How should I determine how many daily calories I need?

samwiseenvs

Hi Everyone,

I'm 5'9 and 263-ish pounds, and 29 years old. I'm at a desk job and don't move as much as I probably should (although I do try to get in 50 squats and 50 lunges each day). I've been bouncing between consuming 1500 and 1600 calories a day without much weight loss success (only been doing this for 2 weeks though, and I know I just need to stick with eating healthy).

I have read many articles that suggest or calculate how many calories I should consume each day to lose 2 lbs a week, safely and healthily. Those recommendations range from 1800 a day to 1200 a day. That is a huge difference. That's why I settled on 1500.

I've talked to a nutritionist who said calories don't matter if I can do a low carb, high fat diet. Wasn't a fan. I talked to my doctor and she said "500 calories less than I am using a day". Great. Thanks. That's helpful.

How do you all determine how many calories to limit yourself to a day? Should I continue with the 1500 a day or drop it down to 1200? I'm concerned about not getting the nutrient my body needs and it going into "starvation mode".

nutmegoreo

A better question is how are you calculating the calories you are consuming? If you are eyeballing portions or using measuring cups, or going by the amount on the package, you are likely eating more than you realize. A food scale for all solid foods is most accurate.

Another question is have you increased exercise at all? This can cause some water retention which will mask losses. Are you close to TOM? Also water retention. Did you have more sodium yesterday compared to other days? This will also cause water retention.

Are you using the correct entries in the database? Many of the entries are user generated, and have inaccuracies.

My suggestion would be to look at your logging first and foremost before dropping calories. With your height and weight, you should be losing on 1500.

Starvation mode as I expect you intend it here, is a myth.

jacquifrench304

Put your stats into MFP , tell it you want to lose weight at 2lb a week , get your hands on a food scale and weigh all solid foods you eat , drinks , oil added in cooking count and measure everything get a good picture of what a portion or 200 odd calories really is of the foods you eat .
The number MFP gives you , like any calculator is an estimate , with a desk job choose sedentary to start with.
Give it 4 weeks , look at your results then adjust things to meet your goal, lost more than you planned , feel hungry and tired eat a little more . Less weight than you planned eat a little less. There are some fantastic threads at the top of the forums giving the whole run down on getting things moving , "so you want a flat stomach" is a good start