Can I lose on 1500 calories ....

Minouche1922

even if at least 1000 of these calories are nit "clean" food? I have 50 lbs to lose.

Thank you.

Sued0nim

Depends what your height, weight, activity level, TDEE is ..but probably ...I do

RGv2

If that is below your TDEE (which it sounds like it is) yes. It doesn't matter how clean your food is, whatever that means, to lose weight. It matters that you take in less calories than you burn in a day.

I'm not saying you should eat 1500 calories of twinkies is good for your health, but if you at 1500 calories of twinkies and that is below TDEE you'll lose weight.

Losingthedamnweight

I'm not saying you should eat 1500 calories of twinkies is good for your health, but if you at 1500 calories of twinkies and that is below TDEE you'll lose weight.

I'm sorry, but all I got from that was that you're telling me to go out and eat twinkies?

BombshellPhoenix

I'm not saying you should eat 1500 calories of twinkies is good for your health, but if you at 1500 calories of twinkies and that is below TDEE you'll lose weight.

I'm sorry, but all I got from that was that you're telling me to go out and eat twinkies?

I have some in my cabinet right now. But you'd have to wrastle me for them.

Chain_Ring

nope

Liftng4Lis

I'm not saying you should eat 1500 calories of twinkies is good for your health, but if you at 1500 calories of twinkies and that is below TDEE you'll lose weight.

I'm sorry, but all I got from that was that you're telling me to go out and eat twinkies?

I have some in my cabinet right now. But you'd have to wrastle me for them.

OOH are they going to be deep fried???

BombshellPhoenix

I'm not saying you should eat 1500 calories of twinkies is good for your health, but if you at 1500 calories of twinkies and that is below TDEE you'll lose weight.

I'm sorry, but all I got from that was that you're telling me to go out and eat twinkies?

I have some in my cabinet right now. But you'd have to wrastle me for them.

OOH are they going to be deep fried???

Tis the season!

I've never actually had a deep fried one....but they sound SO good!

renee6515

Yes, but if its way below her TDEE couldnt it stall her? As in put her body in starvation and slow the loss? Im asking for my own benefit as well. Really need to know your TDEE I guess to answer for her better.

BusyRaeNOTBusty

Probably.

I can lose weight at 2000 calories a day of most non-clean foods.

BombshellPhoenix

Yes, but if its way below her TDEE couldnt it stall her? As in put her body in starvation and slow the loss? Im asking for my own benefit as well. Really need to know your TDEE I guess to answer for her better.

Nope. Calorie deficit is still a deficit. Starvation mode as it's commonly tossed around is a myth. There's a thing called metabolic adaptation but a deficit will always result in weight loss.

I do think that if a few weeks go by and she's losing too quickly, she should add more calories to keep it at a sustainable pace because losing too quickly can result in muscle loss, etc but until we know stats, it's hard to say.

I, myself, lost 53 lbs eating around 1900 calories, 1650 net.

heybales

even if at least 1000 of these calories are nit "clean" food? I have 50 lbs to lose.

Thank you.

If you burn daily with normal activity and exercise 2500 calories, you'll lose about 1 lb a week, no matter the food.

As long as both sides of that equation are accurate.

@Renee - To question above, depending on amount of deficit and length of time, yes "starvation mode" as in body making metabolic adaptions could happen.

But I'm betting you are thinking of a lot of myths that go along with it, like happens skipping one meals, causes body to store fat and burn muscle, ect.
The reality of that is you can prevent it if you started the diet/exercise right.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/heybales/view/reduced-metabolism-tdee-beyond-expected-from-weight-loss-616251

shannonrocks2

what is TDEE?

diannethegeek

what is TDEE?

TDEE stands for Total Daily Energy Expenditure. It's the number of calories your body uses in a day, including everything from keeping your organs alive to going to work and workouts. It's also the number of calories you could eat to maintain your current weight. Any amount below this should allow you to lose weight.

There are a lot of online calculators to get an estimate of yours, but keep in mind that it will be just an estimate. http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/

Fat2Fit_imready

even if at least 1000 of these calories are nit "clean" food? I have 50 lbs to lose.

Thank you.

I'm 5'3, 26 years old and eat about 1510 calories a day and have lost 12.1 lbs since 07/15/14. I have just under 32 lbs to go and feeling great! I do not eat clean what so ever, but i drink lots of water, exercise at least 3-4 times a week and stay under my calories during the week, and usually go over on the weekends! BUT this works for me

SomeNights246

Yes, but if its way below her TDEE couldnt it stall her? As in put her body in starvation and slow the loss? Im asking for my own benefit as well. Really need to know your TDEE I guess to answer for her better.

Not really.

And even if, hypothetically, starvation mode really worked that way... 1,500 is not low enough to stall the loss. For the loss to be stalled, she would have to eat at an extreme deficit (say 800) for an extended period of time and lose a substantial amount of weight.

1,500 is a perfectly reasonable about to lose weight on. Hypothetically, you could 'starve' on it. But only if you ate at the deficit for a really, really long time even after losing a lot of weight. Say, if you reached 120 lbs and still kept eating at 1,500. You'd still continue to lose weight, so if you ate at said deficit too long, that could be bad. Depending on gender, activity level, and height.

But most of us here (including you and the OP I'm sure) will not be doing that, so it can be safely said that none of us will starve on 1,500 calories. That is a very reasonable amount for weight loss. Far more sustainable than 1,200.

And yeah, weight loss will stall as your body adjusts. But that would happen on any deficit, really.

laura3773

I'm not saying you should eat 1500 calories of twinkies is good for your health, but if you at 1500 calories of twinkies and that is below TDEE you'll lose weight.

I'm sorry, but all I got from that was that you're telling me to go out and eat twinkies?

I have some in my cabinet right now. But you'd have to wrastle me for them.

OOH are they going to be deep fried???

Tis the season!

I've never actually had a deep fried one....but they sound SO good!

Holy crap, deep fried is the only way to eat them. You haven't lived.....

renee6515

@Heybales and somenights: thanks for clarifying. I KNOW I'm not going to literally starve ( love food too much to ever let that happen lol) but I haven't been moving on scales so wasn't sure what to do b/c I'm pretty sure it's my calories. I have def cheated but compared to what I was eating I feel like I should still be losing. Weekdays I'm really good, weekends not as much. Bought food scales so need to use them for better accuracy! Dreading that bought gotta do it....again thanks!
And good luck OP, we can do this! Just got to stick with it thru the trial and error!!

megsmom2

sure, if that is a deficit level for you. Probably, it is. And don't worry about eating "clean"....that's a meaningless nebulous woo-woo buzzword these days. Eat sensibly. You know how to make healthy choices....do it, most of the time. That's all there is to it.

fortysixpounds

yes you can. I lost over 60 lbs that way. However you can not lose weight if your calories are all sugar.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jj69eDFu-_A

paulzli

I've lost 60 pounds onjust slim jims

Kate7294

I eat pretty well as in good foods mostly. I started losing on 1590 calories a day. My first day I had a piece of pie that ended up being 635 calories and full of cholesterol. Since my goals to lose and lower my cholesterol....the next time I only half a slice of a similar pie. Usually I try to find a healthier option. I stay full longer. Also I try to at least walk daily.

paperpudding

Have most people who are replying actually looked at OP's stat's??

OP you are a 64 year old female.
Keep in mind that many of those posters replying saying 1500 is fine for me, are not 64 year old females.. Depending on your height and your activity level, 1500 may be too much for you to lose on - or it may be about right.

This seems a rather arbitary question to me - you need to either proivde your full statistics (ie height, acctivity level, starting weight, as well as age and gender, which we have) so people can give a more informed answer - or feed those statistics into a calculator to get the answer.

BombshellPhoenix

yes you can. I lost over 60 lbs that way. However you can not lose weight if your calories are all sugar.

Challenge accepted. ...

fortysixpounds

Have most people who are replying actually looked at OP's stat's??

OP you are a 64 year old female.
Keep in mind that many of those posters replying saying 1500 is fine for me, are not 64 year old females.. Depending on your height and your activity level, 1500 may be too much for you to lose on - or it may be about right.

This seems a rather arbitary question to me - you need to either proivde your full statistics (ie height, activity level, starting weight, as well as age and gender, which we have) so people can give a more informed answer - or feed those statistics into a calculator to get the answer.

I still hold you can lose on 1500cal if you're eating clean and a bit active. I think that most people who have weight to lose can lose on 1500. If you can't lose on 1500 calories, you probably don't have weight to lose. I've always thought 1200 was too extreme. It isn't about sticking to a magic number 1200, food is a lot more complicated. If you're avoiding the sugar and eating around 1500 and are even lightly active, you will more than likely lose the weight.

op, I think its much healthier way to lose weight. If you want results, worry less about the 1200 number and more about cutting down the sugar, eating clean and being consistent that's the message. good luck:flowerforyou:

Shropshire1959

Yes, but if its way below her TDEE couldnt it stall her? As in put her body in starvation and slow the loss? Im asking for my own benefit as well. Really need to know your TDEE I guess to answer for her better.

Starvation mode is a MYTH

thejourney2015

You can yes but your body will not thank you for it in the long run, due to once you go back to normal eating pattern your body will store it thinking FANTASTIC FOOD GIMME GIMME GIMME and store it for as long as possible. Starvation mode is and is not a Myth it all depends on the level of activity you do If you starve yourself (take in too few calories) and lead a very hectic life style your body will shut down and if you continue to do so it may lead to a point when you won't be able to eat anything or drink anything as your body will reject it by causing cramps to such a degree you will vomit or curl over in agony if however you move very little and eat too few a calories your body will make it so that if you try to be more active your body may break. There is a balance in life and one should really learn what their body is telling them. so please be careful

paperpudding

Have most people who are replying actually looked at OP's stat's??

OP you are a 64 year old female.
Keep in mind that many of those posters replying saying 1500 is fine for me, are not 64 year old females.. Depending on your height and your activity level, 1500 may be too much for you to lose on - or it may be about right.

This seems a rather arbitary question to me - you need to either proivde your full statistics (ie height, activity level, starting weight, as well as age and gender, which we have) so people can give a more informed answer - or feed those statistics into a calculator to get the answer.

I still hold you can lose on 1500cal if you're eating clean and a bit active. I think that most people who have weight to lose can lose on 1500. If you can't lose on 1500 calories, you probably don't have weight to lose. I've always thought 1200 was too extreme. It isn't about sticking to a magic number 1200, food is a lot more complicated. If you're avoiding the sugar and eating around 1500 and are even lightly active, you will more than likely lose the weight.

op, I think its much healthier way to lose weight. If you want results, worry less about the 1200 number and more about cutting down the sugar, eating clean and being consistent that's the message. good luck:flowerforyou:

OP didn't even mention 1200, not sure why you are bringing that magic number into this.
I agree most people can lose on 1500 - however this question was about a specific individual, not most people, and, depending on that individual's age, gender, height, activity level, starting weight - 1500 may or may not be right for them .

We know Op is a 64 year old female - if she is also short and not very active,then 1500 may be too much. If she is taller and more active and has a larger starting weight, then 1500, or more, may be right.

My point standing - until she provides that info, we just don't know.

I lost on less than1500 following amount calculator gave me ( at the slowest rate of 0.5 lb per week, I might add) and I did have weight to lose. My BMI was 28 and I was 10 kg overweight.

paperpudding

You can yes but your body will not thank you for it in the long run, due to once you go back to normal eating pattern your body will store it thinking FANTASTIC FOOD GIMME GIMME GIMME and store it for as long as possible. Starvation mode is and is not a Myth it all depends on the level of activity you do If you starve yourself (take in too few calories) and lead a very hectic life style your body will shut down and if you continue to do so it may lead to a point when you won't be able to eat anything or drink anything as your body will reject it by causing cramps to such a degree you will vomit or curl over in agony if however you move very little and eat too few a calories your body will make it so that if you try to be more active your body may break. There is a balance in life and one should really learn what their body is telling them. so please be careful

I take it you have not considered OP 's individual stats in this assessment either.

If 1500 or less is right rate for her age, gender, height, activity level, then none of that will happen at all - just like it didn't for me eating under 1500 for the entire 10 months it took me to reach my goal weight.

sharonpryke

Sadly being older may mean needing to eat fewer calories. If 1500 is what is suggested by Fitness Pal after you've entered your details, then that is a good starting point and there is a high chance that it will work.

Personally, I'd start at 1500 and see how it goes for the first month. If you're not losing weight, then reduce the calories - but not by too much - until you start to lose weight. By the way, you may also find that you lose weight more slowly than younger people. When I dieted before my 50s I would always lose 2lbs a week like clockwork. Nowadays, I'm lucky if it's 1lb a week following the same diet. It just needs a little more patience.

Exercising, even gentle walking, can also help as it will help you to burn more calories.

Starvation mode may be a myth, but we all know that after some weeks of dieting most people stop losing weight. This is usually a temporary blip if they continue with their diet.

Shaquana2

Well i'm 5'1 on my fitness pal that 1200 Calories is what im set at. But my nutritionist told me the other day that i should be eating 1500. So i defintely dont know what to do.