Doctors calorie recommendations

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  • thisPGHlife
    thisPGHlife Posts: 440 Member
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    First, I'm sorry this is so long. Second, **I am not a nutritionist, dietician, or doctor so take what I say with a grain of salt!!**

    Every one in here has given some great feedback. I whole heartedly agree that exercising can start off simple with walking. Also try going back to things you liked doing as a kid like biking or swelling or playing in the woods (hiking or eventually trail running). I just wanted to give you my experience having been somewhat of a yoyo dieter in the past, having positive success now (though it is admittedly only five-six weeks in), and also having PCOS. I do not have insulin resistance but I'm very aware that it, as well as type 2, are linked to PCOS. For reference, I'm 35, 5'2.5", starting weight on June 19th was 272.5. on July 19th I weighed in at 258.2.

    I've tried various things from simply eating less but still eating my crappy diet to weight watchers to trying to eat better but not really knowing what I was doing. I've tried Paleo and whole 30 a few times. Several years ago I had success with giving up all sugar that didn't occur naturally (could still have fruit, limited honey, and lactose from milk and cheese products). I lost a little over 70 pounds but it was sustainable and was resentful of everyone else being able to eat whatever they wanted. I put back on almost 100lbs and reached my heaviest.

    What's working for me now feels livable and more like a lifestyle. My BMI range is something like 110-128 (I don't know exactly because it seemed so small to me.) However, having been down to the 180's and into a size 12-14 depending on the brand, 140-150 seems more reasonable for the way I want to live my life: athletic, healthy, and able to shop at regular stores. I chose 140 as the goal and then set my macros to that number.

    The literature I'm looking at starts with figuring out your protein first and suggests a range of .45-1 gram per pound. I have myself am ambitious goal of sitting for the upper end knowing I probably won't reach it but I should be able to get close. So 1*140=140 grams of protein per day. Protein is 4 calories per gram so I should be consuming 4*140=560 calories from protein per day.

    Far is next because you need it for things like your brain and your hormones. It suggests .4-.5 grams per pound. I like easy math so .5*140=70 grams of fat per day. Fat is about 9 calories per gram so 9*70=630 calories from fast per day.

    The rest of my calories are going to be from carbohydrates. I'm already eating a total of 1190 calories from protein and fat. You could go as low as 1400 but I chose 1700 to start and can work my way down if I need. I also will be exercising more since my goals are to get back into hiking and biking as well as build muscle (starting krav maga in August). So 1700-1190=590 calories from carbohydrates per day. Carbs are about 4 calories per gram so 510/4=127.5 grams of carbs per day.

    My calculations for myself ended up being fewer carbs than yours per day but I get to eat a little more and focus on protein and fat. Protein, fat, and fiber usually keep me fuller for longer. What works to keep me going with this is to not focus on how many calories do I have left, which feels limiting, but focus on how much protein do I still get to eat and I try and hit that macro first, sorta. For example, my breakfast might be cottage cheese (which I love) and tuna with some veggies and salt and pepper with just a little bit of salad dressing. Both cottage cheese and tuna are high in protein and good days whole being low on carbs. And your veggies are high in good carbs and some will have protein as well.

    My numbers end up being 1698 calories (I lost to calories do my macros would be even percentages on MFP). P/C/F 33%/30%/37% 140g/127g/70g. This may not work for you but it is working for me. It has cut my amazing down to almost zero and I was a huge snacker. You could also lower the protein and fat some to get more carbs.
  • mph323
    mph323 Posts: 3,565 Member
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    ChubbyRose84 wrote: »
    So I went to a doctor yesterday. I'm not sure if I should follow her recommendations of not. I have PCOS and insulin resistance.

    She recommended:

    1400 calories
    140g carbs
    80 g protein
    No more than 30g sugar

    And working out at least 40 minutes, 4-5x a week

    I am so NOT on that level as of yet.

    Ideas?

    Does your doctor want you to lose some weight quickly for health reasons? If so I would try to stick to her recommendation until you get to a weight where she is less concerned. If there's no health reason to lose quickly I would go with the higher number from mfp since it seems it would be more sustainable for you. I strongly agree the numbers your doctor gave you are reasonable.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,897 Member
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    SuzySunshine99 wrote: »
    I wonder if doctors tend to give people a lower calorie goal than they actually need because they assume most people are not using a scale or being super exact in their logging. They are accounting for a margin of error that most people will have if they eyeball portions. If you are using a food scale to weigh your portions, you can probably give yourself a few hundred additional calories.

    Agreed.

    @ChubbyRose84 if you're going to use a food scale, I'd go with MFP's calorie recommendations.

    And since MFP uses NEAT, eat back at least 50% of the calories you earn from exercise.

    http://myfitnesspal.desk.com/customer/portal/articles/410332-how-does-myfitnesspal-calculate-my-initial-goals-
  • nooshi713
    nooshi713 Posts: 4,877 Member
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    Every time I have asked a doctor this, they recommend 1200 calories for weight loss on top of exercising and they don't recommend eating back exercise calories. Not sustainable IMO.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
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    mph323 wrote: »
    ChubbyRose84 wrote: »
    So I went to a doctor yesterday. I'm not sure if I should follow her recommendations of not. I have PCOS and insulin resistance.

    She recommended:

    1400 calories
    140g carbs
    80 g protein
    No more than 30g sugar

    And working out at least 40 minutes, 4-5x a week

    I am so NOT on that level as of yet.

    Ideas?

    Does your doctor want you to lose some weight quickly for health reasons? If so I would try to stick to her recommendation until you get to a weight where she is less concerned. If there's no health reason to lose quickly I would go with the higher number from mfp since it seems it would be more sustainable for you. I strongly agree the numbers your doctor gave you are reasonable.
    I was thinking this too. So I want to correct my own reply upthread - OP, your doctor asking you to lose weight means that there is a degree of urgency in this, and you don't have the luxury to wait and see and think it through. Think it through can you do when you have got some weight off. The change in eating habits and food choices is going to be dramatic, but the diet suggested is not extreme, and you have plenty of body fat so you won't starve on 1400 calories, not on 1400 calories of good food. Focus your effort on how to feed yourself properly - you can ask here for help with that - not on dogding and finding excuses and feelig sorry for yourself.
  • ChubbyRose84
    ChubbyRose84 Posts: 48 Member
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    Yes. I have health problems. Yes, I need to lose weight.

    I had already started losing weight when I got to the doctors office.

    As for macros, I'm just trying to get in at least 20% protein.

    It is helping.

    I do miss eating carbs, but find I don't really need them until dinner. A small amount helps me sleep better at night.
  • MichelleSilverleaf
    MichelleSilverleaf Posts: 2,028 Member
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    Some doctors give weight loss advice.

    Good doctors recommend you to a dietician.

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