What's your daily calorie budget?

JeremiahStone
JeremiahStone Posts: 682 Member
edited September 30 in Health and Weight Loss
Iv set my calorie budget at about 1600 calories a day, but I make sure I never reach it. What's your daily calorie budget?
«13

Replies

  • Mine is at 1200... which is easy to reach on most days!
  • hush7hush
    hush7hush Posts: 2,273 Member
    I think the recommended minimum is 1200, and that's what a LOT of women are on.

    Personally, mine is 1035, but that was after consultation with a doctor and a nutritionalist.
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
    2200-2500 NET calories. Depends on what I do that particular day:

    If I work, but don't workout - I stay close to 2200.

    If I don't work, but I workout - I stay around 2350.

    If I work AND I workout - I aim for 2500.

    I ALWAYS eat back my exercise calories too.
  • MFPfriend
    MFPfriend Posts: 1,121 Member
    1330 NET (so I eat my exercise calories). With some planning, I can usually hit within 20 calories on either side. :)

    Edited to add that it's my NET.
  • claire_xox
    claire_xox Posts: 282 Member
    Mine is 950, I try not to make it though. However yesterday I only got to 127calories. So I've implemented a minimum too which is now 500 :)
  • Getting_Fit_4_Life
    Getting_Fit_4_Life Posts: 401 Member
    Mine used to be 1200, but I just changed it to 1350. I plan to meet with a dietician soon to talk to him/her about what would be good for ME. Everyone dietary need can be different. What works for me might not work for others. Good luck on your weight loss journey.
  • Kelly_Wilson1990
    Kelly_Wilson1990 Posts: 3,245 Member
    1200 but I only eat about 800-1000 calories a day. After talking with my doctor and nutritionist, I do not eat back my exercise calories.
  • ChantalGG
    ChantalGG Posts: 2,404 Member
    1250
  • bry_all01
    bry_all01 Posts: 3,100 Member
    around 2000 calories with a workout for me, but mine is more protein based than calorie based, too.
  • taso42_DELETED
    taso42_DELETED Posts: 3,394 Member
    2500 + exercise currently
  • elmobabie84
    elmobabie84 Posts: 112
    MFP set my calorie goal at 1540 but i try to have a net of 1200.
  • Izable2011
    Izable2011 Posts: 755 Member
    1460 and if I exercise I might eat those calories too!
  • melibea
    melibea Posts: 228
    Mine is 1200 net calories, and I eat back most of my exercise calories :)
  • babyblake11
    babyblake11 Posts: 1,107 Member
    your more likely to put on weight eating that little. i was on 1200 or under but found that it was less effective at losing body fat then when i ate up to 1500. your body is going to absorb all food as fat. you might lose muscle therefore lose 'weight' but it will be replaced by bodyfat.
  • ImperfektAngel
    ImperfektAngel Posts: 811 Member
    I'm at 1700, I just changed it to 1/2 lb a week, I was struggling at 1lb a week and seem to be doing much better with my new calorie goal :-)
  • Agreed when saying eating too little is not effective to keep the weight off. I used to restrict like crazy and eat around 400-1000 calories a day and I did lose the weight rather quickly but put it all back on in less than a year.
    So not worth it folks, do it the healthy way!
    My calorie goal is somewhere between 1200-1400 now.
  • LisaKyle11
    LisaKyle11 Posts: 662 Member
    Mine is 950, I try not to make it though. However yesterday I only got to 127calories. So I've implemented a minimum too which is now 500 :)

    wow, girl your body needs you to eat!
  • skinnyhopes
    skinnyhopes Posts: 402 Member
    Mine was set to 1200, but I upped it to 1600 and I am still losing (:
  • Mine's 1350, and I tend to stay in a 50-calorie range of that (on either side).
  • sleepytexan
    sleepytexan Posts: 3,138 Member
    1530 + exercise calories, so anywhere between 1500-2800 day.
  • m1zk0
    m1zk0 Posts: 9
    It's supposed to be 1200, and if I don't workout then I usually go over. I always eat back my exercise calories, which makes me WANT to exercise so I can eat more haha!
  • sauerkrautpolka
    sauerkrautpolka Posts: 266 Member
    I try not to go over 1500... but am very rarely over 1200. I am trying my best to up my calories.. have started snacking on pepitas and almonds throughout the day.
  • Nikkiairforcewife
    Nikkiairforcewife Posts: 164 Member
    1760. And I'm nursing exclusively, so that adds 500. I eat within 200 calories of that 2260. Although tempting as it is to drop my calories by several hundred to boost weight-loss, I'm not going to do it because I want to lose fat, not my muscle. And losing more than 1% a week usually means it's muscle loss. No thanks. Slow and steady wins the race. For me this is a lifestyle change.
  • Nikkiairforcewife
    Nikkiairforcewife Posts: 164 Member
    Mine was set to 1200, but I upped it to 1600 and I am still losing (:

    Good for you! You've got it right.
  • tameko2
    tameko2 Posts: 31,634 Member
    Mine *was* 1600 (for 1lb a week) but I'm down to 1500 calories (Yay.... I guess?) - that's before exercise. I generally do not eat back my exercise calories unless I'm hungry or if I'm sore (muscles) I try to make sure I'm getting enough protein and phosphorous which so far as not resulted in me going over but it COULD - although skim milk is great for those things and its low cal too.

    I figure since I'm set to 1lb a week if I go under then no big deal, I'm just eating the 1.5lb/week amount or whatever (actually I tried setting it to 1.5lb/week and it wanted me to eat 1250 - NOOOO THANK YOU).

    So far I basically eat all the same stuff I did before, with some minor swap outs to try and a) keep my calories low and b) to incorporate more veggies. Like today I went to a seafood place, and right before I started dieting I ordered the paella there (ooohhh my god so good) but that has a fair bit of oil involved and chorizo and the next two times I ate there (after I started MFP) I got the salmon with spinach and broccoli (all still good but healthier choices - before I might have gotten the spinach and mashed potatoes) and today I had this amazing chopped shrimp salad with quinoa and corn.

    Then for dinner we used to get a lot of takeout - we still do but when we get chipotle I always get a bowl (I usually did anyway) and I don't get cheese-sour cream-guac -- I just pick one of those 3 things and have it.

    I feel good about my calorie budget, its letting me eat more or less normally (with small reductions - if I order something less healthy I cut it in quarters and eat half or 3/4 of it, whichever gets me to happy). The only things I basically gave up were the snacks - I used to get a boba tea or a cookie after lunch every so often (say 2x a week?) and get a beer or cocktail if I went out to dinner. Also I'm much more likely to pick a seafood or chicken option if there is one that sounds good (but if there isnt' I don't force myself, I just eat less).
  • mikonei
    mikonei Posts: 291 Member
    Mine is at 1720. On days that I exercise I usually need to add 800. A little difficult to reach on those days, but I'm working on it.
  • SaddyPants
    SaddyPants Posts: 152 Member
    Mine is set to 1460 but I'm usually below that because I get really scared of going over.
  • nsimportant
    nsimportant Posts: 170 Member
    I am trying to eat 1300 in a day and I doing p90x with some Insanity cardio. Gonna try 3 days 1300 1 day 1900 for a month and then up it up to around 1600 cal.
    I have been on ~1300 last 3 months and lost 12kg and still keep dropping but just decided to do some kind of a change.
    But I eat a lot of protein.
  • maggiedcs
    maggiedcs Posts: 22 Member
    Mine is 1400 net, I'm always over and am not losing weight. Too many sweets...
    :ohwell:
  • aims78
    aims78 Posts: 75 Member
    Hi! I am set @ 1750 a day but I try to stay between 1200 to 1500 without exercise but with it I usually go up to 1800. I don't like to eat back most of my calories is burned from exercise. Good luck!
This discussion has been closed.