Hello!

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hello!

Just joined! Been struggling for years to lose 40 pounds… at 5’9 and 206 pounds, it’s really showing how unfit I am. Also uncomfortable…. Just blah. I’m hopeful this app will motivate me to track what I eat and work out. So, I was given 2000 ad my daily cslorie quota- this seems like a lot of food…. Is this the correct number per day to lose 1-2 pound / week?

thanks!

Margaret

AnnPT77

Hi, Margaret!

If MFP says 2000 calories, and your MFP profile data is accurately entered, then that's a good starting point. Stick pretty close to that for 4-6 weeks, or at least one full menstrual cycle if you have those.

If your average weight loss over the whole time is close to the loss rate you requested of MFP, then you're all set. If you lost noticeably slower, and you could lose a bit faster and still have it be doable and health promoting, reduce your calorie goal a little, and try that for another 4-6 weeks. If you lost as much or more than 1% of your current body weight per week - 2 pounds, in your case - eat more, lose a little slower to keep it long-term manageable and health promoting.

I lost around 50 pounds as a 5'5" 59-y/o woman, weighing at the start a bit over 180 pounds (technically obese at my height). With exercise in the picture, I was eating as much as 2000 calories some days, and losing fine, even as someone shorter than you and probably older.

The idea that all women universally need to eat tiny bird-like numbers of calories in order to lose weight . . . is a myth. In fact, it's a destructive, counter-productive myth. Very petite, older, very inactive women may need to eat 1200 calories or some such low number. But everyone? Nah.

Give it a fair try, see how it goes. The only thing an extreme plan does is make it harder to stick with, thus harder to succeed. Slow and steady wins this race.

Wishing you success, because IME the quality of life improvement that results is more than worth the effort it takes to get there.

Best wishes!