Number of calories - can anyone help?

snowy_sk

Just wondered what everyone thought....

I'm 33 and now weigh 167 pounds. According to mfp, my maintence calories are 1850 (as I have a desk job) and therefore recommends 1200 calories a day for weight loss (although based on the 500 a day deficit to lose 1 pound theory, it's impossible for me to lose 2 pounds a week?).

I can stick to 1200 calories but would ideally like to eat around say 1500 as I think this would be so much more manageable long term. However, this would equal only a 300 calorie deficit a day which would be under a pound weight loss a week?

I guess I'm just wondering how other desk workers have managed to lose weight. Have you all stuck to 1200 calories?

Thanks!

gtm124

Not an expert for sure, but if you make time during the week to walk briskly for 30-45 minutes several times a week then you have exercise calories you can add and by cutting back on not eating all of those back you could stay out of the starvation mode and lose weight.

McKayMachina

I work at a desk. I net 1200 calories/day. If I want to have a 1700-calorie food day, I make sure to burn 500 off with exercise. It's not so bad.

starboardzor

I have a desk job, want to lose weight, and I have zero interest in eating 1200 calories a day! So I make deals with myself. I've actually gotten in really great physical shape thanks to MFP because of all the compromises I do with myself. I say to myself "you want that for dinner tonight?You better work out then, otherwise it's a lean cuisine for you!" I've gone from working out three times a week to a steady 6. I dropped the first 10 lbs quickly, but now I'm stuck where I am and have been for awhile. I guess I need to change something up if I want to see more loss.. or maybe my body is just done.

snowy_sk

Sounds like exercise is the key here! I really need to make time to do I think. I know there's no point in joining a gym because I simply won't go! Does anyone manage to fit their exercise into their lunch hour?

Southboundnana

I'm no Dr, just a Nana, but I would say that you can have the 1500 but just bump up your work outs.

BflSaberfan

Sounds like exercise is the key here! I really need to make time to do I think. I know there's no point in joining a gym because I simply won't go! Does anyone manage to fit their exercise into their lunch hour?

Its hard for me to workout out on my lunch and then sit in sweat the rest of the day. check out Beachbody.com They have a lot of great dvd sets for working out at home. I do it after the kids go to bed, I am currently doing Insanity - which I do not recommend if you are just starting out but they have other less intense ones.

melsinct

I am also a sedentary desk worker. I walk the dog first thing in the morning and after work as well, logging a few miles/day. I will also add a short walk at lunch time if the weather isn't too hot (or rainy). I don't want to sweat at my desk! This affords me some extra calories and I will add other exercise in too if I have the time.

fcrisswell

I also work at a desk all day. I do spurts here and there throughout the day and try to sqeeze in some time at lunch if for nothing else but a walk. There are only 2 people in my office so I brought my stepper to work and on off times I will gt up and step for 15 minutes or so. In the evenings after the kids are in bed if my BIG KID (the man) is not being NEEDY or he is working late I will then squueze in a longer bought of cardio or some wii fit plus just to get off teh couch.

Artemis726

I second the BeachBody dvds. I only work out at home, and the TurboFire series is great. For lighter days I have a stair step and ipod.

Eating more is a great motivator for exercise!

jennyrc

I am a stay at home mom, so it is hard for me to fit exercise in as well.....but I get up @ 6 a.m before everyone else and go for a 30 min. walk. Then when it is nap time for the munchkins, I do a cardio- kickboxing dvd (about 40 min.). Then if posssible I do a 3 mile walk in the evening. My point is that you just have to make it work for you.....I certainly would rather sleep in, but if I want to lose weight, this is what I have to do. If you can, find someone to walk with in the evenings....my friend and I get through the 3 miles in no time because we are chatting the whole time!!

bethrs

I lose my weight slowly because a 1200 calorie diet is not cutting it for me. I was at 1300 and pretty happy- recently upped that to 1380 to lose .5 lbs a week (closer to maintenance and actually, I think it helped, not hurt with the weight I had left to lose.)...

I do exercise and I eat those calories back so there isn't really a different deficit. I know we all want to lose weight ASAP, but I know I didn't put it on ASAP so I'm trying to do what I can sustain and learn habits that will work in the long term. Any special reason for shooting for 2 lbs a week?