Why so many calories

jaxbeck

Sooo this may seem like a real dumb question but I'm a newbie so be nice, I'm allowed 1250 calories a day at 6'1' & 190 pounds
My hubbys is allowed waaaaay over that at 5'11 & 290. If he has so much more weight to lose then me, why is he allowed so many calories?

JenSmith1104

Men are always allowed more calories because of their body composition and he has a significant amount more weight than you. My maintenance calories are 2900, but of course I don't eat that daily. It's mostly just based on your BMR.

jcpmoore

It has a lot to do with your settings. How are your goals set? Are you trying to lose 1 lb a week? 2 lbs a week? The more you are trying to lose, the lower the calories. Anything more than 1 lb a week and you'll be down at 1250 calories or less. In addition, your hubby is a man and he's much heavier. Yes, he has more to lose, but he also burns a lot more just to exist. And, in general, for a biological reason that I fail to put into words, men need more calories (it's scientific, I'm just not awake enough yet).

HTH

Pebble321

Hard to believe you could survive on 1250 - I'd recalculate your goals using "lose 1 pound a week" and see if you get a more reasonable number. I'm much shorter than you and I lost weight eating 1400-1600ish net calories.

Just realised I didn't answer your question.... because he's a man and burns a whole lot more cals each day.

ElizabethRoad

He weighs 100 pounds more than you. It takes a lot more calories to maintain 290 pounds than it does 190 pounds!

jaxbeck

Got it, thanks!

I do great at 1250, I don't go over on most days....except yesterday when HE brought me lunch *slaps head*

jaxbeck

Oh & yes, I have my goals set at 2 pounds a week....maybe I should re do that.....

Seminolegirl97

One word, testosterone. This hormone is powerful with men losing weight and building muscle.

original_cake_face

Another thing to consider, is the fact that your calorie goal slowly lowers as you lose weight. You don't want him eating like he weights 150lbs when he weights 290lbs. That would be hard for him to maintain, and with his BMR calculated in he would be burning way more than he was eating. Bigger people need more calories to maintain their weight. MFP is just lowering his intake slowly.

jaxbeck

Gotcha, thanks all!