how many calories for 50yr women - to lose weight?

I'd love to see your food diary to see what you're eating.....not all calories are created equal.

also, if you asked this question on the women ages 50+ thread, you'd get lots of great suggestions

MFP frequently overestimates calorie burn, so try eating back half of your exercise calories. I wouldn't drop below 1200 to make sure you can get your nutrients in. You have relatively little to lose, so it's going to go slower.

get your answers with the formula here:

http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/

you should most definitely NOT be reducing your calories; that is the fast track to failure and getting fatter.

45 years old, 5'4, 135-ish lbs., 2000-ish calories per day.

Hi Sha4sure,

Nice to meet you, I have a lot more to loose than you, but the only observation I would make is; where did you get the 1200 cal daily target and why did you "up" it to 1400? I am loosing steadily and am doing so by entering all the details required and then keeping under the limit that MFP set me. Simples!

One thing I can feel from your writing, is that you seem to be in a hurry to be in a hurry to lose this 25lbs and I believe that this is a really major factor in your attitude towards the whole thing. What is it that you need to loose this amount for and are you actually "overweight", or are you what we fatties would call "slim" and just want to loose a dress-size for a party/wedding/the summer?


Good luck,

John.

When I typed in the information on MFP to lose 2 pounds a week that is the calorie amount that it told me to use for losing that much each week which has Never happened. I either lost 1 pound or gained. Men lose weight faster than women so I am happy that you are losing your weight but I am struggling. I want to lose weight to get to my pre- pregnancy weight that I felt my healthiest at and that is my goal but having a hard time getting there because of my age.

ya, you're not gonna lose 2 lbs. per week.

read this:

Why it might not be a good idea to eat so few calories:

I have never been overweight, however, I used to eat too few calories (without knowing it), and a couple years ago, I actually GAINED weight bc of having slowed my metabolism to the point that every little extra treat I ate caused a weight gain, even though overall my calories were too low. THIS DOES HAPPEN.

It is also the reason so many fat people stay fat. They restrict their calories so low, slow their metabolisms, binge (even a little), gain weight, restrict more . . . . and so on and so on. But they are still fat.

It is also the reason most people can't lose that last 10-20 lbs. For real.

1. MFP has a deficit built in. Let's say you're trying to lose 1 lb/ week. That is a 500/day deficit from your BMR (the amount of calories your body needs to complete basic functions.

2. You exercise and burn 500 calories. Now you are at a 1000 deficit. If you eat back those 500 exercise calories, you refuel your body and you still have a 500 deficit for that 1 lb loss. If you DON'T eat back those calories, you have too little fuel. This is bad. This is too much of a deficit for basic functions. If you do this for a long time, you will STOP LOSING WEIGHT. Why? bc your metabolism will slow down -- it's like a brownout--not quite enough electricity to make the whole city (your body) run, so it has to slow down some things. You will probably start being tired a lot, your skin and hair might start to look worse, and you might even gain weight. But you might NOT be hungry -- your body is getting used to fewer calories. That's bad.


That's when you start to gain weight. Let's say you're running along, eating 1200 calories a day, and exercising 400 calories a day, so net is 800. You're losing, you think this is great. You keep doing it, but after a while you stop losing. hmmmmm. One weekend you go out to a special event and have a slice of pizza and a beer. 1 slice of pizza and 1 beer. So you ate maybe 2000 calories that day and exercised off 400, so net 1600. BOOM! You gain 3 lbs! What?!

Next, you freak out and restrict yourself down to 1000 calories a day and work out extra hard, burning 500 calories. Great, netting 500 now. You don't lose any weight, but you sure feel tired. Better get some red bull.

Are you getting the picture?

EDIT: When you work out, you need fuel. Food is fuel. If you don't eat back those exercise calories, you will not only have a big calorie deficit, you will have an ENERGY deficit. Remember, the calorie deficit for weight loss is built in when you use MFP. Exercising basically earns you more calories because you must refuel.
--

There are many people who will tell you not to eat exercise calories. Before you take their advice, you might want to see whether they are at goal, have EVER been at goal, or have ever been able to maintain at goal. If anyone says to you 'THE LAST TIME I LOST WEIGHT", just stop listening right there.

Ask some athletes whether or not they replenish their bodies with food equal to the calories they burn. Ask people who are fit and have achieved and maintained a healthy weight for some years. Don't ask people who count walking across a parking lot as exercise.

Here's an interesting case study about how to stay fat while consuming only 700 calories a day. Take a moment, you'll be glad you did:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing

blessings.

I am 50 years old. I lost 30lbs on 1500 a day and lost a lb a week on average but it wasn't a lb every week,sometimes I lost 2, sometimes I gained but over time I lost all the weight I needed to. I think it is about being patient and being very accurate with weighing and working out calories.

Good luck and keep at it.

46 1/2 and menopausal here I just broke a pleateau after I stopped losing on 1,200. I upped my calories to 2,000 and did little exercising to regain my metabolism. Now I am eating 1,500 exercising most days doing what my knees will let me and am losing 1-2 a week for the last three weeks almost 5 pounds this month. Perhaps you need to eat more for a bit to reset your metabolism and then go lower again. Add me for further support.

I've upped my calories to 1401 and just upped again today to 1450. This is very difficult for me but I totally get the concept about my metabolism in slooooow mooootion! I want to lose it like sha4sure "yesterday". I do not think it is unrealistic to lose my weight by August 20-25 lbs but I just need some help wrapping my head around the eat my calories back and must eat minimum I eventually want to be 135 if I'm close in Aug that's ok too. I dont have any problem with hard work as long as I know in the end I will get there.

I'm doing a fast hike with the following stats.

Duration 51min / Cals burned 393 /Steps 6235 / Floors 46 / Distance 3.09 mi / Pace 16:30/mi

I drink protein shake within 30 minutes of the above hike / speed-walk.

upperbody strength training on bowflex 3 times per week 40 min session.

I appreciate any and all advice.

Thanks