Ladies - What are your maintenance calories?
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I'm curious how many calories you guys can eat and maintain? I'm trying to calculate mine, but online calculators give me a range from 2100 to 2600. However, looking at my own data (I've been consuming 1900 calories on average and losing 2 lbs per week average over the last 3 months), I'm getting 2900ish, but that seems crazy high. So here are my questions.
What are your stats?
What is your exercise routine?
What are your maintenance calories?
I'm 5'7 and currently 173.5 (started at 295 almost a year ago).
I exercise 5 days per week, 3 days lifting heavy, cardio all 5 days (20-60 minutes at varying levels of intensity depending how my body feels). I'm fairly active during the day (lots of cooking, cleaning, & chasing after kids).
I'm estimating my maintenance calories to be at 2900, though I'm curious if that is realistic and welcome any input.
I'm curious to see other people's stats! Thanks!
The math doesn't lie...the math and your real world results are more accurate than anything. It seems high because you've been conditioned that women need to eat like little birds.
My wife is short at 5'2"-5'3"...she runs regularly and lifts and chases two little boys around the house everyday (3 if you count me) and she maintains on about 2200-2300 calories.5 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »I'm curious how many calories you guys can eat and maintain? I'm trying to calculate mine, but online calculators give me a range from 2100 to 2600. However, looking at my own data (I've been consuming 1900 calories on average and losing 2 lbs per week average over the last 3 months), I'm getting 2900ish, but that seems crazy high. So here are my questions.
What are your stats?
What is your exercise routine?
What are your maintenance calories?
I'm 5'7 and currently 173.5 (started at 295 almost a year ago).
I exercise 5 days per week, 3 days lifting heavy, cardio all 5 days (20-60 minutes at varying levels of intensity depending how my body feels). I'm fairly active during the day (lots of cooking, cleaning, & chasing after kids).
I'm estimating my maintenance calories to be at 2900, though I'm curious if that is realistic and welcome any input.
I'm curious to see other people's stats! Thanks!
The math doesn't lie...the math and your real world results are more accurate than anything. It seems high because you've been conditioned that women need to eat like little birds.
My wife is short at 5'2"-5'3"...she runs regularly and lifts and chases two little boys around the house everyday (3 if you count me) and she maintains on about 2200-2300 calories.
This is along the lines of what I was thinking.
Generally you can reverse the math: 2 lbs per week is a 1000 calorie deficit. Add that to the 1900 you've been eating and you get 2900.
You mentioned that you have 20-30 lbs to lose still, so this number will likely decrease a bit as you get lighter.
I'm 5'1'', 175 lbs, my maintenance is around 2400 with 4-5 days of lifting and little to no cardio. If I added several days of cardio or a lot of activity during my day (I mostly sit at work) my maintenance would go up quite a bit more.1 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »I'm curious how many calories you guys can eat and maintain? I'm trying to calculate mine, but online calculators give me a range from 2100 to 2600. However, looking at my own data (I've been consuming 1900 calories on average and losing 2 lbs per week average over the last 3 months), I'm getting 2900ish, but that seems crazy high. So here are my questions.
What are your stats?
What is your exercise routine?
What are your maintenance calories?
I'm 5'7 and currently 173.5 (started at 295 almost a year ago).
I exercise 5 days per week, 3 days lifting heavy, cardio all 5 days (20-60 minutes at varying levels of intensity depending how my body feels). I'm fairly active during the day (lots of cooking, cleaning, & chasing after kids).
I'm estimating my maintenance calories to be at 2900, though I'm curious if that is realistic and welcome any input.
I'm curious to see other people's stats! Thanks!
The math doesn't lie...the math and your real world results are more accurate than anything. It seems high because you've been conditioned that women need to eat like little birds.
My wife is short at 5'2"-5'3"...she runs regularly and lifts and chases two little boys around the house everyday (3 if you count me) and she maintains on about 2200-2300 calories.
@cwolfman13 Haha okay, that's good to know. It seems rare to see women eat more than 1200-1500 while losing weight, so I was having a hard time imagining that I could eat so much and continue to lose/maintain. It's helpful to see that it really is possible to eat a large amount of calories without gaining weight back! It's hard to get past the mental block though. I've had to up my calories several times over the past 6 months or so to respond to increased hunger. Every time I've worried that I'll stop losing or gain, but I keep losing and at a fast rate. For whatever reason I still struggle to believe I could eat more if I wanted to. I'm working on that though.0 -
I'm 5'5 and 40 years old, hovering around 135 since March. MFP says my maintenance is 1610. I set myself to 1550 and eat back most of my exercise cals which are between 250-600 a day depending.0
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5'7", 61, currently about 145 lbs. I maintain at around 1200 -1300 calories a day. If I have a extra-active day, I will eat a little more.0
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5'2", 32 year old female, approx. 143 lbs (heavier than I'd like but it is what it is for now). Maintaining on somewhere between 2300-2500 calories a day.
I did heavy weight lifting for about a year, but my focus shifted about 6 months ago. I teach a high intensity group fitness class so between teaching, practicing & my own workouts I work out hard 4 or 5 days a week, plus walk my dog (almost) every night.
I'm sure I could lose weight if I dropped my calories a bit... but I like food
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cwolfman13 wrote: »I'm curious how many calories you guys can eat and maintain? I'm trying to calculate mine, but online calculators give me a range from 2100 to 2600. However, looking at my own data (I've been consuming 1900 calories on average and losing 2 lbs per week average over the last 3 months), I'm getting 2900ish, but that seems crazy high. So here are my questions.
What are your stats?
What is your exercise routine?
What are your maintenance calories?
I'm 5'7 and currently 173.5 (started at 295 almost a year ago).
I exercise 5 days per week, 3 days lifting heavy, cardio all 5 days (20-60 minutes at varying levels of intensity depending how my body feels). I'm fairly active during the day (lots of cooking, cleaning, & chasing after kids).
I'm estimating my maintenance calories to be at 2900, though I'm curious if that is realistic and welcome any input.
I'm curious to see other people's stats! Thanks!
The math doesn't lie...the math and your real world results are more accurate than anything. It seems high because you've been conditioned that women need to eat like little birds.
My wife is short at 5'2"-5'3"...she runs regularly and lifts and chases two little boys around the house everyday (3 if you count me) and she maintains on about 2200-2300 calories.
@cwolfman13 Haha okay, that's good to know. It seems rare to see women eat more than 1200-1500 while losing weight, so I was having a hard time imagining that I could eat so much and continue to lose/maintain. It's helpful to see that it really is possible to eat a large amount of calories without gaining weight back! It's hard to get past the mental block though. I've had to up my calories several times over the past 6 months or so to respond to increased hunger. Every time I've worried that I'll stop losing or gain, but I keep losing and at a fast rate. For whatever reason I still struggle to believe I could eat more if I wanted to. I'm working on that though.
I tried 1200 net calories, eating back all exercise in top of that, and lost waaaay too fast, getting fatigued/weak . . . at age 59, 5'5", and weight (then) in the 150s.
This stuff is very individual: That's why your own data is so important!
I maintain at a weight in the 120s at something in the low 2000s net (around 2100-2300 depending on season because NEAT varies), more like 2300-2500 gross, at age 61. I'm lucky.
Maybe you're lucky, too: I see no particular reason you should doubt the 2900, especially if you plan to reverse-diet to get there. By reverse dieting, you'll give yourself the best potential for some upward NEAT creep, and have a chance to adjust in the unlikely event that that estimate is too high.1 -
I agree that your own numbers are the best - it's so hard to accurately calculate CICO, but the trends will show you about how you're doing. I'm 5'2", 188 lbs and moderately active - based on my tracking I maintain at around 2400. I lost about three lbs last month averaging 2000-2100 calories, am aiming for 1850 this next month.0
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cwolfman13 wrote: »I'm curious how many calories you guys can eat and maintain? I'm trying to calculate mine, but online calculators give me a range from 2100 to 2600. However, looking at my own data (I've been consuming 1900 calories on average and losing 2 lbs per week average over the last 3 months), I'm getting 2900ish, but that seems crazy high. So here are my questions.
What are your stats?
What is your exercise routine?
What are your maintenance calories?
I'm 5'7 and currently 173.5 (started at 295 almost a year ago).
I exercise 5 days per week, 3 days lifting heavy, cardio all 5 days (20-60 minutes at varying levels of intensity depending how my body feels). I'm fairly active during the day (lots of cooking, cleaning, & chasing after kids).
I'm estimating my maintenance calories to be at 2900, though I'm curious if that is realistic and welcome any input.
I'm curious to see other people's stats! Thanks!
The math doesn't lie...the math and your real world results are more accurate than anything. It seems high because you've been conditioned that women need to eat like little birds.
My wife is short at 5'2"-5'3"...she runs regularly and lifts and chases two little boys around the house everyday (3 if you count me) and she maintains on about 2200-2300 calories.
@cwolfman13 Haha okay, that's good to know. It seems rare to see women eat more than 1200-1500 while losing weight, so I was having a hard time imagining that I could eat so much and continue to lose/maintain. It's helpful to see that it really is possible to eat a large amount of calories without gaining weight back! It's hard to get past the mental block though. I've had to up my calories several times over the past 6 months or so to respond to increased hunger. Every time I've worried that I'll stop losing or gain, but I keep losing and at a fast rate. For whatever reason I still struggle to believe I could eat more if I wanted to. I'm working on that though.
I tried 1200 net calories, eating back all exercise in top of that, and lost waaaay too fast, getting fatigued/weak . . . at age 59, 5'5", and weight (then) in the 150s.
This stuff is very individual: That's why your own data is so important!
I maintain at a weight in the 120s at something in the low 2000s net (around 2100-2300 depending on season because NEAT varies), more like 2300-2500 gross, at age 61. I'm lucky.
Maybe you're lucky, too: I see no particular reason you should doubt the 2900, especially if you plan to reverse-diet to get there. By reverse dieting, you'll give yourself the best potential for some upward NEAT creep, and have a chance to adjust in the unlikely event that that estimate is too high.
Thanks, @AnnPT77 ! That's very helpful to hear. I may very well just be lucky like you. It's hard to wrap my brain around, as I have spent my entire adult life telling myself that I'm unlucky when it comes to my weight (thinking my obesity was due in some part to bad genes, slow metabolism, etc.) when all along it was just my bad habits keeping me obese. It's very eye opening to realize that really isn't the case.2 -
I'm 5'5". I'm currently postpartum and overweight and trying to lose so I'm not sure of my current maintenance, but before I was pregnant I could eat about 1800 cal to maintain my weight of 130-145. (Had some fluctuations over several years). Lightly active, on my feet for my job (nurse) but not athletic or very active out of work.0
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In the past (again, not counting now since breastfeeding complicates things) I have always had to eat about 1450 to lose 1 lb/week0
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cwolfman13 wrote: »I'm curious how many calories you guys can eat and maintain? I'm trying to calculate mine, but online calculators give me a range from 2100 to 2600. However, looking at my own data (I've been consuming 1900 calories on average and losing 2 lbs per week average over the last 3 months), I'm getting 2900ish, but that seems crazy high. So here are my questions.
What are your stats?
What is your exercise routine?
What are your maintenance calories?
I'm 5'7 and currently 173.5 (started at 295 almost a year ago).
I exercise 5 days per week, 3 days lifting heavy, cardio all 5 days (20-60 minutes at varying levels of intensity depending how my body feels). I'm fairly active during the day (lots of cooking, cleaning, & chasing after kids).
I'm estimating my maintenance calories to be at 2900, though I'm curious if that is realistic and welcome any input.
I'm curious to see other people's stats! Thanks!
The math doesn't lie...the math and your real world results are more accurate than anything. It seems high because you've been conditioned that women need to eat like little birds.
My wife is short at 5'2"-5'3"...she runs regularly and lifts and chases two little boys around the house everyday (3 if you count me) and she maintains on about 2200-2300 calories.
@cwolfman13 Haha okay, that's good to know. It seems rare to see women eat more than 1200-1500 while losing weight, so I was having a hard time imagining that I could eat so much and continue to lose/maintain. It's helpful to see that it really is possible to eat a large amount of calories without gaining weight back! It's hard to get past the mental block though. I've had to up my calories several times over the past 6 months or so to respond to increased hunger. Every time I've worried that I'll stop losing or gain, but I keep losing and at a fast rate. For whatever reason I still struggle to believe I could eat more if I wanted to. I'm working on that though.
I tried 1200 net calories, eating back all exercise in top of that, and lost waaaay too fast, getting fatigued/weak . . . at age 59, 5'5", and weight (then) in the 150s.
This stuff is very individual: That's why your own data is so important!
I maintain at a weight in the 120s at something in the low 2000s net (around 2100-2300 depending on season because NEAT varies), more like 2300-2500 gross, at age 61. I'm lucky.
Maybe you're lucky, too: I see no particular reason you should doubt the 2900, especially if you plan to reverse-diet to get there. By reverse dieting, you'll give yourself the best potential for some upward NEAT creep, and have a chance to adjust in the unlikely event that that estimate is too high.
Thanks, @AnnPT77 ! That's very helpful to hear. I may very well just be lucky like you. It's hard to wrap my brain around, as I have spent my entire adult life telling myself that I'm unlucky when it comes to my weight (thinking my obesity was due in some part to bad genes, slow metabolism, etc.) when all along it was just my bad habits keeping me obese. It's very eye opening to realize that really isn't the case.
I'm right there with you, perception-wise! My mom was obese, I thought it was wired in. I guess if I'd really had the metabolism I thought I had, I would've been morbidly obese rather than just obese, maybe, on what I was eating. Sobering! Even now, I'm almost afraid to talk about it, lest I jinx it.
BTW: Forgot to mention, I'm sedentary outside of intentional exercise, which I still eat back, and hypothyroid. Very, very lucky: Calculators estimate more like 1500 net for me, not 2000+.1 -
5 ft 3 130 pounds i walk on average 20-30k steps a day i maintain at 2200-2600- days im not active its around 1500-16001
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5'7", 115 lbs maintaining at 1900-2000 a day. I work 2 jobs (one food service, 1 retail) so I'm standing and walking all day. Then at home I lift 2-3x a week and do elliptical for 30 minutes 2 x a week. Those days I may eat more.
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39, 5"4.5', 142 lbs, maintain at 2300-2400 walking 15-20k steps a day in average - typically 2 hours of purposeful walking. If I walk 3000 steps, it goes down to 1700 or something. Very sad.
Activity makes a huge difference, and obviously how accurate you are with your logging is too (I see a lot of people saying they maintain on something ridiculous like 1400 calories but they estimate everything).
OP, I'd put your stats as lightly active in a TDEE calculator and go from there.1 -
I'm currently around 140 pounds, 5'6.5" and 31 years old. I lift heavy for me 4-5 days a week with a few hours of light cardio thrown in per week. I am now dieting, but prior to that, I was eating "intuitively" and maintaining my previous weight of around 144 eating about 2100-2600 calories / day (I was not tracking, but believe that to be a good estimate).1
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Age 34, 5'8", 223lb - 2100 net Maintenance, losing on 1600 + all exercise calories (as much as an extra 1000 calories depending on how active a day I have had).0
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5'7 133 Pounds and without any activity my TDEE is 1700 cals. I workout 4-5 days a week and on those days I get around 8k steps. The other days I try for 15k steps and maintain on 2,400-2,500 with that activity level.2
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5'3", 148-150ish; maintain on about 2400 - I'm an endurance triathlete so it changes depending on the season; I also work with a RD to tailor my needs0
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