Why am I meant to be eating so many calories?

mcarter99

So how did you gain weight in the first place if you can't even eat as many calories as your BMR?

Don't you guys change over time? I'm not going to say "your stomach shrinks" because it doesn't but don't you get to where you're serious about losing weight so you start listening to your body again and with practice you can hear it screaming at you again, "STOP! It's too much!"

Just me? Ok. ; )

ArroganceInStep

Ok so I see where the 1700 number comes in but fat2fit does have a deficit it states:

Based on your goal weight, the following chart was generated. The chart shows the number of calories that you should eat on a daily basis to reach your goal weight. At Fat 2 Fit Radio we advocate eating like the thin, healthy person that you want to become. The calorie levels you see in the chart are not extreme, but they do create that all important caloric deficit that is required to get you to your goal weight in a safe manner. Once you reach your goal weight, you will continue eating the same number of calories for the rest of your life to maintain that weight. You'll never be on a diet again.

Based on how much activity you do on an average day, the calories in the right column will be the number of calories that you will be able to eat at your goal weight. If you start eating those calories right now (eating like the thinner you), you will eventually become that thinner person. As you get closer to your goal weight, your weight loss will start to slow down. It is OK to eat a few hundred calories less per day (200-300) to speed up your weight loss at this point."


so that is the TDEE value of her goal weight not her weight therefore it is a deficit for her.

EDIT: this chart told me I should eat 2045, and my TDEE is about 2450 so there is a cut.

I double checked and you are 100% correct. I was thinking of the generic calculator with activity factors. My apologies, my only excuse is that I'm tired and it's Monday.

Advice still stands (I think) to increase calories slowly and judge the results.

grinch031

So how did you gain weight in the first place if you can't even eat as many calories as your BMR?

Don't you guys change over time? I'm not going to say "your stomach shrinks" because it doesn't but don't you get to where you're serious about losing weight so you start listening to your body again and with practice you can hear it screaming at you again, "STOP! It's too much!"

Just me? Ok. ; )

I can eat 1500 calories in one meal, so I can't relate to your or the OP's experiences. When I eat less processed foods and lower carbs I do get more satisfied on less calories, however I could always overeat if I wanted to. I could never be *stuffed* while on a caloric deficit. Never.

ProjectTae

Ok so I see where the 1700 number comes in but fat2fit does have a deficit it states:

Based on your goal weight, the following chart was generated. The chart shows the number of calories that you should eat on a daily basis to reach your goal weight. At Fat 2 Fit Radio we advocate eating like the thin, healthy person that you want to become. The calorie levels you see in the chart are not extreme, but they do create that all important caloric deficit that is required to get you to your goal weight in a safe manner. Once you reach your goal weight, you will continue eating the same number of calories for the rest of your life to maintain that weight. You'll never be on a diet again.

Based on how much activity you do on an average day, the calories in the right column will be the number of calories that you will be able to eat at your goal weight. If you start eating those calories right now (eating like the thinner you), you will eventually become that thinner person. As you get closer to your goal weight, your weight loss will start to slow down. It is OK to eat a few hundred calories less per day (200-300) to speed up your weight loss at this point."


so that is the TDEE value of her goal weight not her weight therefore it is a deficit for her.

EDIT: this chart told me I should eat 2045, and my TDEE is about 2450 so there is a cut.

I double checked and you are 100% correct. I was thinking of the generic calculator with activity factors. My apologies, my only excuse is that I'm tired and it's Monday.

Advice still stands (I think) to increase calories slowly and judge the results.

I see what you meant and my apologies as well I misread your original post and thought that you were telling her to eat 1700 as the final goal, not as a starting point. I agree that she should start small if she's having trouble even eating at her BMR.

cordianet

You might try this site to see what it tells you for calories and see what you find:
http://www.cordianet.com/calculator.htm

I'll warn you now, the best results will be had if you know your % body fat. I know 'cause I made the calculator. Best of luck!

aliciar876

Thanks for posting this it helps

sweetpea129

No offense meant to the OP...but this type of question always baffles me.

If you have a hard time consuming more than 1200 calories and you are here because you have weight to lose, I wonder how on earth did you put weight on in the first place?

Not that I'm proud of it but I could EASILY down 1200 for breakfast.

Having said that - if you can manage on 1200 calories and the scale is still moving for you, good on ya! Everyone has a different path - if this one works for you, why does it matter what anyone else says.

No offense to you but these comments always annoy me. A lot of us have changed our diet habits. I use to be able to eat 3000 calories a day without a problem but now have a hard time going over 1500. That doesnt mean that i'm going to go drink 4 cups of pepsi, eat some doritos and get a burger king thing of fries just to add calories (like i use to eat). I eat healthier now and thats why i am full longer. Just wanted to show you the other side of that in case you were really curious.

SenshiV

According to your weight it seems your suggested calories are good, but I think they should be lower, as I guy, I got a suggestion if close to 2000, as a woman, you should need less.

On th other subject, yes, there are so many many things to add up those calories you "need to be alive", like cookies, yogurt, low fat ice cream, multigrain cereal with honey (even tea with honey)...so many things some wish we could eat without checking numbers on the label

One thing I have read many times is not eating your calories will stop you from loosing weight in some degree.

Good luck!

renwein

I'm a Health Promotion student (in my 3rd year), and I might be able to help shed some light for you. Your BMR, also sometimes interchangeable with your RMR (Basal Metabolic Rate and Resting Metabolic Rate) is the minimum amount of calories your body needs every day to just keep you alive - power your breathing, heartbeat, digestion, etc. This is the absolute minimum amount of calories you would need to eat if you did absolutely nothing but lay around in bed all day. While calculations are based on average trends in the population, RMR can be just as different from person to person as fingerprints. And generally people carrying extra weight have higher RMRs.

When you consume less calories than your RMR on a regular basis, your body isn't getting the fuel it needs to not only run its involuntary functions, but support all your other daily activity as well (exercise, bathing and grooming, driving - all burn additional calories above your RMR). You may feel tired all day and become fatigued quickly during exercise. Your body then can kick into survival mode, where it starts to desperately hang on to fat stores to maintain energy reserves in anticipation of a period of extended starvation. For someone trying to lose weight, this can mean that the scale just stops moving even though you're practicing otherwise healthy behaviors.

As odd as it sounds, it's best to find that sweet spot somewhere between your RMR and the amount of calories you would need to consume to maintain your current weight (so you're meeting your body's minimum energy needs while still creating a calorie deficit to promote weight loss). It is strange to think that you may have to eat more to lose weight, but when you give your body what it needs, it responds in kind. And as people lose weight, their RMR usually shrinks as well. If you have health insurance with nutritionist benefits, or you don't mind paying a little out of pocket if you don't, you can have your RMR formally tested to find out your true target number as a baseline starting point. I did, and it was eye-opening for me. And in terms of what you eat, think quality, not quantity. Look for healthy, calorie-dense foods that can help supply those extra calories without necessarily increasing the volume of food that you eat. Nuts are a good example.

I was in your shoes eight months ago, and it wasn't until I started eating more that my body started cooperating and letting go of the pounds again. It's been an experiment with me as my own guinea pig - building up slowly to the calorie levels that I needed to be at and then slowing adjusting back down as the weight comes off. It takes a little patience and time, but it can happen.

Good luck!

Sk8rG

No offense meant to the OP...but this type of question always baffles me.

If you have a hard time consuming more than 1200 calories and you are here because you have weight to lose, I wonder how on earth did you put weight on in the first place?

Not that I'm proud of it but I could EASILY down 1200 for breakfast.

Having said that - if you can manage on 1200 calories and the scale is still moving for you, good on ya! Everyone has a different path - if this one works for you, why does it matter what anyone else says.

No offense to you but these comments always annoy me. A lot of us have changed our diet habits. I use to be able to eat 3000 calories a day without a problem but now have a hard time going over 1500. That doesnt mean that i'm going to go drink 4 cups of pepsi, eat some doritos and get a burger king thing of fries just to add calories (like i use to eat). I eat healthier now and thats why i am full longer. Just wanted to show you the other side of that in case you were really curious.

Absolutely many of us have a new lifestyle. Mine includes the occassional high caloric treat (though BK annd pepsi would definitely NOT be my choice) but I agree with an earlier poster - never could I be stuffed or even full in a caloric deficit. Satisfied, yes. Full, no.

I acknowledged in my original post that if it works for you, congratulations.