,543 Member
    after I lost my first 10lbs it automatically changed my calorie intake.

    Holy cow! I didn't know it did that. I just checked mine because I lost 10 pounds and sure enough my calories went down from 1210 to 1200.

    What a website! :happy:
  • jessneill
    jessneill Posts: 380 Member
    Thanks for all the info....sometimes senility creeps up and I just don't quite understand things the way I should. :laugh: So I went back into my goals and set it up for maintaining my present weight (which I don't want to be) and it told me I needed 1570 calories to maintain so I guess if I subtract off the 500 calorie deficit I will still be below the recommended 1200 calorie cutoff. I guess I will just have to resign myself to losing the weight slower but knowing that I am not harming my body along the way. Oh well, I guess being the turtle in the race has it's benefits. Thanks again for answering my questions.

    Sharon, 1570 seems pretty low for maintenance calories if you are at a weight where you are needing to lose. If you don't mine me asking, how tall are you and how much do you currently weigh?
  • WillPillageYourVillageForFood
    WillPillageYourVillageForFood Posts: 777 Member
    Sharon, 1570 seems pretty low for maintenance calories if you are at a weight where you are needing to lose. If you don't mine me asking, how tall are you and how much do you currently weigh?


    No, I don't mind you asking, I am 5'6" and weigh 132 lbs right now. I know that does not seem like a lot and I am in a healthy BMI range, but I have a very slight build and it is too much weight for me Many years ago I weighed between 110-115 lbs and that was too thin, now I just want to weigh between 120 and 125. I do know that the more toning up I do will probably make me rethink those numbers, but for now that is my goal.
  • banks1850
    banks1850 Posts: 3,475 Member
    that seems about right.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories