5 ft 6 in Female, only 1500 calories???

dancerbyday

You will definitely get used to it. I used to consume (and I'm guessing here) somewhere around 2000 calories. Then I started tracking what I ate, and am now down to under 1200. At first I felt sooo hungry, but I brought my calorie intake down slowly, and now I don't feel hungry. It was surprising how little food I really needed to feel satisfied. Also, one CRUCIAL thing I discovered: you need to TELL yourself that you're full. I started really paying attention to my body while I ate, and realized that after eating a little more than half my meal, I was comfortably full. I am still getting used to it because my brain tells me I want to keep eating, but my stomach says I'm full. You need to remember that part of being hungry is you just wanting food. Also, not being around food helps. You may want to try small snacks, as well. I found that I can eat a few almonds in between meals if I am super hungry, and the munchies go away! Drinking tea helps, too, as it tricks your body into feeling full. Hope this helps, and good luck!

LeanneGoingThin

I'm used to eating 1300-1400 calories at a previously semi-sedentary activity level, and I have no problem eating under 1500 now that I'm much more active. I think it should be fine, if you eat whole, filling foods. Basically fruits, veggies, whole grains, protein, etc.

I agree with this. I can eat 1420 calories a day and I'm never hungry.

jazzii98

You can eat back your exercise calories if you want to. So say you burn 800 calories, that means you can eat 2,300!

ironanimal

You chose 2lbs a week didn't you?

Therein lies the problem.

MFP deducts 1000 calories from your theoretical maintenance before exercise to give you 2lbs a week, and you're right, you probably will feel like crap. My break point seems to be about 2000 before I start feeling like a zombie.

If you go back and change it to 1lb a week, it'll be a much more reasonable 500 calorie cut.

SkimFlatWhite68

I think that only you can answer these questions. We are all different. I am same height, 44, and comfortably eat 1500-1600 calories per day. I eat well (good mostly fresh and healthy choices) and don't feel like I'm depriving myself at all eating this amount of calories.

If I were you, in this position right now, what I would do is eat exactly what you have been eating for one week, but log it.

At the end of the first week, calculate the average calories that you have eaten, subtract 500 from that number and then in your second week, eat that new reduced number. That way, you aren't tracking your activity, which I imagine will remain the same, and you are getting a deficit of 500 a day.

sarajcurrie

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/974888-in-place-of-a-road-map-2k13

This helped me!

NJL13500

I'm 5'6" and 137 pounds and 43 years old. Currently a size 2/4 depending on the brand. I maintain my weight between 1900-2000 calories. I lift heavy 3 times per week and do between 30-60 minutes of cardio per day. I also have a job where I am moving around a fair amount. I find that for me to lose I need to be down around 1500-1600 calories per day. If I want to eat more, then I have to burn more and that I can't do that every day. To eat more when I want to lose it has to be a every once in a while thing.

I think it has to do with age unfortunately. I can't eat like I did in college and not gain weight. I agree with others that at times I feel hungry and have to let it pass when I know I've just had enough food. I found that I used to eat just because other people were or because I was in a situation that I used to have something. (Popcorn at a movie theater)

I don't advocate low calorie diets, but I think some "sacrifice" is necessary to lose weight. 1500 calories seems pretty reasonable to me personally. Good luck!