Am I eating enough a day?

aforange

Basically I started on this site 3 days ago, though have been eating nice and healthy - salads, 8 glasses a water a day, lots of exercise for about a week or so now. I know it doesn't seem like long at all but I've started, and that's what counts, and I'm really getting my *kitten* into gear.

I'm 193 lbs, 5'9" and want to be losing about 2 pounds a week.

Am I eating enough a day? Because I never meet my calorie goals. I wanna know if this is going to be adversely affecting my potential weight loss or not and dependent on what answer, how I can / should fix it!

My diary is open anyways, thank you for your time to lecture a silly newbie!

FrugalMomsRock75

Short answer: no.

Go here and figure where you should be with a -20% deficit: http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ I put in your info with the moderate in the exercise section, and it says 2142. If you are actually 18? Of course, this includes exercise in the equation already; mfp does not, and that's why it adds it.

2hobbit1

Hi,
There is a lot to learn and read on this site as a newbie - the best link I have found is Dan's roadmap -

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/717565-in-place-of-a-road-map

Check out the link - it will help you get set up for a safe and healthy pace of weight loss. You need to eat more than you BMR and less than you TDEE - the info is in the link.

If you have trouble figuring it out PM me and I'll help.

jothekid

It's alright to be under your daily calorie goal but not by too much cause then your body will start burning muscles to compensate for the lack of calories! Anyways, hope this help & best of luck!

yallcallmedeb

You will probably get more answers if you tell us what you have your calories set at and what you average daily calorie burn through exercise is. I see from your profile that you are an 18 year old female.

AmyFett

It looks decent enough to me, calories-wise anyway. I didn't really look at the foods. I would try my best to make goal every day, either like 100 under/over max.

beckydamico

MyFitnessPal yells at me when I don't eat at least 1200 calories a day- regardless of whether I exercise. So I'd say that as long as you aren't getting that warning when you submit your daily journal that you should be fine. As long as you feel like you're eating enough

katevarner

Agree with everyone else. You aren't eating nearly enough, but it's because your numbers are wrong. Go to fitnessfrog.com or some other site (google TDEE) and figure your daily expenditure. Then go about 1000 under that to lose fast, but keep in mind that you never want to be below 1200 and you may need to start closer to 500 a day under and then eat less if it's too slow. You are young, so shouldn't be too hard to lose if you are careful unless there is an underlying health problem. Good luck!

babymine55

It's very hard to give an accurate answer, given that it's only been a few days...but, what I can tell you is, I had my calories originally set to 1200 (I'm 5'6", currently weigh 207). I work out 3x's a week, and I was diligently staying within my calorie range-and hadn't lost ONE POUND in almost three months!! Less than two weeks ago, I upped my caloric intake by 200, and voila-lost THREE POUNDS!!

As I said before, you're just starting out, you'll have to do some tweaking as you go...just don't give up!!

Best wishes to you!!

tmauck4472

Seriously? Are you full or hungry? If your full then your eating enough, if your hungry then eat some more. I say your eating enough. Don't listen to all the BS about your body eating your muscles, won't happen until your body fat gets below a certain percentage so your okay there. As long as you got fat to burn your not going to eat away at those muscles.

YOU have to decide for YOU if your happy with your calorie intake and how much weight your losing a week. I'd wait a bit longer before increasing your intake until you see what your loss is going to be like.

aforange

First of all, thanks so much for the responses!

I'm 18 years old, yes, just turned. My TDEE is 2678 calories a day and my daily calorie goal is 1320 calories.

I don't want my muscles to start eating themselves or anything, I just want to lose the weight but understand eating too little can be negative towards that, but at the same time I don't want to eat too much because that's also bad.

I don't feel starving or hungry at the moment, my stomach isn't howling for something to be put in it (which is usually my problem at the end of the day when I'm a few calories down - I can't eat them because I don't feel hungry / like I need to).

I've got my weigh-in on Friday so I'll see if I've lost anything then, then I'll have to adjust things to fit me. Otherwise yes, I'm just worrying. I wanna get this nailed the right way so I can continue on doing it because I really do feel great lately just from eating better and not putting junk into my body.

(Also thank you for the road map, it was super helpful!)

2hobbit1

My TDEE is 2678 calories a day and my daily calorie goal is 1320 calories.

If you TDEE is 2678 a 20% cut from you TDEE is 2142 - you need it increase your intake goal to above your BMR at a minimum. Use the raodmap to find that number and get above it. use you measurements to find you body fat % so the calculation reflects your lean body mass. You can increase you intake by 100-200 a week till you get above your BMR and up to the 20% range. 1300 is almost a 50% cut - even if you were obese the recommendation is only for a 30% decrease in calories. With your activity level you have the potential to be causing long term harm to you growing body. You need those calories and nutrition to build the bones and body you will be using for the next 60 years. Don't cheat your future self......

If you know you activity schedule build your extra calories in your meals as you go a long. You can add more meat to your portions, have good fats - olive oil in your dressing, nuts and nut butters, fuller fat dairy - there are plenty of ways to get more calories for less volume of food.

carebearhere

I reckon you're going alrite looking at your diary, as long as you don't drop below 1200 calories, you'll be right. But don't be afraid to eat when you're hungry, and if you're possibly going to be eating back exercise calories, make sure your fitness level is set to sedentary, or else it will be calculated into your calorie goal. Keep at it, you're going great

geekyjock76

I'm 18 years old, yes, just turned. My TDEE is 2678 calories a day and my daily calorie goal is 1320 calories.

I don't want my muscles to start eating themselves or anything, I just want to lose the weight but understand eating too little can be negative towards that, but at the same time I don't want to eat too much because that's also bad.

I don't feel starving or hungry at the moment, my stomach isn't howling for something to be put in it (which is usually my problem at the end of the day when I'm a few calories down - I can't eat them because I don't feel hungry / like I need to).

I've got my weigh-in on Friday so I'll see if I've lost anything then, then I'll have to adjust things to fit me. Otherwise yes, I'm just worrying. I wanna get this nailed the right way so I can continue on doing it because I really do feel great lately just from eating better and not putting junk into my body.

(Also thank you for the road map, it was super helpful!)

Assuming 2678 is actually within your true maintenance range, then netting below that will not lead to weight gain unless you have a medical issue which causes it to happen such as hypothyroidism or insulin sensitivity. Take the advice of everyone and assume a sum deficit of 20% to 25% max and establish it however you wish. It is, however, preferred if calories less from eating makes up the bulk of the deficit if you are engaging in exercise. If you do not exercise, then simply reduce calories eaten by 535. If you do exercise, eat 300 to 400 less and exercise calories will be the remainder.

clobercow

Basically I started on this site 3 days ago, though have been eating nice and healthy - salads, 8 glasses a water a day, lots of exercise for about a week or so now. I know it doesn't seem like long at all but I've started, and that's what counts, and I'm really getting my *kitten* into gear.

I'm 193 lbs, 5'9" and want to be losing about 2 pounds a week.

Am I eating enough a day? Because I never meet my calorie goals. I wanna know if this is going to be adversely affecting my potential weight loss or not and dependent on what answer, how I can / should fix it!

My diary is open anyways, thank you for your time to lecture a silly newbie!

Most of what is said on here is complete bull****. Everyone is different and you have to decide on what is right for you. Some weeks I can eat very little, and some weeks I need to eat more. I let my body tell me what I need to do and I'm generally successful. Weight loss doesn't need to be fast or slow, It just needs to be what you make of it. So if you're hungry, eat more. If not, then fine. However, a good point I would like to make is to ensure you're getting enough protein and fat to help stave off hunger and keep mood good. That's what I do and I'm having great results.