myfitnesspal vs Loseit with recommended calories...

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Mikeinstlouis
Mikeinstlouis Posts: 20 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello all.
My name is Mike and I am BRAND new here.

I want to lose about 12 -15 lbs.

I lost around 50 using the old WW plan, but the new one does not work for me. NOTHING is coming off.

I have heard myfitnesspal was good, but I heard that loseit and sparkpeople as well.

myfitnesspal has the best reviews due to its database but here is my question.

I am 6"2', weigh 200.4 lbs and would love to lose about two lbs a week.

I plugged in the data to Loseit and it says I can eat 1785 calories (and that was without exercise!)
I did the same to MFP and said I would work out 30 mintues a day 3 days a week and it said my max calories is 1480.

That is HUGE!!!!

Why is there such a difference when both are supposed to be so good?

Thanks!

Mike
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Replies

  • kgillikin
    kgillikin Posts: 191 Member
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    bump
  • vim_n_vigor
    vim_n_vigor Posts: 4,089 Member
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    bump - I would like to see any comments on this. I just opened an account to see if there was a difference for me and there is a 200 calorie increase here too.
  • jenfactor
    jenfactor Posts: 124
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    Not sure I can answer that for you, but just wanted to add my two cents that I think it's interesting how many people hate the new WW program!!
  • Getting_Fit_4_Life
    Getting_Fit_4_Life Posts: 401 Member
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    I have tried Sparkspeople, but I like MFP far better beause it's easier to navigate. I also find the MFP pals so much more supportive too :) I guess any of these site can work, but I feel that it's about the support you get. I feel that the friends on MFP seems for active and supportive. This is why I like MFP better.
  • Korrinn
    Korrinn Posts: 24
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    I've used both loseit and MFP and I found that the loseit numbers were inflated for me personally*. I think loseit uses a different calculation for your BMR and assumes that everyone is doing a certain base amount of exercising (like walking, cleaning etc), while MFP uses a baseline of absolutely no exercise (like you laid in bed all day).

    That being said, I prefer MFP because it allows me to log every little bit of exercise that I do and if I do have a lazy weekend where I don't leave the apartment and stay in bed and watch netflix all day, I don't have to worry about possibly eating over my calorie count. I also prefer MFP because it has a much more expansive database and users can submit stuff.

    *This is for me personally. I think I might have a slower metabolism and I use a Body Media FIt to check my calorie burn every day and I've found MFP to be more accurate.
  • Artemis_Acorn
    Artemis_Acorn Posts: 836 Member
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    MFP doesn't give you 'credit' for the exercise calories until you actually do them. When you log exercise, your calorie allowance will increase in the day that you log the exercise.

    Also, the BMR calculator used by MFP is a bit more conservative than some of the others out there. Since you said you're trying to lose 2 pounds a week, MFP is going to build a 1000 calorie deficit PER DAY. Look at your "Goals" page to see the breakdown.
  • MissMaryMac33
    MissMaryMac33 Posts: 1,433 Member
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    MFP gives your number based on what you put as your activity level -- not your anticipated 3 workouts.

    Go back, change it to sedentary and see what you get.

    It also matters how much you chose to lose a week --- with only 15lbs or so to go, you should choose 1/2lb a week.
    My guess is you chose 2lbs thinking you'd just get there faster.


    Setting your goals based on weight you need to lose:

    75lbs or more: Choose to lose 2lbs/week
    40-75 pounds: Choose to lose 1.5lbs/week
    25-40 pounds: Choose to lose 1lb/week
    15-20 pounds: Choose either 1/2lb or 1lb
    Less than 15/20 pounds: choose 1/2 lb/week
  • frugalmomsrock
    frugalmomsrock Posts: 1,123
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    The other site probably expects that you'll exercise at least three times a week. MFP will add those in as you do.
  • LizC26
    LizC26 Posts: 319 Member
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    MFP doesn't take into account your exercise calories, so even though you told it you'd work out, that number you got was without working out. Two pounds per week is a 1000 calorie deficit per day, which is gonna be hard for anyone to do, but good luck either way,

    My suggestion would be trying one out and see how it works, then switch to the other goal (you can manually set your goal calories on here) to see which works best for you.
  • ShortayBaybay
    ShortayBaybay Posts: 138
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    I just opened a "lose it" account, and it's only like 20 calories more on here that it says I can eat a day. Not sure why it's different, but I am not worried about it :) I can already tell you that I like MFP WAYYYY better!
  • Keonnie
    Keonnie Posts: 1 Member
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    Ditto re: jenfactor's New WW comment. I hated the new WW and ended up gaining back the weight I'd lost prior to its start. I'm much happier with MFP even though it's only been a couple of weeks. The database is a BIG selling point. WW was killing me with having to compute almost EVERYTHING. In my opinion, their database is very unsatisfactory, especially for a service you have to pay for.
  • Robrowald
    Robrowald Posts: 64 Member
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    I think MissMaryMac33 has it right. Excellent post.
  • Mikeinstlouis
    Mikeinstlouis Posts: 20 Member
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    But the thing is that I never told the LOSE it program that I was going to exercise. It never asked me!

    One more question. I am doing the couch to 2 k program and wondering how to figure out calories spent per week.

    Thanks for all the help!!!

    Yep..the new weight watchers did NOT work for me!!!
  • vim_n_vigor
    vim_n_vigor Posts: 4,089 Member
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    I just added the same foods in loseit that I did here on MFP for the day. The calories estimated there were much higher than here. BTW - I entered all fruits and veggies. So, even though they give me more calories to eat, they 'charge' me a lot more for those foods too.
  • KokomoJoe
    KokomoJoe Posts: 435
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    While I don't know if they still do but Heinz does/did own WW and manufacturers the food bearing WW's name. Anytime a food company owns a "diet solution" I am hesitant. Nestle owns Jenny Craig and Kraft owns something else that I can't remember at this time.

    As far as I am concerned none of these will give you real food which is what you should be eating. I haven't checked out loseit but I find the targets with MFP work fine for me. I do the custom settings not the default and use MFP to track it. When I checked the difference in total calories MFP had me at 30 calories a day more than my settings with a different balance of protein/carbs/fats.
  • msiamjan
    msiamjan Posts: 326 Member
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    I started with LoseIt, and it did give me 200 more calories per day. I switched to MFP because the database is so much more extensive and just went with it's recommendation. You can try adjusting in MFP by telling it you want to lose less per week, and then see how it goes.
  • Dwindlin
    Dwindlin Posts: 1
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    I realize that this is a bit dated, but in case anyone is interested the difference lies in formula used for BMR. Both these programs utilize the Harris-Benedict equation for determining your BMR. The difference lies in the correction factor used. There is a generic correction factor used to account for activity. Typically BMR x 1.2 is the standard for a "sedentary" lifestyle. However MFP chooses a more conservative 1.135 as its sedentary correction factor. I haven't looked, but I assume that all levels are slightly more conservative than what was standardized when the research was done.
  • hokiecow
    hokiecow Posts: 2 Member
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    Lose it! might not have a more robust food database but it has a much better AND fast interface. The noble app does not require a data connection and it's easier to add foods. For someone like me who eats leftovers, I can easily add last nights meal for breakfast the next day.
  • LynneSmileySadowski
    LynneSmileySadowski Posts: 4
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    Hi Mike, I've never used Loseit or Sparkpeople... but have seen the sites. I have so far lost 55 pounds and there is no way on earth that I could have done that with more calories than myfitnesspal suggests. NO WAY. I was 210 pounds when I started. I am a woman in her 40s and have been sticking to a 1100-1200/day diet. When I've tried to eat more, NOTHING comes off. I think it depends on your own body make up, age, and other things... I exercise now daily for 30 minutes. I can't seem to get the scale to budge anymore, so I'm beefing up my exercise. My suggestion is to also include lean protein in at least 3 of your meals... if not more, especially if you are lifting weights. When you're lifting weights your body need that extra protein. I've been very happy with MFP and think you will too. : )
  • judkossum
    judkossum Posts: 1
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    I know this is an old thread, but as someone who successfully lost 80 pounds with LoseIt, I wanted to give you the rundown. LoseIt starts you out at a higher calorie intake. I began with about 2000 calories a day, but by the last several weeks, I was down to a little over 1500. It starts you out high, you lose weight, it gradually decreases your calorie budget, you keep losing weight. Obviously no program is perfect, but there it is. I also think LoseIt basically assumes a sedentary lifestyle, which forces you to input all your calories burned during exercise, rather than assuming that you're exercising.

    My Fitness Pal doesn't do either of these. One of the reasons I believe LoseIt worked for me is because I was allowed more calories in the beginning, and I still saw the results I wanted. This helped me get to the point where I'd stick with it.

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