How Many Calories are you Eating a Day?

deksgrl

I'm 5'6 and 159 pounds. I'm also rather sedentary. I started here at 1,200 calories. Initially lost a few pounds but stalled out. I have just bumped cals up to 1,400 but that still may be too low. I'm going to try it for a few weeks and if necessary bump it up to 1,600. My Basic Metabolic Rate (BMR is just over 1,400 so I think there is a good chance that 1,400 calories is too low).

Editing to add: MFP's BMR calculator has me at 1368, while other ones I have found on the net has me over 1,400.

Jessica2Skinny

I'm 5'8 and currently 132.4 pounds as of this morning. I am trying to be 125 pounds so MFP tells me to not have more than 1200 calories a day. It really depends on what you eat that makes you lose weight. If i eat at taco bell but stay at 1200 calories, I wont lose weight. If i eat fruits, veggies, salads with chicken, salmon, chili, potatoes w/ cheese and brocolli, etc.. i will eat a lot more because its less in calories and I usually end up losing weight very fast.
Also, if I get a 30 minute walk/jog in that day I REALLY drop weight fast. So 1200 calories is OKAY if your eating the right foods.

AddA2UDE

I'm struggling to get this properly dialed in too. I just set my net goal at 1,900 today. I lost 25 lbs before finding MFP and tracking everything. I'm pretty sure I was eating more back then but have no way of knowing for sure. Then, when I started MFP, it had me at 1,600. I did that for two months and gained 2.5 lbs each month. I have been doing a lot of research and asking those who used to be where I'm at and successfully got to where I want to be. Based upon all of that research and input, I am going to try this 1,900/day for a couple of months and see how that works. I currently weigh 255lbs and lift 3-4 times per week and do cardio 1-2 times per week.

Rae6503

2600

I never went below 1750 when losing.

crzyone

I have a lot to lose and my goal is 1730. I have tried to stay at that and have been plateaued for two months. This week I weakened, haven't done any exercise and was about to give up because my calories were closer to 2000 this week and I finally lost .6 of a lb to put me at 25 lbs. I can't believe that eating that much has made me lose. I'm going to have to play with it more and see how it works for me......

GOod luck al!!

Laineegrrl

1230

marycmeadows

I am 5'6'' - started weighing 303.4 - now weigh 208.6 - down 94.8 pounds -- and I regularly eat 1600-2000 (typically more like 1800-2000) calories a day and exercise 60-120 minutes a day, 6-7 days a week.

Thena81

im 5 foot 7 too and weigh in at 153 and i eat when i want, if i want but then i do work it off! as long as you get some butt busting workouts in, you can eat almost anything. i started here with 162 lbs and am on the 1200 cal setting too and it s been working for me! good luck and add me for support and chit chat

agthorn

5'5", maintaining at 130 with 1770 + exercise cals since August. I lost 12 pounds earlier this year with MFP set to 1/2 pound per week + exercise cals, and never had a goal below 1430.

aqua_zumba_fan

I'm 5'2 and 140lbs and focusing on weekly rather than daily calories but averaging at 1200 per day. I exercise a lot and eat back all my exercise calories. I've found I've started losing again since using a weekly rather than daily goal.

jenniet04

I haven't read all the other responses, however I'm about your size and my BMR is 1448 and I'm guessing yours is about the same. That is the minimum amount of calories your body need just for normal body functions. That's what I have my intake set to and I will eat back some of my exercise calories. I would say that you need to be closer to 1500 calories without exercise.

xsmilexforxmex

It depends. Typically anywhere from 1400-1600 net, though I'm finding it difficult to pick one number and commit. I usually aim for 1400 and go over by 200, so maybe my body just really wants 1600!

Oh, and I'm 5'4" and 134 pounds, looking to lose another 10-15.

Same numbers here except I am currently 159lbs, my goal is 125lbs.

gtwin

I'm 5'3 and 169 lbs....looking to drop 30 lbs. Currently, I'm eating 1300 calories and not eating back my calories burned. So far, I've only dropped a pound and it's been two weeks. Not sure if I'm not taking in enough calories or what, but on days when I cheat...I find that I actually lose. And once I get back to my routine, my weight doesn't budge at all. So I'm guessing I need to up my calories to maybe 1400.

karinefitness

I am 5'6'' - started weighing 303.4 - now weigh 208.6 - down 94.8 pounds -- and I regularly eat 1600-2000 (typically more like 1800-2000) calories a day and exercise 60-120 minutes a day, 6-7 days a week.

That's amazing, congrats!

I am 5'5 and 115 lbs and am looking to build muscle so I usually eat between 1750 - 2100 calories. I workout 4-6 times a week (weight lifting mostly). I never eat below 1600 cal. and lost body fat since I started eating more.

capriciousmoon

You wont loose any weight on 1200 calories a day, as thats the bare minimum you need to keep going. Your body will hit starvation mode and stop you from loosing weight.

It takes a lot of getting used to, but eventually you find that in order to loose weight you need to eat, and you need to exercise.

Never drop below 1200 if you are doing under, I struggle to eat 1600, but if I dont then my weight loss stops

That's not how starvation mode works. It takes a long time of being under your calories before your metabolism gets used to it and slows down. If it worked the way people on dieting sites seem to think it does then nobody would be able to starve and get underweight or lose weight on the HCG diet. They do. Not something people should do, but you can lose weight eating too little.

The main problem with people going right to 1200 is that most of the time they could lose weight eating more. It's best to eat as much as are able to instead of starting out at the minimum. If you start out at the lowest possible calorie setting you have nowhere to adjust to when your weight loss slows down.

The minimum for men is 1500.

mplasky

im 5 foot even and 174 trying to lose an additional 40 pounds. Currently i eat around 1000-1200 max for calories.

Lillemeddy

I started out MFP with eating 1200 calories a day. I would lose 5, gain 5, lose 5, gain 5 etc. I upped it to 1400, then to 1700 + exercise calories, and it is now I see the most results. No fluctuating, and I am losing inches around hips and waist.

staceylegge

I also have 2 kids (4&2) and I run a dayhome from 7:30-5pm. I have always said that I am too busy with 6 kids in the dayhome and dealing with my own kids. My Husband works out of town 3 weeks at a time and then only home for 1 week. I now MAKE time for me and I get to the gym 4-5 days a week. Mark in your calendar just like you would an important appointment. I bring the kids with me to the gym to the childcare. Once you make time for yourself , you wonder why you did not do long ago. It is better for everyone all around and makes you a better mother. Kepp it up

Sweet_Potato

I'm 5'7" .. Currently 168 want to lose about 20 more lbs. My "goal" on here is 1200 calories a day but I've noticed some people say that may be too little?

I'm not a big exercise person .. I know I need to try to get in some cardio at least a couple days a week but it's very hard having 2 children and working full time! But when I do I eat my calories back (usually only burn around 200 anyway)

I'm similar to you. I'm pretty active outside of work (never sitting still) but I don't formally exercise. I'm a bit shorter and lighter than you, and I'm aiming to lose about ten pounds. Even at 1200 calories a day it's a slow process-- if I lose half a pound a week I'm thrilled. If you bump it up to more calories I don't think you'll see much progress at all and might get discouraged.

Moonblood

I am 5'5". I was eating 1200 for about a year, but recently upped my calories to 1600 because I've been at my goal weight for a couple of weeks. I'm struggling getting my whole 1600 in. I don't 'eat exercise calories either.

annameier8706

There's a basic BMR calculator in the tools section on MFP. I would suggest using it, and never eating less than than number it gives you. 1200 is still too low for most people. Everyone's BMR is different.

dewgirl321

I've found that MFP's calorie needs calculator isn't the best. I was set at 1200 too, until I got a BodyBugg to find out what I was really burning. I'm now up to 1500 per day. (5'0, 140).

I would suggest eating at least 1500 calories a day. Your TDEE is probably between 2100 and 2400 per day through your daily activities, especially since you have kids. Obviously try to work in exercise when you can, but they say 80% of weight loss comes from your what you eat! Make sure you're getting 1g of protein for every pound of lean body mass as well, it will help with improving your body composition.

eddyca

I'm 5'9" and moderately active. My total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) is 2,600 so I eat 1,800 cals a day, which puts me at a 800 cal per day deficit. I also eat most of my exercise cals and have been losing an average of 2 pounds per week somehow ?

therealangd

I have MFP set to lose 1 lb per week. That's starts me off at 1280. Depending on the day, and the amount of exercising I do, I eat anywhere from 1800 to 2800 calories.

raven56706

5'8 and 201 lbs.... im at 1590 a day... as soon as i go to 199, i will switch my calories to 1 lb a week... right now im at 1 1/2 a week

shannoncaldwell23

I'm 5'7" and 138lbs right now at 22% body fat. The goal is roughly 16% body fat at 130lbs.
I'm supposed to eat 1500-1900 a day.

BobbyClerici

Starvation diets work great for a season but in the end, it's self-defeating.
I eat right under 3000 - that's due to my very active lifestyle and the large amount of exercise I do - 2 hours every day - no off days except when I get sick.

You need to find your true maintenance number on the calorie spectrum and work down from there, losing a pound a week. That 500 daily calories less than whatever your maintenance level is as it takes 3500 burned calories to lose one pound. 3500/7=500

It's just simple math.

But if you are starving yourself, these numbers get all screwed up, because your body shifts into metabolic shutdown mode to account for what it thinks is a famine in the land...lol

I lost over 60 lbs eating more than anybody thought I should, but the math is totally objective, the results speak for itself and it will work for anybody.

You can do it!

ackeebee

I am 5'8", 145 lb and set at 1550 calories per day with the aim of losing 1 lb per week. As I am only trying to lose another 6-10 lbs and i am not in any hurry, i am considering revising my goal to 0.5 lb per week

lizziebeth1028

I'm 5' 7 1/2", and I weigh 140lbs. MFP has me set to 1490 (for a 1/2lb loss a week). I eat all my calories and the ones I earn through exercise too. Recently I've been rethinking my goals and I'm switching to maintenance mode with a focus on toning and building muscle. This will mean I'll be upping my calories which is awesome and terrifying at the same time lol!! I've decided 140lbs is a healthy weight for my body/hieght and my age (53)....I just want to 'sculpt' what I have now :bigsmile:

dargytaylor

I am 5'8"......when I started on MFP i weighed 155.............now at 152 but had to up my calories to start loosing! MFP had me at 1200 a day also, and I was hungry all the time........so I changed to loose a half pound a week, calories went up to 1450, and beleive it or not, I started to loose again! and this is with being extremely lazy about exercising