5'6 females, 150-160 lbs.: how many calories each day?

BlessedMom70

I'm 5'6, 155 lbs...trying to get down to 140-145. I currently have my daily calories set to 1,550. I can lose on this, but I'm wondering if I can get away with eating more, lol...I don't mind losing slowly if it means I can eat more. :-D

janejellyroll

Where did you get that calorie goal?

BlessedMom70

janejellyroll wrote: »

Where did you get that calorie goal?

I did Weight Watchers for a few weeks (I couldn't continue...way too restrictive IMO), and averaged my daily calories at the same time. I was right around 1,500 calories a day (making sure to eat three fruit servings/day or I would have been at 1,200 or so...too low for me). I was losing around 1 lb. a week on that....but also hungry all the time.

inertiastrength

It's going to depend on your activity. I recently cut to 148 and I'm 5'6" and I'll lose 1lb/week on 1800 but I walk about 18K steps a day and lift 4x/week

BlessedMom70

mrsnattybulking wrote: »

It's going to depend on your activity. I recently cut to 148 and I'm 5'6" and I'll lose 1lb/week on 1800 but I walk about 18K steps a day and lift 4x/week

WOW, that is fantastic! I walk but not 18,000 steps a day...that is inspiring!

janejellyroll

BlessedMom70 wrote: »

janejellyroll wrote: »

Where did you get that calorie goal?

I did Weight Watchers for a few weeks (I couldn't continue...way too restrictive IMO), and averaged my daily calories at the same time. I was right around 1,500 calories a day (making sure to eat three fruit servings/day or I would have been at 1,200 or so...too low for me). I was losing around 1 lb. a week on that....but also hungry all the time.

So if you're losing 1 pound a week on 1,500ish, that means your deficit is 500 calories a day. You could give yourself a smaller deficit, say, 250 calories a day, and still lose .5 a week. So yes, if those numbers are accurate . . . you *can* eat more.

Fuzzipeg

Why not try the MFP guided set up, you could set to loose 1 or 1/2 a lb, your personal activity level will make a difference. Being within 2 stone a loss of no more than 1 lb a week is advised. Unless you have intolerances or allergies you should be able to have a varied diet where portion size is all. Its surprising how many ex-ww people are on here. I think there is even a group.

magpie0829

I'm around your size and trying to get down to the same weight. I have my activity level set at sedentary because I work a desk job and have a goal of losing 1/2 lb a week. My daily calorie intake is 1510. When I want to eat more or I know I will be indulging in a special treat I up my exercise to cover those extra calories.

inertiastrength

Just looking back at my data and I've actually been losing closer to 1.5lbs/week on about 1750, which makes sense since my fitbit data has my TDEE at 2600 on average. I prefer to get my cut over with at this stage lol

cmriverside

heh heh.

The last 15 pounds for me I had it set at about that calorie level (from 155 pounds down to 140 / 5'8".) As long as I got in a good amount of activity I was able to eat 1800-1900 every day and still lose. I often ate more, because it is indeed difficult with that last little bit of weight.

I just did the best I could and it did eventually go. It wasn't fun. I am able to eat 1900-2300 every day now.

candicew70

I'm 5'5, 147-ish (I weigh every other month or so--last time was 7/15). I try to eat right around 1600. I calculated this to be a slight deficit. My goal is fat loss. I walk 3-4 miles a day and lift every other day. Lately I have been going over to 1700-1800--it's summer, I was on vacation, family stuff etc. But I haven't gained any weight. I measured at the end of May so I'll measure again soon and see if I've made any progress.

That said, I bet I'm right at maintenance at 1700-ish. You might be able to eat a little more--depending upon how active you are and what your goals are. If I stuck to 1600 consistently I bet I would slowly lose. Also those last few lbs are hard. Slow going. Hope this helps!

cwolfman13

BlessedMom70 wrote: »

I'm 5'6, 155 lbs...trying to get down to 140-145. I currently have my daily calories set to 1,550. I can lose on this, but I'm wondering if I can get away with eating more, lol...I don't mind losing slowly if it means I can eat more. :-D

Individual calorie requirements come down to their stats as well as activity. The more active you are, the more you can eat to lose or maintain weight. Someone who is 5'6" 155 Lbs who is sedentary is going to have less calories to work with than someone who is of the same stats and very active.

inertiastrength

cwolfman13 wrote: »

BlessedMom70 wrote: »

I'm 5'6, 155 lbs...trying to get down to 140-145. I currently have my daily calories set to 1,550. I can lose on this, but I'm wondering if I can get away with eating more, lol...I don't mind losing slowly if it means I can eat more. :-D

Individual calorie requirements come down to their stats as well as activity. The more active you are, the more you can eat to lose or maintain weight. Someone who is 5'6" 155 Lbs who is sedentary is going to have less calories to work with than someone who is of the same stats and very active.

This. I technically lose on the same calories as when I was 240lbs because I increased my activity significantly. I"m nearly 100lbs lighter now LOL

matti422

A lot depends on your base metabolic rate, which is influenced by muscle mass as well as overall weight. I wasn't loosing weight on 1500 calories a day when I signed up for a seminar at my gym where they did some fancy body composition measurement. That info told me I had a BMR of 2200 calories a day (I'm muscular underneath the fat) and needed to eat more. I was able to start losing weight when I *increased* my calories to ~1800. I was cautious, though, to increase calories via vegetables, vegetable fats and lean proteins...didn't just add a Snickers bar each day. ;-)

inertiastrength

matti422 wrote: »

A lot depends on your base metabolic rate, which is influenced by muscle mass as well as overall weight. I wasn't loosing weight on 1500 calories a day when I signed up for a seminar at my gym where they did some fancy body composition measurement. That info told me I had a BMR of 2200 calories a day (I'm muscular underneath the fat) and needed to eat more. I was able to start losing weight when I *increased* my calories to ~1800. I was cautious, though, to increase calories via vegetables, vegetable fats and lean proteins...didn't just add a Snickers bar each day. ;-)

So weird how only in the Western world people don't lose, or even gain, eating too few calories. Everywhere else people who eat too few calories starve

whitpauly

I think that sounds about right,,I'm 5'6 135ish and mfp gives me 1550 to lose 1/2 lbs a,week at lightly active(which I'm not) but if I switch it to active I get 1800 calls a day to lose the same 1/2 pound but I'd rather stick closer to the 1550 cuz I always go over each day but I'd rather be in the under 1800 a day than over the 1800 a day (hope that makes sense I just left the dentist so I'm a bit spacey)