morbidly obese, 300+lbs to lose - calories/day?

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  • JenniferInCt
    JenniferInCt Posts: 431 Member
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    Old thread alert :)
  • HeySwoleSister
    HeySwoleSister Posts: 1,938 Member
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    Azdak wrote: »
    What you really need right now is to make realistic lifestyle changes and build on success. At your weight, you don't really have to be precise about determine the amount of calories. It is more important that you measure and count what you are taking in.

    In your case, the daily calorie choice should be based on maintaining adequate nutrition and containing enough food that you are more likely to stick to it. People don't realize that MFP is more of a series of databases and calculators than anything else. It does not take into account different individual conditions. In your case, the daily calorie recommendation from MFP does not have any real authority.

    You will likely do well at 2000-2400 calories per day. That is plenty of food, will lead to weight loss that is steady, and will not require radical changes down the road. Again, in your case, amount is not as important as your consistency. You will not go into "starvation mode" and you can ignore the "metabolism alarmists". This is going to be a long process and your body will undergo a number of changes if you are successful. It will likely be necessary to adjust your program several times along the way--and no one can predict exactly what will be necessary, so I would worry about it.

    If you have the resources, I would highly recommend that you seek professional advice from a registered/licensed Dietitian. There may be some other physical/health concerns involved with this and an RD is best equipped to address them.

    Congratulations for taking the first steps. I wish you all the best in your journey.


    This is really sound advice, OP. A "nutritionist" at a gym might have some ideas, but they are also notorious for buying into the latest broscience fads...and many get paid mostly out of commissions on the sales of supplements and shake mixes that they will try to sell you.

    An RD (Registered Dietician, a US designation) is someone who has a graduate-level education, practical internships, and a solid science-based background. If you can find one who specializes in weight loss for the very obese, that would be ideal. They will help you to determine a sensible set of goals and hopefully also provide you with some good recipes to incorporate.

    And, PPs are making a great point about choosing a doable calorie target that leaves room for reduction as you get smaller. You have a long journey ahead of you, set yourself up for success. Good luck! I can't wait to see your story in the Success Stories forum...go read some of them yourself if you on those days you need a reminder of what you are working towards!
  • tekkiechikk
    tekkiechikk Posts: 375 Member
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    There's also more that goes into losing weight than just counting calories and exercise... I mean it's a lot of mental preparation and work. It's a daily battle to overcome temptation and we can't wish the weight away (believe me, I've tried).

    Document EVERYthing you eat- whether you want to or not. Invest in a food scale and weigh your food, don't just eyeball it or rely on measuring cups and spoons. I've found that keeping a personal blog about how I'm feeling at times helps me to figure out my triggers to overeating so I know how to deal with them (anger is a biggie for me).

    Hope you stick with it... we didn't get fat overnight so can't expect the fat to come off overnight. PATIENCE is one of our best weapons against the urge to binge or overeat. Good luck to you :)
  • atypicalsmith
    atypicalsmith Posts: 2,742 Member
    edited May 2015
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    chickidee87 wrote: »
    I'm currently 532lbs, and was wondering what my calories per day should be to lose weight? I have myself at 1900, as that was what I was at when I tried dieting before, and can meet or stay under that goal pretty easily. Should I go less, maybe 1500 as that's an average healthy woman's cals per day, and decrease it to 1200 as I lose weight, or just go to 1200 now? Eek! Not sure what my calorie goal should be!

    Do what everyone suggests and don't starve yourself. At 3000 calories a day, that should definitely result in a weight loss. As you lose more, you can reduce the calories. The worst thing you can do is eat too few calories and then go into binge mode. Take it slow and easy, give it a couple of years (after all, it took a LOT longer to gain it!), and you will be fine My thoughts are with you.

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