How do I set a custom calorie reduction?

[modernart]

I'm at the maximum calorie reduction that I can find: the "harder" level at -1000 calories. It's giving me a flat weight situation over more than a month. I want it it to be -1200. The system doesn't seem to give me that option. I can put in a custom total-calorie goal, but when you do that you lose some features. Is there a way to customize your calorie deficit, not your calorie goal?

[Blade7658]

I think fitbit limits you to -1000 calories because if you were truly in a 1000 calorie deficit per day, you would be losing 2 pounds per week.  That is the maximum recommended weight loss per week.

Two possible issues going on (since you are at a plateau).

1) The Surge is not accurately measuring your calories. This is possible if you have lost a good amount of weight (since it uses your weight in the calculations) - recommend you go to "edit your profile" and make sure your weight is the most up to date. It seems unlikely this is the entire issue though - a pound of fat burns 2-3 calories a day and muscle is 10-50 calories (depending which article you read).  Your body does adapt, so the same exercise actually burns less calories - I am not certain the Fitbit algorithm takes that into account (but it may, since I suspect your HR likely goes down as you adapt, but I am not sure of that).

2) The other option is you are eating more calories than you think. There is research that this is true in virtually 100% of people. Sadly that same research says the more overweight you are, the more inaccurate your calorie intake estimate is.  For the morbidly obese, they can be off by more than double what they think they are eating!  You could try being VERY accurate about what you eat if you are tracking calories (measure everything, eat nothing you don't make, etc) and see if that impacts your weight loss.

Good luck and congrats on the success you have had thus far!

Keep stepping