360 pds eating 1650 cals, maybe too low?

angelaanhela · May 2013

Ok so ever since January I have been messing with my calories and my foods. In general I try to go for a high protein low carb diet. Main reason I am struggling is because I really don't have the money right now to go to a doctor and a gyno and get all the tests I need for a specific diet plan tailored to me. When I can, I will, but until then I've been going every which way. I do know that I probably have PCOS and a a slow metabolism because that runs in my immediate family and I have already been tested and know that I have high estrogen levels. So that is my background.

I am wondering if maybe I am not eating enough calories or eating too many. Below are my stats and for the majority of this time I have been aiming for 1750 (suggested by a friend in similar situation who is pretty smart and I gave her my stats). Recently I feel like I've plateaued again (though I was on my period) so the past couple days I've been aiming for 1650 but now I'm thinking what if this whole time I'm not eating enough calories.

All advice is greatly appreciated. I am wondering who is successfully losing 2 pounds a week around 5'7" and 360ish pds and what your daily calories are?

Height - 5'7"
CW - 360 pds
Current Cals - 1650, prev 1750 per day
Carbs 124, Fat 64, Protein 144
Body Fat % 45.6
TDEE factoring in BF% - 2734
Suggested if I want to lose 25% from above TDEE - 2051
TDEE without BF% - 2903
MFP says cals burned from Normal Daily Activity - 3020
Suggested by MFP for 2pds weekly - 2020

Measurements:
Neck 18
Waist 67
Hips 68
Bust 56
Thigh 34
Empire Waist 52
Upper Arm 20
Wrist 7.5
Forearm 12.5
Body Fat % 45.6
Chest 53

Live4theLift · May 2013

I would not go below the MFP number. Are you sure your TDEE is correct?

angelaanhela · May 2013

I used iifym.com/tdee-calculator/ for my TDEE because it asked for more specific measurements like body fat percentage

http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html says my TDEE is 2903

mandi272 · May 2013

I'd stay with what MFP says. I'm 5'8 was 311 now 272, just by doin what MFP says, good luck

lfergurson1 · May 2013

Hi I started here in Jan on the 7th when I started I started at 2350 ... I ate ALL DAY thought I had never eaten this much in my life... Now I am finally at 1680 but I have probably lost about 30 lbs I really think you should try a week with 3 short walks alot of water and the 2300 I started with. I have PCOS was diagnosed at 35 and I am 47 now... I would give it a shot ! I wish you luck friend request me if youd like good luck!

niftyafterfifty · May 2013

I weigh 120 pounds and am maintaining at 1700 calories. You're probably not eating enough.

kazzsjourney · May 2013

I started at 380 pounds and also have PCOS and ate 1800 calories for most of my journey but looking back now I think I could have eaten more. (I still eat 1800 calories now and im nearly half the size i was) Best of luck!

dsgoingtodoit · May 2013

I think that you should consider looking at your BMR and TDEE and try eating at the bare minimum your BMR.

You can look at all different ways of doing things.

Fitnessfrog and others have that calculator.

Based on all that you have entered...
I think you are eating too little.
I know that it can be hard to eat that many calories at first.
However, after you get your metabolism going by eating more of the healthy nutrients your body is craving.

I have lost 29 lbs since beginning of January. I found it hard to eat what was suggested...but frankly - eating clean most of the time, and having treats...but mostly staying between BMR and TDEE (low end 99% of the time mind you)...I saw the scale drop. I have exercised regularly...logged faithfully...and bet you are doing that as well.

Best of luck to you....and hope you find what works for you.

bowtiekitty · May 2013

I'm 181 and losing by generally cycling between 1650-1850, you're not eating enough, especially if you exercise.
Try to adjust/lower your calorie intake as you lose weight, but if you drop down too low, you'll relapse or binge.

iquiltoo · May 2013

I am 4 inchs shorter than you and for 1.5 lb wk loss my cals are 1670 so I would say 1650 is too low for you. Go with what MFP says for a few weeks and see how you do. If you exercise, you should be eating most of those calories too so you don't lose too fast (loose skin etc). Good luck!

Pearlyladybug · May 2013

I'm 94 eating 1220. YOU WILL SURVIVE. GET USED TO IT.

Probs not the best advice...everyone is different.

DrBorkBork · May 2013

Start by eating your TDEE and see how your weight does. If it seems stable, cut 300-400 cals. Eat that anount until you hit a hard plateau. Reassess your TDEE then and repeat the process.

Ascolti_la_musica · May 2013

My husband is 6 feet tall, and weighs about that much, I think. MFP was telling him 3200 or something crazy like that. We put him at 2400 after asking a few of the bigger (or formerly bigger) guys on here what they did. It seems to be working for him. He doesn't feel deprived, and is starting to lose weight. This is completely without exercise.

MFP had me in the 1200 club, and I was not happy. I jumped to 1400 and felt a lot more satisfied. I tried 1600 to factor in exercise, but found myself adding in junk I didn't need. 1400 is my happy place.

Go with the lowest number you have been given by the various tools. See how you feel with that amount for a week. If tired and cranky, add 200 calories for a week. Keep doing this until you figure out your happy number. It really is different for everyone. You may or may not lose 2 pounds per week, but you are more likely to stick to the plan for the long haul if you are happy and comfortable with it.

dsjohndrow · May 2013

If you are big, meaning you have over a 100 pounds to lose, you can get away with a bigger deficit than if you have 30 or 40 pounds to lose. I have been at this for 2 years and lost about 70 pounds. I am 55, 6' 1", and weight 205. I eat 1600 calories per day max. Some days it is 1300-1400. As long as you are eating enough to sustain life, you'll be fine.

chaser1977 · May 2013

I'm 94 eating 1220. YOU WILL SURVIVE. GET USED TO IT.

My favorite shape is a triangle. Your statement and mine have no relevance for the question at hand.

1650 sounds low for your stats, you seem to know what your doing however i would listen to MFP.

msphyllis40 · May 2013

I started out at 393 and I am 5'7". I did a detox to clean out my system and start fresh by cutting out sugar, white starch, alcohol, caffeine, meat, and dairy for three weeks. At the end of those three weeks, I lost 18 lbs. I have now been eating a more healthy diet and eating five small meals a day or every three hours: that consist of breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, and dinner. It has been six weeks since the end of my detox, and as of today, I have lost a total of 36 lbs. This means that I have lost an average of three pounds a week. My recommended calories/day is 2140 but I never reach it. Even if I don't subtract the calories from exercise, I think I may eat an average of 1800-1900 calories/day. I think if you eat the right food and exercise, the calories really shouldn't matter. Stay healthy and encouraged! Congratulations on your current weight loss and to much more to come!!!!

angelaanhela · May 2013

Thank you all so much for your advice and helping me with this. I really appreciate your input. One of the reasons why I love MFP is the great support we can find here and all the different people in different situations contributing.

asia_hanebach · May 2013

If you feel like you're not getting enough food, you can always bump up your calories a little bit. The fact is that if you're eating below maintenance, you will lose weight, just at a slower pace. Personally I found that trying to lose 2 lbs a week was too extreme for me. I was always hungry, and it made me more likely to give up and splurge. I bumped up my calories, and I'm losing about 1.5 lbs a week now, and it feels a lot better.

360 pds eating 1650 cals, maybe too low?

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