How many calories is too low?

theshaleco

I weigh 185 pounds and I am a 5'10" 18 year old girl. I on average take in about 1320 calories a day. Do you think this is a good amount for weight loss or should I take in more or less? I am very new to calorie counting so I am still figuring out my ideal levels.
I also exercise 4 times a week for 40 minutes.

LeonCX

Some might say a little low at 1320. What did your MFP fitness profile setup give you?

Here is a fun calories needed to lose weight calculator going around this week. Maybe it will help.
http://www.weightloss-calculator.net

Best of luck with your goals.

xmusicloverr

You sound lightly active. I'm 5'7, lightly active, 183 lbs and eating around 1400 everyday and losing weight. I'd say you're doing okay, you could eat a little more calories. Depends on how your body responds I guess

DawnieB1977

You're tall, and you're young, so you could probably eat a little more. Of course, if you're happy with what you're eating now and not getting hungry, then it's probably ok.

I'm 5'6 and 36, and working out 6 times a week usually for an hour, plus walking lots (school run, taking my kids out etc) and I aim for 1520 calories and I'm losing.

desidieter

Read these threads, they are very helpful if you're just getting started on this journey:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1235566-so-you-re-new-here

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

The short answer to your question: figure out what your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) and TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) calorie requirements are and then eat between those two numbers. Some people say to figure out your TDEE and then take off 20% of that number. Whatever that ends up being is a good starting place as far as overall caloric intake. However, if you see that you're not losing with that intake, then you can consider lowering the number.

The important thing is to eat at a deficit. As long as you're doing that, you should be able to lose without lowering your calories too drastically.

Pikacu90

Owie, I am the same height. Since I'm so bad and unruly, I try to eat as little as possible when I have the will for it, despite what everyone says. But in the past I've felt really drained after a week or so of eating only 1000-1200 a day. So it's important to make it something you could endure long term without rage quitting.

theshaleco

Read these threads, they are very helpful if you're just getting started on this journey:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1235566-so-you-re-new-here

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

The short answer to your question: figure out what your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) and TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) calorie requirements are and then eat between those two numbers. Some people say to figure out your TDEE and then take off 20% of that number. Whatever that ends up being is a good starting place as far as overall caloric intake. However, if you see that you're not losing with that intake, then you can consider lowering the number.

The important thing is to eat at a deficit. As long as you're doing that, you should be able to lose without lowering your calories too drastically.

My BMR is 1647 and my TDEE is 2407 according to an online calculator.. That seems a little high to me. I I'm worried I would not loose weight if I ate that. MFP set my calorie goal as 1360.

kgeyser

I'm guessing you told MFP that you wanted to lose 2 lbs per week to get that number. Set MFP to lose1 lb per week to get a more realistic calorie goal.

erickirb

If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal, and
If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal.


Pick the appropriate goal above, let MFP do the math for you and eat back most of the cals burned from exercise.

malibu927

I'm guessing you told MFP that you wanted to lose 2 lbs per week to get that number. Set MFP to lose1 lb per week to get a more realistic calorie goal.

This. It doesn't sound like you have much to lose, so you should have a lower deficit. And you WILL lose as long as you're under your TDEE!

J72FIT

I weigh 185 pounds and I am a 5'10" 18 year old girl. I on average take in about 1320 calories a day. Do you think this is a good amount for weight loss or should I take in more or less? I am very new to calorie counting so I am still figuring out my ideal levels.
I also exercise 4 times a week for 40 minutes.

At your height, weigh, age and activity level, I would put you at 1640 calories per day. Of course this is only to start. Make needed adjustments according to the results...

Sabine_Stroehm

Owie, I am the same height. Since I'm so bad and unruly, I try to eat as little as possible when I have the will for it, despite what everyone says. But in the past I've felt really drained after a week or so of eating only 1000-1200 a day. So it's important to make it something you could endure long term without rage quitting.

OP: whatever you do IGNORE this.

Sabine_Stroehm

I weigh 185 pounds and I am a 5'10" 18 year old girl. I on average take in about 1320 calories a day. Do you think this is a good amount for weight loss or should I take in more or less? I am very new to calorie counting so I am still figuring out my ideal levels.
I also exercise 4 times a week for 40 minutes.

I'd go higher (based on your BMR). Don't tell MFP 2LBS a week. Good luck.

freckledrats

I weigh 185 pounds and I am a 5'10" 18 year old girl. I on average take in about 1320 calories a day. Do you think this is a good amount for weight loss or should I take in more or less? I am very new to calorie counting so I am still figuring out my ideal levels.
I also exercise 4 times a week for 40 minutes.

That's probably a bit low for your height and weight, and with your exercise level. Is that net or gross?

Check this out: http://fitnessfrog.com

A popular way to calculate calorie goals is to use TDEE-%, most people do 20% as it's the least strenuous. This would give you a goal of 1630 per day at a 400 calorie daily deficit, which is .8 pounds a week (obviously hard to see unless you look at the trend over months at that rate). If you want to go a bit faster, simply don't eat back any of your exercise cals. Eat at 1630 and exercise as you are, 40 minutes 4x a week. That should bump you up over a pound a week.

Keep in mind, you ARE going to lose mass at that intake. It may not be as fast as you like, but it will be at a healthy rate.

Another thing to remember is that your body is 55% water, and the weight you see on the scale is HEAVILY influenced by that. A difference in your sodium intake, drinking alcohol, dehydration, your period--all of these affect your water weight and can very, very easy cover your fat loss on the scale. And since water still takes up volume, even measuring tape may not show you the loss. But if you keep going anyway, you'll see that over months it does add up. Just don't give up because you weigh in low one day, then it pops back up for a week or two after that. It happens. You WILL lose weight if you keep going.

Is 1320 too low? Maybe for sustainability. If you feel fine, aren't grouchy, and you're eating plenty of very healthy foods, and you have energy, more power to you and keep it up. But if you don't, do try adding in 100-300 calories.

Sabine_Stroehm

If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal, and
If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal.


Pick the appropriate goal above, let MFP do the math for you and eat back most of the cals burned from exercise.

Use these numbers. Please set a realistic goal for your height.
That's hard to do, I know. But don't aim too low.

Jennifer10723

Some might say a little low at 1320. What did your MFP fitness profile setup give you?

Here is a fun calories needed to lose weight calculator going around this week. Maybe it will help.
http://www.weightloss-calculator.net

Best of luck with your goals.

That was a great little thing to play around with! Thanks for the site!

theshaleco

Thanks for all the tips! I will change my goal to 1lb a week

Sabine_Stroehm

Some might say a little low at 1320. What did your MFP fitness profile setup give you?

Here is a fun calories needed to lose weight calculator going around this week. Maybe it will help.
http://www.weightloss-calculator.net

Best of luck with your goals.

That was a great little thing to play around with! Thanks for the site!

Be a bit CAREFUL with this site. I just put my numbers in and it gave me a COMPLETELY different BMI than most sites. Probably because of the "frame size" bit. And gave me a 40 pound goal range (not shocking) with a frighteningly LOW low weight and a very LOW high weight.

I compared my BMI to other calculators that put me at 21.9. This one says 24.14. because I put small frame.

Yeah, that's not so good. If I put small frame, at 5'6" it says I can weight 109lbs. NO. In no reality should I weigh 109 at 5'6".


(I'm not discussing the pros and cons of BMI...just pointing out that there may be a glitch with the math calculations on THIS linked website)

desidieter

Read these threads, they are very helpful if you're just getting started on this journey:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1235566-so-you-re-new-here

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

The short answer to your question: figure out what your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) and TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) calorie requirements are and then eat between those two numbers. Some people say to figure out your TDEE and then take off 20% of that number. Whatever that ends up being is a good starting place as far as overall caloric intake. However, if you see that you're not losing with that intake, then you can consider lowering the number.

The important thing is to eat at a deficit. As long as you're doing that, you should be able to lose without lowering your calories too drastically.

My BMR is 1647 and my TDEE is 2407 according to an online calculator.. That seems a little high to me. I I'm worried I would not loose weight if I ate that. MFP set my calorie goal as 1360.

If you're eating less than your TDEE, you should be able to lose weight. In most cases, unless a doctor tells you to or something, you should not eat below our BMR.

Timshel_

I weigh 185 pounds and I am a 5'10" 18 year old girl. I on average take in about 1320 calories a day.

You might be low, but you should be losing weight if you stick to that every day over time. If you are not losing weight then you are eating more than you think, taking too much off for exercise, or calculating wrong somewhere.

All the best.

theshaleco

Don't eat lower than what it says your BMR is :-) I'm a similar height to you but weigh less now (as I lost 22 pounds) but I was your weight (or close) 176 pounds, 5'8, but my BMR is 1550 and I eat 1600. And obviously well, I've lost. 22 pounds doing it that way. There's no need to eat so low :-)

Do you know if it's okay for your net to be lower than your BMR as long as your intake is higher? (Sorry for all the questions I am very new to this)

theshaleco

Don't eat lower than what it says your BMR is :-) I'm a similar height to you but weigh less now (as I lost 22 pounds) but I was your weight (or close) 176 pounds, 5'8, but my BMR is 1550 and I eat 1600. And obviously well, I've lost. 22 pounds doing it that way. There's no need to eat so low :-)

Do you know if it's okay for your net to be lower than your BMR as long as your intake is higher? (Sorry for all the questions I am very new to this)

Yes your net can be lower but I always try to net around 1400 at least. The minimum it should be is 1200, hope this helps!
Also I eat back 75% of my exercise calories, and I recommend you eat back at least half of yours especially if you burn a lot

That seems a little counter intuitive to eat back what you loose. What is the reason for doing that?

desidieter

That seems a little counter intuitive to eat back what you loose. What is the reason for doing that?

You'll probably get multiple answers from different members...or some people will just straight up tell you not to do it, but one of the most common answers that I've seen in various threads is that the MFP exercise database isn't always super accurate; it supposedly overestimates on burns for certain activities, so folks have developed this system of eating back about 1/2 or more of their calories. That way, their net doesn't get too low.

erickirb

Don't eat lower than what it says your BMR is :-) I'm a similar height to you but weigh less now (as I lost 22 pounds) but I was your weight (or close) 176 pounds, 5'8, but my BMR is 1550 and I eat 1600. And obviously well, I've lost. 22 pounds doing it that way. There's no need to eat so low :-)

Do you know if it's okay for your net to be lower than your BMR as long as your intake is higher? (Sorry for all the questions I am very new to this)

Yes your net can be lower but I always try to net around 1400 at least. The minimum it should be is 1200, hope this helps!
Also I eat back 75% of my exercise calories, and I recommend you eat back at least half of yours especially if you burn a lot

That seems a little counter intuitive to eat back what you loose. What is the reason for doing that?

Think of it this way... you need 1400 calories in order to lose your goal amount of weight/week. If you exercise you will now have a larger deficit and lose faster than intended (faster is usually not better as a higher % of your loss will come from lean muscle instead of fat)
Eating 1400 and burning say 300 from exercise is the same as eating just 1100 calories with no exercise (which is not enough) So if you eat the 1700 (1400+300) it would be the same as 1400 with no exercise as 1400 = 1700-300

theshaleco

Ah okay that makes sense, thanks.