<3 support group for women eating 2000+ calories per day <3

Options
1…2223252728…71

Replies

  • robin52077
    robin52077 Posts: 4,383 Member
    Options
    I love seeing more and more people realize they can EAT while improving their body. Welcome to the best thread on MFP, ladies!
  • tameko2
    tameko2 Posts: 31,634 Member
    Options
    So how many calories do you eat most days? sorry you're not feeling well, hopefully you feel better soon!

    Kind of varies - tends to be around 1650 - 2100. I rarely go all the way to 2100 although I might today because holy crap I'm hungry. Flipping through my diary it looks like a normal day is about 1850 for me. But overall I think that's a lot for someone who has a completely sedentary job and hobbies and isn't huge anymore. A normal workout for me is between 250 and 400 calories and my goal calories are set to 1680 right now (sedentary, .5lb/week).

    If I was eating maintenance like most of you are I'd hit 2k+ every day -- or if I had a more active job or more time to workout ditto.

    I might get a fitbit though - they're expensive but I have a sneaking suspicious that I could eat a bit more than MFP thinks although BECAUSE of that suspicion I tend to let myself go over pretty often and I'm losing weight just fine. I lost an inexplicable 2lbs this week -- which might be water. if it happens again next week I'm gonna up my calories.
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
    Options
    2250 calories today. wow. i have mixed feelings about it. that's A LOT of calories for someone my size. I'm used to eating 2000 but 2250 seems like soooo much in comparison. I know it's not though...I don't really care though to be honest. I needed the fuel!
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
    Options
    So how many calories do you eat most days? sorry you're not feeling well, hopefully you feel better soon!

    Kind of varies - tends to be around 1650 - 2100. I rarely go all the way to 2100 although I might today because holy crap I'm hungry. Flipping through my diary it looks like a normal day is about 1850 for me. But overall I think that's a lot for someone who has a completely sedentary job and hobbies and isn't huge anymore. A normal workout for me is between 250 and 400 calories and my goal calories are set to 1680 right now (sedentary, .5lb/week).

    If I was eating maintenance like most of you are I'd hit 2k+ every day -- or if I had a more active job or more time to workout ditto.

    I might get a fitbit though - they're expensive but I have a sneaking suspicious that I could eat a bit more than MFP thinks although BECAUSE of that suspicion I tend to let myself go over pretty often and I'm losing weight just fine. I lost an inexplicable 2lbs this week -- which might be water. if it happens again next week I'm gonna up my calories.

    That makes sense! you'll be at 2000+ when you hit goal :)
  • agthorn
    agthorn Posts: 1,844 Member
    Options
    What is your favorite ab move? plank. and while not technically an "ab move", this: http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/2470
    Favorite arm move? lat pull down. someday I will do a pull-up
    Favorite legs move? squat
    (don't use workout videos)

    Ate 2464 today :-) Had to eat up some of my leftover from yesterday in addition to all of today's!
  • MrsRipdizzle
    MrsRipdizzle Posts: 490 Member
    Options
    Alright, I'm almost convinced this is where I need to be. Sweetzoejane has been helping me with some number crunching and trying to mentally work through calorie deficits for me. I'm 5'4.5" (can't forget that half-inch!), currently weigh 171.0. I've been on MFP since late July but didn't get real serious about logging food until 2nd week of August. I've lost about 16 lbs since June. :o/ For a girl who went from total couch potato to what I'm doing now, that just isn't much of a loss.

    I was having a really rough day today as I sat down and realized that since 9/21 to today, I'd only lost 3.6 lbs. I had my MFP settings at 1.5 lb loss a week and of course it put me at a 1200 calorie baseline. I eat back my exercise calories (well, most of them, some days there may be 100 cal difference that I left as padding for possibly underestimating food). So it was just really frustrating for me to see how hard I've worked and how decent I've been eating...and to lose so little...compared to so many others who are just plowing away losing 2-4 lbs a week!

    I'm glad I stumbled across this thread as it has given me a LOT to think about. I checked out the Fat2Fit radio site and it says my sedentary baseline would be 1703. While I lead a fairly sedentary lifestyle (I homeschool my kiddos), I workout six days a week (currently doing Chalean Extreme and Turbo Jam). The one day a week I do not work out, I was trying to stay at 1200 cals. The other days I was eating 1500-1900.
    Okay...so given that info, I presume I should be looking to eat more at a lightly active to moderately active level and that means 1951 to 2199 calories a day (net, not eating back exercise calories). The site, however, doesn't tell me at what rate to expect losses. I KNOW I shouldn't be married to my scale...but at my size, I'm weary not to get on it because I NEED to know the numbers are going down. :o/ I do take measurements and all...but realistically, I am not in the healthy BMI range yet and I'm 32% bodyfat.

    I share all of this with you ladies....because...well, because I guess I just need to KNOW that this is going to work for me! (Like you all have crystal balls to glance into and tell me, hah!) I need that extra support and encouragement (especially feeling like I'm the fat girl in this crowd of lean women!). Now, having read all of my lovely stats...do any of you have any suggestions for me in terms of diet/exercise/calorie intake? If you were in my shoes, how would you go about this?

    And lastly....this bodymedia thing...or bodybugg or fitbit....or whatever else is out there....I'm desperate....I have a birthday coming up and I wonder if I might like to ask for one of these. Is any one of them "better" than another, or if you had your choice, which system would you be looking to obtain?

    P.S. I also have a Psych BA. ;o) Though, obviously, I've not done much with it...had babies and am pouring into them until they'll no longer allow me! ;o)
  • _GlaDOS_
    _GlaDOS_ Posts: 1,520 Member
    Options
    Alright, I'm almost convinced this is where I need to be. Sweetzoejane has been helping me with some number crunching and trying to mentally work through calorie deficits for me. I'm 5'4.5" (can't forget that half-inch!), currently weigh 171.0. I've been on MFP since late July but didn't get real serious about logging food until 2nd week of August. I've lost about 16 lbs since June. :o/ For a girl who went from total couch potato to what I'm doing now, that just isn't much of a loss.

    I was having a really rough day today as I sat down and realized that since 9/21 to today, I'd only lost 3.6 lbs. I had my MFP settings at 1.5 lb loss a week and of course it put me at a 1200 calorie baseline. I eat back my exercise calories (well, most of them, some days there may be 100 cal difference that I left as padding for possibly underestimating food). So it was just really frustrating for me to see how hard I've worked and how decent I've been eating...and to lose so little...compared to so many others who are just plowing away losing 2-4 lbs a week!

    I'm glad I stumbled across this thread as it has given me a LOT to think about. I checked out the Fat2Fit radio site and it says my sedentary baseline would be 1703. While I lead a fairly sedentary lifestyle (I homeschool my kiddos), I workout six days a week (currently doing Chalean Extreme and Turbo Jam). The one day a week I do not work out, I was trying to stay at 1200 cals. The other days I was eating 1500-1900.
    Okay...so given that info, I presume I should be looking to eat more at a lightly active to moderately active level and that means 1951 to 2199 calories a day (net, not eating back exercise calories). The site, however, doesn't tell me at what rate to expect losses. I KNOW I shouldn't be married to my scale...but at my size, I'm weary not to get on it because I NEED to know the numbers are going down. :o/ I do take measurements and all...but realistically, I am not in the healthy BMI range yet and I'm 32% bodyfat.

    I share all of this with you ladies....because...well, because I guess I just need to KNOW that this is going to work for me! (Like you all have crystal balls to glance into and tell me, hah!) I need that extra support and encouragement (especially feeling like I'm the fat girl in this crowd of lean women!). Now, having read all of my lovely stats...do any of you have any suggestions for me in terms of diet/exercise/calorie intake? If you were in my shoes, how would you go about this?

    And lastly....this bodymedia thing...or bodybugg or fitbit....or whatever else is out there....I'm desperate....I have a birthday coming up and I wonder if I might like to ask for one of these. Is any one of them "better" than another, or if you had your choice, which system would you be looking to obtain?

    P.S. I also have a Psych BA. ;o) Though, obviously, I've not done much with it...had babies and am pouring into them until they'll no longer allow me! ;o)

    So glad you want to join us! The ladies here will have a lot more advice for you, especially since they have been doing this for longer than I have. Also, I am not among the lean ladies here yet either. I am still around 188 lbs and 30% BF at 5'10", so don't be intimidated. We are here to support one another! :flowerforyou:
  • psych101
    psych101 Posts: 1,842 Member
    Options
    Alright, I'm almost convinced this is where I need to be. Sweetzoejane has been helping me with some number crunching and trying to mentally work through calorie deficits for me. I'm 5'4.5" (can't forget that half-inch!), currently weigh 171.0. I've been on MFP since late July but didn't get real serious about logging food until 2nd week of August. I've lost about 16 lbs since June. :o/ For a girl who went from total couch potato to what I'm doing now, that just isn't much of a loss.

    I was having a really rough day today as I sat down and realized that since 9/21 to today, I'd only lost 3.6 lbs. I had my MFP settings at 1.5 lb loss a week and of course it put me at a 1200 calorie baseline. I eat back my exercise calories (well, most of them, some days there may be 100 cal difference that I left as padding for possibly underestimating food). So it was just really frustrating for me to see how hard I've worked and how decent I've been eating...and to lose so little...compared to so many others who are just plowing away losing 2-4 lbs a week!

    I'm glad I stumbled across this thread as it has given me a LOT to think about. I checked out the Fat2Fit radio site and it says my sedentary baseline would be 1703. While I lead a fairly sedentary lifestyle (I homeschool my kiddos), I workout six days a week (currently doing Chalean Extreme and Turbo Jam). The one day a week I do not work out, I was trying to stay at 1200 cals. The other days I was eating 1500-1900.
    Okay...so given that info, I presume I should be looking to eat more at a lightly active to moderately active level and that means 1951 to 2199 calories a day (net, not eating back exercise calories). The site, however, doesn't tell me at what rate to expect losses. I KNOW I shouldn't be married to my scale...but at my size, I'm weary not to get on it because I NEED to know the numbers are going down. :o/ I do take measurements and all...but realistically, I am not in the healthy BMI range yet and I'm 32% bodyfat.

    I share all of this with you ladies....because...well, because I guess I just need to KNOW that this is going to work for me! (Like you all have crystal balls to glance into and tell me, hah!) I need that extra support and encouragement (especially feeling like I'm the fat girl in this crowd of lean women!). Now, having read all of my lovely stats...do any of you have any suggestions for me in terms of diet/exercise/calorie intake? If you were in my shoes, how would you go about this?

    And lastly....this bodymedia thing...or bodybugg or fitbit....or whatever else is out there....I'm desperate....I have a birthday coming up and I wonder if I might like to ask for one of these. Is any one of them "better" than another, or if you had your choice, which system would you be looking to obtain?

    P.S. I also have a Psych BA. ;o) Though, obviously, I've not done much with it...had babies and am pouring into them until they'll no longer allow me! ;o)

    So glad you want to join us! The ladies here will have a lot more advice for you, especially since they have been doing this for longer than I have. Also, I am not among the lean ladies here yet either. I am still around 188 lbs and 30% BF at 5'10", so don't be intimidated. We are here to support one another! :flowerforyou:


    I agree with sweetzoejane, I still have a little way to go too! apparently my body fat is coming in at 25% - but I don't know how accurate that is. I go by what I look like in the mirror for the most part :)

    So welcome to all!
    Look, I don't know how fast your weight loss will be if you up your calories, I'm heading into the home stretch to my goal and things are slow for me as it is and I've accepted that. I don't know what will happen when you up your calories, all I know is that I have never felt better in my life than I do right now - but I only know my body.
    This whole thing isn't an exact science however much people like to throw numbers around. I have absolutely no idea how some MFP people can survive on 1200 calories or less a day and work out like mad - some of the threads that appear around here make me incredibly sad. People are so focused on punishing their bodies, chasing the immediate reward of fast weight loss, that they forget that this is something you will need to watch and maintain for the rest.of.your.life. I know that I would rather live at a higher calorie range, working out because I enjoy it not until I burn X amount of calories.

    There is no one size fits all. You need to try things out for yourself, try different calorie ranges and stick with them for 4-6 weeks before making further changes. Losing weight is a constant experiment to find what works best for your body - I'm constantly reevaluating and tweaking things as I learn more about nutrition, working out and about my body in general. Sometimes it results in a gain and thats ok! If I stick with it and I'm still gaining then I'll tweak it some more - its not the end of the world.


    So today, hubby and I spent some time buying new weights to pimp out my home gym! Yay for lifting at home :)
  • brandy1castillo
    brandy1castillo Posts: 19
    Options
    bump so I don't lose this thread this might be me in a few days.
  • ruststar
    ruststar Posts: 489 Member
    Options

    Okay...so given that info, I presume I should be looking to eat more at a lightly active to moderately active level and that means 1951 to 2199 calories a day (net, not eating back exercise calories). The site, however, doesn't tell me at what rate to expect losses.

    I was in your shoes and when I started listening to the fat2fit podcasts I agonized over whether I was doing the right thing. Now I look back and see that every month my weight is lower while eating an average of 2000-2100 calories a day, and I never feel hungry or deprived the way I did on much lower calories. It's slow going - about a half pound a week - but it's coming off and the inches are going down as well. The last two months I upped my strength training significantly which lowered the amount of calories I burn when I work out while increasing my appetite, so I'm still figuring out the best balance of calories for my new exercise goals. I still have another 20 pounds to go, but if I go nice and slow the way I have been, I'm more likely to lose only fat in the process. I'm only 8% away from my goal (I'm at 26% now). My ultimate goal weight is 174 - way higher than I ever thought I would be happy, It may take me another year at the pace I'm going, but I'm confident I can get there this way.
    P.S. I also have a Psych BA. ;o) Though, obviously, I've not done much with it...had babies and am pouring into them until they'll no longer allow me! ;o)

    I studied Psychology as an undergrad, too.
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
    Options
    2439 today and no exercise.

    Do I eat the most in this group? Maybe Swimgoddess has me beat. So far I'm at an average of 2338 for the week....
  • Kim55555
    Kim55555 Posts: 987 Member
    Options
    I had so much fun trampolining with my nieces yesterday!! When my sister got the trampoline a few years ago I was too heavy and over the weight limit so I couldn't join in the fun. I remember how hurt I felt I had to just stand and watch!!

    Well yesterday I trampolined. When you are overweight you really do miss out on some things in life dont you!!

    Also the other week I had a lot of fun joining in with the nieces in lots of running races. I used to be too fat and unfit to do it before.

    No longer a spectator!! I'm 39 and I'm at my fittest and leanest of my whole adult life and I have played sports my entire life.

    My nephew is nearly 2 and I cant wait to spend lots of active time with him as he grows up.

    Isn't life great!!!


    Anyone else got some special stories they would like to share? What can you do now that you never used to be able to do?
    Cant wait to read them!
  • Kim55555
    Kim55555 Posts: 987 Member
    Options
    Also, I have a question...Today, after my workout I will have burned between 900-1000. Which means if I ate all my exercise calories I'd be eating about 2600 calories today. That seems very high. So should I just am for 2,000 or should I eat all of my exercise calories?

    Hi Breka

    How about you eat 3/4 of the exercise calories back just in case you happen to be off by a bit with what you think you burnt during your session. So for instance if your monitor says you burnt 900 you cant be 100% sure you did burn that, you may have only burnt 800.

    I reckon you could always try and tweek things, experiment to see what works. How about underestimate your burn by a couple of hundred down to 700 and eat 600 or 700 exercise calories back. So maybe eat 2200 and see how you go! Or go for a range of eating between 2000 and 2200 gross calories.

    I know that for me my maintenance calories for someone who is very active is somewhere between 2000 and 2200.

    :)

    Also I think its important when testing it out to give yourself a good 4 or 5 weeks to see how it goes.

    What do others think?


    Edited to say: Sorry I just realised that your goal isn't to lose weight it is to maintain your weight but recompose your body.
    In that case I'd say perhaps eat a bit more, say around 2400 - 2500 gross calories. I'd still keep an eye on the scales once a week whilst implementing this new plan to see how the body reacts. Also if you are not used to eating that large an amount each day your body may take a while to get used to it. Sometimes they say to increase your calories gradually.
  • Kim55555
    Kim55555 Posts: 987 Member
    Options
    I am hoping to join in on this group. I hope to be able to learn a lot, get some support, and give back where I can. Within the last two months I have increased my calorie intake. I am now at 1830 plus exercise calories. I have done a ton of reading and searching through threads to become more informed. I think my body is holding on to what I am feeding it because I continue to gain even though I know I am not eating more than my tdee (I wear a bodymedia, so I know my tdee). Has anyone else experienced this? I keep thinking that anytime now my body is going to trust that I am feeding it and start letting go of the fat. I am not so concerned about the number on the scale as I am about the bf% and fitting in my clothes again. I am frustrated but I don't want to give up on this because you all are living proof that it works!

    Hi Welcome :)

    I'm in a hurry atm off to the gym soon. Just a quick question... In the last 2 months have you also increased your exercise workload or started exercise? There could be a number of reasons. I have some other questions I want to ask you as well but have to run now.

    ttyl :)
  • robin52077
    robin52077 Posts: 4,383 Member
    Options
    2439 today and no exercise.

    Do I eat the most in this group? Maybe Swimgoddess has me beat. So far I'm at an average of 2338 for the week....

    Thinking back to everything everyone has said, I think you might be right.
    However, you are also one of the tallest if not THE tallest of all of us.
    I am 5'2". I would have to be training for a marathon or a bodybuilding comp to eat like that. Although the other day when I worked 13 hours BMF had me at 2500! So if I am extremely active that WOULD be my maintenance.
  • scarletleavy
    scarletleavy Posts: 841 Member
    Options
    2439 today and no exercise.

    Do I eat the most in this group? Maybe Swimgoddess has me beat. So far I'm at an average of 2338 for the week....

    I think I'm probably at a similar level. Between 2200 and 2400 every day, although I don't really count calories. I'm the master of 700+ calorie breakfasts. It's crazy to think I used to not eat breakfast at all.
  • robin52077
    robin52077 Posts: 4,383 Member
    Options
    I had so much fun trampolining with my nieces yesterday!! When my sister got the trampoline a few years ago I was too heavy and over the weight limit so I couldn't join in the fun. I remember how hurt I felt I had to just stand and watch!!

    Well yesterday I trampolined. When you are overweight you really do miss out on some things in life dont you!!

    Also the other week I had a lot of fun joining in with the nieces in lots of running races. I used to be too fat and unfit to do it before.

    No longer a spectator!! I'm 39 and I'm at my fittest and leanest of my whole adult life and I have played sports my entire life.

    My nephew is nearly 2 and I cant wait to spend lots of active time with him as he grows up.

    Isn't life great!!!


    Anyone else got some special stories they would like to share? What can you do now that you never used to be able to do?
    Cant wait to read them!

    I wish I had a place to put a trampoline! I have the mini-one for indoor exercise (usually called a rebounder). It is SO much fun. Just set it down and gently bounce/jog while watching TV, HRM and bodymedia both agree it burns more than double the calories of just sitting and watching TV.

    Stories of what we can do now that we couldn't before?
    Well, what got me here in the first place...

    595 days ago, if you go by my log-in count as of this morning....my 11 year old (then 9) asked me if he could ride his bike around the block which goes onto a very busy street, so I was trying to walk/jog along with him, had to go up the steep hill and almost died. I couldn't even go around the BLOCK. Gasping for air, lungs on fire, I went home and got mad at myself. I threw away my cigarettes and told myself I was done. I was 110-115 my whole life and here I was, just over 30 years old, and suddenly 130 and can't breathe, living in front of the computer or on the couch.
    I have not had a cigarette in those 595 days. I started C25K (failed), kept walking and eventually added in more and more jogging.
    My ticker pic is me this July 30th, after running my first 5K with my son. Did it in 34:35. I know that's not awesome but I DID IT! Compared to not being able to jog a block a year and a half ago.:smile:
  • scarletleavy
    scarletleavy Posts: 841 Member
    Options

    Anyone else got some special stories they would like to share? What can you do now that you never used to be able to do?
    Cant wait to read them!

    I actually have upper body strength. I rock climb a lot and now I can actually hold my body weight up with one arm, pull myself up over overhangs, actually do the horizontal on the ceiling maneuvers, basically be spiderman. I can also do push-ups, and lots of them and some pull-ups, not a lot, but always working on them.

    Also, since eating more and working out hard I think I'm a nicer person. That's hard to quantify, but I'm definitely a better person to be around now.

    I also sleep a lot better, I used to have the hardest time falling asleep, but now I'm usually so tired from pushing hard in my workouts that I fall right asleep.

    There's probably more, but those are just the big ones off the top of my head.
  • glypta
    glypta Posts: 440 Member
    Options
    I hope you don't mind me butting in here, and this is not a loaded question...I guess it's a question in the vain hope I can eat 2000kcals and not gain, or even lose! I'm low carb, kinda Atkins, kinda Dukan, but I'm only 5' 1". Are you all Amazonian gazelles to get away with 2000+? How/why does that work for you? I just wonder, as someone who can easily go up to 2-3000cals a day if I go mad on nuts :ohwell: if the carbs are reasonable, can/does this counter the calories? Or am I just being dumb/hopeful?!
  • robin52077
    robin52077 Posts: 4,383 Member
    Options
    I hope you don't mind me butting in here, and this is not a loaded question...I guess it's a question in the vain hope I can eat 2000kcals and not gain, or even lose! I'm low carb, kinda Atkins, kinda Dukan, but I'm only 5' 1". Are you all Amazonian gazelles to get away with 2000+? How/why does that work for you? I just wonder, as someone who can easily go up to 2-3000cals a day if I go mad on nuts :ohwell: if the carbs are reasonable, can/does this counter the calories? Or am I just being dumb/hopeful?!
    If you're 5'1" and not that active, no, you can't eat 2000 because your TDEE probably isn't that high....But if you DO exercise hard daily and have a physical job, then you could...especially when you hit maintenance.
    I am 5'2", work on my feet, and MAINTAIN at 2000. If I was trying to lose I would HAVE to eat 1600-1800, and maybe a little more on days I really am extra active.

Categories