the suggested calorie limit is correct?
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Britxclarity
Posts: 235 Member
Hello all I just started about five days ago using this app. It told me my calorie limit is going 2920. Now a little info about me bad as I hate to say it. My weight is in the low. End of the 400s.my height is 5" 11, and I have no clue what my bmi is. I'm female. The reason I am asking is be cause my mother keeps saying " that is way to high, I've never seen anyone doing a diet with that high of a calorie intake" granted I never use all of the 2,920. By the end of the day/ night I have easily over 1500-1300 left. Sometimes even more.
Not sure if this matters. But the way I am starting out is drinking plenty of water. And basically eating what I like but smaller and wiser choices.much wiser. Loads of veggies and fruit intake. Also using herbal life shakes
And if it's not correct.. Where should I go to get a more accurate number so I can keep track?
Not sure if this matters. But the way I am starting out is drinking plenty of water. And basically eating what I like but smaller and wiser choices.much wiser. Loads of veggies and fruit intake. Also using herbal life shakes
And if it's not correct.. Where should I go to get a more accurate number so I can keep track?
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Replies
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She is probably right that she's never seen anyone eat that much on a diet. We have a tendency to set our calories super low no matter what size we are and then have trouble sticking to it. I would definitely try to eat that amount if you can (being a little under is OK) for a few weeks and see if you're losing weight!0
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Hello all I just started about five days ago using this app. It told me my calorie limit is going 2920. Now a little info about me bad as I hate to say it. My weight is in the low. End of the 400s.my height is 5" 11, and I have no clue what my bmi is. I'm female. The reason I am asking is be cause my mother keeps saying " that is way to high, I've never seen anyone doing a diet with that high of a calorie intake" granted I never use all of the 2,920. By the end of the day/ night I have easily over 1500-1300 left. Sometimes even more.
Not sure if this matters. But the way I am starting out is drinking plenty of water. And basically eating what I like but smaller and wiser choices.much wiser. Loads of veggies and fruit intake. Also using herbal life shakes
And if it's not correct.. Where should I go to get a more accurate number so I can keep track?
@kayfaei just wondering, are you using a food scale? Most people running that kind of a deficit are hungry, though you do get lots of calories.
At your weight I would consult with your doctor about if it would be safe to have a higher calorie deficit. MFP will only allow a max of 2 lbs per week target, but if you are obese, your doctor may advise a larger deficit and faster weight loss. Usually the more you have to lose, the more you can safely take off per week.0 -
Sigh sadly everything that company's make that is suppose to be good for us. Isn't. Its nice just drinking it in the morning though and not having to think what I should eat for breakfast. Thanks for the info though. I'll put that in Gods hands.
So your saying its fine to go by the 2,920? I was surprised myself it was that high after I got finished answering the questions0 -
Thank you maidentl that's what I will do. And haha yeah I knew she was right. If it were up to me it would be much lower too.She is probably right that she's never seen anyone eat that much on a diet. We have a tendency to set our calories super low no matter what size we are and then have trouble sticking to it. I would definitely try to eat that amount if you can (being a little under is OK) for a few weeks and see if you're losing weight!blankiefinder wrote: »Hello all I just started about five days ago using this app. It told me my calorie limit is going 2920. Now a little info about me bad as I hate to say it. My weight is in the low. End of the 400s.my height is 5" 11, and I have no clue what my bmi is. I'm female. The reason I am asking is be cause my mother keeps saying " that is way to high, I've never seen anyone doing a diet with that high of a calorie intake" granted I never use all of the 2,920. By the end of the day/ night I have easily over 1500-1300 left. Sometimes even more.
Not sure if this matters. But the way I am starting out is drinking plenty of water. And basically eating what I like but smaller and wiser choices.much wiser. Loads of veggies and fruit intake. Also using herbal life shakes
And if it's not correct.. Where should I go to get a more accurate number so I can keep track?
@kayfaei just wondering, are you using a food scale? Most people running that kind of a deficit are hungry, though you do get lots of calories.
At your weight I would consult with your doctor about if it would be safe to have a higher calorie deficit. MFP will only allow a max of 2 lbs per week target, but if you are obese, your doctor may advise a larger deficit and faster weight loss. Usually the more you have to lose, the more you can safely take off per week.
Hey blankiefinder I do not use a scale. However I do read the back of labels and measure the serving size with measuring cups/ table spoons or teaspoons. I am already feeling a small difference. Hopefully that is due to the excersiing as well. A calorie deficit? I'm not sure I follow.
Sorry about that. I am extremely new to this. I've just mentally wrapped my mind around allowing myself to eat what I like long as its within portion and healthier ( like today I had veggie chips) I would normally deprive myself from chips all together0 -
Your BMI is at least 56 (based on 400 lbs, since you don't say how much over 400 lbs you are). And, yes, at that weight, you ought to able to lose weight eating 2,920. But you also have enough fat reserves to fuel a larger deficit (there's a maximum amount of energy your body can recover from stored fat every day, so people with less stored fat are generally advised to go with a smaller deficit, to minimize loss of muscle).
If you can sustain the larger deficits without binge-inducing hunger, loss of energy, or other bad effects, and you are sure you're getting adequate amounts of protein, fat, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, you should be OK (I'm reading your post as saying that you're eating around 1400 to 1700 a day, based on having 1500 to 1300 left from a 2929 goal).
Best of luck.0 -
Kay, I would highly recommend picking up a food scale and weighing your foods if and when your weight loss slows down. Mine cost $10 and it is probably the best $10 I have spent in my life. Measuring is horribly inaccurate.0
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http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/BMI/bmicalc.htm
http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/
Sounds normal to me per the info you provided. You'll be surprised that it's so high but it makes sense at your current weight. I don't know if your doing 2 pounds a week or what and a few other factors but it sounds normal to me.
Links will provide you with your BMI and BMR per your gender, height, weight, age.
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Thank you! I will definitely do that.blankiefinder wrote: »Kay, I would highly recommend picking up a food scale and weighing your foods if and when your weight loss slows down. Mine cost $10 and it is probably the best $10 I have spent in my life. Measuring is horribly inaccurate.lynn_glenmont wrote: »Your BMI is at least 56 (based on 400 lbs, since you don't say how much over 400 lbs you are). And, yes, at that weight, you ought to able to lose weight eating 2,920. But you also have enough fat reserves to fuel a larger deficit (there's a maximum amount of energy your body can recover from stored fat every day, so people with less stored fat are generally advised to go with a smaller deficit, to minimize loss of muscle).
If you can sustain the larger deficits without binge-inducing hunger, loss of energy, or other bad effects, and you are sure you're getting adequate amounts of protein, fat, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, you should be OK (I'm reading your post as saying that you're eating around 1400 to 1700 a day, based on having 1500 to 1300 left from a 2929 goal).
Best of luck.
Thank you Lynn. Yeah I think I am getting a lot of those vitamins and minerals from the foods I eat and the herbal life things. At night I feel content as if its not a diet, and I'm finding I'm gaining more energy. I can't fathom a higher intake than 2920 lol! I'm the type of person that usually skips a meal ( either breakfast or lunch) I used to go at least six or eight hours without eating. Haha now I am trying to break that. But I will look into it. Thanks again0 -
Sigh sadly everything that company's make that is suppose to be good for us. Isn't. Its nice just drinking it in the morning though and not having to think what I should eat for breakfast. Thanks for the info though. I'll put that in Gods hands.
So your saying its fine to go by the 2,920? I was surprised myself it was that high after I got finished answering the questions
A glass of milk would be sufficient if you don't want to eat anything for breakfast.0 -
When you get a chance read "announcement" posts 1 and 5 in the Getting Started category.
They will provide you with quite a bit of education!
In the meanwhile, yes, it is more likely than not that you CAN lose weight at 2920 calories. It is also probably NOT a great idea that you are leaving 1500 calories on the table, so to speak.
I realize that you are starting out and gung ho, but you have a long way to go and a long path ahead of you.
Use this opportunity (the time that you have) to learn new habits and to develop a new relationship with food and eventually (after you've lost some weight and your body can tolerate it) develop a new relationship with activity and exercise!
Try to break habits that are not conducive to your health: for example snacking or mindlessly eating while watching TV.
Because you have more "free fat" available to lose, you might be able to sustain a higher rate of loss than 2lbs a week. 1% of your body weight is generally considered to be safe.
Losing 4lbs a week corresponds to a 2000 calorie deficit a day. If you are creating it solely by food (and if you are not also generating an additional caloric deficit through being more active than you've told MFP that you are), and assuming MFP was correctly estimating your maintenance level at 3920 (and your 2lb a week loss level at 2920), you should be able to eat about 2,000 calories a day and still lose 4lbs a week.
I would not start by eating less than 2,000 calories a day if I were you.
Being able to sustain your new habits for years to come is the key to your future health.
Herbal life and 1500 calories a day do not sound like long terms solutions to me!
You will find that most people here spend a good amount of time cross referencing the various database entries and making sure they are using "correct" ones, and that they weigh their solids and semi solids and measure their liquids (if it can be weighed it gets weighed). Of course if all else fails it gets eyeballed : - )
You will be very surprised to find out that packaged items often don't weigh exactly what the package claims they do!
As for thinking what to eat for breakfast, why don't you preplan a menu? or at least some foods? You can even pre-log! Plain 3 minute oats with toppings (not talking about instant oats with flavourings since they are quite high in sugar; but even they will do in a pinch), high protein greek yogurt (again with toppings as opposed to the sugared flavoured options), fruits... glass of milk, heck protein powder or a protein power bar.
Research, learn, do.
This journey is yours.
Not your friends', not your family's, and not even your mom's!
In the end you will have to figure out what works for YOU.
Good luck!0 -
Thank you Lynn. Yeah I think I am getting a lot of those vitamins and minerals from the foods I eat and the herbal life things. At night I feel content as if its not a diet, and I'm finding I'm gaining more energy. I can't fathom a higher intake than 2920 lol! I'm the type of person that usually skips a meal ( either breakfast or lunch) I used to go at least six or eight hours without eating. Haha now I am trying to break that. But I will look into it. Thanks again
At an intake of 2000 to 3000 calories you should be able to eat a good enough variety of natural foods that vitamins and supplements at age 29 are probably not necessary : - )
"As if it is not a diet?" It is NOT a diet! A diet ends. What happens after your diet ends?
"can't fathom a higher intake" ??!? You could until recently : - )
Skipping meals, drinking water, eating after midnight--as long as you are spending more calories than you're eating everything else is irrelevant.
All the tricks become relevant only in the context of sustainably generating the deficit you need to lose the weight!
So if homemade soup, and lots of water, or an apple before each meal helps you out: go for it. If a Twinkie bar helps you out (while still fitting your caloric target)... go for it.
If skipping meals helps, go for it; but, many people find that eating regularly results in less hunger pangs and more less binging.0 -
You should be fine having up to 1500 left because you are on the heavier side so you can handle it. When I started out it was the same for me, and it was doctor approved. You will notice the weight will be melting fast! But be prepared that as you lose the loss will slow down as well. Right now after losing 95 lb I can only comfortably produce 1-1.5 pound loss a week although I used to lose 3-4 when I first started.
I would stay away from herbalife if I were you. Just finish what you already have and don't buy it again. You can easily replace that with a cup of milk or, if you want, a protein powder shake which is as easy and fast to make as herbalife.0 -
General recommendations for weekly weight loss goals should be based on a number of factors, the main one of which is how much weight you have to lose. The more weight that you have to lose the less severe the negative impact of being at a calorie deficit will have generally (see below for examples).
As a rule of thumb, we would recommend that most people set their target weight loss somewhere between .5 and 1% change in body-weight per week. So for a 200lb person, losing about 1 to 2lbs/week would be reasonable. Consider that this is not going to cover all scenarios. This is just a general guideline for "most" people. Weight may come off faster initially due to water losses.
Obviously, the deficit that is right for you will depend on your personal circumstances and how well you deal with the deficit. For example, for someone who is morbidly obese, the health benefits of getting the weight off quickly will often outweigh the possible negative impact and, as such, a higher than 2 lb a week deficit may well be appropriate.
It is all covered within this link that outlines how to optimally set up your calorie intake as well as your macro distribution....
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/819055/setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets/p1
ETA: As already suggested save your money as herbalife is completely unnecessary.
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Thank you Lynn. Yeah I think I am getting a lot of those vitamins and minerals from the foods I eat and the herbal life things. At night I feel content as if its not a diet, and I'm finding I'm gaining more energy. I can't fathom a higher intake than 2920 lol! I'm the type of person that usually skips a meal ( either breakfast or lunch) I used to go at least six or eight hours without eating. Haha now I am trying to break that. But I will look into it. Thanks again
* If eating more frequently makes it easier to control/reduce calories, it will help you to lose weight/fat.
* If eating more frequently makes it harder to control/reduce calories, or makes you eat more, you will gain weight.
* If eating less frequently makes it harder for you to control/reduce calories (because you get hungry and binge), it will hurt your efforts to lose weight/fat.
* If eating less frequently makes it easier for you to control/reduce calories (for any number of reasons), then that will help your efforts to lose weight/fat
Or in other words, personal preference.
Some peer reviewed studies:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9155494
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19943985
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17483007
Source:http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/820577
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FYI: The BMI method is an antiquated method of of calculation. The BMI was introduced in the early 19th century by a Belgian named Lambert Adolphe Jacques Quetelet. He was a mathematician, not a physician. He produced the formula to give a quick and easy way to measure the degree of obesity of the general population to assist the government in allocating resources. In other words, it is a 200-year-old hack.
It makes no allowance for the relative proportions of bone, muscle and fat in the body. But bone is denser than muscle and twice as dense as fat, so a person with strong bones, good muscle tone and low fat will have a high BMI. Thus, athletes and fit who work out a lot tend to find themselves classified as overweight or even obese.
Moreover, it ignores waist size, which is a clear indicator of obesity level.
Continued reliance on the BMI means doctors don't feel the need to use one of the more scientifically sound methods that are available to measure obesity levels.
That being said if you know that you are obese studies show that a high BMI predicts higher risk of chronic disease and early death...so it does serve a purpose.
/rant
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Cryptonomnomicon...with you till you BMI rant. Given the OP's height and weight, do we really need to worry about her exact bmi, and does her bmi number change anything she has to do? I mean do bring up a bmi rant when discussing a 195lb running back...0
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I would be a little careful of just accepting the scaled up estimate of calories from MFP. I was 355lbs and MFP estimated that on 2240 cals I would lose 2 pounds a week.
However, my beloved bought me a Fitbit for Christmas, and my actual calorie burn varies between 2400 -2700 - Much lower! On work days (office job) I was only in 200 calories deficit - i.e. only half a pound a week. This was reflected in my weigh loss of 5 lbs over 11 weeks - and during that whole time I was getting more and more frustrated because I thought I was doing the right thing and it wasn't having an affect.
I now track my calories out with Fitbit and calories in with MFP - which also take off the difference between the two calculations off my calorie allowance every day. Therefore the more active I am, the more I can eat.
I am now losing a average of two pounds a week so it is definitely working. So my recommendation would be get a Fitbit and work out what you are actually burning, not rely on a calculated estimate.
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Cryptonomnomicon...with you till you BMI rant. Given the OP's height and weight, do we really need to worry about her exact bmi, and does her bmi number change anything she has to do? I mean do bring up a bmi rant when discussing a 195lb running back...
I only brought it up as there was a BMI calculator posted in one of the replies. I also said that it does serve a purpose for the obese...That being said if you know that you are obese studies show that a high BMI predicts higher risk of chronic disease and early death...so it does serve a purpose.
But I do agree with you.
Most calculators online use height, weight sex and age for figuring out calorie allowances but for optimal macro distribution it would be a good idea for the OP to find out what her BF% is; as outlined in the "setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets" link I posted.
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Sorry to go off topic bit. You seem to be missing the point of BMI. The original idea nay be 200 years old but has been continually updated since. There are many things that old and older that with updates are perfectly valid. The age of a system does not discount it. The wheel is a pretty old concept and I still think it's a pretty neat idea as for this fire thing WowCryptonomnomicon wrote: »FYI: The BMI method is an antiquated method of of calculation. The BMI was introduced in the early 19th century by a Belgian named Lambert Adolphe Jacques Quetelet. He was a mathematician, not a physician. He produced the formula to give a quick and easy way to measure the degree of obesity of the general population to assist the government in allocating resources. In other words, it is a 200-year-old hack.
It makes no allowance for the relative proportions of bone, muscle and fat in the body. But bone is denser than muscle and twice as dense as fat, so a person with strong bones, good muscle tone and low fat will have a high BMI. Thus, athletes and fit who work out a lot tend to find themselves classified as overweight or even obese.
Moreover, it ignores waist size, which is a clear indicator of obesity level.
Continued reliance on the BMI means doctors don't feel the need to use one of the more scientifically sound methods that are available to measure obesity levels.
That being said if you know that you are obese studies show that a high BMI predicts higher risk of chronic disease and early death...so it does serve a purpose.
/rant
The problem people seem to have with BMI is context. It is a system based on population averages and is therefore is a guide and designed as such. You say yourself it serves a purpose. Like all of these things it should not be used in isolation from other methods and just plain common sense. I will admit that some Drs are the worst for totally relying on it. As a guide though it is useful but not absolute.
In my personal experience a lot of the people who are so vehemently against are normally kidding themselves (this is not aimed at anyone)
It's a guide as is your weight and many other indicators all help to evaluate your overall health but to discount it considering it's wide use and the links between high BMI and disease is a bit short sighted
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