How many calories should I truly be eating?

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losing270
losing270 Posts: 43
in Health and Weight Loss
I am just wondering how many calories I should truly be eating? I am disabled so I can not exercise that much. I am 5 ft 4 in and weigh 267. I know what this site told me but I had set 1300 as my limit. Is that to low? What do you all think?

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  • lcfairbairn74
    lcfairbairn74 Posts: 412 Member
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    Set your activity level to sedentary and eat the amount of calories this site gives you. I have lost weight in a wheelchair and on crutches, being so disabled I am virtually housebound and the calories this site gave me were absolutely fine for that. If you are using this site, the amount of calories it gives you are without exercise anyway (you add your exercise in and get extra calories), so there is no need not to follow the guidelines for your circumstances :smile:
  • losing270
    losing270 Posts: 43
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    Set your activity level to sedentary and eat the amount of calories this site gives you. I have lost weight in a wheelchair and on crutches, being so disabled I am virtually housebound and the calories this site gave me were absolutely fine for that. If you are using this site, the amount of calories it gives you are without exercise anyway (you add your exercise in and get extra calories), so there is no need not to follow the guidelines for your circumstances :smile:

    The amount is so high though. Like 2000 some. That is a lot.
  • losing270
    losing270 Posts: 43
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    Okay went back and checked it again it was not as high as I thought.
  • F00LofaT00K
    F00LofaT00K Posts: 688 Member
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    What is your BMR? You can eat around that number and still lose weight. You can get an estimate under the APPS tab toward the top of MFP's site: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/tools/bmr-calculator

    This is how many calories your body burns just from existing at a state of total rest for 24 hours.


    ETA: just put your age, height and weight in and it says around 1861 calories per day. Since you are so sedentary from a disability, perhaps start around 1700 and see what results you get over the next month. If you want to lose faster, lower it. If it's too much, raise it. Also, if you don't already do this: invest in a food scale/ gram scale/ kitchen scale and weigh your food. You will be much more accurate with your logging and your results will be more predictable and steady. This has made a world of difference for me. You can get one for around $20 or less.

    My BMR estimate is 1468 cals per day. I have a very active job 5 days a week, so I try to get around 1700. I've been losing 1-2lbs per week.
  • lcfairbairn74
    lcfairbairn74 Posts: 412 Member
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    How many calories is it giving you? I set mine to lose 2 pounds a week (as I had more than 100 pounds to lose) and it gave me approximately 1900 at first. And I ate up to the goal consistently and the few exercise calories I earned and have lost weight successfully so please don't be afraid to do that. I think we have all been programmed over the years to believe you have to eat minute amounts of food to lose weight! Also, I would strongly suggest you purchase a food scale and measure all solid food in grams to ensure accuracy of calorie intake. I didn't purchase a food scale until a few months in, but it is one of the most important items you can have for weight loss!
  • losing270
    losing270 Posts: 43
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    What is your BMR? You can eat around that number and still lose weight. You can get an estimate under the APPS tab toward the top of MFP's site: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/tools/bmr-calculator

    This is how many calories your body burns just from existing at a state of total rest for 24 hours.


    ETA: just put your age, height and weight in and it says around 1861 calories per day. Since you are so sedentary from a disability, perhaps start around 1700 and see what results you get over the next month. If you want to lose faster, lower it. If it's too much, raise it. Also, if you don't already do this: invest in a food scale/ gram scale/ kitchen scale and weigh your food. You will be much more accurate with your logging and your results will be more predictable and steady. This has made a world of difference for me. You can get one for around $20 or less.

    My BMR estimate is 1468 cals per day. I have a very active job 5 days a week, so I try to get around 1700. I've been losing 1-2lbs per week.

    Mine says 1,876
  • losing270
    losing270 Posts: 43
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    How many calories is it giving you? I set mine to lose 2 pounds a week (as I had more than 100 pounds to lose) and it gave me approximately 1900 at first. And I ate up to the goal consistently and the few exercise calories I earned and have lost weight successfully so please don't be afraid to do that. I think we have all been programmed over the years to believe you have to eat minute amounts of food to lose weight! Also, I would strongly suggest you purchase a food scale and measure all solid food in grams to ensure accuracy of calorie intake. I didn't purchase a food scale until a few months in, but it is one of the most important items you can have for weight loss!
    Thanks I had it set wrong it was fine 1330 is what it gave me to lose 2 lbs a week. I need to get a food scale. I had one but it broke.
  • SrJoben
    SrJoben Posts: 484 Member
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    Set your activity level to sedentary and eat the amount of calories this site gives you. I have lost weight in a wheelchair and on crutches, being so disabled I am virtually housebound and the calories this site gave me were absolutely fine for that. If you are using this site, the amount of calories it gives you are without exercise anyway (you add your exercise in and get extra calories), so there is no need not to follow the guidelines for your circumstances :smile:

    The amount is so high though. Like 2000 some. That is a lot.

    Well frankly you are a large person.

    Large people can eat a lot of food and still lose weight.

    It takes quite a bit of food just to keep a 267 pound body alive and weighing 267 pounds.

    To lose weight you don't need to eat a SMALL amount of food. You just need to eat less food than however much your body needs.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    If you find that you are too hungry at 1330 calories, you could set it to lose 1.5 pounds per week instead, it should give you 1580 calories. Just so you know that you have some wiggle room there to still lose weight, but not feel starving.
  • losing270
    losing270 Posts: 43
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    Well frankly you are a large person.

    Large people can eat a lot of food and still lose weight.

    It takes quite a bit of food just to keep a 267 pound body alive and weighing 267 pounds.

    To lose weight you don't need to eat a SMALL amount of food. You just need to eat less food than however much your body needs.
    [/quote]


    Yes I know I am a large person thanks for that .... hence why I am here.
  • losing270
    losing270 Posts: 43
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    If you find that you are too hungry at 1330 calories, you could set it to lose 1.5 pounds per week instead, it should give you 1580 calories. Just so you know that you have some wiggle room there to still lose weight, but not feel starving.

    Thanks I will see how it goes and if I am still hungry I will do what you suggest
  • lcfairbairn74
    lcfairbairn74 Posts: 412 Member
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    If you find that you are too hungry at 1330 calories, you could set it to lose 1.5 pounds per week instead, it should give you 1580 calories. Just so you know that you have some wiggle room there to still lose weight, but not feel starving.

    I second this idea! See how you feel on 1330, but increase them if you need to. It's better to lose more slowly than feel rotten and/or binge on a smaller amount. I had to switch my goals when they were reduced to 1450 as I really struggled on so few calories, personally!
  • Missyonethirtyfive
    Missyonethirtyfive Posts: 4 Member
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    Whether you lower your caloric intake from what this site says or not. It is very important to eat the right stuff. Incorporate lots of veges & good fats into your diet. Stay away from a lot of carbs & sugars & fried foods. :smile:
  • losing270
    losing270 Posts: 43
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    Whether you lower your caloric intake from what this site says or not. It is very important to eat the right stuff. Incorporate lots of veges & good fats into your diet. Stay away from a lot of carbs & sugars & fried foods. :smile:

    This is what I have been doing. Thanks.

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