about how many calories needed to maintain?

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?

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Replies

  • Posts: 15,267 Member
    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.
  • 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.
  • Posts: 916 Member
    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!
  • Posts: 35,719 Member
    You should be trying to recover from the eating disorder, not just maintaining your weight.
  • Posts: 466 Member
    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.
  • Posts: 140 Member
    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.
  • Posts: 35,719 Member
    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.
  • Posts: 185 Member
    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
  • Posts: 2,561 Member
    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.

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