Women who eat more than 1800 calories a day !!!!

nurseloopy

:happy: Hi all!
I have lost 2.5kg in one month on 1800cals a day. Am thinking of moving up to 2000cals a day for march.

muffintopminx

bumping so i can read every single post!

chevy88grl

I'm in maintenance and have been since Sept 2010.

I can easily lose weight while consuming 2100-2200 NET calories. I maintain in the 2300-2500 NET range (though I've found I can go as high as 2700 or 2800 net, but that is just too much food).


Anything lower than 2000 calories a day and my body gets VERY grumpy.

Not sure if it matters, but I'm 5'4", 36 years old and around 145lbs.

AmandaCaswell1982

I eat about 2100 cals a day, but I bust my *kitten*... 1-2 hours of some form of exercise. I work out like that so I can eat more. I haven't lost as quickly lately, but my body fat goes down at least 1/2 -1 % a week.

meagalayne

You rang? :huh:

5'7", 123-125lbs depending on the size of my oatmeal in the morning :laugh: I've been maintaining for over a year now and cannot imagine eating 1200 cals/day. I would be the grouchiest most "hangry" person ALIVE

Seriously - I eat a TON. Check out my diary. I usually NET around 1600-1800 calories a day. Don't always log every bite, however. I am somewhat flexible on it. Most days, probably more :blushing:

I run 3x a week, spin once a week, try to lift 2-3 times a week when I can, and crosstrain 2x a week. Training for races has kept me lean but I am eager to build more muscle and I know that a hungry body won't do me any good.

Happy to see so many other ladies that "get" it.
Starving yourself for vanity is not only soooo 90s, it's needless, painful and it doesn't work. Love all the positive energy in this thread. Pursuing healthy eating + living = WIN!

danascot

I stumbled upon this thread because I decided today to increase my daily calories. I want to lose about 15 lbs. but more importantly I want to get strong and plan to start a strength training program on Monday. It just dawned on my the reason I've been so spacy and crabby lately is that I'm not eating enough!!! Duh! I'm going to start at about 1600 calories (on non-exercise days) and try 1900 on days I train or do some form of aerobic exercise. Glad I found this thread!!

edited for typo

ExcelWithMel

bump.

deanaimee

This thread is making me so hopeful that I won't be "hangry" forever

I almost wish I hadn't started tracking my calories and just started watching what I eat and started all the exercise I have been doing. I am sure I was eating a ton of calories,probably way more than 2000, and just making better choices and becoming more active would've probably worked very well for me (without all the counting and obsessing)

Question: About 5 years ago, I had my V02 Max done at the Y that I worked out at. The dietitian said that it showed that i should eat 1500 on non-exercise days and 1800 on exercise day. That's only 1500 net.
Was my dietitian wrong? Or am I someone who isn't supposed to eat over 1500 net? Also, I am 5'9" and 207 lbs. 37 next month! Yikes

Thanks for this thread

kaleas

Saving this for later.

meagalayne

question: About 5 years ago, I had my V02 Max done at the Y that I worked out at. The dietitian said that it showed that i should eat 1500 on non-exercise days and 1800 on exercise day. That's only 1500 net.
Was my dietitian wrong? Or am I someone who isn't supposed to eat over 1500 net? Also, I am 5'9" and 207 lbs. 37 next month! Yikes

Thanks for this thread

It's very possible that s/he was wrong. Sounds low to me, but it could be based on a slowed metabolism, or any other number of issues. The average person at your height and weight who wants to maintain** their weight and exercises 3-5 times a week should be averaging around 2200 cals/day. 1700 cals/day for steady weight loss.

A quick calculator can be found below, but remember its a rough guideline and depends on a number of factors. If you're exercising like a mad-woman, or your metabolism has been starved to the point of shutting down, it's not going to work quite the same.

http://www.cordianet.com/calculator.htm
http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html

Good luck!

deanaimee

[/quote]

Thanks for the link I will look at it today. I have only been limiting my calories for 5 weeks and I have been netting 1300. Over this week, I have been upping it and am now doing 1500. I lost 7 lbs in the first 2 weeks, but stayed the same since, gaining a couple lbs this week.

I hope this thread is my key to success. I am LOVING working out now and am addicted to being accountable to myself through this site

quiksandy

Hi Ladies,

I just cant believe the success stories while eating 1500 - 2000 + calories! It baffles me. I have never eaten that much in my life.
I am 5' 5" and 150lbs, 37 yrs old. I have been eating 1200 calories for a few years and exercise religiously 5-6 x a week doing spinning or heavy weights. I have also ran 3 marathons. Even while training, I never ate that much. I guess that's why I never lost weight! I think when you eat 1200 your body adjusts. I make healthy choices and never really feel hungry. Im going to start eating 1500 calories/day (my BMR is 1450) but I dont plan to eat back my exercise calories. Im REALLY nervous to try this because I dont want to gain anymore weight.

But seeing some ladies on here that are my age, height, activity level, and eating 1800 + calories and losing weight, I now feel inspired to give it a try. Here's hoping my years of struggling will pay off.......:)

I'm 40, 5'4 1/2", 112 lbs, 16% BF and I eat about 1950 a day. I've lost about 30 lbs (some before starting MFP). I'm in maintenance though. When I was trying to lose I ate 1200 a day. I have not gained any back since bumping it up to 1950. I found that I needed to bump it up that high just to fuel my workouts and build muscle. Don't be afraid to bump up your calories. I did it slowly at first. I went to 1500, then 1600, then 1700, and eventually 1950 (which is beyond where MFP would put me for maintenance).

Nessalee77

Hello all, I am a newbie, just bumping this to read later. I have been eating under 1200 on some days so that I can eat more on the weekends, although I have been eating back all my exercise calories over the week. I need to do a lot more research it seems...

nicole061488

This is full of great information. Thanks!

tammyandzach

I started at 254 lbs. I have been set up at 2000 calories and generally have been eating between 1700-2300. I have been burning 7-800 during workout 6 days a week. I am down to 138 losing 1-2 lbs a week in the last month and a half. I can't do anything drastic because I am still nursing and have milk supply issues. My brother did lose 130 lbs and then just finished his first iron man. He says to pick your goal weight and eat the number of calories it takes to maintain that weight and then your calories exercised will get you that much closer.

Schnuddelbuddel

This is a really interesting thread!!! MFP gave me 1500/day + 500 for exclusively breastfeeding. Checked out BMR calculator and it tells me my BMR is 1557.... timed the value for exercise (I started doing track sessions 2/week, zumba 1/week, pilates 1/week and go for 30-70 min walks almost every day) is coming up to over 2400 for maintenance! So does this mean I could happily eat 1900 and still lose weight?
(aiming for a bout a lb a week - currently I'm 5'4 at 175lbs and I'm 34 - anyone want to do me the favour to check I calculated things right please?)

Probably that or more since you are breastfeeding. What does your calories burned add up to this past week ? add that up and divide it by 7 days, see how much more that puts you up.

Thanks for the reply! Well, I only really started tracking my exercise since Monday (never added them before really!) and for 5 days it's 1868 cals so 373.5 cals per day. 2273 cals net per day so? Sounds incredibly many!!!! I'm half afraid what would happen if I went from my 1500 per day to 1900 (+500 for nursing!) per day - and most days I'm under and didn't eat my exercise cals back...

This'll take a BIG leap of faith to up my cal intake daily cos in my head I need to eat less to lose weight :noway:

NeverGivesUp

I have always had quite a big appetite and have been ashamed of it all my life. I even got gastric bypass to feel the feeling of being full and satisfied. Moving my body was the key ingredient that was lacking. I am doing away with the scale and putting my heart and soul into exercising. Since I am a performer and this is my slow time, I have the time to dedicate to working out. I am definitely going to eat over 1800 calories a day and I am recommending all my friends to eat at least their BMR because so many of them are starving themselves (men included). The point is that we have to be able to live with this forever. Not sure how I feel about spike days because if I am satisfied with the amount of food that I am eating, then there shouldn't be a reason to go all out once a week. I eat super healthy, clean eating and many foods that boost the metabolism. I think for me, exercise is the key. You have to learn to love it if this is going to be a lifestyle that you can live with for the rest of your life. I don't think I will be as intense as I am now forever, but I definitely forsee this as a lifestyle this time around. I am also going to do away with the scale. The scale lies and if my body is feeling great, that is what I should be basing everything on, and not the relationship I have with gravity. You guys are all an inspiration to me. How do you all feel about spike days??

tabinmaine

I am thinking that those that have spike days ( I was one) is kinda already eating 1800 calories/day anyway.... they just don't know it.... they eat like 1300 for 5 days and then a couple times a week they eat 2600 and if you add it up and spread it out over a week they are actually upping their daily calories anyway.....

tabinmaine

I started at 254 lbs. I have been set up at 2000 calories and generally have been eating between 1700-2300. I have been burning 7-800 during workout 6 days a week. I am down to 138 losing 1-2 lbs a week in the last month and a half. I can't do anything drastic because I am still nursing and have milk supply issues. My brother did lose 130 lbs and then just finished his first iron man. He says to pick your goal weight and eat the number of calories it takes to maintain that weight and then your calories exercised will get you that much closer.

If you used your brother's idea you would probably come up with the same numbers roughly. I just did mine for my ideal weight, came up with 1600 calories ( which also happens to be my BMR at current weight ) to maintain my ideal weight with my desk job, then if I exercised, which I will be it was 2100 calories a day to maintain my ideal weight when I get there..... so he is somewhat correct, just a different way of looking at it...

laurastrait21

I'm usually at 1800+ if I'm exercising, still losing at a rate I'm pretty happy with!

chrissym78

bumping to read after work cause I am starving at 1200/day!

sunshine83777

You ladies are inspirational. For the longest time I thought I couldnt go over 1200 cals if I wanted to lose weight(fat) Now I know that's not correct especially if I am burning so much calories. From my experience if I work out I gotta take in more healthy food for fuel otherwise I will feel tired......low energy and unbalanced. That's somthing that I deff don't want. In my road to a healthy me.

mirandawilley

Can someone help me out I am a 26 year old female, 5'2", 134 lbs. My goal weight is about 115-120 but I have been at a standstill for about 2 months... I am halfway through p90x(classic) and am losing inches but not seeing the scale change. MFP says to intake 1240 calories so that's about what I take, sometimes the most is 1600. I see everyone posting about upping their calories to 1800 or more but I feel like I would be gorging myself and feel guilty in order to eat that much though out the day...
Anyone have any suggestions about how much calories I should up to??? Also is everyone eating super duper healthy when they are upping to more than 1800 calories or are you just eating anything and everything??

Thanks for any input!!

lizzy00125

I eat a TON! haha On non-workout days I will eat around 1800 and workout/lifting days I eat around 2100 calories. FYI-5'3" 126 lbs. I don't know how some people manage on eating only 1200 a day. I would be a MEGA-B*tch. Good to see so many women actually eating here. I have to read up on this thread once I leave work.

meagalayne

Can someone help me out I am a 26 year old female, 5'2", 134 lbs. My goal weight is about 115-120 but I have been at a standstill for about 2 months... I am halfway through p90x(classic) and am losing inches but not seeing the scale change. MFP says to intake 1240 calories so that's about what I take, sometimes the most is 1600. I see everyone posting about upping their calories to 1800 or more but I feel like I would be gorging myself and feel guilty in order to eat that much though out the day...
Anyone have any suggestions about how much calories I should up to??? Also is everyone eating super duper healthy when they are upping to more than 1800 calories or are you just eating anything and everything??

Thanks for any input!!

You have to figure out what your ultimate goal is... Losing fat and gaining muscle simultaneously is a tough balance but I can tell you that it will not be acheived at 1240 cal/day. In order to gain muscle your body cannot be in a mega calorie deficit. I strongly recommend doing some research on this. If you are losing inches, it could very well be loss of muscle mass despite your work with p90x. At the calorie intake you are stating, and the conventional burn of the p90x workouts, I am guessing you are not gaining very much lean muscle mass at all.

If your goal is simply to lose weight - then eating a calorie deficit will accomplish that. But it will likely be at the expense of some muscle loss initially and will also probably make you cranky, because food is delicious and eating 1240 cals/day is miserable.
If your goal is to improve your body composition, build lean muscle, and cut fat - without a focus on the scale - then eating your maintenance calories or slightly less (not BMR - maintenance) plus whatever calories you burn - while focusing your energy on weight lifting and overall fitness will accomplish that goal. Your diet should be composed of a good amount of protein and healthy fat, as well.

You decide :bigsmile:

agthorn

Also is everyone eating super duper healthy when they are upping to more than 1800 calories or are you just eating anything and everything??

I think most of us (definitely me at least) generally adhere to the 80/20 rule. Someone else specifically mentioned it in an earlier comment. Meaning we eat pretty healthy for the most part - good sources of protein, nuts, fresh fruit and veggies, protein shakes, carbs of all colors (at least for me). A lot of us skip the diet food and eat full fat dairy, real salad dressings, cheese, olive oil or butter on our veggies, nut butters, etc. There's plenty of healthy foods that are higher in calories. But if I want ice cream or, heaven forbid, cheese puffs? I can make it fit into my overall goal too. That's the problem I see with eating 1200 calories a day - there's no room for 'life' to happen.

cowgirlslikeus86

My base is suppose to be 1250 but I work out almost every day so I eat about 1600-2000 calories. On the days I don't work out I still eat around 14-1500 because my metabolisim is still going strong and I am hungry.

After playing around with my calories and figuring out what shows up on the scale, I am back to loosing 1-1.5 lbs a week and gaining muscle. I feel great!

I have a very sedentary lifestyle, from day to day, right now. If I didn't, my base would be like 1600 calories.

I am 5'9" and 177 as of this morning. Been at this since 1/9/2012

LorinaLynn

^^^ Everything Agthorn just said a couple posts up.

It's what you do most of the time that matters. Most of the time, I eat a healthy balance. Sometimes I eat pizza, but mostly I have a lean protein, a pile of veggies and something carby for dinner. Sometimes pizza IS a lean protein (chicken is my favorite topping), veggies and something carby, so it's fine. Sometimes I'll have cake or brownies or chocolate, but usually, I'll have fruit or a protein bar as a snack.

But everything I eat is something I enjoy and find delicious. I won't eat something just because it's good for me.

cleaneater80

love this topic

amberlyna5

Bump to read I net around 1600 but am still losing... this may explain