A different way to set up MFP goals - that WORKS!

jbenton091011 · January 2012

bump

jchrisman717 · January 2012

To OP - I just tried to figure this same thing out yesterday on my own because I'm not losing either and I need to lose. Is it ok if I e-mail you my stats and see if I am doing this right? Thanks!

Jo

anthonysig · January 2012

great job

NettyIOM · January 2012

bump

Thanks for sharing

kyunda · January 2012

thanks for this i have been stuck at the same weight for a while. i uped my calories and still nothing..no gain or lose. I will try this!

jchrisman717 · January 2012

Well I thought I might as well just post it here too and see if what I'm doing is right?

I am at 164 and I want to lose 2 lbs a week - which MFP says to lose only .9 lbs a week. So first I don't understand why I can't set my goals to lost 2 lbs a week or at least 1 lb a week. I am trying to lose this weight by eating healthy and exercising. I went to another web site to figure out my BMR and my calories I should target a day. I came up with a BMR of 1438.9 and I put that I am moderately active meaning that I exercise lightly 3 times a week. So according to this website I should eat between 1563 and 1788 calories a day to lose 1.5 lbs a week. Ok - I can do that. I don't want to log every little exercise I do every day. I walk for lunch around 30 to 40 min. - I don't want to log those as I feel that I added that into the equation when I figured out my calories. I do however do a personal training class with pilates and weight training 3 times a week, and I do the ellliptical or treadmeal for about 45 min. 2 times a week. Those I do feel I need to add in and eat back my calories on because it is extra workouts that I haven't taken into consideration.

So by MFP guideles if I set my calories - lets just say for easier calcuation because the website says to eat at least 1563 but no more than 1788 calories a day (which isn't that a pretty big gap to have between?) if I set my calories to 1600 a day and I stay on 1600 a day on the days I don't do weight training or elliptical, and on the days I do eat those calories burned back.

Won't that be a more accurate way to lose than the typical 1200 calories that MFP gives me? I am finding that on most days I am barely hitting my 1200 calories including eating back my workout calories and I am not losing?

mindymoore1975 · January 2012

bump

thesarahsundae · January 2012

This is exactly my issue! I lost my weight with WW and I started running and I have struggled to get to goal (140lbs) ever since. The two just don't mix (WW and running). I've gained 6lbs since and I can't seem to get past it. I'm going to look into this and see what happens. Thanks!!

ncw89 · January 2012

bump for future reference - thanks for sharing

xtravisfx · January 2012

Definitely will check later.

lkanover · January 2012

This is really interesting, thank you for sharing! So what happens when MFP calls for less calories as a goal than my BMR? I'm trying to lose 10 lbs (1 lb/week), and here is my info:

My current BMR: 1492.88
MFP says:
Maintenance calories/day: 1,780
Net Calories Consumed Daily Goal: 1,280 (500 calorie deficit)

It sounds like I should eat about 1500 calories/day based on my BMR, but that would only be a 280 calorie deficit when I don't exercise and over my daily calorie goal suggested to lose 1 lb/week... I guess the question is, do I ignore the suggested goal and aim to eat 1500/day and burn up to 500/day in exercise when I can? So counter-intuitive!

Thanks in advance for explaining!

moomie · January 2012

Bump for later

CallmeSbo · January 2012

Bump. Will try this after my half marathon Feb.

4hotmama · January 2012

bump

amandacochran15 · January 2012

I think I understand, but maybe you can just double check for me?

My BMR- 1391
Maintenance- 1808 (1391x1.3)

Set my daily goal to 1808
Days that i dont work out I create a 417 deficit
If i burn 400 (my normal day) I create a 717 deficit?

Sound right?
So 6 days of working out at 717 deficit and one day off at 417 deficit equals a 4719 for the week? Which equals almost a 2 pound weight loss a week?

purplerain011 · January 2012

bump

yodapooper · January 2012

Bump!! Double Bump!! Don't understand so I'll go back and refresh.

kyunda · January 2012

Ok sooo...

My BMR-1641
Maintenance- 1641x1.2=1970

Set my daily goal to 1970 but eat 1641 cal a day no matter if its an exercise day or not.

If i burn over 641 cal i need to get them back?

Thanks!

heybales · January 2012

I am at 164 and I want to lose 2 lbs a week - which MFP says to lose only .9 lbs a week. So first I don't understand why I can't set my goals to lost 2 lbs a week or at least 1 lb a week. I am trying to lose this weight by eating healthy and exercising. I went to another web site to figure out my BMR and my calories I should target a day. I came up with a BMR of 1438.9 and I put that I am moderately active meaning that I exercise lightly 3 times a week. So according to this website I should eat between 1563 and 1788 calories a day to lose 1.5 lbs a week. Ok - I can do that. I don't want to log every little exercise I do every day. I walk for lunch around 30 to 40 min. - I don't want to log those as I feel that I added that into the equation when I figured out my calories. I do however do a personal training class with pilates and weight training 3 times a week, and I do the ellliptical or treadmeal for about 45 min. 2 times a week. Those I do feel I need to add in and eat back my calories on because it is extra workouts that I haven't taken into consideration.

So by MFP guideles if I set my calories - lets just say for easier calcuation because the website says to eat at least 1563 but no more than 1788 calories a day (which isn't that a pretty big gap to have between?) if I set my calories to 1600 a day and I stay on 1600 a day on the days I don't do weight training or elliptical, and on the days I do eat those calories burned back.

Won't that be a more accurate way to lose than the typical 1200 calories that MFP gives me? I am finding that on most days I am barely hitting my 1200 calories including eating back my workout calories and I am not losing?

You are doing the math right.

You are not understanding what is happening to the body.

Healthy calculated BMR is higher than what you are eating.

If you don't understand what BMR is, go research it, and see if you should be eating below what you body needs.

heybales · January 2012

This is really interesting, thank you for sharing! So what happens when MFP calls for less calories as a goal than my BMR? I'm trying to lose 10 lbs (1 lb/week), and here is my info:

My current BMR: 1492.88
MFP says:
Maintenance calories/day: 1,780
Net Calories Consumed Daily Goal: 1,280 (500 calorie deficit)

It sounds like I should eat about 1500 calories/day based on my BMR, but that would only be a 280 calorie deficit when I don't exercise and over my daily calorie goal suggested to lose 1 lb/week... I guess the question is, do I ignore the suggested goal and aim to eat 1500/day and burn up to 500/day in exercise when I can? So counter-intuitive! Thanks in advance for explaining!

Yes. He emphasised the major rule twice.

Don't net below your BMR. Which means not providing energy for healthy body daily needs.

body just slows down to match what you are feeding it.

heybales · January 2012

I think I understand, but maybe you can just double check for me?

My BMR- 1391
Maintenance- 1808 (1391x1.3)

Set my daily goal to 1808
Days that i dont work out I create a 417 deficit
If i burn 400 (my normal day) I create a 717 deficit?

Sound right?
So 6 days of working out at 717 deficit and one day off at 417 deficit equals a 4719 for the week? Which equals almost a 2 pound weight loss a week?

And never net under your BMR, that is mentioned twice.

ChickaDee2012 · January 2012

Very interesting....I read through most of the posts here, and there were a couple of things that lit up a lightbulb for me...:

I like the fact that this approach to "calories in vs. out", accommodates the wide spectrum of physical activity output...from someone who walks to someone who burns a whackload of calories from exercise. Tthe "Olivia" approach sounds great! Because you're feeding your body while you exercise at any level. The lightbulb has just gone on for me to rethink the 17 Day Diet to look more at the 'Olivia" approach, and rethink my calorie goals.