Using myplate

branchrm07

I'm using MyPlate app to try and lose a lb a week.

Who do you guys use it most effectively?

I've entered my weight (167) and moderate activity and that I want to lose 1 lb/week. It says 2100 calories.

Do I also enter my workouts? If I do, today for my power test, it says I have another 900 calories to eat.

rlh2000

I usually use the approach of "Light Activity" and then enter workouts. I figure even days that I am walking around treating patients, I'm far from a laborer, so my day-to-day activity is light. Make sure to be careful with how many cals you burned with workouts. Do NOT trust the app to give you a good estimate, often at least doubles it.

Steve West

Not familiar with MyPlate but many on the Team use LoseIt. Simple to use, remembers your regular food, can scan new foods, etc.

What ever you use, log everything that goes into your mouth and any activity you do other than breathing and sleeping. Within a few weeks you will really come to understand your n=1 calories in / calories out equation.

Peter Noyes

I use MyFitnessPal. Garmin Connect now interfaces directly to it so you don't have to log your workouts.

To lose a pound a week means eating at a 500 calorie deficit every day (3500 calories = 1 pound of fat). The app you are using is therefore calculating your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) to be 2600 calories. Knowing your true TDEE is a very inexact science. I suggest going with their recommendation and over time adjust if you are losing too quickly or not enough. The 2100 is a baseline so any workouts would be added on top of it.

TDEE is a function of your current weight and muscle mass. As you lose weight TDEE will go down. For comparison I am a pretty small guy, 132 pounds, and my TDEE is around 1800 calories. If I burn 1000 calories in a workout then I eat 2800 calories that day. Those are good days!