5 ft 6 in Female, only 1500 calories???

thinklikethin
thinklikethin Posts: 7
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm 38, I have five kids. I weigh in now at 173. I'm a size 12. I need to be in my size 6's, and that would have me about 150 if I'm remembering correctly. Last time I tried to count calories and lose , I ate around 1900-2000 calories a day and stayed really active with life (no exercise on purpose, though I rarely if ever sit down) and lost around 30 pounds. That was a couple years back. Now, I've gained 13 or so back, due to just not watching what I eat.

Now, it says I need to cut back to 1500 a day. That just makes me hungry thinking about it.

Seriously, will I get used to it??? The last time I dropped my calories under 1900 I felt terribly ill. When I just eat normal healthy food and maintain, I need about 2200 calories a day to feel good, maintain, and not gain, and to not walk around feeling hungry all the time.

Will I adjust to what it feels like to eat 1500 calories?

I eat like a man. I eat a lot. I am HUNGRY at meal time. When I'm as thin as I would like to be and back in my size 6's, I am hungry and still have a voracious , huge appetite. I eat lots of healthy food, cook everything from scratch, eat lots of veg and fruits. I don't eat junk. Most of all, I make sure I always always have animal protein or I get even hungrier.

Bottom line, can someone like ME adjust to so few calories a day or will I ruin my metabolism?? All my friends that have dieted all their life are heavier than me and eat less than me and don't really feel hungry like I do....

So, I just wonder if maybe I'd do better not to restrict calories quite so much?

Just thinking out loud here...
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Replies

  • sweebum
    sweebum Posts: 1,060 Member
    You're not ruining your metabolism by eating 1500 a day. Say your average is 2000 calories a day, that's only a 500 calories deficit. I'm 5'6, fairly active and I weigh more than you, and I eat less than that most of the time. If you're really active, you can eat more.

    If you burn 2200 a day, subtract 500 off that to lose a lb a week, if that's the rate you're happy with.
  • DrMAvDPhD
    DrMAvDPhD Posts: 2,097 Member
    You may be underestimating your activity level, or you may be less active than you were then. Or, MFP might underestimate your TDEE. I know it does for me, I can lose weight at calorie settings that MFP thinks should make me gain.

    I would try it your way first and lower your calorie setting if you don't lose anything in a month or two.
  • allshebe
    allshebe Posts: 423 Member
    You may also benefit from changing some of the things you eat. I find "whole" foods (versus processed) tend to provide more and longer satiety. A lot of processed foods are overly "enhanced" with sugar and/or salt and those two substances are known to be almost "addictive" for many people (too much sugar will trigger me sometimes, not so much for salt). Things that are naturally high in fiber, like many vegetables are filling with little calorie toll. Things with a bit of fat and/or protein tend to "stick to your ribs" longer (so long as the sugars are low)
  • thinklikethin
    thinklikethin Posts: 7
    You may be underestimating your activity level, or you may be less active than you were then. Or, MFP might underestimate your TDEE. I know it does for me, I can lose weight at calorie settings that MFP thinks should make me gain.

    I would try it your way first and lower your calorie setting if you don't lose anything in a month or two.

    yeah, see the last time I did calorie watching, I lost weight eating levels of calories that the site said would make me gain. I was on another site, can't remember now what it was...but it's just another free calorie counting site.
  • BioMechHeretic
    BioMechHeretic Posts: 128 Member
    I'm a 6'1" 24 year old male. I started out April 2012 at 270 and am now 203 pounds.

    I started around 1650 cals, and now have a 1510 per day goal. I exercise 4 days a week, and always eat back my calories. Once I dip under 200 pounds, I'm going to up a few hundred cals, but I have been eating between 1500 and 1600 for around a year now.

    If you are eating whole,quality healthy foods than 1500 should be absolutely no issue for you. It should be plenty satisfying.
  • sunshyncatra
    sunshyncatra Posts: 598 Member
    I started at 1,800 and worked my way down as I reached plateaus in my weight lose. Try 1,900 first and knock it down gradually if you need to.
  • ecw3780
    ecw3780 Posts: 608 Member
    that's 1500 plus exercise calories. MFP expects you to enter your exercise and then it will adjust your calorie goal accordingly. You also get less calories with age.
  • michellechawner
    michellechawner Posts: 892
    I started at 1200 and was losing. But I was HUNGRY. Went up to 1300, and one week I gain, one week I lose. Now I upped it to 1400 (just today) as I'm becoming more active. My BMR is 1406, so I think staying at 1400 is going to do it for me. If I realize it's not working and i'm gaining more, I'll drop back down to 1300. It's just a numbers game and you have to see what works for you.

    I'm 5'5, weigh 131, and just today squeezed into my size 6's for the first time in years. Still more comfortable in an 8, but I know can can get into my 6's if need be (for example, today is laundry day, It's all I had left besides sweatpants).
  • missshyeviolett
    missshyeviolett Posts: 310 Member
    Yea dude, we all like to eat a lot, that's why we're here ;)

    You'll be fine on 1500, and if you want more- exercise!
  • TheRealParisLove
    TheRealParisLove Posts: 1,907 Member
    500 calories is a Grande (16oz/ medium) white mocha latte at Starbucks. It's really not that much. I find that I eat less when I just embrace hunger for a couple of hours every day. I stop eating around 7-8pm at night and don't allow myself to eat again for at least another 14-16 hours. I have more self control in the morning, so fasting for the first few hours everyday is pretty easy for me.

    Take a zen approach to hunger. I think people tend to panic when they feel hungry, but you really don't need to. In many ways, mild hunger can feel refreshing. Merely experience the hunger, don't fixate on it as a negative thing. It isn't like you won't be able to get something to eat later. Hell, I put off eating junk food because I know that it is so easy to find, that should I want it I could have it at a moment's notice.

    At that point it is no longer deprivation that I'm experiencing. I'm not deprived, I'm in control. That is a powerful feeling.
  • onedayatatime12
    onedayatatime12 Posts: 577 Member
    I'm used to eating 1300-1400 calories at a previously semi-sedentary activity level, and I have no problem eating under 1500 now that I'm much more active. I think it should be fine, if you eat whole, filling foods. Basically fruits, veggies, whole grains, protein, etc.
  • melindasuefritz
    melindasuefritz Posts: 3,509 Member
    im 202
    5'6
    70 minutes of cardio daily
    my calories are 1690
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    If you're using the MFP method, you do not include any exercise in your activity level setting...this means exercise is extra...so if you net 1500 calories per day, but you burn say 300 calories per day with exercise, then you really gross 1,800 calories per day.

    Also, you're not going to be able to compare apples to apples between sites. MFP is a NEAT method calculator...it sounds like your previous calculator was a TDEE calculator.

    You can always customize you calorie goal too..that's what I do now that I have a good handle on what I need to maintain, lose, gain, etc.
  • TheBaileyHunter
    TheBaileyHunter Posts: 641 Member
    This is funny to me. Mine is set based upon TDEE and loss goals and it's at 1500, and I struggle every day to make even close to that number. And I exercise an average of 55mins 6 days / week (for my own fitness level).

    I work harder at getting my protein, iron and calcium levels up and have adjusted my fats recently so I can do that.

    I find the protein has pretty much killed my appetite, well, technically it just makes me fuller longer which is why I'm finding it a challenge.
  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
    500 calories is a Grande (16oz/ medium) white mocha latte at Starbucks. It's really not that much.

    You can also get 100g of whey protein and 10 shots of espresso for 500 cal. Just sayin!
  • skinnydreams19
    skinnydreams19 Posts: 282 Member
    Probably NET 1500 - so eat 1900-2000 as you did last time (which worked!) and since you're active you can burn those 400-500 in the course of your day!
  • RisOnTheRun
    RisOnTheRun Posts: 624 Member
    I would start with 1900 since that worked for you last time, and if you don't get results after a few weeks then drop 100 calories. I'm also 5'6", and maintenance for me is about 1700 calories BEFORE exercise. I have a pretty sedentary lifestyle when I'm not making an effort to exercise (I have a desk job). If you're not logging "traditional" exercise but you're pretty active, then I wouldn't be surprised if your maintenance level is over 2000 calories, which means you should lose at 1900.
  • angelina2585
    angelina2585 Posts: 273 Member
    You've worked out that 2200 is your maintenance doing your normal day to day activity. Great. So 1900 calories would have you happily satisfied and still losing weight! Why not set your goal manually to 1900 and eat that every day?

    If you do any exercise over and above your normal daily activity log the calories burned and eat them back so you always keep your deficit at 300.

    Life's too short to be hungry and miserable.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    that's 1500 plus exercise calories. MFP expects you to enter your exercise and then it will adjust your calorie goal accordingly. You also get less calories with age.
    [/quote

    This! don't forget the PLUS EXERCISE CALORIES part.
  • megsmom2
    megsmom2 Posts: 2,362 Member
    Well...its refreshing to see someone say they think 1500 is too low...we have so many dimbulbs eating half that and wonderingly why they don't lose and feel lousy....
    1500 is very reasonable...try it for a couple of weeks and see how you do. You should have plenty to eat if you're making good selections. You can always adjust if its not working for you.
  • dgk2024
    dgk2024 Posts: 15 Member
    I'm 5'7", 165 and MFP set me up with 1570 cal a day. I was hungry for the first few days (mostly because I stopped eating out and made or brought my own food) but I've noticed I'm not anymore and I've been on MFP for a week now. My body is adjusting. Plus eating the right thing helps. If it helps, I split my calories into 5 small meals a day at 300cal a meal, give or take. Been working good so far. Plus don't forget to consider the calories burned in exercise.
  • herblackwings39
    herblackwings39 Posts: 3,930 Member
    I'm 38, I have five kids. I weigh in now at 173. I'm a size 12. I need to be in my size 6's, and that would have me about 150 if I'm remembering correctly. Last time I tried to count calories and lose , I ate around 1900-2000 calories a day and stayed really active with life (no exercise on purpose, though I rarely if ever sit down) and lost around 30 pounds. That was a couple years back. Now, I've gained 13 or so back, due to just not watching what I eat.

    Now, it says I need to cut back to 1500 a day. That just makes me hungry thinking about it.

    Seriously, will I get used to it??? The last time I dropped my calories under 1900 I felt terribly ill. When I just eat normal healthy food and maintain, I need about 2200 calories a day to feel good, maintain, and not gain, and to not walk around feeling hungry all the time.

    Will I adjust to what it feels like to eat 1500 calories?

    I eat like a man. I eat a lot. I am HUNGRY at meal time. When I'm as thin as I would like to be and back in my size 6's, I am hungry and still have a voracious , huge appetite. I eat lots of healthy food, cook everything from scratch, eat lots of veg and fruits. I don't eat junk. Most of all, I make sure I always always have animal protein or I get even hungrier.

    Bottom line, can someone like ME adjust to so few calories a day or will I ruin my metabolism?? All my friends that have dieted all their life are heavier than me and eat less than me and don't really feel hungry like I do....

    So, I just wonder if maybe I'd do better not to restrict calories quite so much?

    Just thinking out loud here...

    You probably could adjust. With MFP you eat back your exercise calories. If you're at 1500 and burn 500 you end up eating 2000 calories for the day. Of course if you know your maintenance is 2200 you could easily take a smaller cut and still lose, just more slowly.
  • scottelle
    scottelle Posts: 22 Member
    You may also benefit from changing some of the things you eat. I find "whole" foods (versus processed) tend to provide more and longer satiety. A lot of processed foods are overly "enhanced" with sugar and/or salt and those two substances are known to be almost "addictive" for many people (too much sugar will trigger me sometimes, not so much for salt). Things that are naturally high in fiber, like many vegetables are filling with little calorie toll. Things with a bit of fat and/or protein tend to "stick to your ribs" longer (so long as the sugars are low)


    THAT!!!!
  • jfrankic
    jfrankic Posts: 747 Member
    Probably NET 1500 - so eat 1900-2000 as you did last time (which worked!) and since you're active you can burn those 400-500 in the course of your day!

    ^^ This. I only have intentional exercise 3x per week with only FOUR minutes of cardio. I lift heavy, then follow it up with Tabata for four minutes. That's it. I have two kids and am only my feet for 7-8 hours a day just living my life. I'm 160ish and 5'8, so taller than you, but I still burn 2600-2700 per day...says my FitBit Flex. I reiterate....intentional exercise only THREE TIMES PER WEEK AND 4 MINUTES OF CARDIO. And I burn this much. Just sayin.....if it worked for you eating 1900-2000 a day before. Start there. Don't be miserable.
  • Gwen_B
    Gwen_B Posts: 1,018 Member
    I'm 5'8" and I rarely eat 1500 calories!! As everything I eat is healthy they don't add up calories as fast, allowing me to be full.
  • sullykat
    sullykat Posts: 461 Member
    I'm 5'6 and eat 1600 cals, as advised by my trainer. I do not eat back my exercise calories, as advised by my trainer. If you are honestly hungry at the end of the day, you may be quite active and need to eat more. Add back 100 cals at a time, per day and see how you feel. You should not be hungry, even at a deficite, if you are fueling properly.

    Make sure you are eating nutritionally dense food, too. Micronutrients in food help your hormones to stay balanced, making you feel satisfied.
  • GrannyGwen1
    GrannyGwen1 Posts: 212 Member
    General Diet and Weight Loss Help
    Topic: 5 ft 6 in Female, only 1500 calories???

    BUMP
  • chanson100
    chanson100 Posts: 1
    Think about the idea of shrinking your stomach - internally not just externally. That is what bariatric surgery is doing, reducing the ability to overeat. Don't make yourself miserable but if you can reduce the volume of food you consume during meals your body will adjust and will do you the favor of wanting less food. An earlier post mentioned take the Zen approach to hunger when you can.
  • JTick
    JTick Posts: 2,131 Member
    I am 5'4", and lose steadily on 1800. And I eat every calorie I have, every day. If I drop below that, I am way too hungry to deal with. Like you, I am active all day long and on my feet moving around, but not actually "exercising". I *personally* would manually set my calories to 1800 or 1900, give it 4-6 weeks, and reevaluate. If no loss, then cut a little more.

    Also, I found that MFP's recommendations didn't work out too well for me because of my activity level/lack of actual exercise. I never put in any actual exercise, so I rarely had calories to "eat back", and as a result I was too hungry because I was under eating. I looked into TDEE-20% instead, and that has worked perfectly for me.
  • totalytammy
    totalytammy Posts: 3 Member
    Make sure you record all of your activities. Every time you do , it will give you more calories. I try to exercise more on days that there are food involved celebrations, that way I can enjoy of few small treats. Don't leave any exercise out. You will be surprised how much you can eat.

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