BMR question

if you're in the "My Home" tab, click on "Goals" at the top and then "change goals"

Thank you! That did it. Our "goal" should be BMR according to some of the posts. Right?

To better answer your question, I think it is best to do this with numbers.

Once you set your goals, you can see the following information at:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/my_goals

Here are mine (I am 49yrs, 6'1", 240 lbs)

BMR (using the MFP tool): 2010 calories

The BMR assumes NO activity at all.
MFP calculates the actual calories burned per day depending on your activity level.
For me, I indicated Sedentary.
So it gave me: Calories burned from Normal Daily Activity: 2,510 calories/day

Goal: 1 lb reduction per week (3500 calories per week)

If I do exercise of 1 hr per week, approximately I will burn 550 calories

To calculate the total calories burned per week: (2510 x 7)+ (550 x 1) = 18120

So this means that to reduce 1 lb per week (3500 calories), my total food intake has to be no more than:
18120 - 3500 = 14620 calories per week of food

Those 14620 per week are then 2088 per day.

That is your daily maximum calorie goal !!