What the H3LL am I supposed to eat to meet 2500 cals?

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13

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  • Erica27511
    Erica27511 Posts: 490 Member
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    Take a look at my diary (it's public) I eat 2300 a day, and this isn't a problem for me! I could easily go over (yesterday I had 3000!)

    DROOL!
  • m16shane
    m16shane Posts: 393 Member
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    HOW ARE YOU GETTING 2500 CALORIES A DAY??? From your stats listed you should only eat 1640 calories. Plus some for what you exercise.

    she is factoring in activity.

    I eat 2400-2600 calories a day. my dairy is open. it isn't always pretty but I do well.

    If you workout 3x a week for 60 minutes you burn roughly 2400 calories a week. Divide that by 7 equals 342 extra calories a day. 1640+342=1982. Not 2500. I'm not trying to be th bad guy but the figures don't add up. I say if your eating around 1700-1900 calories and are losing weight than you are on track and not to mess with it!
  • Erica27511
    Erica27511 Posts: 490 Member
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    You could also come on over to my house... my daughter's graduation party was this last weekend and I've got leftover meatballs, taco dip, cheese, cupcakes, cheesecake, macaroons, angelfood cake, rice krispie bars (we did appetizers & desserts, including a chocolate fountain). I really hate to throw this stuff away because it cost so darn much, but it's really a stumbling block for me this week. :(

    You had me at chocolate! On my way :laugh:
  • tmauck4472
    tmauck4472 Posts: 1,785 Member
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    At 301lbs my nutritionist put me at 1500 cals and to only eat some of my exercise calories back if i am hungry. Ive lost 59lbs doing that and they are happy for me to continue at that. I burn of an average of 700 - 1000 cals per day on exercise and im told to only eat back what im hungry for in healthy foods. Id say what your eating is fine. Ive reversed my high blood pressure, high heart rate and type 2 diabetes doing this. They said i may need to eat more when close to goal, but not for a long while yet! 3 dietitians in total have given me the same advice. Keep on going! Sounds like your doing great! X


    Love this information.....LOVE LOVE LOVE it
  • Qarol
    Qarol Posts: 6,171 Member
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    eat ALL the meat! drink ALL the wine!
  • Erica27511
    Erica27511 Posts: 490 Member
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    HOW ARE YOU GETTING 2500 CALORIES A DAY??? From your stats listed you should only eat 1640 calories. Plus some for what you exercise.

    she is factoring in activity.

    I eat 2400-2600 calories a day. my dairy is open. it isn't always pretty but I do well.

    If you workout 3x a week for 60 minutes you burn roughly 2400 calories a week. Divide that by 7 equals 342 extra calories a day. 1640+342=1982. Not 2500. I'm not trying to be th bad guy but the figures don't add up. I say if your eating around 1700-1900 calories and are losing weight than you are on track and not to mess with it!

    http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm
    A fellow MFP'r posted this in reference to zig zagging... my amount came from this
  • JDMPWR
    JDMPWR Posts: 1,863 Member
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    food?
  • staceyseeger
    staceyseeger Posts: 783 Member
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    The only thing I have worried about in my program was calories!

    Me, too!
  • Brandicaloriecountess
    Brandicaloriecountess Posts: 2,126 Member
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    Enjoy it, you can add stuff that others cut out! It can be a bit much food but I would say add things like nuts, nut butters, avocado, greek yogurt, and other good for you calorie dense foods.
  • aproc
    aproc Posts: 1,033 Member
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    I ve no problem at all hitting 2500 or more. Just add more meals throughout the day and add more nutrient/calorie dense stuff like avocados, peanutbutter, etc. Cottage cheese, homemade protein breads, sweet potatoes, oats, and peanutbutter are my go to's for more calories.
  • m16shane
    m16shane Posts: 393 Member
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    HOW ARE YOU GETTING 2500 CALORIES A DAY??? From your stats listed you should only eat 1640 calories. Plus some for what you exercise.

    she is factoring in activity.

    I eat 2400-2600 calories a day. my dairy is open. it isn't always pretty but I do well.

    If you workout 3x a week for 60 minutes you burn roughly 2400 calories a week. Divide that by 7 equals 342 extra calories a day. 1640+342=1982. Not 2500. I'm not trying to be th bad guy but the figures don't add up. I say if your eating around 1700-1900 calories and are losing weight than you are on track and not to mess with it!

    http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm
    A fellow MFP'r posted this in reference to zig zagging... my amount came from this


    I don't know the accuracy of that site, it seems an unusual amount of calories for me also . MFP has been very accurate for calorie intake for me and many others. I say you are doing great and not to change you eating habits!
  • buzzcogs
    buzzcogs Posts: 296 Member
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    Stay at 1700-1800 a day if you are feeling healthy and strong with that. I'm completely against "forcing" oneself to eat more when one isn't hungry. I think that is the whole reason many of us gain weight in the first place..we eat when we aren't hungry and we are terrified of hunger pangs.
    Of course this advice is off the table for people who are anorexic but for the rest of us who need to lose or maintain. Don't eat just because you feel you have too!
  • Erica27511
    Erica27511 Posts: 490 Member
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    I ve no problem at all hitting 2500 or more. Just add more meals throughout the day and add more nutrient/calorie dense stuff like avocados, peanutbutter, etc. Cottage cheese, homemade protein breads, sweet potatoes, oats, and peanutbutter are my go to's for more calories.

    GREAT suggestions... I am writing all these down.... thanks all!
  • ber3023
    ber3023 Posts: 146 Member
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    Just my experience, so no one needs to correct me lol
    I started at 286lbs and had my goals set to lose 2lbs per week. I believe back then it gave me about 1600 cals but I rarely ate over about 1300, but would give myself a cheat meal on the weekends that I'm sure would go over that. Back then I just always kept in mind I shouldn't be eating under 1200 cals a day. Since then I have learned about eating more. But in my honest opinion and yes I said opinion, I think this is about a lifestyle change, not a diet. Most people say if you don't intend to eat 1200 a day the rest of your life, or eat low carb the rest of your life, then don't do it. So I say if you feel eating about 1700 cals a day is whats gonna be norm for you for possibly the rest of your life and you don't feel deprived or starved, then that's just your way of doing it. Everyone is different, no matter what studies show about the majority, everyone is different. Do what's gonna work for you, for a healthier you, for the rest of your life. My proof is that my way seems to have worked for me.
  • ae2rigc
    ae2rigc Posts: 37
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    I would try to lose at least 2 lbs/week and let my appetite be my guide (for minimums), not some web sites. You are absolutely at no risk of starving OR of damaging your metabolism. The risk for you is in not losing weight. Ignore all the 'eat to lose' baloney floating around here. I doubt even the most conservative doctor would recommend you limit your losses to 1 lb./week. If he did, I'd get another doctor.

    OP - don't pay too much attention to this ^^^

    I'm 320lbs, 6ft, 43%BF.
    I started MFP earlier in the year, taking the value given and was targeting 2040, had some good (in my eyes) losses.
    I've seen two separate doctors in the past month, one my regular doc, one as part of a 3 hour health assessment for work.

    BOTH doctors advised against 2000 and BOTH doctors suggested 2500 to 2700 as part of a lifestyle change to provide a sustainable loss of NO MORE than 2lbs/week. Revising as the weight drops.

    Since the appointments, I've joined the EM2WL group on here and have been attempting to eat clean(er!!) with macros at 50% carb, 30% protein and 20% fat (as instructed by docs).

    I have lost a little but also feel the best I've felt in about 15 years, lethargy is gone, building more exercise in, and giving my body the fuel it needs to operate (as instructed by docs).

    If you've been on the calc sites, you'll have a BMR and TDE, I never go under BMR (as instructed by docs) and am on about 15% cut of TDEE (as instructed by docs).

    You spotting the theme yet...? ;)

    So take a look at the EM2WL group, don't be too stuck on the numbers (you'll need to tune to find what works for YOU) and good luck in your journey...!
  • dwightdegroff
    dwightdegroff Posts: 97 Member
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    Maybe since I have had success losing the 16lbs, stop beating a dead horse and keep doing what I am doing??

    I think you've got your answer right there, right? If what you're doing is working, don't stop. :)
  • honeysprinkles
    honeysprinkles Posts: 1,757 Member
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    At 300lbs, I think it's safer to lose more weight each week. You could definitely aim for 2lbs a week loss and expect to lose even more most likely. You're not going to starve on 17-1800 calories!
  • mcarter99
    mcarter99 Posts: 1,666 Member
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    I promise I don't mean this at all rude - honest question - why are you only trying to lose 1 lb per week? You should be able to safely set your MFP profile for 2 lbs per week as you have a decent amount to lose. I started out at 165 lbs and I was able to successfully lose 2 lbs per week with MFP's guidelines - and that put me at only 1200 calories since I was 165 lbs. If you set yours to 2 lbs per week it should tell you to eat 2087 calories per day. Then if you're a little under that some days (in your 1700-1800 range) fine, and if you're slightly over it on some days fine too, it should all balance out.

    It *is* a good idea to knock down the rate of weightloss when you get closer to your goal. Like when you have something like 15-20 lbs left to lose. Also consider how you have set your activity level. Your activity level on MFP should include your regular daily activities and your job, but not you extra exercise. You should be logging the workouts as you do them and on those days you get the slightly higher calorie goal to account for your workouts.

    I dont think your being rude - no worries :wink:
    I went with 1lb a week as a base, but like i said I never meet the calories they say I should - I have lost 16 lbs in a month and 2 weeks by eating 1700-1800/wk.

    I just put in 2 lbs a week and it dropped it to 2126 a day.

    What spawned this thread was another thread I read about eat more weigh less or something like that and they encourage you to eat all your calories.

    Maybe since I have had success losing the 16lbs, stop beating a dead horse and keep doing what I am doing??

    If you've lost 16 lbs. in 6 weeks eating around 1750/day, that implies you're burning around 3000/day, which does imply you'd lose a lb. a week at 2500.

    You have what... 140 lbs. to lose to be at a healthy BMI? Why do you think a pound a week is a healthy rate? You will have to do this for almost 3 years. Do you have that patience? Why not just keep doing the 2.6/week you've been doing and you can be healthy in a year? Or follow conservative wisdom and aim for 2 lbs/week max and be there in 2013 still.
  • Erica27511
    Erica27511 Posts: 490 Member
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    That is exactly what I plan on doing after evaluating all the comments, because you are SPOT ON! I have Zero patience. Thanks again! :bigsmile:
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
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    Here is a great guideline for setting weekly weight loss goals:
    If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal,
    If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal,
    If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal,
    If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal, and
    If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal.

    Keep this somewhere so you can adjust your goals as you lose.

    The other rule of thumb I've heard a lot around here is to not eat less than your BMR - which makes sense as that's the amount of calories your body needs for basic survival.

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