1400 cal a day for me? :S

CaptainJim157

Hello,
I want to lose 2 lbs a week, I have about 40 lbs to lose,
Anyways, I'm a male, 20 years old, 5'4 and 174 lbs, why does it say to eat so little? I've checked other sites and it says to lose 2 lbs a week I should be eating about 1700-1800 a day, what should I do? :S
I'm really confused,....

ladybird_

I am not sure about what other sites would say for me, but I am 5'2, 29, and 189lbs and I am set at 1200 per day.

kkt9999

I am 5' 6" and at 1500 calories 6 days a week with one day (Friday) at 2,200 calories keeps me at a weight loss of around 2 pounds per week. And I eat all back all exercise calories back.

3 days ago I switched to 1,600 calories just to slow down the loss a little as I get nearer my goals. I may switch to 1,700 hundred shortly.

ChessRonin

What sites are telling you to eat 1700-1800 per day? Are they considering that you are 20 years old, 5'4", and 174 pounds? I'm 5'7", 190, with a lot of muscle and relatively wide bone-structure, and it tells me that if I wanted to lose 2lbs per week I should eat 1260 per day.

It sounds pretty accurate for you.

ChessRonin

Also, this website (MFP) is telling you to eat 1400 NET calories. Meaning that you deduct exercise. Are the other websites telling you 1700-1800 NET calories, or total calories? It could be that they are assuming you may burn up to 400 calories per day from exercise, and that you should just not go over 1800?

ejmcam

Hi! Are you exercising? Because if you exercise, and burn calories, you can eat back those calories you burn. For example, my daily calorie allowence (according to fitness pal) is 1350, but I burn between 300 and 400 calories a day by exercising, so that actually brings my allowed calories up to between 1600 and 1700. You are supposed to eat back the calories you burn, but I dont usually...because I'm eating my 3 healthy meals, plus snacks. So if you burn 300 calories a day, you would actually be able to eat 1700. Hope that helps you!

CaptainJim157

Oh, kk, I think it just said calories to maintain my weight was 2700 or so, so I just assumed that 2 lbs a week would be 1700 calories, but then some sites say my daily goal should be 2500 or so, to stay my current weight,
The thing is I only exercise about 200-300 calories a day, so 1600 calories isn't a lot for me, for some reason, I always go over then give up Some days I don't even get to exercise, so 1400 is just way to hard

chubby1978

Sorry dude, your short. My workout buddy is 5' 2" and weighs more than you and she gets 1200 cals per day. I'm 5' 10" 32 and weigh 260. I get 1700 cals a day. This makes her CRAZY! But, I also burn more that her during our workouts. Hope that puts it into perspective for you. If you make good choices you can fit a WHOLE LOTA food for 1400 cals. Good luck with your journey!

ChessRonin

If 1400 is too hard then why start at 2lbs per week? Start at 0.5lbs per week and see how that goes?

dragonbug300

keep in mind that it doesn't include whatever exercise you do in a day.

CaptainJim157

Well, the thing is I have quite a few disabilities, and my doctor said to lose weight, that it will help A LOT, I have major anxiety, which is why I don't exercise a lot, I'll put it to 1 or 1.5 lbs a week loss, see if I can handle that, does that sound okay?

ejmcam

You can actually fit a lot in to 1400 calories a day, it just may not be the foods you are used to. But changing your diet may be a huge step in the right direction for you....good luck!

angisnee

As I get closer to my goal, I've had to redo my goals. 2 lbs a week at the beginning worked fine, but my body needs at least 1600 net calories a day or I feel sluggish and irritable and I lose weight more slowly. Changing it from 2 to 1 pound restarted my loss, and I'm actually losing an average of 1.5 lbs/week even eating very close to my goal calories (and sometimes over) including ALL my exercise calories.

The numbers are going to be different for everyone. I think you just have to fiddle with the goals for awhile, try it out, and see what you feel comfortable with and what works for you. Good luck!

ablueskier

If 1400 a day is too low for you then lower your weight loss goal. I would definitely start out with 1 lb a week in your situation and once you learn to manage those calories start to up your goals.