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PLEASE HELP!!

Hello everyone! I weigh 153 pounds and I am 5'9. My average daily calorie need is 2408 and my BMR is 1554 calories. So i was wondering how many calories do I need to eat a day to loose 2--3 pounds a week? I exercise 5-6 times a week. I have been on a 1200 calorie diet for almost 2 months and I have not lost any weight at all. Please help me out I'm stuck! Thanks!

Replies

  • kristen6022
    kristen6022 Posts: 1,923 Member
    If you are 153 and 5'9, you won't be able to lose 2-3 pounds a week. You aren't eating enough for one, which is why in 2 months you've lost no weight. Two, we'd need to know how much you want to lose (I'd say maybe 10-15 is an acceptable goal at the most). You are literally starving yourself and lowering your metabolism.

    Set your ticker to lose .5lbs a week (1 max) and eat those calories, plus your exercise calories. This isn't a race, it's for the rest of the your life.
  • I am trying to loose 10 pounds! So i need to eat 2408 calories a day? Seems like an awful lot. But thank you for your input!
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
    Honestly, 2-3 lbs of fat a week is not a healthy or realistic rate of loss for you. I would aim to lose half a pound a week. I presume it's mostly fat you're wanting to lose, and not muscle? If you have too large of a calorie deficit (which you would to lose 2-3 lbs a week) then you risk losing too much muscle. Everyone loses some lean mass as they lose weight, but you can minimise that by having a small calorie deficit.

    People who are very obese and have large fat stores can manage with a larger calorie deficit, but not people who are already well within the healthy weight range for their height - which you are.
  • kristen6022
    kristen6022 Posts: 1,923 Member
    No, you don't need to eat 2408 calories a day. How many calories does MFP give you if you set your ticker to lose .5 lbs a week? You CAN'T lose 10 pounds at your weight with too much of a deficient. It won't come off, you'll be spinning your wheels and you'll get tired and run down.

    If you want to go by TDEE and BMR, eat 500 calories under your TDEE, so 1908 for 1lb a week and DON'T eat back your exercise calories (BTW, I'm thinking your TDEE is a high calculation, I'm 5'11 and 147 and mine is 1850 without exercise - run your numbers again using a sedentary calculation.
  • missashley884
    missashley884 Posts: 188 Member
    Id say youd probably be eating around 2000 a day. also it depends on how much you burn when you workout. its calories in vs calories out
  • MFP tells me to eat 1580 calories to loose 1 pound a week
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
    MFP tells me to eat 1580 calories to loose 1 pound a week
    What does it tell you to eat to lose 0.5 lbs a week?
  • 1830. Do you think I should follow this? Sorry about all the questions, I am very new to this and I am still learning.
  • If you are 153 and 5'9, you won't be able to lose 2-3 pounds a week. You aren't eating enough for one, which is why in 2 months you've lost no weight. Two, we'd need to know how much you want to lose (I'd say maybe 10-15 is an acceptable goal at the most). You are literally starving yourself and lowering your metabolism.

    Set your ticker to lose .5lbs a week (1 max) and eat those calories, plus your exercise calories. This isn't a race, it's for the rest of the your life.

    AWESOME REPLY!
  • and if I eat 1830 a day should I eat back my exercise calories?
  • hteapot
    hteapot Posts: 29 Member
    Yes, eat back your exercise cals.