Daily Calorie Count

tishonamarie

I have a question about my daily calorie count. I am 5'6'' and weight around 260lbs. I am currently set to use 1630 calories a day. I was wondering if i should lower this amount. I've seen that several people are eating around 1200 calories. What do you all suggest??? I've also seen where some are mixing it up ever so often. What does this benefit?? Sometimes I feel so clueless about nutrition!!!

Sparren

Hi, to me this sounds about right for someone of your height and current weight. You'll find that as you lose weight, your body will need less energy to run it, so MFP will adjust your daily allowance accordingly. When you log in any exercise you do, it will 'earn' you some extra calories to eat - not everyone eats their exercise calories though, this seems to be a personal choice. You need to be careful about eating too far under your caloric requirements as your body may go into starvation mode, whereas instead of losing weight, your body may store it so it can survive the crisis.

All the best with your goals!

ebert5150

Your calorie intake is based on your present weight and your goal weight. While 1200 calories a day might be right for some people it's probably not right for you. Think of the food you eat as fuel, if you short change your body you'll not only slow down your weight loss but it could also be unhealthy. There is no one size fits all diet plan. Eat the calories that are right for you, excercise and you'll lose weight. Remember that 1-2 pounds a week is a realistic weight loss goal. Here are things I've read:

1. Keep careful track of your calories....measure and weigh your food instead of guessing.
2. Drink plenty of water.
3. Exercise
4. Be realistic about your diet....can you maintain what you're doing for a life time or are you starving yourself?
5. Eat healthy food

Hope this helps. These boards are great for support and I'm sure you'll get better info from people who have been around longer than me.

cindybone

Very hard to lose that much weight in 1 month. I started at 276 and lost 10lbs in 1 month. You need to have a plan that you can live with. Too low of calories you will be starving and that is never good. Like everyone tells me slow and steady is the way to do it. I hope this helps you .