My fitness pal - cals very low?

Dotcomdolly

I have started using myfitnesspal app and website recently & find the calories recomendation very low.
I'm 37, female, 5'3, 128lbs and it suggests 1200 cals (and for many of my friends) I did this last week and was thrilled to lose 1.2lbs. Was doing the same this week but when I looked at other calculators such as gem's in the stickies and www.fat2fitradio.com it was closer to 1700.
Now if I lost 1lb at 1200 surely I won't lose at 1700?
I have been losing weight steadily over the past 2 years (was 161lbs) and would just like to lose a few more and try to get my bodyfat% down (28% according to my scales:()
I am doing plenty of exercise - pilates, zumba, and the Chalene Extreme dvd's - 3x weight training per week, plus 2 cardio workouts.
I don't want to mess up my health, metabolism, or muscle with taking my cals too low

Macha

Yeah, I've found it a bit low. Even with three high intensity gym work outs per week, it put me at 1400 calories.

Edit: I'd be wary of those bodyfat scales. I think something as simple as drinking a glass of water can throw them off. BMI is a better, though still imperfect, measure - as well as looking in the mirror

That sounds like a lot of exercise. I always think that 80% of weight loss is achieved in the kitchen. Personally, I find I have a limited amount of self-control and if I use it all up on exercise, I'm more likely to let go on the eating side. Just my experience though.

Mellor

1700 is abotu right for your maintenance, my only guess is that the calculator is giving you 1700 - 500 calorie deficit

Dotcomdolly

Macha wrote: »

Yeah, I've found it a bit low. Even with three high intensity gym work outs per week, it put me at 1400 calories.

Edit: I'd be wary of those bodyfat scales. I think something as simple as drinking a glass of water can throw them off. BMI is a better, though still imperfect, measure - as well as looking in the mirror

That sounds like a lot of exercise. I always think that 80% of weight loss is achieved in the kitchen. Personally, I find I have a limited amount of self-control and if I use it all up on exercise, I'm more likely to let go on the eating side. Just my experience though.

Yeah I seriously hope that after so long watching my diet and weight-training my body fat is lower than that in "reality" but it's grand for monitoring a trend. I always do it first thing in the morning so is should be consistent.
The exercise doesn't really require self-control for me any more. I really enjoy it & it's no longer a chore. I think this new attitude is really going to help keep the weight off for good this time.

Mellor wrote: »

1700 is abotu right for your maintenance, my only guess is that the calculator is giving you 1700 - 500 calorie deficit

1700 is actually my losing calories on both calculations I tried :eek: I will see how I get on at 1500 - whatever daily exercise burn is, and see how I get on, that sound about right? It would means some days 1200 of food, other days 1350...

Mellor

At 128 lbs, 1700 is pretty high after a deficit.
For women, i'd suggest 14cals/lb (its an estimate, but so are the calculators). Which gives 1792 for your maintenance.