Is this calorie budget ok for me or should I adjust?

Losingthedamnweight

I’m 34 years old at 5’8 and 228 lbs with a goal weight of 150. So I’d like to lose 2 lbs a week

I work as a cna doing 12 hour shifts but it’s also a night job so I don’t walk around as much as some others. But I do tend to get about 8,000 steps and get a little exercise in there with the cleaning, lifting and other work duties I have. I also try to go to the gym everyday (even on workdays) and burn about 500 calories through cardio

Is 2000 calories a day a good goal for me? And should I have a different calorie goal on sedentary days?

quiksylver296

Is that the amount of calories this site gave you when you did the set-up?

It sounds reasonable to me.

Just remember, as you lose weight, 2 lbs per week is going to become too aggressive. When you get down to 40-50 pounds to lose, switch to 1 pound per week, and when you get down around 20-25 pounds to lose, go for 0.5 pounds per week.

youngcaseyr

What did MFP recommend? Start with that and adjust accordingly depending on you feel after a few weeks (if you're fatigued or constantly hungry you may need more or you may need to change the kinds of food our eating to address your satiety). Whatever calorie budget is recommended can be used for sedentary days, and on days you work out you can eat more-- about half of what you burned during exercise is typically recommended

Losingthedamnweight

youngcaseyr wrote: »

What did MFP recommend? Start with that and adjust accordingly depending on you feel after a few weeks (if you're fatigued or constantly hungry you may need more or you may need to change the kinds of food our eating to address your satiety). Whatever calorie budget is recommended can be used for sedentary days, and on days you work out you can eat more-- about half of what you burned during exercise is typically recommended

Well like I posted in my other thread, my Apple Watch says I burn 3400 calories in a day. But I’m not entirely sure that’s accurate. Fitness pal with a light activity gives me a calorie budget of like 2700. Would I be light or moderate?

VeryKatie

Losingthedamnweight wrote: »

youngcaseyr wrote: »

What did MFP recommend? Start with that and adjust accordingly depending on you feel after a few weeks (if you're fatigued or constantly hungry you may need more or you may need to change the kinds of food our eating to address your satiety). Whatever calorie budget is recommended can be used for sedentary days, and on days you work out you can eat more-- about half of what you burned during exercise is typically recommended

Well like I posted in my other thread, my Apple Watch says I burn 3400 calories in a day. But I’m not entirely sure that’s accurate. Fitness pal with a light activity gives me a calorie budget of like 2700. Would I be light or moderate?

I have a complete desk job and find lightly active is good for me. I also don't exercise (I know I probably should lol). I think you'd be more moderate then possibly plus 1/2 your gym exercise.

quiksylver296

Losingthedamnweight wrote: »

youngcaseyr wrote: »

What did MFP recommend? Start with that and adjust accordingly depending on you feel after a few weeks (if you're fatigued or constantly hungry you may need more or you may need to change the kinds of food our eating to address your satiety). Whatever calorie budget is recommended can be used for sedentary days, and on days you work out you can eat more-- about half of what you burned during exercise is typically recommended

Well like I posted in my other thread, my Apple Watch says I burn 3400 calories in a day. But I’m not entirely sure that’s accurate. Fitness pal with a light activity gives me a calorie budget of like 2700. Would I be light or moderate?

No clue. But if it gives you 2700 calories, eat 2700 calories. Insure you are actually eating 2700 calories by using a food scale. After 4-6 weeks, evaluate. If you are losing too fast, eat more. If you are losing too slow, eat a little less.

countcurt

Losingthedamnweight wrote: »

Is 2000 calories a day a good goal for me? And should I have a different calorie goal on sedentary days?

The only way you'll know is to try it for a few weeks and monitor the results. MFP is a good tool but not perfect.

Though the input above regarding the proposed rate of loss is spot on. So, you may well lose the desired two pounds per week, but you may find it more difficult to adhere to the calorie restriction at that level.

mads_o86

There is a different approach. Put in your goal weight as your weight, and set your activity level, and have myfitnesspal calculate your calories from that. That means you'll never have to recalculate as you go along and that you actually get used to eating like you should for the rest of your life.

I did that and rounded down to 2000 calories and have steadily lost almost 60 pounds/25 kilos over 18 months, while building good habits. I do eat 2500 calories on long run days (every 9-10 days) to fuel them and allow my body to rebuild)