calories too low on mfp

Okay, so you said to multiply my desired weight by 11.36? So 150x11.36 is 1704, correct? And with eating that I could lose weight to get to 150? UGH... feeling extremely ignorant. What is a Healthy loss? is two lbs too much a week?

Yes you are correct with the calculations. However, one more thing to consider is your 'goal weight' as compared to your 'current weight'. If the difference is too drastic, you may not be able to maintain it. So having smaller interrim goals may be better.

For example: actual weight = 250# x 11.36 = 2840kcals daily; goal weight = 150# x 11.36 = 1704kcals daily. A difference of 1136 calories. With that much of a drop, there is a risk of constant hunger, which can lead to bing eating.

Instead, start with a goal weight of 200# x 11.36 = 2272, a difference of 568 calories. This range may be more 'livable'. Once the goal of 200# is reached, then go for the desired goal - 150#. The difference in calorie needs between 200# and 150# is 568 calories.

Healthy weight loss is not fast but is more likely to remain permanent because you are making gradual changes over time. Plus losing the weight at a slower rate (3-8#/month) is more apt to lead to fat loss, not muscle loss.

So, just to clarify -
smaller deficts are more sustainable, because
you're less likely to give up,
you're less likely to binge

losing at a slower rate is healthier, as you're more likely to lose fat and not muscle, and it's an easier transition to maintenence.

and you are a dietician, not a random keyboard warrior.

Cool :flowerforyou:

yes to all of the above with one exception. We actually prefer the spelling 'dietitian' rather than 'dietician'. Minor technicality, I know but important to us. This is actually a very useful tool in determining a 'dietitian' vs. 'a random keyboard warrior'!

thanks

It does really matter because people are confused. Adding the misinformation that "you can't eat below your BMR" just confuses them more. MFP tells them 1200 is a safe lower boundary, which it is. That part is pretty accepted (everywhere but here).

The AHA is correct about the 500 calories a day. But you have to know how many calories you are eating in the first place before you can subtract the 500 a day. That is why using a tool like MFP is so helpful. However, you have to be totally honest with yourself with the amount of food you are actually consuming for anything to work.

There is no such thing as 'eating back your exercise' unless you are deliberately consuming extra calories on exercise days. Recommended daily calorie ranges are based on a stable daily intake, not highs and lows based on exercise days and non-exercise days.

We're pretty much in agreement. MFP (with its 1200 floor) is not always "too low", which was the title of the thread.

I totally agree about exercise and eating back.

Since you're a dietician will you please tell people that the statement "eating below your BMR is dangerous" is a myth? I'm not advocating anyone specifically do it, I'm just saying there is no reason to use BMR as some line in the sand value. People act like your basic body functions will stop (or your body will eat its organs) if you eat 1200 when your BMR is 1450.

Weight Watchers plans have had a floor of 1000ish for a long time, just as another example of an authority that does not consider BMR to be some special danger zone indicator value.

The only reason I have been able to come up with why MFP so often gives women a calorie range of 1200 is to suggest that they should not go below that. Eating less calories is not always synonomous with weight loss. You can go too low below your recommendations and possibly gain weight. This is because your body is not being fed sufficiently enough to prevent deficiencies (vitamin, protein, etc) therefore, your metabolic rate slows down to prevent weight loss if possible. We all know that you can 'starve' your body into weight loss (anorexia nervosa) but most of us do not go to that extreme.

It is not a good idea to go too low below the recommended BMR. A female body requires a minimum of 1200 calories daily to prevent serious deficiencies; a male 1600-1800 calories. So it is not always about the amount or rate of weight loss. It is about being healthy and fit at a healthy weight.

When someone tells me they only consume about 800-900 calories a day because they gain weight on1200 calories, I tell them to increase their calories to a number that better fits their needs. Most people do not want to do it, but find that they start losing weight on the higher calorie intake. You have to feed your body if you want your body to work for you.

Well said!
*clapping*
Bookmarking this today.