Does this sound right to you?

I'm a woman weighing 170lbs, 5'5ft. Apparently, to lose weight, I can eat 1680 calories a day?! That sounds like far too much, whenever I've dieted in the past it's always been 1200!

Replies

  • manicautumn
    manicautumn Posts: 224 Member
    That sounds okay to me. I eat 1400-1600 as a 5'0 woman at 122lbs and I'm losing 0.5-1lb a week.
  • abadvat
    abadvat Posts: 1,241 Member
    Calories sound about right if on a moderate phisical activity level.
  • KarenJanine
    KarenJanine Posts: 3,497 Member
    1680 cals is a healthy, sustainable number.

    As you've dieted before on 1200 cals, I assume you regained the weight? - if so then although they were successful at the time (you lost weight) they weren't successful long term (weight came back). So why not try something different - eat a bit more, lose a bit slower, keep the weight off long term.

    Be aware that your calorie goal will decrease as your weight decreases. Also note that MFP expects you to eat back exercise calories.

    This is a good post for newbies: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • abadvat
    abadvat Posts: 1,241 Member

    Be aware that your calorie goal will decrease as your weight decreases. Also note that MFP expects you to eat back exercise calories.
    Agreed but would suggest to go one step at the time... let's get the calories / macros keyed in correctly - make sure things go as planned / hopped and eventually look into recalculating your calories.
    Calories, IMO, should be re-calculated every 6 weeks depending on how your body reacts towards your goals and if there is a substantial increase or decrease in results.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    I'm a woman weighing 170lbs, 5'5ft. Apparently, to lose weight, I can eat 1680 calories a day?! That sounds like far too much, whenever I've dieted in the past it's always been 1200!

    Have you ever logged how much you used to eat that increased your weight, so you even have an informed opinion?

    If the only number you've ever seen or logged to was the minimum for safety for sedentary woman, then your range of experience is rather narrow to know.

    You merely must eat less than you burn, you don't have to start at bare bones bottom.

    If those 1200 diets worked, why are you back again?
  • I went down from 165 to 130 and was happy, but then I had my baby and pregnancy did me no favours hence why I'm back! Obviously I am slightly bigger now than I was pre-pregnancy
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
    Just out of curiosity, how did you get to that number? Is that using a TDEE calculator? Or is that what MFP gave you to lose 1 lb per week?
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    I went down from 165 to 130 and was happy, but then I had my baby and pregnancy did me no favours hence why I'm back! Obviously I am slightly bigger now than I was pre-pregnancy

    Totally valid reason then. Read around the forums enough, you'll find plenty that had no such excuse, but they are sure what was successful the last 5 times losing weight will be again.
  • Saramelie
    Saramelie Posts: 308 Member
    Seems right. I am 5'4, 210, set at 2000 per day to lose 1 pound per week (this includes exercise)
  • endermako
    endermako Posts: 785 Member
    I'm a woman weighing 170lbs, 5'5ft. Apparently, to lose weight, I can eat 1680 calories a day?! That sounds like far too much, whenever I've dieted in the past it's always been 1200!

    Yup it's great right? I'm 5'4 179 and doing 1550. And losing about 1-1.5 a week