Have I set the right calorie goal? Need a bit of help!

jenbenefit

Hello

I'm 5'9, currently 181 pounds, my BMR is 1480 and my TDEE is 2750 (due to my job)

I tried the ridiculous 1200 calorie and had an epic fail, upped it to 1500-1600 and still felt hungry in the evenings after a long day at work.

So now it's at 1750 - Does this sound about right? Between the BMR and the TDEE? I didn't want to go to low, starve myself and lose muscle, but i didn't want to go too high as it defeats the point of trying to lose weight!

Any advice would be really appreciated, thanks in advance!

sandradev1

Congratulations on realising that very low calories does not equal healthy weight loss.

Below are two links, one is to the Road Map which will give you the ideal amount of calories to eat to give a sensible deficit and the other is a spreadsheet that you can just input your data and it will also calculate the figures for you. The are both very helpful tools and I hope they help:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Amt7QBR9-c6MdGVTbGswLUUzUHNVVUlNSW9wZWloeUE

Usually people are advised to take a 20% deficit from the TDEE as a maximum which would mean 2200 calories for you making 1750 quite steep, although this is above your BMR. I have been told that a steeper deficit can work if you are lifting heavy 3 x a week, which will retain your muscle and so maybe worth considering.

jenbenefit

Congratulations on realising that very low calories does not equal healthy weight loss.

Below are two links, one is to the Road Map which will give you the ideal amount of calories to eat to give a sensible deficit and the other is a spreadsheet that you can just input your data and it will also calculate the figures for you. The are both very helpful tools and I hope they help:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Amt7QBR9-c6MdGVTbGswLUUzUHNVVUlNSW9wZWloeUE

Usually people are advised to take a 20% deficit from the TDEE as a maximum which would mean 2200 calories for you making 1750 quite steep, although this is above your BMR. I have been told that a steeper deficit can work if you are lifting heavy 3 x a week, which will retain your muscle and so maybe worth considering.

Thanks very much for posting these, took a while to read through but really useful and informative!

sandradev1

There is a group on MFP called In Place of A Road Map. There are lots of posts, questions and answers that you may find useful.

Firefox7275

If you cut too many calories off your TDEE you won't get enough nutrients for health repair and recovery. Any exercise routine or highly active job substantially increases your needs for ALL nutrients not just calories.

sandradev1

If you cut too many calories off your TDEE you won't get enough nutrients for health repair and recovery. Any exercise routine or highly active job substantially increases your needs for ALL nutrients not just calories.

Totally agree ^^^^^ When I referred to steeper deficit when lifting, I meant to say *slightly* steeper, not as low as 1750 if your TDEE is correct.

jenbenefit

If you cut too many calories off your TDEE you won't get enough nutrients for health repair and recovery. Any exercise routine or highly active job substantially increases your needs for ALL nutrients not just calories.

Ahh okay thanks for your advice. I'm currently working in a nursery and doing the 30 day shred 5 days a week. I think I'm in the typical newbie mindset of "you must stop eating to lose weight" and trying to get my head around the fact there is more to it, so I can make an informed and healthy decision! Also taking multivitamins with iron on the doctors recommendation to make sure I get the vitamins and minerals. In my head anything over 2000 calories seems like such a lot to be eating daily but I guess I need to remember my lifestyle, maybe eat less at weekends when I'm not on my feet all day?

allie491

Sounds just about right to me. I am 5'9 and started at right around the same starting weight as you. My ideal calorie range seems to be between 1500 and 1600, but I am not as active as you are, so 1750 should be just about right, good luck!

I made the same mistake at the beginning of eating 1000-1200 cals, and I was starving!!! plus I just stopped losing weight after a quick weight loss of 7lbs....so starvation mode is real to me