340 lb'ers, calorie allowance?

Dragonwolf

2000 sounds right .... i get 1710 and im at 212lbs but im a man we get more

Second this. I'm about 240 and get a little over 1800 cals (and I'm a woman).

To the OP - Is there a particular reason why 2000 seems like a lot?

At your weight, you can probably afford to tweak it a lot more than people closer to their "normal weight range," so if you're eating balanced for your meals and are eating enough to the get the nutrients you need (I'd say at least shoot for around 1500-1700 and see how you feel), then I wouldn't worry about the number too much, as long as you don't go too much over what MFP recommends.

Also, make sure you have your settings are set to the activity level you actually do (and either don't include exercise, or include it and don't track it). Setting it too high can sabotage your efforts by having you eat more than you actually need to lose weight.

As for whether or not to eat back exercise calories - I go by what my body says to determine whether or not I eat, but try to stay within my calorie allotment if I do eat. Remember - you're probably burning less than what numbers say (unless you're using a heart rate monitor AND it's properly set up), so it's not a big deal if you don't eat them all back, but if you're hungry, fuel your body! (And protein shakes or even just plain milk are a good way to get that fuel without feeling like you're force-feeding yourself.)

MFP numbers are generally pretty accurate for steady weight loss, but everyone is different, and some people need to tweak it more than others. You can change all of the goals manually if you find the recommended ones too far from what works for you (or if, for example, you've talked to a doctor and they've set up goals for you).

mamamc03

Here is what I did. I started MFP @ 361lbs along with a few of my family members that were less that half my size. it gave me 2300 cals. I was cool with that. Then I learned that my family was eating around 12-1500 cals. I thought to myself...well, if they can be satisfied on that much so can I. So I lowered my personal goal to 1500 and tried to get around 1200+ a day. Needless to say...I have lost 65lbs in 8 months. I go over sometimes, but not often. Maybe 10 times since I started. MAYBE. This is just what I did, not saying it will work for you, or it is a great idea....it just worked for me. :flowerforyou:

macylane4

I started my journey at 352 pounds. I know I was more then that, but that was the first time I actually stepped on the scale. When I started my journey I ate around 1300 calories a day, and worked out 5 times per week. I have lost almost 100 pounds now, and have increased my calorie to 1500 a day, and work out 3-4 times per week. I still see a very steady weight loss. I think you need to focus on what you're eating not the calories so much. Recently I switched all my food to fresh veggies, fruit, lean meat, all natural peanut butter, and cut out any boxed stuff, cereal bars, etc, and had a 4.5 lbs weight loass that week! I eat apples and bananas all day everyday, and enjoy sweet potatos (they really fill you up!) I haven't looked at your diary to see what you eat, so if it isn't public could you change it, and I'll check it out?! Are you workin gout at all?

I walk on average, 3 times a week, for 2 hours, sometimes an extra 2 hours at the weekend.
Did you not get hungry on 1300 cals? What sort of thing did you eat? did you eat back your exercise cals?

No I didn't/don't get hungry often. If I do I eat a string cheese, or some cottage cheese, or drink a protein shake or something. You can look back at my food diary since I started, and you'll see exactly what I ate ,and how much its imporved now! I have mfp at 2 pounds a week with no exercise. When i do exercise I eat more throughout the day, but usually stay at 1500 cal a day. I have been steady losing about 3-4 pounds per week on average. Try premier nutrition protein shakes...they are low cal high protein, and taste really yummy!!! You can buy them at sams club. Also, for noodles I eat Shirataki noodles instead of regular noodes, and save 200 calories and eat more!!!

Dragonwolf

I'm hesitant to post because of the whole "starvation mode" and "eating exercise calories back" debates that have raged from the inception of this site, but I wanted to answer as someone who has been there, and still doing that.

I set my goal at 1200 calories daily back in August of last year and I use this as what it is, a tracking tool. Some days I go over, but don't let it bother me because of the quality of foods I'm taking in for example nuts, avacado etc. Somemdays I actually may not quite make it there, especially in summer when I'm eating more salads, veggies, etc. I work out 5 to six days a week and I have yet to eat an exercise calorie back. I've lost 93 lbs in 7 months, have yet to hit a plateau due to "starvation mode" .

I realize as my body changes, adjustments will have to be made, but I started at 328 and I just wanted to give an answer as someone who was there.

From what I've seen from all the various accounts I've read on here and elsewhere regarding whether or not to eat back exercise calories - it really depends on the person. Some people do better eating most or all of them back, while others do better not eating them back at all. Basically, it amounts to "try it one way for a few weeks and see if it works, if not, try it the other way for a few weeks and see if there's a difference."

yesthistime

Female, 30 years old, 370 lbs, eating at 2500/day (this is my BMR and I am sedentary).

smily_001

Since 8/11 I have lost 95 pounds and my cals are now set at 1960 and I am @ 335. I do not eat my workout cals right now and average between 1400-1600 cals on a normal day and sometimes hit my full amount when eating out. I also have a spike day about once every 2 weeks or so.. If u have any questions feel free to message me anytime.

psuLemon

It's good you are going to eat 2000 calories. There is no reason to starve yourself and eating below the recommended amount won't make you lose faster. Your body and especially the metabolism is a complex tool that will adapt based on nutrition. If you eat under your metabolic rate, it will just slow down. So it's better to feed the beast and keep it pushing heavy. If you really want benefit, look to do weight training (even walking with weights). If you can maintain lean muscle mass through your weight loss your metabolism will keep high which makes long term success easier and less likely to plateau.

PS - I eat 2800 calories and cutting body fat and some weight.

thecrossfitter

I weigh 145lbs and I consume anywhere from 2200-3000 calories a day, and I'm still losing the last bits of fat I want to get rid of

(Note - I don't just eat any calories, very clean eating if you're curious)

I would not think 2000 would be high to lose for a person who is 340

HeidiMightyRawr

I'm not 340, but the heavier you are, the higher your maintenance calories are. To me, it does not seem like too much - so many people on here are given just 1200 which in my opinion is completely unnecessary 99% of the time.

I'm 145lbs and am losing on 2000 net. Which means I eat my exercise calories back as well, making my total between 2000 and 2600.

ruqayyahsmum

im 326 ( i think ) and mfp has my calories set at 1700 which i try to stay around. i exercise 5 days a week a mix of cardio and weights i dont eat back my exercise cals as mfp seems to be awfully high so i just dont beat myself up if i drift over my cals occasionally

cjaharmon

I would say talk to your doctor and have him or her help you decide. MFP set e at 2400 when I first started and I found that I didn't lose fast or barely at all. My doctor had me move the goal down to 1800 on nonexercise days and 2000 on exercise days. He said that is more then enough to have a good healthy diet and give me wiggle room for when I forget to write something down or gives me room for not calculating correctly portion sizes. He thought this was a better long term way for me to stick with it and I have started losing again after doing what he said. I am rarely hungry and only hit starving when I am stupid and forget to do what I should. I think I like the best that I have the room to taste test cooking and other things like this when I am preparing for my family meals, and it's next to impossible to track those calories for me and if I tried I would scream! So I am staying at 1800 for now...MFP recently said I should be at 2250 after 25+ lbs weight loss. I will decrease again when they say I need to get below 2000.

purpleipod

The more you weigh the higher your calorie allowance will be.. that's the point. It decreases as you lose weight. I'm in the low 250s and mine is 1300.

sfoster3171982

MFP tells me to consume 2300 and I weight 323 now. I wonder why that is but even my trainer said based on a calculation that I should be eating 2800 but when I wasn't losing anything we dropped it to 2500.

Anyway my point was you need to eat those 2000 because your body will go into starvation mode especially if you are working out and will start to eat the fat and it will keep you overweight.