about how many calories needed to maintain?

manningania

For a female who is 21 years old 5'6" and weighs 96 lbs how many calories? I've seen mostly between 1500 to 1600 per day?

SezxyStef

should you be maintaining or gaining...

You do realize you are severly underweight right......

at your height you really should be at least 110-115 and that is even too low.

beautyfrompain23

Yeah, I know this isn't what you want to hear, but you really need to gain a few pounds. I know you don't want to, but I was underweight and I was so ill. Your BMI is 15.5, and a healthy BMI is around 20. I would recommend about 2,000 calories per day for you. I'm so sorry if you thought this was rude or anything. It's just that I've been there and I worry about other people.

PJPrimrose

I know the media has told women skinnier is better. It's total BS. At that weight you are losing bone mass. Osteoporosis is some nasty, nasty crap. PLEASE eat more and put on muscle if you want to be smaller! Muscle will give you a smaller size while not destroying your body!

TavistockToad

You should be trying to recover from the eating disorder, not just maintaining your weight.

sarafischbach9

1500-1600 for a sedentary/lightly active lifestyle. Probably around 1800-ish for a moderately active lifestyle. However I agree with others that you are severely underweight.

Brooke4206

Some people are genetically built with smaller frames. It's rude to tell her to recover from an eating disorder. I am 5'5'' 109 lbs and maintain at about 2000 a day.

TavistockToad

Some people are genetically built with smaller frames. It's rude to tell her to recover from an eating disorder. I am 5'5'' 109 lbs and maintain at about 2000 a day.

Look at the OPs previous posts, she admits to having an eating disorder.

gemmamummy

Wow that's tiny for your height. I'm 4"11 and I weigh the same as you. But if you want to continue being that weight I would say go for 1600 kcal

_lyndseybrooke_

Your TDEE is 1531 calories if you are inactive, more if you exercise. As the others have said, though, you are underweight and should consider gaining a bit. 115 lbs is the absolute lowest you should be at your height. 130 lbs is the "ideal weight" at your height according the calculation doctors use.