Do you really believe MFP?

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hillaryroland
hillaryroland Posts: 46
in Health and Weight Loss
Does anyone believe MFP when it says "if every day were like today you'd weigh...." ? because I used to. But I don't think I really do anymore. I've been stuck at 140 for months and months. :/

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  • rjt1000
    rjt1000 Posts: 700 Member
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    Does anyone believe MFP when it says "if every day were like today you'd weigh...." ? because I used to. But I don't think I really do anymore. I've been stuck at 140 for months and months. :/

    I have no reason to disbelieve. Since no two days are ever the same for me, much less 5 weeks of days, I have no way of judging MFP accuracy. The MFP system is just doing a straight forward calorie calculation based on your diary. If you had the same calorie deficit every day, then MFP would be fairly accurate with your loss. But unless you do exactly the same thigns every day and eat same things, then the estimate is not accurate. It's looking at one point of data and extrapolating. And that's never accurate. Stats people all know, the more points of data you use for your extrapolation the more accurate it is. One point is never anywhere close to accurate in the long term.
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
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    Do you eat the same number of calories every day? If not, it doesn't apply to you.

    I believe MFP in that I set it up to lose 1 pound a week, followed the guidelines, and lost 1 pound a week.
  • purpleipod
    purpleipod Posts: 1,147 Member
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    Mathematically that is correct. Do you eat the exact same amount of calories every single day? I seriously doubt it.
  • froeschli
    froeschli Posts: 1,292 Member
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    I don't actually take it THAT seriously. I mean, how certain are you that you log every single calorie? Get the exercise calories right? Etc.
    If you get too worked up over it, that'll just raise your blood pressure :p

    If you're within your calories, but not making progress, switch some foods around. Avoid carbs, or milk, or whatever - some foods just don't go well with everyone, maybe you just have to isolate which ones they are...
  • hklaquadra
    hklaquadra Posts: 48
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    Yeah...no...LOL! Unfortunately, the statistics are only as good as the programmer's formula. You have to be the one to look at the bigger picture and you know that you are stuck. So unstick yourself by changing things up somehow...in your workout routine, in your meals. I know that I will get so distracted by all kinds of things that I get stuck in a rut, eating the same things and doing the same workout because it's easier to not have to consciously think about it. After awhile your body gets settled in the rut too and the progress grinds to a halt....so find something new to do for fun and fitness and buy a healthy cookbook for some new menu ideas :happy:

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