How many calories do you eat a day?

I'm 5'11" and weigh 243.
My BMR is 1830. I eat around 1900-2000 calories a day, usually. I never eat below my BMR.
Rarely, maybe once a month, I'll eat at maintenance calories for one day. Which for me is 2500-2800.

I work out every day and never log in less than 10,000 steps in a day.

I suggest reading these links and implementing the advice...

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/why-big-caloric-deficits-and-lots-of-activity-can-hurt-fat-loss.html

I eat around 2200cals a day and 2900cals on refeed days (once a week) ...am losing steadily.(In a cutting phase)

Psst... your profile picture just gave me chills! haha

I eat between 1500-1800 per day. I exercise around 3 times a week. Yes I am losing weight!

Occasionally I have days where I only eat 1200 but not everyday.

For all you people saying and agreeing with the notion that it is pointless to be asking the calories others are eating, are you serious?! There is a lot of value in seeing what others are doing to achieve similar goals. Reading up on other people's plans who had a similar body type as mine helped me set realistic goals for myself and reaffirmed the strategy of losing weight steadily.

I can't believe that on this particular website, people would be critical of the question OP posted. Unreal.

As for OP, I have a net of 1900 calories. And I do think hovering around 1200 calories is playing a dangerous game, unless you have a really controlled diet and workout plan. Just my opinion.

I understand your point, and for people who are willing to do the research and who aren't emotionally attached, then yes, it can be helpful.

But IME, most people who post things like this are looking for others to validate what they already do (or want to do). So what they will do is take 50 responses, pick out the 4 that line up with what htey want to do, and only listen to those posts/people, rather than taking the body of evidence and realizing that what they want to do might not be healthy, sustainable, etc.

Maybe I'm too new to this site and I haven't seen enough posts like this, so I'm not as cynical about this subject haha. Judging by her post though, it seems that she has genuine naivety about how to approach her diet and was seeking out quick feedback for comparisons sake. Once one gets the proper feedback and info, then yes, it's on them to make an informed decision. I'm just saying that there is value in seeing what others are doing.

Hi, I'm Rachel. I'm 5'5" and I'm happily down to 213 from 250. I'm still on my journey and I'm in a weight management program at a local hospital and supervised by a bariatric specialist and meet with a dietician every week. Under this program they have me eating 1000 calories a day. I eat 100 carbs, 75 proteins, and 33 fats daily. I focus on eating fresh veggies and fruits, low fat cheeses, lean meats, and will occasionally eat complex carbs. I also eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner and have 3 scheduled snacks a day. I wouldnt recommend to a low calorie diet unless you are being supervised, because you still need to make sure that you are getting all the nutrients that you need. The doctors, rn's, and dieticians are able to review my specific situation and give me personal advice and tips. They also monitor my blood work. I have a hypothyroid and I'm vitamin d deficient. I receive useful information regarding my health and get tips on how to improve my lifestyle. We also setup realistic weekly and long time goals for myself.

I'm cutting on 2300 50/30/20 split

For all you people saying and agreeing with the notion that it is pointless to be asking the calories others are eating, are you serious?! There is a lot of value in seeing what others are doing to achieve similar goals. Reading up on other people's plans who had a similar body type as mine helped me set realistic goals for myself and reaffirmed the strategy of losing weight steadily.

The point is, having the same height and weight does not equal the same success for individuals. Age, sex, and body composition make a tremendous difference in some people, as well. Better to run your own numbers and do what works for you.

I get that, but that doesn't mean that there isn't ANY value in seeing what others are doing. I think there is tremendous value in seeing other people's numbers to compare to your personal needs (especially if these people have had success). It can reaffirm that you are taking a proper path to weight loss, or you can see that your approach may be wildly different which forces you to reevaluate your diet.

After reading up on these types of threads, I reevaluated my caloric needs on several calorie intake calculators and discovered I was eating way too little (which made my workouts/energy levels suffer). After I made the adjustments, my progress has since been more noticeable. Without other's asking/sharing their net calorie plans I wouldn't have made these adjustments & would've plateaued or even regressed.

Well no, MFP said 1,200 is what would be good for me to eat. Also, I feel like I do eat a good amount.
Like for breakfast I had 2 fried eggs....and a buttered Thomas Muffin...

Lunch Ill have a tuna/mayo sando
and dinner a huge salad and LOTS AND LOTS of chicken.... Now thats a decent amount of food- and If I get hungry I will still have more.

To your question: The point of posting this is to see out of curiosity what others are eating. Thats all. Thank You for responding though.

MFP also expects you to eat back your exercise calories but you aren't doing that - you need to NET at least 1200.

I started off on 1200 too because thats the number MFP gave me, and I ate back my exercise calories - then I came onto the forums and realised that the 1200 is an MFP default and isn't actually advisable.

I stuck with it because I wasn't hungry.... then about halfway through week 4 I became unbearably hungry.... I almost binged several times.

So now I eat 1679 give or take - I use the TDEE method so I don't eat back my calories, but I know if I've had a particularly active day that a few extra calories won't hurt.

PS - 5'2" 28yo female

You do realize that what other people are doing will offer very little meaningful information about what you should be doing, right?

This.

And what is the point of posting this? I honestly don't mean to be rude (because I can be), but are you trying to tell people how awesome you are because you hardly eat anything? Are you proud of this? You know it's not sustainable, right?

Seriously people! A 1200 calorie diet... Not healthy or sustainable! I am so tired of seeing this post! EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT! Your age, body frame, metabolism and choice in food dictate what is healthy and sustainable. I have been using MFP for 615 days and have maintained a diet less than 1200 calories a day for over 99.5% of that time. During this time I lost 87 pounds, went from a size 18 to a size 0, overcame Type II diabetes, am full of energy and have NEVER felt healthier. My doctor says I am one of her "success" stories that she shares with other patients. YES I am PROUD of this!

I am a strong advocate for reading product labels, cutting sugar (diabetes led me to cut sugars and yes I use sugar substitutes!) and eating fresh and healthy. The only drawback to my diet is I eat the same foods nearly every day... but I give myself a sugar free dessert every night as a snack and I love the foods I eat!

I have learned to take all these posting of "you are eating too little" with a grain of salt, and do my thing... but to a new user/follower in MFP, comments like these are not always on target for everyone. We all need to learn and find what works best for us.

Sorry if I went off on a rant here... my button was pushed! Have a great day all! :-)

Been eating 1600-1700 since I started 10 months ago. I'm 35, 5'5", and my starting weight was 213. I've been losing 6 lbs per month in average and I'm not even doing any strenuous exercise... mostly walks and weight training at this point.

You don't have to starve yourself to lose weight.

I'm 5-8, 158 pounds (down from 217 pounds) & 54 y.o.. I eat >1800 cal/day. MFP sets EVERYONE at 1200 cal/day, if you enter sedentary life style & 2 pounds/week weight loss, because that is as low as the ADA recommends to go for women. Oh, you'll lose in the beginning, but will eventually stall out, get discouraged & start cheating due to hunger & lack of weight loss. You're also supposed to eat your exercise calories back, as MFP builds your deficit into your original calorie counts. Failure to eat back exercise calories is a great way to lose lean body mass (i.e. muscle) & eventually decrease daily calorie burn.

You can lose on MFP suggestions, BUT be honest when setting your goals. Choose an accurate activity level, sedentary is not that for most people, unless you truly don't move all day! Then set an attainable weight loss goal, which at your weight is 1 pound loss/week. 2 pounds is too aggressive unless you are under the care of a weight loss physician with frequent monitoring! ALWAYS eat back your exercise calories, as that is how MFP is designed to work!!!

If you don't like the constant daily changes in your calorie goal with adding exercise calories, then check out the TDEE method of weight loss. With TDEE your exercise calories are built in & you eat at a constant daily calorie goal. Theoretically the 2 methods should be nearly identical, if you're using them correctly. DO NOT eat under your BMR (basal metabolic rate). Last, push up your protein intake, which should be a minimum of 1 gram protein/pound lean body mass. For most women that is 100-125 grams protein/day, if you don't want to do all the calculations. MFP sets the protein goal horribly low!

For more on the TDEE method do a search for the thread: "In place of a roadmap." It offers great advice & guidance!!!

OP,

I agree with everyone who said you need to eat more than 1,200 calories, and you especially need to eat back some of those exercise calories. Your body needs fuel. Losing weight is not about doing it fast, it's about making a lifestyle change and trusting the process.

That said, my base is 1530, but I exercise and I eat back a good portion of those calories. I probably eat between 1,800 and 1,900 per day and I'm losing. I changed my goal to lose 1/2 pound per week when I got to "10 pounds to go" because I am transitioning toward maintenance.

Hopefully what you will learn from this thread is that so few calories is not good for you, unless you are sitting all day long on the sofa, doing absolutely nothing, and watching the tube. You're not--you are exercising and moving about. More food, please!

I have my activity level set to active (which includes exercise) and I usually eat around 1800 calories/day to lose half a pound per week. However, I haven't been feeling well lately and have trouble eating that much, so I've been having around 1600 to lose one pound per week.

Your activity level on MFP doesn't include exercise. You should have it set for your daily activity level without exercise (based on your job description). The TDEE method includes exercise that you don't eat back.

I started at 1200 calories at 180lbs.
Increased to 1450 when I came to a plateau.
Yes, I'm still losing weight.
I'm at 150lbs now, 5'2".

I work out 5x/wk and I do eat back at least half of my workout calories.
This is important. You need to net 1200 cals per day at least while working out. Eat more.

If you don't Mind me asking? How long it it take to lose those 30lbs eating 1200 calories a day. I'm on the same plan, same weight and goal.

Well... I'm heavy at 260pounds...so 30 pounds concidering this is my second week...I plan on 2 months.... maybe a little more. BUT after you get smaller...The weight is not going to come off that fast. It will be much slower.

30 lbs in 2 months is very ambitious. Have you discussed this with your doctor at all?

By the way, I lose 1 lb a week eating around 2500 cal/day or more, I quit losing if I net under 1600. I'm 5'4" and my BMR is around 1520. I'm extremely active. I started the same way you are and I thought it was great until all my hair started falling out, I didn't have any energy, my nails kept breaking (and still are), I was a ***** all the time, exhausted, and couldn't keep up with my life. And I lost weight faster once I started eating again.

Seriously people! A 1200 calorie diet... Not healthy or sustainable! I am so tired of seeing this post! EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT! Your age, body frame, metabolism and choice in food dictate what is healthy and sustainable. I have been using MFP for 615 days and have maintained a diet less than 1200 calories a day for over 99.5% of that time. During this time I lost 87 pounds, went from a size 18 to a size 0, overcame Type II diabetes, am full of energy and have NEVER felt healthier. My doctor says I am one of her "success" stories that she shares with other patients. YES I am PROUD of this!

I am a strong advocate for reading product labels, cutting sugar (diabetes led me to cut sugars and yes I use sugar substitutes!) and eating fresh and healthy. The only drawback to my diet is I eat the same foods nearly every day... but I give myself a sugar free dessert every night as a snack and I love the foods I eat!

I have learned to take all these posting of "you are eating too little" with a grain of salt, and do my thing... but to a new user/follower in MFP, comments like these are not always on target for everyone. We all need to learn and find what works best for us.

Sorry if I went off on a rant here... my button was pushed! Have a great day all! :-)

Noooo! And this is coming from a Doctor!

First, you're advocating a diet NOT RECOMMENDED by MFP! If you want to do such a diet, you NEED to be under the care a bariatric physician with frequent monitoring. In some case, such a diet is advocated for the short term to deal with morbid obesity, but never without being followed by a specialist! It is nearly impossible to meet you nutritional needs on such a low calorie diet. Also, your post proves the point that when you stall out or lose on such low calories, all you do is drop calories lower! Thus, you are destined to remain on a subpar calorie goal for the long term to try to maintain your weight. That is neither desired nor sustainable, as most folks will not still to eat <1000 calories/day for life. Who would want to eat such a diet for life???!!!!!!

Yeah, I think I'll agree with the doctor on this one. I have ZERO interest in being in maintenance and eating 1200 calories a day. I have been on MFP for 395 days, have lost 93lbs (123 in total) and I eat over 2,000 calories a day, everyday, including a proper full fat, real sugar dessert, and once in maintenance I will be able to eat about 2400 calories a day before doing a lick of exercise. The dieting part is only for a few months or a few years, you have to think ahead to what's going to work for the rest of your life.