How many calories should I be eating?

RebeccaSarah16 · July 2013

Hi, Im new to this and recently I've been getting confused with calories. MFP gives me 1200 calories a day. Since I began eating healthy (nearly a month) I find myself finding it hard to meet my calorie goal! I am 5'3 and a half and 128 pounds. Before when I wasn't watching what I was eating I could have easily eaten 2000+! I go to the gym five days a week for about two hours doing cardio and strength. I know I am under eating but I am so full and all my snacks are healthy and low cal! I am worried my metabolism is slowing down! So does anyone know how many calories I should be eating or is around 1000 enough? Btw I want to get down to about 115-120 pounds and at the end of the day I am never hungry!

ALittleBitLess1 · July 2013

can you open your food diary??

ALittleBitLess1 · July 2013

ladynocturne · July 2013

If you want to lose weight safely and not kill your metabolism(and lose a lot of lean muscle mass) you need to Calculate your BMR and eat at least that many calories daily.

Your estimated BMR is: 1,338 calories/day.

So please eat at least 1340 calories a day if you do not exercise.

Eat 1340 calories a day + whatever you burn during exercise.

This will give you the safest daily deficit to lose weight.

You maintain on 1700 calories a day with no exercise. So.. you can eat more and not suddenly gain fat.

Bekahmardis · July 2013

SImply eat more calorie dense foods is all. Peanut butter, nuts, avocados, etc. Sometimes clean eating can sabotage us in the other direction if we're not careful, eh?

ALittleBitLess1 · July 2013

my diary is not that exciting but feel free to have a look - are you eating 1000 cals or netting 1000 cals

RebeccaSarah16 · July 2013

If you want to lose weight safely and not kill your metabolism(and lose a lot of lean muscle mass) you need to Calculate your BMR and eat at least that many calories daily.

Your estimated BMR is: 1,338 calories/day.

So please eat at least 1340 calories a day if you do not exercise.

Eat 1340 calories a day + whatever you burn during exercise.

This will give you the safest daily deficit to lose weight.

It's so hard though as Im full at about 1000-1100!

RebeccaSarah16 · July 2013

Eating about 1000, net is about 500!

Bekahmardis · July 2013

Can you open your diary so we can take a look and make suggestions for you to "change it up" to help out?

MzManiak · July 2013

Fat2FitRadio.com

Bekahmardis · July 2013

Fat2FitRadio.com

Love this site.

ladynocturne · July 2013

If you want to lose weight safely and not kill your metabolism(and lose a lot of lean muscle mass) you need to Calculate your BMR and eat at least that many calories daily.

Your estimated BMR is: 1,338 calories/day.

So please eat at least 1340 calories a day if you do not exercise.

Eat 1340 calories a day + whatever you burn during exercise.

This will give you the safest daily deficit to lose weight.

It's so hard though as Im full at about 1000-1100!

I suggest you stop buying "diet" foods like low fat or low carb. Eat full fat yogurts/milks/cheese and add avocado to soups, salads, and toast. Cooking with olive oil and eat a handful of nuts for snacks. If you did all of this in one day you would easily add 400 calories with very little "grams" of food to make you feel any fuller.

If you eat rice or noodles, you can add an extra cup to each meal, that would be 100 calories easy without really being much more food.

RebeccaSarah16 · July 2013

Can you open your diary so we can take a look and make suggestions for you to "change it up" to help out?

I only started using this site so I only have 3 days logged! How do I open it?

RebeccaSarah16 · July 2013

If you want to lose weight safely and not kill your metabolism(and lose a lot of lean muscle mass) you need to Calculate your BMR and eat at least that many calories daily.

Your estimated BMR is: 1,338 calories/day.

So please eat at least 1340 calories a day if you do not exercise.

Eat 1340 calories a day + whatever you burn during exercise.

This will give you the safest daily deficit to lose weight.

It's so hard though as Im full at about 1000-1100!

I suggest you stop buying "diet" foods like low fat or low carb. Eat full fat yogurts/milks/cheese and add avocado to soups, salads, and toast. Cooking with olive oil and eat a handful of nuts for snacks. If you did all of this in one day you would easily add 400 calories with very little "grams" of food to make you feel any fuller.

If you eat rice or noodles, you can add an extra cup to it, that would be 100 calories easy without really being much more food.

Okay thanks I will try this! Do you know I would gain weight though or just not loose it really fast?

ALittleBitLess1 · July 2013

Eating about 1000, net is about 500!

this is super low
and like it or not is very much disordered eating, if not yet an eating disorder.
you are literally running on empty and your body will be using up your hard earned muscle as a source of protein to keep you going. sorry to sound like a miserable so and so but this will result in illness if it carries on.

Please take the time to read this and see if you recognise yourself at all, we are all human and can all get ill and illness takes many forms.
http://www.helpguide.org/mental/anorexia_signs_symptoms_causes_treatment.htm

please don't be offended or stop asking for advice

ladynocturne · July 2013

You might lose weight faster on a lower than your BMR calorie intake, but it won't be just fat loss, it will be a lot of lean muscle.

If all you really care about is the number on the scale and not how you will look and feel, then... I guess, it's your body. I have never seen a single person who was happy after losing most of their lean muscle mass and having a low metabolism.

The maximum safe amount of fat a normal person can lose is 1-2lbs a week, this generally means they have 20-40lbs they want to lose, since you have more like ...10? I think it's safe to say that it's looking closer to half a pound a week for you.

Anything worth doing, is worth doing right.

ALittleBitLess1 · July 2013

If you want to lose weight safely and not kill your metabolism(and lose a lot of lean muscle mass) you need to Calculate your BMR and eat at least that many calories daily.

Your estimated BMR is: 1,338 calories/day.

So please eat at least 1340 calories a day if you do not exercise.

Eat 1340 calories a day + whatever you burn during exercise.

This will give you the safest daily deficit to lose weight.

It's so hard though as Im full at about 1000-1100!

I suggest you stop buying "diet" foods like low fat or low carb. Eat full fat yogurts/milks/cheese and add avocado to soups, salads, and toast. Cooking with olive oil and eat a handful of nuts for snacks. If you did all of this in one day you would easily add 400 calories with very little "grams" of food to make you feel any fuller.

If you eat rice or noodles, you can add an extra cup to it, that would be 100 calories easy without really being much more food.

Okay thanks I will try this! Do you know I would gain weight though or just not loose it really fast?

You will just be giving your body the fuel it needs to get around and do its job every day and fuel your workouts so no you will not put on bad fat , but your lean body mass/muscle may increase so a small weight gain on the scale perhaps.

RebeccaSarah16 · July 2013

No I promise I don't have an eating disorder! I want to be healthy and my body is getting full on a small amount! But thank you anyways!

Bekahmardis · July 2013

I only started using this site so I only have 3 days logged! How do I open it?

Go to "Settings" then "Profile Privacy SEttings" to open it up to MyFitnessPal Members Only. And we can still help with 3 days worth of logging, as long as it's accurate.

Yes, eat full-fat, whole foods and not a bit of diet food which is probably over-processed anyway.

RebeccaSarah16 · July 2013

I have been loosing about 2 pounds a week so I defiantly need to up my calories!

RebeccaSarah16 · July 2013

Okay it's open:)

How many calories should I be eating?

Replies

Categories