Who is that "average woman" who needs to eat 2,000 cal?

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  • luckydays27
    luckydays27 Posts: 552 Member

    WHO is that average woman that can eat 2,000?


    <--- this woman.

    I eat 1700-1900 to lose weight at a 500 cal a day deficit. I need at least 2200-2400 to maintain if I keep my current activity levels.
  • highervibes
    highervibes Posts: 2,219 Member
    If I just get 10K steps in my average is like I worked out 3 times/week (which I ALSO do) so as long as you're not sedentary and you have an average height (I'm 5'6") then I would think that's about right.
  • KimJohnsonsmile
    KimJohnsonsmile Posts: 222 Member
    My sister in law is a stay at home mom, who chases her kids all day, and who is very OCD about a clean house, and who works out every day. I'm quite sure she needs 2000 or close to it just to have enough energy to get through her normal day.

    I'm 5'11" and MFP set my maintenance at 1950... that's pretty close.
  • flumi_f
    flumi_f Posts: 1,888 Member
    I'm 1m58cm, 68kg, 44yrs. My TDEE (lightly active) is around 1750...with daily exercise (30-45min) I can maintain with around 2000cals. But I'm not in maintance mode yet.

    Just not normal enough in lightly active mode :smooched:
  • running_shoe
    running_shoe Posts: 180 Member
    I'm 5'8", 43 years old, 150 lb. I consider myself at maintenance. I have MFP set to sedentary due to my job and get 1700+ per day. When I exercise, usually something to count every day, I am over 2,000 and usually eat back every last bit of it. I have been doing this for a month now and holding steady, weight-wise. Incidentally, I also started a lifting program a month ago.
  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
    I eat around 2000 and work a desk job. I workout for about 30 minutes a day average 5-6 times a week.
  • bunnies26
    bunnies26 Posts: 149 Member
    I really think they MUST be assuming the average woman does exercise. Otherwise we (in our middle years) would certainly be gaining at 2,000. But MFP has 1900 for me to maintain at a sedentary lifestyle at 38 years old and 5'7. I think the average woman probably eats between 1800 to 3500 on any given day (higher?) that is why we are so fat as a nation.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    On shows about weight, such as "supersized vs. superskinny" or "secret eaters" they keep repeating that an average woman needs to eat 2,000 calories a day and average man 2,500(that is so not fair, btw :o).

    But all online calculators tell me that my maintenance rate if I am not active is 1,300 calories. That sounds extremely depressing. (BTW, I've been losing eating 1,500 NET calories, so I think this might be inaccurate). Sure, I'm active, but since I eat back all of my workout calories, that should not matter for this calculation.

    Is the 2,000 calorie diet a myth, and women who eat that will be slowly gaining weight?
    WHO is that average woman that can eat 2,000?

    You'd have to be extraordinarily small to maintain at 1300 calories.

    Your BMR might be in the neighborhood of 1300 calories. That's if you were in a coma. Just regular daily activity, no exercising of any kind, and you're looking at more like 1550 to maintain. And as you say you're losing at 1500+exercise.

    Anyway, 2000 is not reasonable for an average woman. 2000 is for an average human. Average woman can probably maintain at about 1800.
  • upscalelifedownscalebutt
    upscalelifedownscalebutt Posts: 90 Member
    A moderately active 5'3"-5'7" 30-50 woman who weighs between 130-160.
  • Hildy_J
    Hildy_J Posts: 1,050 Member
    Anyway, 2000 is not reasonable for an average woman. 2000 is for an average human. Average woman can probably maintain at about 1800.

    You just make it up as you go along, don't you... that REALLY isn't how science works - you don't just say stuff for the sake of it. It's important to know what you know and know what you don't know - otherwise you come across as uninformed and no one respects that.

    It's 2,000 calories a day for the average woman. Unless you know better than the UK Department for Health, of course?

    http://www.nhs.uk/chq/pages/1126.aspx?categoryid=51
  • FrankiesSaysRelax
    FrankiesSaysRelax Posts: 403 Member
    I mainain on 1900-2100 without exercising.
  • 89nunu
    89nunu Posts: 1,082 Member
    I eat 2200 to lose! And should maintain on something like 2500! It's girls like me that raise this average!
  • rowrunyoga
    rowrunyoga Posts: 65 Member
    <
    This girl! MFP gave me a 1200 calorie goal and I LOL'd.
    I eat 1800-2400 depending on my activity level. And I'm losing weight.
    :happy:
  • Ldbg289
    Ldbg289 Posts: 236 Member
    I eat between 1200 and 1700 on average depending on how active I am for that particular day. I guess for calorie needs I am definitely below the average but I'm also not of "average" height. Just a shade under 5 feet. With the 1200-1700(again depending on physical activity)I'm usually able to lose weight, unless I eat a bunch of salty foods or something.
  • laceylucas86
    laceylucas86 Posts: 120
    I am a woman who eat 2000 calories to maintain weight, however I am by no means average LOL I am 6 foot 2, 150 lbs and a size medium / 8. I think you have to drop 100 cal for every inch or two that you are shorter than 6 foot 2 lol
  • Fullsterkur_woman
    Fullsterkur_woman Posts: 2,712 Member
    <
    This girl! MFP gave me a 1200 calorie goal and I LOL'd.
    I eat 1800-2400 depending on my activity level. And I'm losing weight.
    :happy:
    What did you put in for your desired goal? 2 pound a week loss? MFP starts most women at 1200 calories for that reason.
  • suziepoo1984
    suziepoo1984 Posts: 915 Member
    I am 5'5 and weigh around 146 pounds. If i am lightly active, i will maintain on 2000 calories(supposedly) :drinker:
  • MireyGal76
    MireyGal76 Posts: 7,334 Member
    I'm at 1970 maintenance, with activity set to sedentary... I regularly eat over, and I eat back my exercise cals too.

    I am not a sedentary person, so I'm likely good with over 2000.



    I am 6'1 and 168 pounds. :)
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    <
    This girl! MFP gave me a 1200 calorie goal and I LOL'd.
    I eat 1800-2400 depending on my activity level. And I'm losing weight.
    :happy:
    What did you put in for your desired goal? 2 pound a week loss? MFP starts most women at 1200 calories for that reason.

    MFP is designed for you to add exercise back in. The goal is given exclusive of exercise.
  • joyincincy
    joyincincy Posts: 228 Member
    As of today, I am an average woman trying to lose weight who should be eating 1900 calories per day. Up from 1700 b/c of the new running routine I started this week. The TDEE-20% method, check it out!
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,228 Member
    My maintenance is above 2000 calories a day... but I'm a tall woman.
  • sarah456s
    sarah456s Posts: 98 Member
    Me! I'm totally average, lol.

    I'm lightly active at work (walking/standing a fair amount). I'm 5'7" and my maintenance calories are 1989.
  • Ely82010
    Ely82010 Posts: 1,998 Member
    On shows about weight, such as "supersized vs. superskinny" or "secret eaters" they keep repeating that an average woman needs to eat 2,000 calories a day and average man 2,500(that is so not fair, btw :o).

    But all online calculators tell me that my maintenance rate if I am not active is 1,300 calories. That sounds extremely depressing. (BTW, I've been losing eating 1,500 NET calories, so I think this might be inaccurate). Sure, I'm active, but since I eat back all of my workout calories, that should not matter for this calculation.

    Is the 2,000 calorie diet a myth, and women who eat that will be slowly gaining weight?
    WHO is that average woman that can eat 2,000?

    Not me!

    I am 4 feet 11 inches and I weight 102lb (on a good day), and I am not a young person either. My BMR is 1084, my MFP maintenance calories are 1380 (moderate active), and my TDEE for moderate active is about 1600. Sometimes I eat my exercise calories, sometimes I don't. It all depends how hungry I am and how much I burn; which by the way is not that much due to my age, height, and weight.

    If I a were to eat 2000 I would look like Miss Piggy.
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    I maintain at 2500. I'm 5'9" and 160lbs.
  • Hildy_J
    Hildy_J Posts: 1,050 Member
    <
    This girl! MFP gave me a 1200 calorie goal and I LOL'd.
    I eat 1800-2400 depending on my activity level. And I'm losing weight.
    :happy:
    What did you put in for your desired goal? 2 pound a week loss? MFP starts most women at 1200 calories for that reason.

    What else are people going to put in? :bigsmile:

    It's like winning the lottery and them asking: 'Do you want half the money or all of it'?.
  • ksuh999
    ksuh999 Posts: 543 Member
    My RMR is 2002 according to the RMR test I took. For my age and height that is very close to average (4% higher due to my weight at the time).
  • _noob_
    _noob_ Posts: 3,306 Member
    (that is so not fair, btw :o).

    YOU maintain 175+ lbs of lean body mass then...;)
  • rowrunyoga
    rowrunyoga Posts: 65 Member
    That was my original goal.
    But I was doing too much physically and getting HANGRY and tired. Upped the calories. More energy.
  • Wildflower0106
    Wildflower0106 Posts: 247 Member
    I maintain at 3000 cals... 2000 would definately cause me to LOSE weight. Those numbers are just averages. Some will need less and some will need more.
  • Cranquistador
    Cranquistador Posts: 39,744 Member
    Me.

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