How many of you went with the calorie goal MFP set for you,

I started set to lose 1lb, at 1230.
It wasn't enough for me and I was feeling lightheaded by the end of the day,

So I took advice, had my number ran by Helloitsdan, and I'm now set at 1750, which is between my BMR and TDEE.

After a week at the higher limit I had my largest loss - 2.4lbs.

I took the original caloric goal of about 1450. I set it for -2 lbs per week, but I do eat the exercise calories back. I try to underestimate just in case, but I eat most of what I record back.

Now I'm not recalculating whenever my weight drops, so I expect the loss will slow in a bit. Right now it says -1.9 lbs/week and that's about what I'm losing. Also, since I don't want any unpleasant surprises at maintenance, I'm going to be gradually raising as I get nearer my goal. I know this means the last 10 lbs will take forever, but that's okay by me ... I need something I can live with long-term.

I deviated from MFP completely. I use Katch McArdle to calculate my caloric needs. MFP under estimates my needs by 300 calories as my BMR is higher due to more muscle mass than the average person my size. If you have a muscular frame, then MFP will be light.

Yes, I have a more muscular frame as well. I think this is why I strayed from MFP calculations. I always felt like what they set for me was way too low. I do P90X using heavy free weights and then I do the occasional extra 3-mile run on top of the program.

I do X2, just make sure you follow their nutrition guidelines. i didn't my first 2 rounds and bare lost on P90X.

I have been doing exactly what the site says with my calories and eating back most of my exercise calories, unless im too full then I dont force it. and so far have loset 15lbs and last year I used this site and lost 30lbs!

I've been on here nearly 7 weeks. I have stuck to the MFP-recommended 1200 calories.

The calculator said weekly loss would be around 0.57lb. Instead I've lost 14lbs in that time.

I don't do enough exercise (more needed!) but do eat the calories back.

I want to lose a further 7-10lbs, ideally.



Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Weight Loss Tools

I've stuck to the 1200 recommended for me but have only lost 20 lbs. in 3 months. I was thinking about fasting for a couple days. Has anyone done this? If so, did you lose any wieght only to gain it back after eating again?

ONLY lost 20lbs in 3 months? that's almost 2lb a week which is an excellent loss.

bump

I've stuck to the 1200 recommended for me but have only lost 20 lbs. in 3 months. I was thinking about fasting for a couple days. Has anyone done this? If so, did you lose any wieght only to gain it back after eating again?

I just read somewhere, I think it was Women's Health magazine, that fasting is so unhealthy because it messes up your metabolism.

Your weight loss is good! Just keep working at it. Don't starve your body. You will gain the weight back. I did a cleanse once and as soon as you start to eat food again, you gain all the weight right back, and sometimes more.

I have only just started using this site and had never heard of eating the exercise calories back before. MFP set my target at 1380 cals per day and I usually eat under 1300. Over the last 3 weeks I have steadily increased the amount of calories I am burning through exercise to around 2800 - mostly cardio through a steps workout but some strength training and stretches too. I have not been eating the calories back - partly because I hadnt even considered it. This last few days I have felt really tired and struggled to maintain the intensity of my workouts, despite taking supplements to increase my recovery. Now I am wondering if I am in too much of a deficit. On the other hand, 2800 cals over 7 days is an extra 400 calories a day - 500 if I add in the 100 or so I am not eating now. I am not at all hungry following my plan as it is and dont really want to eat just for the sake of it..
Would appreciate some feedback.

you're tired and weak yet you claim you're not hungry?

yeah you've created too large of a deficit and your body is not happy with you. eat more!

Ok... so I originally had my calorie goal set the 'light activity' level which put me at something like 1650 calories per day...and after a couple of weeks of that I actually GAINED weight... so looking at it again, I realized my work day is much more on the 'sedentary' side so I changed it, took me down to 1400 per day, and I am back to a few pounds below my starting weight.

I've spot checked the food calorie estimates for MFP foods, against the packages and most seem accurate... although if there is more than one entry for basically the same thing and one is higher, I will usually pick the higher one to be on the safe side (as annoying as that is)..

I exercise with a heart rate monitor watch (recommend the Mio watch it was like 20 bucks on woot.com and does a great job) which calculates the burn based on your profile of height weight age etc. That all seems pretty accurate too...

Now my question is... WHY THE HECK AM I NOT LOSING WEIGHT!??? I have hit a plateau and it's making me crazy... body fat is changing for the better, but the scale is going no where... (GRRRR).... So, have some patience if you are not seeing the scale move right away, all the healthy changes at once are bound to turn fat to muscle which actually weighs more than fat.

I went with my own calorie goal and ratios for my needs. I think MFP set my calories way too low!

I cant ever seem to reach my ideal calories. I am a tutor and a sub. so finding something to eat that wont tottally kill me is hard. Any ideas of how to even reach 1200. i swear i eat an okay breakfast and snack on carrots and stuff like that but i can never seem to reach 1200. help!!

Snack on something else.... almonds, greek yogurt, string cheese... or add in some protein shakes if you can't get in enough calories. Starving yourself is not a good thing either.

I have, and it has been so far so good. I recently raised it and found that I had way too many calories left over, so I went back to the suggested amount.

Do what works. I signed up for MFP for a reason and that was to count my cals and lose weight. It worked. I am within 4 pounds of where I want to be. I used to go by the exact number of cals that mfp stated. I now eat 1,500 to 1,800 cals a day. I burn a minum of 1,000 cals 6 days a week with exercise. Adjustments can be made to any program. For those who complains about mfp might consider trying something else to lose their weight.

I used what MFP set for me and after I lost around 10 lbs it told me that it was going to adjust my calorie goals and it actually upped my calories.