can someone give me advice on calorie intake?

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lilteeraw
lilteeraw Posts: 261
in Health and Weight Loss
Okay so about 7 months ago I started eating healthy and was aiming for 1200 calories a day. I was 140lbs and now I'm about 112 lbs
I bumped my intake to 1300 calories a day now. I'm 5'3 almost 5'4 and I'm 18. I exercise way more now and usually burn 600 calories a day. I don't plan on losing any more weight but I do want to tone and lose fat. If I eat 1300 and lose 600 through exercise I would NET 700 Cal's right? Is this too little? I need to know if I should eat more. But I do not want to gain. I'm scared of gaining but I also want to speed my metabolism up. How much should I be eating?! Help

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  • es2189
    es2189 Posts: 142 Member
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    Yes, this is significantly too few calories to be eating. You shouldn't eat less than 1200 net calories, and it's possible your body needs more than that. Since you don't need to lose more weight, you should be eating at maintenance, which is probably around 2000 or so, including exercise.
  • xsmilexforxmex
    xsmilexforxmex Posts: 1,216 Member
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    You should net at least your BMR because that is what is required to maintain your vital organ functions.. chances are that is well over 700 for you. If you go to http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/ you can use the military calculator then the BMR calculator and it will actually give you calorie consumption goals based on activity levels.
  • Klem4
    Klem4 Posts: 399 Member
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    You are eating too little. If you are at 1300, and burn 600, you need to eat those 600 back. so you'd have 1900 total. If you eat little for too long you could seriously mess up your metabolism, and that isn't something you want to do at 18, when you probably already have a decent one. If you want to lose fat, you need to eat and lift weights.
  • chrisc16
    chrisc16 Posts: 94
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    You can always do it the ol' fashioned way (b4 'puters)';

    1. Set a calorie limit for 1 week - eat that (don't bother with exercise calories).
    2. Weigh after 1 week.
    3. Weight down: up your next week calorie goal, weight up: decrease your next week calorie goal.
    4. Repeat step 3 till your weight stabilizes.

    Congratulations! You've just figured out YOUR maintenance level.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    If you do not want to lose any more weight, you need to figure out what your TDEE is. Total Daily Energy Expenditure, also known as "maintenance" calories because it is the number where you won't gain or lose. At your age and activity level, I would guess it to be 2,000 cals at least. But find a calculator and get your results.
  • MemphisKitten
    MemphisKitten Posts: 878 Member
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    I think you should eat more, but focus on adding in fruits, veges, protein, and healthy fats. Don't worry so much about the Net calorie count, just find what works for your body. It's a trial and error thing, and it took me about a year to figure out where my losing range, maintenance range, and gaining range were. I have also found that it is so much more about the TYPE of food you eat instead of the calorie count.
  • the_green_midget
    the_green_midget Posts: 80 Member
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    Yes, that's too little. According to the BMR calculator on fat2fitradio.com (check out some of their calculators, lots of useful info), your basal metabolic rate is 1358. That's the minimum number of calories you'd need to maintain your current weight if you were in a coma. If you're completely sedentary, then you'd need to be eating 1630 calories a day to maintain your weight, but if you're doing 600 calories of exercise on top of that, you'd want to be eating 2230 calories per day to maintain your weight. Putting your MFP calorie goals to "maintenance" with the appropriate activity level should give you a similar number.

    In order to look toned, you should be doing heavy lifting (this is something I need to start myself). To read an amazing story about what weight-lifting can do to your body (and to see the calories you need to eat to maintain that muscle), check out this article: http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

    Hope this helps!
  • Sincere24
    Sincere24 Posts: 126 Member
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    You can always do it the ol' fashioned way (b4 'puters)';

    1. Set a calorie limit for 1 week - eat that (don't bother with exercise calories).
    2. Weigh after 1 week.
    3. Weight down: up your next week calorie goal, weight up: decrease your next week calorie goal.
    4. Repeat step 3 till your weight stabilizes.

    Congratulations! You've just figured out YOUR maintenance level.

    ^ This it'll take sometime. Also i might have to add that since your 18 your calorie requirements might be a bit higher than what might be suggested on online calculatores. You did yourself a deservice ( no offence) by eating 1200 when losing weight, should've stuck to 1600 or so.

    Well that's in the past, but increasing your calorie intake by 100 every week and assessing your weight after each given week will help you determine your maintenance calories. However if you do see any gain, do remember its water weight, as your body simply readjusting to consuming and breaking down more food then ususal. It really does take more than a month to get a real sense of what your calorie range is.

    TIP: it would be great for your sanity if you gave yourself a range, weight wise that will help you during maintenance phase. I suppose a 5 +/- range would be good. The body natural fluctuates.

    Good luck!
  • lilteeraw
    lilteeraw Posts: 261
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    Thank you so much for all your answers. Not sure I could actually eat more than 1600 calories a day but I'll eat more foods like avocados and yams which contain lots of healthy calories! I just really hope I don't gain
    .. I've been so used to eating so little that its weird to eat more.. but I'll try my hardest!
  • beccaxswitzer
    beccaxswitzer Posts: 7
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    If you want to maintain, your net should equal your basal metabolic rate (BMR), meaning if your body burns 1400 calories on its own just by existing/being alive, then you would want to net 1400 to maintain. So if you are happy with your current weight and don't necessarily need to lose any more pounds, then focus on proper food choices (increase your protein, eat vegetables & fruits, limit dairy, simple carbs, and red meat) and stay within your net calorie allowance. At this point just keep up your regular exercise routine and continue to make healthy eating choices!
  • beccaxswitzer
    beccaxswitzer Posts: 7
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    Use this calculator to figure out your guidelines:

    http://www.webmd.com/diet/healthtool-metabolism-calculator

    :)
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    If you want to maintain, your net should equal your basal metabolic rate (BMR), meaning if your body burns 1400 calories on its own just by existing/being alive, then you would want to net 1400 to maintain. So if you are happy with your current weight and don't necessarily need to lose any more pounds, then focus on proper food choices (increase your protein, eat vegetables & fruits, limit dairy, simple carbs, and red meat) and stay within your net calorie allowance. At this point just keep up your regular exercise routine and continue to make healthy eating choices!

    Uhm, no. BMR means basal metabolic rate. That is enough just for your basic bodily functions if you were in a coma and not moving. TDEE means total daily energy expenditure. This is your BMR plus all the calories you need for moving around and doing things since you are not comatose. That is the number that is your maintenance calories, it is the amount you need to fuel all of your activities. Eat more than that and you gain, eat less than that and you lose.
  • beccaxswitzer
    beccaxswitzer Posts: 7
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    "Moving around and living" does not burn hundreds upon hundreds of additional calories. A person with a BMR of 1400 who does not exercise daily but still walks around doing normal daily activities might burn more like 1600 calories, but it is a huge misconception that women require "2000 calories"+.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    "Moving around and living" does not burn hundreds upon hundreds of additional calories. A person with a BMR of 1400 who does not exercise daily but still walks around doing normal daily activities might burn more like 1600 calories, but it is a huge misconception that women require "2000 calories"+.

    My BMR is around 1400 and my sedentary TDEE is 1900. I have an office job and sit most of the day. I eat 1700 to lose weight.

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