How many calories a day should I eat for weighloss

xx1chloe5xx

Hello so I’m back on my diet and just looking for advice. I’m 9st 7 want to be 8st 9 every time I come on here it tells me to only eat 1200 calories a day to lose weight but this is such a low number by the time I have eaten breakfast I hardly have any calories left. It’s rare I have enough calories left for 3 meals a day and I always choose the lower calorie options aswell. Does everyone stick to the 1200 calories a day and if not how much do you eat for weight loss?

Nony_Mouse

I suspect it's telling you that because you're choosing 2 lb per week as your weight loss goal. With not much weight to lose, you should be aiming for 0.5 lb per week. You also need to be eating at least half of any calories earned from exercise.

cwolfman13

xx1chloe5xx wrote: »

Hello so I’m back on my diet and just looking for advice. I’m 9st 7 want to be 8st 9 every time I come on here it tells me to only eat 1200 calories a day to lose weight but this is such a low number by the time I have eaten breakfast I hardly have any calories left. It’s rare I have enough calories left for 3 meals a day and I always choose the lower calorie options aswell. Does everyone stick to the 1200 calories a day and if not how much do you eat for weight loss?

You're wanting to lose a bit over 10 Lbs of vanity weight...you're likely getting 1200 as your target because you are likely selecting 2 Lbs per week as your goal, which is way too aggressive for your stats...2 Lbs per week is good for a very overweight to obese individual. 10 Lbs of vanity weight will require you to go much slower or be utterly miserable. My guess is that you also put yourself as sedentary, as many people do regardless of whether or not they truly are.

L1zardQueen

You know you have asked this before. The answers you are looking for will not change.

xx1chloe5xx

@l1zardqueen I haven’t asked this before. Stop lying

xx1chloe5xx

@cwolfman13 ive changed it to 1lbs per week my target is now 1320 only 120 cals more but better than nothing. Thankyou

L1zardQueen

Okie dokie

cwolfman13

xx1chloe5xx wrote: »

@cwolfman13 ive changed it to 1lbs per week my target is now 1320 only 120 cals more but better than nothing. Thankyou

Do you exercise? If you do, you can eat more. 1320 means that MFP is estimating your non-exercise maintenance calories to be around 1,820...so a 500 calorie deficit would be 1320. This is also why you can't lose 2 Lbs per week, even at 1200...You are not big enough nor active enough to have a high enough maintenance to safely lose 2 Lbs per week...1 Lb per week might be pushing it as well.

heybales

xx1chloe5xx wrote: »

@cwolfman13 ive changed it to 1lbs per week my target is now 1320 only 120 cals more but better than nothing. Thankyou

Should be at 1/2 lb rate actually for so little to lose.

Making it extreme for amount to lose is what causes the 80% of dieters to fail to reach goal weight (probably could in your case) and keep it off for a year (that's the kicker).

You may think that's not extreme - but you commented you only got 120 calories more, and 1200 was way too low.

You may also not be understanding how MFP works since many don't.

That calorie goal 1320 is ONLY on days you are as active as you selected - betting Sedentary was selected whether you are or not.
When you exercise you burn more and should eat more, and you'll still have the same deficit.
Again, making it bigger is not better for long term success.

Go_Deskercise

dragon_girl26

Not sure what your height is...I'm 5'5", 174, set to 1 Lb a week for 1360 net calories...goal weight around 135ish. That is doable for me if I exercise and get a lot of daily activity (I usually eat around 2000 calories gross...I workout and do about 15K steps a day.). You can eat more if you move more. I probably won't stay at the 1 lb a week for too much longer, though, before switching to .5 a week.

When I first started MFP years ago I attempted 1200 calories for awhile until the hanger and dizzy spells took over... 10/10 wouldn't recommend that experience for anyone else.

You didn't gain it in a day...no need to try to lose it in a day. The more comfortable you are with your calorie deficit, the more likely you are to stick with it.