How many cals to maintain?

cyberblonde

hiya,

I was on a 1200 cal diet for 3 mths and lost 15 lbs my goal (eating back any cals from exercise). I upped my cals to 1440 a month ago as I did not want to add too many in one go and I have lost a further 1lbs in one month. So today I have upped to 1550 cals per day. I am a bit disappointed that my maintenance calories are so low - any thoughts?

I am 5 feet 9 and currently weigh 131lbs, this fluctuates by about 2 to 3 lbs up and down each week, this weight is my lower end. BMI is 19.4 or somewhere around that. BF I think between 23 and 24%.

Thanks

kas7670

The calorie intake is based on your activity as well as how much you want to loose/gain a week. Go into MY HOME and then GOALS to edit or see them. If your activity level says you sit at a desk all day its not going to allow more calorie intake even if you've lost your weight goal.

cyberblonde

I am not using the system to tell me how many cals to eat, I am basing it on current weight loss at each level of calories and making my own judgement. Fitness pal tells me to eat 1660 to maintain. That might be where I end up, but I am gradually building up to it.

acogg

I am a bit disappointed that my maintenance calories are so low - any thoughts?

Aren't we all, lol. I'm pretty sure that is why we all needed to come here. I moved my "Goal" from weight loss to maintenance and MFP gave me 1650 daily cals, I weigh 133.

Edited to add that this cal number is before any exercise.

cyberblonde

This is also the problem of having a desk job. So much for the average person should eat 2000 cals per day. Most of us have desk jobs so eating 2000 cals without exercise = putting on weight.