Calories Needed to Maintain Depressing
Replies
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I think I'm just doubting whether or not I will be able to eat this amount long term and be happy. I do work out a lot (6 days a week, running and strength training), and I think I could eat more, but I'm afraid to. I have been staying at 1200 cal and not eating any of my exercise calories back, because I'm afraid I won't lose. I think I'm going to gradually bump up my calories and see what happens. Maybe, as one person said, I'll be pleasantly surprised. If not, I may need to reevaluate if it's worth it to weigh 112!0
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I think I'm just doubting whether or not I will be able to eat this amount long term and be happy. I do work out a lot (6 days a week, running and strength training), and I think I could eat more, but I'm afraid to. I have been staying at 1200 cal and not eating any of my exercise calories back, because I'm afraid I won't lose. I think I'm going to gradually bump up my calories and see what happens. Maybe, as one person said, I'll be pleasantly surprised. If not, I may need to reevaluate if it's worth it to weigh 112!
You need to relax a little. We are all going to go through that period of bumping the calories up to see where we need to be. If you're going slowly, you're not going to GAIN. And if you do, then you know where your maintenance calories are. I understand what it's like to be hesitant, but there's no reason to eat so little if you don't have to.0 -
OP - I think that if your lowly reverse diet out of your cut your ill find that your maintenance calories are actually higher then you think …so you want to add 100 calories a week to what you are eating until you start to gain a little and then stay at that number and see what happens….0
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If I didn't exercise, and remained as sedentary as I did prior to my weight loss, my maintenance would be a whopping 1600-1700 (5'6", 137lbs--quite bigger than you). But...I made the conscious choice to walk as hard as I can 1 hour every day (Sundays off), plus be generally aware of getting in extra steps throughout the day. That means an extra 300-400 calories daily for me. 2,000 calories (plus any extra I eat for strength workouts), is a "happy" number for me.
So, long story short, if you're a generally sedentary person, and you don't like your maintenance calories, you're just going to have to find a way to move more.0 -
Tell me about it - I spent some time maintaining at a higher weight because at "goal" (my weight before I gained) my sedentary maintenance calories are around 1300. Even exercise doesn't help a lot, because it doesn't burn as much calories as it would if I was younger/taller/etc - it's proportionate. And exercise makes me hungry.
One of my diet books (wish I could remember which one) suggested not going below 1500 calories - i.e. if you can't lose any more at 1500, then just stop and maintain there, regardless of whether you're at goal weight. I do think that's an arbitrary number, but it stuck with me - I think because it's around the point where you are noticeably eating less than other people.
Anyway, maintaining at the higher weight worked well for me, but that's not an option for you, obviously (unless you wanted to gain weight!). I've now decided to go a bit lower, although maybe not all the way back to my previous weight, and I'm quite nervous about it.0 -
Springfield1970 wrote: »Learning to live at maintenance is hard. There will be hungry days, you have to learn how to trick yourself and eat to satisfaction. Yes, at 113lb you are going to be eating less than everyone, but you dont need the extra fuel. It's fine tuning the head hunger and getting the diet to a right mixture of fats, proteins, and treats. Cutting corners wherever you can and having little rituals that stop you overeating.
Being slim and fit is hard work. Hunger is a natural part of the day. Sad but true!
She's right. I do agree with other posters that the maintenance calories for MFP are on the low end, but at 5' 2" and under 110 I wouldn't be able to eat 2000 calories a day and get away with it. It takes a lot of creativity and discipline on my part to be able to maintain a low weight.
I agree as well. Try upping them by 100 or so, slowly, and see if you still maintain.0 -
I've been doing this for several years. The single most important thing I've learned is from reading my diary. There are things that used to take up a lot of calories in my day that I didn't care that much about - big glasses of milk, bread on sandwiches, cheese. I dropped those and I suddenly had an extra 700 calories. I drink small glasses of milk. I use 60 calorie tortillas instead of 180 calories of bread. I rarely eat noodles and split potatoes with my husband.
That means I get to eat ice cream every night (1/4 cup). I just ate some yummy cake. I had a delicious pot roast for dinner with squash and cabbage. I feel very full.
So what I suggest is two things. 1) Read your diary and drop food that has a lot of calories you don't care about and substitute more of the foods you love and make you happy. 2) Spend $39 on a fitbit zip to log your steps. Set to sedentary and see if you're walking more than you think you are.
I like this! I used to drink 2 cups of milk (320cals) without realizing it, so I switched to low fat (90cals a cup) and drank a cup when I felt like it, and that alone is an extra 230 calories. I also found sugar free bread that's 130 calories for 2 slices instead of the usual wheat bread I buy that's 182 calories for 2 slices. That's another 52 calories slashed, and they actually end up tasting the same. The calorie counting might seem a bit obsessive for me, but I like doing it and I feel like one of those extreme couponers but instead of saving up on money, I save up on calories.
)
I'm 18, 5"4 and 105-110# (It's a bit under, but I have no plan to lose or gain) and am still reverse dieting my way to maintenance. I'm currently eating 1,600 but will be increasing it to 1,700 as I'm still losing a little bit. Set your activity level to lightly active, because I'm sure you aren't sedentary, being a teacher. Then keep hitting your calorie goal for at least 2 weeks to a month. Check the scale and your measurements. If you lost a bit, increase your calorie intake by 50-100 for a week and check if you're still losing. If you gained, do the exact opposite and decrease the number of calories. If you're maintaining, congrats! :-)0 -
williams969 wrote: »If I didn't exercise, and remained as sedentary as I did prior to my weight loss, my maintenance would be a whopping 1600-1700 (5'6", 137lbs--quite bigger than you). But...I made the conscious choice to walk as hard as I can 1 hour every day (Sundays off), plus be generally aware of getting in extra steps throughout the day. That means an extra 300-400 calories daily for me. 2,000 calories (plus any extra I eat for strength workouts), is a "happy" number for me.
So, long story short, if you're a generally sedentary person, and you don't like your maintenance calories, you're just going to have to find a way to move more.
^^ this - same for me and I'm happy to move more and I really enjoy having a higher TDEE because of it 0 -
But the trouble is that maintenance calories can be depressing even WITH exercise! If I do go for my lower goal weight my BMR will be around 1000, so I'd need a multiplier of 2, just to eat the calories that an average woman would eat. I'm not prepared to dedicate my life to exercise in that way (not disapproving - I admire people who do want to do that much exercise), and I know that I'd still feel a little deprived food wise if I was doing all that exercise but not eating large amounts. It's no big deal, and it's something that I've prepared for and expected, but I agree with the OP that it's a bit of a downer when you find out the awful truth.
OP, one consolation for me is that for all I know it's just as hard for everyone to maintain, regardless of the actual amount of calories. If we've got a tendency to gain, then we're probably all eating less than we would like to (or what our bodies are telling us to eat), whether that's 2500 or 1500. It SHOULD be easier for us to stick to that low calorie amount than it would be for a younger, taller person.0 -
In my opinion, the following is the best calculator (estimate) for TDEE (or maintenance).
BMR x Activity Level = TDEE
BMR = 370 + (21.6 x Lean Body Mass)
Note: Lean Body Mass = (bodyweight in kg x (100 - bf%))/100
Activity level =
1.5 - 1.6 for those who workout 3-5 times a week (moderate activity) and work at a desk job or have light activity throughout the day
1.7-1.8 for those who workout 5+ times a week and have a moderate to active DAILY lifestyle outside of the gym.
1.9 if you're extremely active in the gym and outside of the gym.
**Note, it's best to underestimate activity levels and test your maintenance out for a few weeks on your own. Again, this is just an estimator**
EXAMPLE:
I'm 185lbs, 14-15%bf
Lbs to kg's: (185lbs x 0.453) = 83.805kg
LBM = [83.81x (100-14.5)]/100 = 71.951
BMR = 370 +(21.6x71.95) = ~1925
TDEE = BMR x Activity Level
My activity level is 1.5 (I workout 5 times a week for a little over an hour and have a desk job).
...So, if TDEE = BMR x Activity level, then:
TDEE = 1925x1.5 = 2887.5 or ~2890.
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Found this a problem too - I'm 4'11'', 53 and weigh 102lbs, could easily over-eat daily and often do but having lost over 28lb and not wanting to regain that I've had to accept the lower my weight the less calories needed to maintain. I'd slowly add a 100 or so cals a day on top of what MFP suggests till you see a gain then maintain around there, or try to add a little more exercise into your routine if possible and 'earn' more calories that way.0
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I am your same height and weight (i'm actually 114), and i maintain on 1600 calories a day without exercise. I would agree wholeheartedly it's depressing.
Your only option i think is to increase your activity level and the number of calories you burn throughout the day without intentional exercise (like walk to the store, bike to work, etc.)0 -
What's depressing about it? Genuinely interested. The fact that you don't get to eat as much volume of food as you expect? Or that you miss out on eating things that you like?
If you can't eat as much in terms of volume, maybe try eating more wholefoods - if it's that you miss eating things you like, then eat them in smaller portions, or move your calories around so you can fit them in? It makes me sad that food is making people sad
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williams969 wrote: »If I didn't exercise, and remained as sedentary as I did prior to my weight loss, my maintenance would be a whopping 1600-1700 (5'6", 137lbs--quite bigger than you). But...I made the conscious choice to walk as hard as I can 1 hour every day (Sundays off), plus be generally aware of getting in extra steps throughout the day. That means an extra 300-400 calories daily for me. 2,000 calories (plus any extra I eat for strength workouts), is a "happy" number for me.
So, long story short, if you're a generally sedentary person, and you don't like your maintenance calories, you're just going to have to find a way to move more.
This. Absolutely this.
I'm not in maintenance yet, but when I started back on MFP a few weeks ago my TDEE was 1660. I'm 136 lbs, 5'6", currently unemployed, as I was when I joined, and was therefore also very sedentary. Now I'm still unemployed, but I swim or do some other form of cardio activity for 30-60 minutes at least 3 times a week, and lift weights 3 times week. I've always walked everywhere, but since it's cold, I made excuses not to leave the house. Now I make excuses to leave the house. I probably could get use my cart and go to the grocery store once a week, but instead I take a reusable back and go multiple times throughout the week. I walk to meet my friend after work. I take the stairs. My TDEE is just over 2000 now. I start my new job Monday more motivated than ever to keep active, and I will be working on my feet all day, so my TDEE (and therefore maintenance, when I get there) will only go up. If you want to eat more, move more, so you can properly fuel your activity, your workouts and your fun.0 -
At 5'7, I averaged 1287 net over the last 16 days and lost .8 pounds, that means my maintenance calories are going to be pretty darn low!
Edited to add that hypothyroidism and middle age probably doesn't help!0 -
What's depressing about it? Genuinely interested. The fact that you don't get to eat as much volume of food as you expect? Or that you miss out on eating things that you like?
If you can't eat as much in terms of volume, maybe try eating more wholefoods - if it's that you miss eating things you like, then eat them in smaller portions, or move your calories around so you can fit them in? It makes me sad that food is making people sad
I can't speak for the OP, but for me it's not so much depressing as worrying. If my maintenance calories were say, 2000, then I wouldn't worry about being able to maintain for life. If they're 1300, then I worry about my ability to stick to them forever. I'm quite aware that I might not always be able to exercise at the level I'm at now, never mind increase it. Being older doesn't help, and as I get older, my sedentary TDEE will go down even more - when I'm elderly it will be about 1100. Whereas if I decided to maintain at a higher weight, it could be over 1200.
It was actually quite a shocker to me to discover how low my TDEE was at different weights and ages - I'd thought I was average and I'm actually nowhere near!
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Yeah, but the calculators are only estimates. By the time you reach your goal weight, and presumably a level of muscle mass you feel like you can maintain, biological things will have happened (e.g. more muscle mass = a slightly higher burn during and after exercise, improved blood circulation). Your body will just run better. Those things might well add up to a higher TDEE.
That sounds like bull, except, I'm 5'7 and although I suspect my TDEE might be higher than a lot of people's, I maintained at 124 for four years, within like 2 pounds (seriously, it was that consistent), at anywhere from 2000 to 2500. And that 2500 wasn't unusual.
I mostly continued my workouts (bodyrock/zuzka light type bodyweight stuff, circuit training, and cardio, moderate pace 45 mins 3-4 times a week; strength training near the end). But I also was completely off exercise for a year in there due to an injury.
I can't explain it, but in maintenance, your body does its thing, and the online calculators don't always predict it that well. So don't be discouraged by what they say.0 -
As suggested, I would up your calories gradually, something like 50- 100 a week, until your weight stabilises. That will be your maintenance point, and as you do so I would taper back the cardio to a point you feel you could do long term, that way you don't have to concern yourself about eating back exercise calories or the like, but rather instead just finding the overall calorie level that lets you maintain your weight within your normal activity level.
I would also do a few other things while you slowly up your calories. I would ensure you understand what water weight is, and how it works, as otherwise you will just panic when the scale shoots up temporarily sometimes. The other thing will be to consider your weekly calorie total as opposed to just your daily one, as this will give you a little flexibility, and I genuinely believe none of us was wired to maintain the same set number of calories every day; it will fluctuate a little from day to day, up and down.
Also, treat this 'reversing' out of your diet period as a critical time to work on ensuring you have good eating habits, so that calorie counting does not simply become a crutch. While it's fine to calorie count and there's nothing wrong with it, if you don't learn how to eat without calorie counting if you have to, it will simply and most likely lead to panic during those times you can't figure out the calories in something. Give yourself a little time to put a little structure and also flexibility in place as to your eating habits, it will pay great dividends in the long term.
Good luck with the transition, and just remember if you've been undereating calorie-wise for a while, you may see some weight loss as you up the calories. If this happens, don't worry, it's just 'whooshing' and there's not something drastically wrong. It's just that the body tends to hang onto weight before dropping it sometimes.0 -
I think what everyone on this thread is saying, and what I would say, too, is that non-purposeful exercise calories are key. Most people don't have time to work out for hours at a time, but if you do small things--walk/bike to do errands, take the stairs whenever possible, park a few blocks from your destination--they add at least a couple hundred calories. I live in a big city and don't own a car and wear a pedometer, and I'm always amazed at how many steps I get even when I take the bus or subway, and I frequently burn more calories going for a long walk than I do at the gym. Building muscle can add about 100 calories/day, too--another reason strength training is great.
I was listening to an interview earlier this week with the author of a book on aging, and he mentioned offhandedly that since doing the research and spending so much time with researchers on aging, he hardly ever steps foot in an elevator anymore--after he'd hung around for months with people who automatically take the stairs, it became automatic for him, too.
Finally, I have to acknowledge that no amount of calories would be "enough" for me. I like to eat, but I try to be grown-up/rational about it. Sometimes I succeed, and sometimes I fail.0 -
sjohnson__1 wrote: »In my opinion, the following is the best calculator (estimate) for TDEE (or maintenance).
Thank you for this post - I found it really helpful!0 -
I am 5'0, working towards hitting 115 lbs or so. I am not an average person, so expecting to eat as much as someone 6" taller than me is silly. I will never be able to eat as much as my 6'2" husband and not gain weight. That doesn't depress me, it is just reality, the same as I will always need a step stool to reach the top shelf. I can either stand on the ground and complain about how many things I can't reach, or I can go get the step stool.
I am 37, 5'0", 132 lbs, and am losing approx. 0.8 lbs a week eating nearly 1700 calories. I lift weights to increase my lean body mass, I play roller derby and practice 5-8 hrs a week. I have chosen to do these things for myself to feel good about myself, but they have the wonderful side effect of keeping my TDEE over 2000.
The really depressing thing is that my daughter got my husband's height genes and will likely be taller than me by 6th grade
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sjohnson__1 wrote: »In my opinion, the following is the best calculator (estimate) for TDEE (or maintenance).
BMR x Activity Level = TDEE
BMR = 370 + (21.6 x Lean Body Mass)
Note: Lean Body Mass = (bodyweight in kg x (100 - bf%))/100
Activity level =
1.5 - 1.6 for those who workout 3-5 times a week (moderate activity) and work at a desk job or have light activity throughout the day
1.7-1.8 for those who workout 5+ times a week and have a moderate to active DAILY lifestyle outside of the gym.
1.9 if you're extremely active in the gym and outside of the gym.
**Note, it's best to underestimate activity levels and test your maintenance out for a few weeks on your own. Again, this is just an estimator**
EXAMPLE:
I'm 185lbs, 14-15%bf
Lbs to kg's: (185lbs x 0.453) = 83.805kg
LBM = [83.81x (100-14.5)]/100 = 71.951
BMR = 370 +(21.6x71.95) = ~1925
TDEE = BMR x Activity Level
My activity level is 1.5 (I workout 5 times a week for a little over an hour and have a desk job).
...So, if TDEE = BMR x Activity level, then:
TDEE = 1925x1.5 = 2887.5 or ~2890.
This was spot on for me but that's assuming that the body fat % I have is accurate... and there's no sure way of knowing what your body fat % is...0 -
I agree with the others who say that MFP can underestimate things like this. It told me to consume around 1600 calories to maintain, and while some days I go a bit over and most days I go a little under I am STILL losing weight (only an ounce here and there). Today I set a custom goal at 1800 calories because this has got to stop.0
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5'1 100-105 lb been maintaining for 5 + years.
I don't always count calories, but have done so this past 6 months because I changed my exercise programmes and started to lose. My sedentary TDEE is 1200 as is my MFP maintenance.
The best I can say to you is over time you adjust to your portion sizes, and meals become a lot more intuitive.
For every hour of exercise I add 200 cals
To my 1200 base.
( the past 6m has shown that to be my ave burn).
Play with your numbers and do lots of math until you find the correct cal intake for you. All online calcs best estimate.
Up your cals 50 per week, until you are maintaining.
Cheers, h.0 -
200 cals per hour seems really low, so just for perspective I'll list my burns.
I'm 5'7" 127lb 44yo. I've maintained at 1750 and currently at about 1850 maybe more as am experimenting with the boundaries atm!
Running quite fast (22-24 min 5k) I burn 600 per hour
Prob 500 at (25 min plus)
Swimming 4-500 per hour
Cycling same.
Weight lifting - difficult but it's the one thing I underestimate, 2-300 ph
Walking 300 p hour0 -
I personally would have my activity level set at sedentary and wear an activity tracker that will add the extra calories earned from walking back to my fitness pal.
I work in a desk job but I find that my garmin gives me about 400 extra calories a day just from walking.0 -
I would try increasing your calories very slowly (something like 100 a day and sticking with it a month then upping again) to see if you can increase it.
When bulking, I've had to keep increasing to keep the gains coming, stands to reason the same thing should work for maintenance. Worth a try 0 -
sjohnson__1 wrote: »In my opinion, the following is the best calculator (estimate) for TDEE (or maintenance).
BMR x Activity Level = TDEE
BMR = 370 + (21.6 x Lean Body Mass)
Note: Lean Body Mass = (bodyweight in kg x (100 - bf%))/100
Activity level =
1.5 - 1.6 for those who workout 3-5 times a week (moderate activity) and work at a desk job or have light activity throughout the day
1.7-1.8 for those who workout 5+ times a week and have a moderate to active DAILY lifestyle outside of the gym.
1.9 if you're extremely active in the gym and outside of the gym.
**Note, it's best to underestimate activity levels and test your maintenance out for a few weeks on your own. Again, this is just an estimator**
EXAMPLE:
I'm 185lbs, 14-15%bf
Lbs to kg's: (185lbs x 0.453) = 83.805kg
LBM = [83.81x (100-14.5)]/100 = 71.951
BMR = 370 +(21.6x71.95) = ~1925
TDEE = BMR x Activity Level
My activity level is 1.5 (I workout 5 times a week for a little over an hour and have a desk job).
...So, if TDEE = BMR x Activity level, then:
TDEE = 1925x1.5 = 2887.5 or ~2890.
That's cool but how do you find out you BF %? I have bio - impedance scales but they're only good at tracking trend. Measuring skin can be pretty inaccurate too and very few of us have access to the expensive equipment needed to do an accurate calculation.
Are there BMR calculators that don't use BF %?0 -
mumblemagic wrote: »sjohnson__1 wrote: »In my opinion, the following is the best calculator (estimate) for TDEE (or maintenance).
BMR x Activity Level = TDEE
BMR = 370 + (21.6 x Lean Body Mass)
Note: Lean Body Mass = (bodyweight in kg x (100 - bf%))/100
Activity level =
1.5 - 1.6 for those who workout 3-5 times a week (moderate activity) and work at a desk job or have light activity throughout the day
1.7-1.8 for those who workout 5+ times a week and have a moderate to active DAILY lifestyle outside of the gym.
1.9 if you're extremely active in the gym and outside of the gym.
**Note, it's best to underestimate activity levels and test your maintenance out for a few weeks on your own. Again, this is just an estimator**
EXAMPLE:
I'm 185lbs, 14-15%bf
Lbs to kg's: (185lbs x 0.453) = 83.805kg
LBM = [83.81x (100-14.5)]/100 = 71.951
BMR = 370 +(21.6x71.95) = ~1925
TDEE = BMR x Activity Level
My activity level is 1.5 (I workout 5 times a week for a little over an hour and have a desk job).
...So, if TDEE = BMR x Activity level, then:
TDEE = 1925x1.5 = 2887.5 or ~2890.
That's cool but how do you find out you BF %? I have bio - impedance scales but they're only good at tracking trend. Measuring skin can be pretty inaccurate too and very few of us have access to the expensive equipment needed to do an accurate calculation.
Are there BMR calculators that don't use BF %?
Also does that take into account the 10-15% reduction in BMR that previously overweight people can expect due to adaptive thermogenesis?0 -
mumblemagic wrote: »sjohnson__1 wrote: »In my opinion, the following is the best calculator (estimate) for TDEE (or maintenance).
BMR x Activity Level = TDEE
BMR = 370 + (21.6 x Lean Body Mass)
Note: Lean Body Mass = (bodyweight in kg x (100 - bf%))/100
Activity level =
1.5 - 1.6 for those who workout 3-5 times a week (moderate activity) and work at a desk job or have light activity throughout the day
1.7-1.8 for those who workout 5+ times a week and have a moderate to active DAILY lifestyle outside of the gym.
1.9 if you're extremely active in the gym and outside of the gym.
**Note, it's best to underestimate activity levels and test your maintenance out for a few weeks on your own. Again, this is just an estimator**
EXAMPLE:
I'm 185lbs, 14-15%bf
Lbs to kg's: (185lbs x 0.453) = 83.805kg
LBM = [83.81x (100-14.5)]/100 = 71.951
BMR = 370 +(21.6x71.95) = ~1925
TDEE = BMR x Activity Level
My activity level is 1.5 (I workout 5 times a week for a little over an hour and have a desk job).
...So, if TDEE = BMR x Activity level, then:
TDEE = 1925x1.5 = 2887.5 or ~2890.
That's cool but how do you find out you BF %? I have bio - impedance scales but they're only good at tracking trend. Measuring skin can be pretty inaccurate too and very few of us have access to the expensive equipment needed to do an accurate calculation.
Are there BMR calculators that don't use BF %?
Google just answered my own question. .. apparently the Harris-Benedict formula is accurate for all but very muscular and very over fat people.
http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/harris-benedict-equation/0
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