Newbie here with question about calories

MaxineMarieM

I have been reading some of the post and it seems like post people are eating 1200 calories a day so they can lose 2 lbs a week. When I filled out all my information and did the recommended losing 1 lb a week it came out to be 1400 each day for me. I am concerned this maybe too many calories and I will not even lose 1 lb a week. Have any of you changed the suggested calorie amount MFP gave you because you just did not lose?

Thanks

bradwwood

it has to do with gender, age, lifestyle, etc. So, it is always going to vary from one person to the next.

Change your goal to 2lbs per week and see how the calorie number changes.

My experience is if you follow the suggestions these sites make (they all pretty much use the same formula), and be completely honest with yourself, you will lose weight. Most of us have spent a lifetime making bad choices for ourselves, so, put your trust in the tools for a while and see what happens.

valcladdagh

Hi, it all depends on how much you weigh, how much you move in a day and so on. When I started I could eat over 1800 cal a day and still lost an average of over 2 lbs for the first month or two. 30 lbs down and 3 months in I can still eat almost 1700 a day and still lose about a pound a week, so try what the site says and see how it goes for you. You may be pleasantly surprised at how easy it is when you log faithfully and stick to a plan. Good luck! If you would like a friend please feel free to add me.

shovav91

In my opinion, even 1400 is very few calories. Try looking up your TDEE (some sites provide a calculator), and this will help you understand a little bit about how many calories your body burns between normal daily functions and physical activity. Every body is different and nothing is set in stone. Metabolism and genetics also play a big part; in my case I maintain on about 1800 calories a day, or even around 2300 if I exercise a bit. Play around with it and you will learn more about your body in time. Be patient, and don't starve yourself. Don't do anything today that you couldn't comfortably maintain for the rest of your life.