How many calories are you eating daily to lose 2 lbs per week?

How many calories are you eating daily to lose 2 lbs per week?

Replies

  • rdix333
    rdix333 Posts: 111 Member
    2 lbs a week for me is too aggressive. But I'm 203lbs, 5'11" and at 1510. And I eat back half of my exercise calories. Which gives me a few hundred more.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,409 Member
    There is no answer to this type question.

    It depends on too many factors. So - what works for one person would not work for another.
  • bentleytino2010
    bentleytino2010 Posts: 35 Member
    @rdix333 about how many lbs are you losing a week?
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    How many calories are you eating daily to lose 2 lbs per week?

    This will depend on so many individual factors, it is hard to understand how this could possibly be relevant.

    What are your stats (height, weight, gender, age, activity level), how much weight are you trying to lose, and what calorie target does MFP suggest for losing 2 lbs/week? What exercise, if any, do you do; and do you eat back those calories?

    If you provide those details people can probably tell you whether or not it's reasonable to lose 2 lbs/week (and unless you have more than 75 lbs to lose, it's probably not reasonable).

  • kristen8000
    kristen8000 Posts: 747 Member
    I can't lose 2lbs a week. It's too unhealthy. I can barely get by with 1lb week now with only 5-7lbs to go.

    It will depend on how much you have to lose. Some people just can't without risking their health.
  • rdix333
    rdix333 Posts: 111 Member
    @rdix333 about how many lbs are you losing a week?

    It fluctuates, mostly because of water weight, but some weeks it shows me losing nothing, and other weeks it might be 2 or even 3 lbs. Just last week, for example, I went from 206 down to 202 then back up to 204.
    I really don't pay too much attention to the scale. I just am very strict about my calories and I'm thinking it will all pay off in the end.
  • bentleytino2010
    bentleytino2010 Posts: 35 Member
    firef1y72 wrote: »
    When I was losing I could lose 1-2lb/week eating 2000-2500Calories/day. But I'm probably not typical, I'm 45yo, 5'2", 150lb and extremely active, as in running 3-4x week (up to half marathon), strength training 3-4x week, upto 10 high intensity classes, upto 3 PT sessions/week, burning anything up to 4000 Calories a day (depending on day).

    Oh wow yeah i work out 4 to 5 times a week, but only burning 500-600 cals a day, I'm 5'2 and 147 lbs, goal weight 135. I am eating about 1350-1500 cals a day not including the ones I am burning off.
  • bentleytino2010
    bentleytino2010 Posts: 35 Member
    rdix333 wrote: »
    @rdix333 about how many lbs are you losing a week?

    It fluctuates, mostly because of water weight, but some weeks it shows me losing nothing, and other weeks it might be 2 or even 3 lbs. Just last week, for example, I went from 206 down to 202 then back up to 204.
    I really don't pay too much attention to the scale. I just am very strict about my calories and I'm thinking it will all pay off in the end.

    Thats true, I am trying to only weigh myself once a week because Ive noticed if I weigh in daily its always gonna be up and down.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    firef1y72 wrote: »
    When I was losing I could lose 1-2lb/week eating 2000-2500Calories/day. But I'm probably not typical, I'm 45yo, 5'2", 150lb and extremely active, as in running 3-4x week (up to half marathon), strength training 3-4x week, upto 10 high intensity classes, upto 3 PT sessions/week, burning anything up to 4000 Calories a day (depending on day).

    Oh wow yeah i work out 4 to 5 times a week, but only burning 500-600 cals a day, I'm 5'2 and 147 lbs, goal weight 135. I am eating about 1350-1500 cals a day not including the ones I am burning off.

    You're burning more than 500-600 calories a day. Your body is using calories constantly, even when you're sleeping.
  • bentleytino2010
    bentleytino2010 Posts: 35 Member
    firef1y72 wrote: »
    When I was losing I could lose 1-2lb/week eating 2000-2500Calories/day. But I'm probably not typical, I'm 45yo, 5'2", 150lb and extremely active, as in running 3-4x week (up to half marathon), strength training 3-4x week, upto 10 high intensity classes, upto 3 PT sessions/week, burning anything up to 4000 Calories a day (depending on day).

    Oh wow yeah i work out 4 to 5 times a week, but only burning 500-600 cals a day, I'm 5'2 and 147 lbs, goal weight 135. I am eating about 1350-1500 cals a day not including the ones I am burning off.

    You're burning more than 500-600 calories a day. Your body is using calories constantly, even when you're sleeping.

    Thank you, I was aware we burn calories but wasn't sure how much.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    firef1y72 wrote: »
    When I was losing I could lose 1-2lb/week eating 2000-2500Calories/day. But I'm probably not typical, I'm 45yo, 5'2", 150lb and extremely active, as in running 3-4x week (up to half marathon), strength training 3-4x week, upto 10 high intensity classes, upto 3 PT sessions/week, burning anything up to 4000 Calories a day (depending on day).

    Oh wow yeah i work out 4 to 5 times a week, but only burning 500-600 cals a day, I'm 5'2 and 147 lbs, goal weight 135. I am eating about 1350-1500 cals a day not including the ones I am burning off.

    You're burning more than 500-600 calories a day. Your body is using calories constantly, even when you're sleeping.

    I assume OP meant they burn 500-600 through exercise, not total.

    OP if you have less than 20 lbs to lose then 2 lbs/week is not a reasonable goal for you. 0.5 lb/week is more appropriare and will help ensure preservation of lean body mass while losing weight.

    Oh, I thought they were responding to the comment about burning 4,000 calories a day (which I assumed was a full day, not just intentional exercise). Thank you.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    firef1y72 wrote: »
    When I was losing I could lose 1-2lb/week eating 2000-2500Calories/day. But I'm probably not typical, I'm 45yo, 5'2", 150lb and extremely active, as in running 3-4x week (up to half marathon), strength training 3-4x week, upto 10 high intensity classes, upto 3 PT sessions/week, burning anything up to 4000 Calories a day (depending on day).

    Oh wow yeah i work out 4 to 5 times a week, but only burning 500-600 cals a day, I'm 5'2 and 147 lbs, goal weight 135. I am eating about 1350-1500 cals a day not including the ones I am burning off.

    With less than 15 pounds to lose, a 2 pound a week weight loss goal is overly aggressive. 2 pounds a week is more appropriate for folks with 75+ pounds to lose.

    Aggressive goals = large deficits. This makes it harder for your body to support existing lean muscle mass.

    MFP gave you a calorie deficit BEFORE exercise. You should be fueling your workouts ( and your lean muscle) by eating a portion of your exercise calories. Slow is good.
  • R1402017
    R1402017 Posts: 12 Member
    1,200 calories a day -- 1,400 during the weekend
  • bentleytino2010
    bentleytino2010 Posts: 35 Member
    TeaBea wrote: »
    firef1y72 wrote: »
    When I was losing I could lose 1-2lb/week eating 2000-2500Calories/day. But I'm probably not typical, I'm 45yo, 5'2", 150lb and extremely active, as in running 3-4x week (up to half marathon), strength training 3-4x week, upto 10 high intensity classes, upto 3 PT sessions/week, burning anything up to 4000 Calories a day (depending on day).

    Oh wow yeah i work out 4 to 5 times a week, but only burning 500-600 cals a day, I'm 5'2 and 147 lbs, goal weight 135. I am eating about 1350-1500 cals a day not including the ones I am burning off.

    With less than 15 pounds to lose, a 2 pound a week weight loss goal is overly aggressive. 2 pounds a week is more appropriate for folks with 75+ pounds to lose.

    Aggressive goals = large deficits. This makes it harder for your body to support existing lean muscle mass.

    MFP gave you a calorie deficit BEFORE exercise. You should be fueling your workouts ( and your lean muscle) by eating a portion of your exercise calories. Slow is good.

    Got it, I also have an event coming up that I was hoping to be at my goal weight before, thats why I am going for the 2lbs a week but I have been hearing about the losing muscle mass :(
  • esmerelda9479
    esmerelda9479 Posts: 31 Member
    Usually 1300-1600. I get some exercise most days as well
  • esmerelda9479
    esmerelda9479 Posts: 31 Member
    I'm also 5'10 and over 200 right now. So I'd imagine that's why I'm losing faster
  • bentleytino2010
    bentleytino2010 Posts: 35 Member
    R1402017 wrote: »
    1,200 calories a day -- 1,400 during the weekend

    Are you working out as well?
  • lucerorojo
    lucerorojo Posts: 790 Member
    My calories to lose 2 lbs. a week is 1280. I usually eat back all my exercise calories (which can range from 300-900 per day depending on what I do according to MFP). I've been on MFP for two months and have lost 13.5 lbs. so far. I'm not quite losing 2 lbs. a week, which I think is due to going over on the calories and also inaccuracies in the calories burned by MFP. I'm also not using a scale yet.

    For exercise I walk 80 minutes quick pace, 4x per week, swim 25 minutes 2x a week, walk 30 minutes 1x week and 30 min. stationary bike 1x a week, and usually one sixty minute zumba class. I have 100 lbs. to lose. I plan to increase my exercise when I hit 40 lbs. loss, to include another zumba class, and add jogging to my walk workout. At this point I can't because it would be too much impact on my joints.
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,571 Member
    I can't lose 2 lbs per week. I'd need to eat about 800-900 calories.
  • kayeroze
    kayeroze Posts: 146 Member
    Even though I should losing at 2 lbs/week, it's too hard at around 1200-1280 calories a day. I have between 60-80 lbs to lose, so I instead pushed it back to 1 lb a week loss and eat between 1300-1600 calories a day with exercise.

    Stats for reference: 5'2, 195#, female
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,179 Member
    edited August 2017
    Simple math. Consume 1000 calories below your bodily needs each day for several weeks at a time, and then question why you can't get a handle on just exactly what your bodily needs are. That number keeps changing.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,592 Member
    How many calories are you eating daily to lose 2 lbs per week?

    I had to net 1250 cal in order to do that.

  • firef1y72
    firef1y72 Posts: 1,579 Member
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    firef1y72 wrote: »
    When I was losing I could lose 1-2lb/week eating 2000-2500Calories/day. But I'm probably not typical, I'm 45yo, 5'2", 150lb and extremely active, as in running 3-4x week (up to half marathon), strength training 3-4x week, upto 10 high intensity classes, upto 3 PT sessions/week, burning anything up to 4000 Calories a day (depending on day).

    Oh wow yeah i work out 4 to 5 times a week, but only burning 500-600 cals a day, I'm 5'2 and 147 lbs, goal weight 135. I am eating about 1350-1500 cals a day not including the ones I am burning off.

    You're burning more than 500-600 calories a day. Your body is using calories constantly, even when you're sleeping.

    I assume OP meant they burn 500-600 through exercise, not total.

    OP if you have less than 20 lbs to lose then 2 lbs/week is not a reasonable goal for you. 0.5 lb/week is more appropriare and will help ensure preservation of lean body mass while losing weight.

    Oh, I thought they were responding to the comment about burning 4,000 calories a day (which I assumed was a full day, not just intentional exercise). Thank you.

    The 4000 is/was my all day burn, and tbh that's just on a Tuesday, the rest of the week it's around 2700-3200. Tuesday is what I call my crazy day, PT and/or lifting, Zumba in the morning, Insanity/boxercise in the evening and around 35000 steps.
  • Lillymoo01
    Lillymoo01 Posts: 2,865 Member
    Without exercise and with calculations of NEAT it would be ........ drum roll ........ around 400 calories! Fortunately I am maintaining, my NEAT is higher than calculated and I exercise daily so actually eat around 2000 calories a day. When I was losing I was eating 1200 plus half my exercise calories and losing between half a pound and a pound a week which was still too aggressive for my height really.
  • Lillymoo01
    Lillymoo01 Posts: 2,865 Member
    firef1y72 wrote: »
    When I was losing I could lose 1-2lb/week eating 2000-2500Calories/day. But I'm probably not typical, I'm 45yo, 5'2", 150lb and extremely active, as in running 3-4x week (up to half marathon), strength training 3-4x week, upto 10 high intensity classes, upto 3 PT sessions/week, burning anything up to 4000 Calories a day (depending on day).

    Trying to work out whether to be impressed or think you are just crazy LOL. Makes me tired just thinking about it.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    2 lbs a week is a no go for me. It would mean netting 850 calories. No thank you.
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
    With only 7 lbs to lose to get to 135 lbs, MFP won't give you a calorie limit that will let you lose 2 lbs per week, and with very good reason. You'd have to starve yourself, and go on a deprivation diet that will make you just binge it all back and then some when you stop dieting.

    0.5 lbs per week is what you should aim for, for sustainable, healthy weight loss to learn to sticking to a sensible calorie limit and good habits for maintenance that will not lead to yo-yo dieting.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,927 Member
    You can't lose 2lbs per week as you are too light already. Sorry for that.

    I've set my goal to the lowest setting possible as I only have a tiny bit to lose. Hey, if I wanted 2lbs per week I'd need to have a 1000kcal deficit, or only eat about 600kcal per day. No, that's not healthy nor possible.