Calories based on activity level

shandy4487

Hi! Okay so some info first: I am 5'10, SW was 260, CW is 215. So I entered my activity level as "active" since I work in a grocery store, I am on my feet walking around 6 to 9 hours a day, 6 days a week. I easily hit 8000 steps a day just during my work shift. So anyway MFP set me at 2100 calories a day to lose 1.5 lbs a week. This seems a bit high to me? I am currently eating 1400-1800 calories a day but I was wondering if I should try and hit 2100? Has anybody had success at or around that number?

juggernaut1974

I would consider what you described more as "lightly active" than active.

Based on your stats, I would think somewhere around 1700-1800 calories would seem to be a good daily goal to start with, and clearly it's working for you.

shadow2soul

Yes you could probably eat around that.
I'm 5'4.5" and currently about 126 lbs (recent low was 125.2 lbs).
I've been losing weight eating in the 1800-2000 calorie range (sometimes more, sometimes less).
I don't lose fast at that amount anymore, but when I first started (around 218 lbs) I would lose 2 lbs per week at that calorie level. My rate of loss has slowed as I've gotten closer to my goal, but that's because it takes less for me to maintain my weight now than it did when I was 200+.

Try it for a few weeks (4-6 to account for fluctuations and the fact that weight loss isn't linear). Average out your loss per week.
Did you lose faster than you set MFP to? Yes, then you can actually eat a bit more.

Did you lose slower than you set MFP to? Yes, then you should double check your logging. Make sure you are using accurate entries. If your not weighing your food, you may want to purchase a food scale and try see if that helps. Or you can just cut your calories by 100-200 and repeat.

jemhh

I would eat the 2100 for four weeks and see what happens. Adjust up/down from there.

shandy4487

Awesome! :-D thank you guys for your input!