Need your help: Calorie intake – what’s the right number

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alim10
alim10 Posts: 67 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I need some suggestions. I have been trying to lose weight and feel like I’m doing everything right, but the scale isn’t really moving. I’m 34 yrs old, 5’11”, and currently weigh 184 lbs. I’ve lost 7 pounds so far. My goal is to get down to 170, (ultimately 155 but I can take that one more slowly), but I’d really like to be at 175 by mid to the end of May. I’m typically eating 1600 calories a day and usually don’t eat my exercise calories, although some days I may eat as many as 1700-1800 calories. I typically exercise 5-6 days a week, burning anywhere from 250 to 600 calories, depending on the day. I’ve tried to calculate my TDEE to get the “right” number but am a little confused about that. My nutritionist says just stay within 1400-1600 calories and don’t eat back exercise calories. I’m trying to eat 50% carbs, 25% protein, 25% fat. Most days my protein is around 100g. I’m also drinking anywhere from 12-16 cups of water a day.

So like I said, I think I’m doing this right, but nothing is happening. The other problem is that I’m pretty hungry most of the time, especially in the evening. I almost always go to bed hungry. 1600 calories seems like a good amount, so I can’t figure out why I’m still hungry. Finally, I’m really in this for a lifestyle change; I want good health and to lose some weight because the weight I’m at isn’t a healthy weight for me. I say that because I really don’t want to eat less than 1400 calories a day because I know I won’t be able to sustain that. Does anyone have any suggestions, or is there something you have done that has worked for you?

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  • Testosterone
    Testosterone Posts: 236 Member
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    the right number is nowhere near as important as the right sources of calories, and your ratio is one that is going to make you prone to being flabby, not toned. a ratio of 40% protein, 40% fat, and 20% carbs is going to cause you to lose the right weight, fat weight, and keep the muscle you need to look good with your clothes off. carbs = fat stored. fat = fat burned, and it is the nutrient your body needs to produce all its steroid hormones....testosterone for men, estrogen for women, although both sexes produce small amounts of the others main hormone as well.

    and as for the right number, what is your goal? maintain current weight, lose a lb a week, 2 lbs? gain one lb, 2 lbs?
  • alim10
    alim10 Posts: 67 Member
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    I'd like to lose 2 lbs per week but don't think that is realistic. I'd be happy with 1 - 1.5 lbs per week at this point - anything!! :)
  • Testosterone
    Testosterone Posts: 236 Member
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    its realistic as long as you exercise 5x a week for an hour.
    ive been losing 2-3 or more per week since september.
    like i said, you need to customize your settings on here so you have 40% protein, 40% fat, 20% carbs as your diet ratio. thats the most important part. fat burns fat.
  • janetksc
    janetksc Posts: 80 Member
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    >
  • cmhudson75
    cmhudson75 Posts: 6
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    I'm just curious as to how you adjust your settings to show the % you are eating in calories, protein and fat?
  • janeite1990
    janeite1990 Posts: 694 Member
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    If you are going to bed hungry each night, you aren't eating what you need. If you burn 600 calories from exercise and don't eat them back, you aren't getting enough. What is working for me is eating clean and never going hungry. Eat lots of fruit, and if you are still hungry, have something with good fat in it. Starving won't work for long.
  • alim10
    alim10 Posts: 67 Member
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    cmhudson75 - go to my home --> goals --> change goals --> custom...you can change your % there.
  • str8bowbabe
    str8bowbabe Posts: 712 Member
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    If you are going to bed hungry each night, you aren't eating what you need. If you burn 600 calories from exercise and don't eat them back, you aren't getting enough. What is working for me is eating clean and never going hungry. Eat lots of fruit, and if you are still hungry, have something with good fat in it. Starving won't work for long.


    Thanks for this post...I was wondering if I needed to eat more because there are nights that I am going to bed hungry. I thought that was a problem but was not quite sure. Thanx again!
  • Testosterone
    Testosterone Posts: 236 Member
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    cmhudson75 - go to my home --> goals --> change goals --> custom...you can change your % there.

    :wink:
  • alim10
    alim10 Posts: 67 Member
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    So then should I truly eat all of the exercise calories back and just net to 1600? Actually, I just did calculations on a TDEE calculator site and it said that I should have net 1490 calories each day. So maybe I do eat them all back and just lower my calorie goal? This is so confusing! :)
  • ladyace2078
    ladyace2078 Posts: 460 Member
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    Based on your information your TDEE is somewhere between 2500 (moderate exercise 3-5 days a week) and 2800 (heavy exercise 6-7 days). Your BMR is 1625.

    (Not talking about net calories here, talking about food intake calories.)
    Eat a minimum of your BMR calories.
    To lose 2 lb/week you need to have a 500 calorie deficit from your TDEE. If you assume a 2500 TDEE in case you can't measure your calorie burn accurately, then you need to eat 2000 calories/day to lose 2 lbs/week.

    You probably can be safe eating somewhere between 1600 calories and 2000 calories a day and lose weight. If you are weight training you may be losing inches and not lbs.
  • freckledrats
    freckledrats Posts: 251 Member
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    Just one mathematical correction to the post above mine. 500 calories times 7 days is 3500 calories which = 1 pound, not 2.
  • suprafish
    suprafish Posts: 5
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    Yeah 500 cal/day deficit should result in a 1 lb a week. If you're having trouble staying full, try more protein and fat rich foods. One food I love is cottage cheese and man is that stuff filling. Macros are great for it and its a great snack.
  • freckledrats
    freckledrats Posts: 251 Member
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    Yeah 500 cal/day deficit should result in a 1 lb a week. If you're having trouble staying full, try more protein and fat rich foods. One food I love is cottage cheese and man is that stuff filling. Macros are great for it and its a great snack.

    OMG yes to the cottage cheese! <3<3<3

    I know not everyone loves it. Greek yogurt is a good sub if you're not a cottage cheese fan. I dunno about that though, it's so delicious to me!
  • ladyace2078
    ladyace2078 Posts: 460 Member
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    Just one mathematical correction to the post above mine. 500 calories times 7 days is 3500 calories which = 1 pound, not 2.
    Yep you're right! MY goal is 1 lb/week. Sorry for the confusion. :)
  • cmhudson75
    cmhudson75 Posts: 6
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    Thank you!!
  • alim10
    alim10 Posts: 67 Member
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    Thank you. I have totally gotten rid of regular yogurt and am doing only Greek yogurt now, which I love. Will try the cottage cheese too. I think it will be helpful for me to keep a list of healthy foods that fill me up and give me some protein, cottage cheese being one of those.

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