19-22 year old girls? How much do you maintain on?

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  • a_stronger_me13
    a_stronger_me13 Posts: 812 Member
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    Thank you! 1800 calories isn't a weight gain amount, right?

    This question makes no sense. Obviously it is a number some people would gain in, but some people would lose on. The age of a person had far less to do with their caloric needs than the height and weight.

    I strongly suggest you do some research and learn about TDEE and your own personal body's needs, rather than trying to gauge how much to eat based off what everyone else is eating. That is an easy way to slip back into disordered thinking and habits. (Ask me how I know this...)

    But if you INSIST on having that question answered, consider this: I am 5'0", 109 lbs, eating 1800, and am still losing weight. Think critically and draw from that what you will. Good luck.

    This. And without knowing how your body was effected by your eating disorder, the TDEE calculators might not be a great estimate. However, it's all an estimate. Start with the calculators and then see how your body reacts, factoring in not only what the scale is doing but also your energy levels. Adjust from there. You might find better advice from a nutritionist who specializes in ED recovery. I know that reverse dieting is a helpful tool for a lot of people who are recovering from disordered eating, diagnosed or otherwise.
  • Ulwaz
    Ulwaz Posts: 380 Member
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    trying to recover myself, add me guys <3 currently struggling
  • tinychuck
    tinychuck Posts: 19 Member
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    I'm trying to recover from an eating disorder, and I want to stop worrying so much about how much I'm eating/exercising. I want to be a normal, healthy 20 year old. I'm at a BMI of around 20 right now, (though I've still not gotten my periods back) I'm thinking of gaining one or two more pounds before maintaining my weight.

    I was wondering how much a normal, healthy, non-eating disordered girl who's around my age eats in terms of calories?

    I've been observing a lot of my college-mates and they seem to eat quite a lot and are very slim, but that's probably genetics. There isn't a single person I know who's around my BMI at my college. Everyone's underweight, so I'd rather not use them as examples.

    I don't exercise a lot, because of my heart - I do 30 minutes of cycling, four to five times a week. I don't walk that much, since I'm a student, so I'm almost always sitting.

    I'm also a student recovering from an eating disorder (19 y/o).
    http://www.youreatopia.com/blog/2011/9/14/i-need-how-many-calories.html is a (scary) way of doing recovery, but one that I think makes the most sense.

    Actually, read a lot of youreatopia's posts, because I've found them to be so helpful and reassuring in my recovery.

    If you haven't got your period back that's a good sign that your body needs more nutrition!

    I wish you all the best in your recovery xx
  • gabbyjones122
    gabbyjones122 Posts: 3
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    Try not to look at what other girls eat and focus on yourself. I tend to do that as well because some girls are more and less active than you or they have a faster metabolism than you or they just don't care what they eat. You should be eating about 1300-1500 a day. Try to keep it the same amount each day even the days you do and don't excersise. Keep consistent is key. But don't eat 1300 calories of junk of course! Eat as many fruits and veggies you can, there is always healthy options. Don't obsess over calories too much. Eat healthy and whole foods when you're hungry and stop eating before you get too full and dont overeat or starve! Find a good balance and find what is best for you and what amount of calories you feel comfortable eating that is around that range. Hope i could help :)
  • annabeladcock
    annabeladcock Posts: 99
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    Congrats on your recovery :) if it helps - I'm 18, 5"2 and 132lbs and I maintain at about 1600-1800 calories a day. DO NOT be afraid if initially you see some weight gain because you are starting to eat more - your body will adjust! I know several people who are too scared to eat over 1000 calories a day because they have slowed their metabolism to the point where eating above that will cause them to put on a bit of weight (im talking 1 or 2lbs...). What they don't understand that by gradually increasing their calorie intake, they CAN maintain at 1600-2000 calories a day, depending on their activity levels.

    If you are still scared about weight gain you can try exercising. This will not only help to increase your metabolism (both cardio AND weight training), but it will make you feel better in yourself and it is a much healthier way of keeping control of your weight, health and wellbeing :) All the best lovely :)
  • Graelwyn75
    Graelwyn75 Posts: 4,404 Member
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    Try not to look at what other girls eat and focus on yourself. I tend to do that as well because some girls are more and less active than you or they have a faster metabolism than you or they just don't care what they eat. You should be eating about 1300-1500 a day. Try to keep it the same amount each day even the days you do and don't excersise. Keep consistent is key. But don't eat 1300 calories of junk of course! Eat as many fruits and veggies you can, there is always healthy options. Don't obsess over calories too much. Eat healthy and whole foods when you're hungry and stop eating before you get too full and dont overeat or starve! Find a good balance and find what is best for you and what amount of calories you feel comfortable eating that is around that range. Hope i could help :)

    Stupid advice. She is not trying to lose weight. 1300-1500 would be weight loss, and certainly is too low for someone recovering from an ED. Do not post if you do not know what you are talking about, seriously.
  • tinychuck
    tinychuck Posts: 19 Member
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    Try not to look at what other girls eat and focus on yourself. I tend to do that as well because some girls are more and less active than you or they have a faster metabolism than you or they just don't care what they eat. You should be eating about 1300-1500 a day. Try to keep it the same amount each day even the days you do and don't excersise. Keep consistent is key. But don't eat 1300 calories of junk of course! Eat as many fruits and veggies you can, there is always healthy options. Don't obsess over calories too much. Eat healthy and whole foods when you're hungry and stop eating before you get too full and dont overeat or starve! Find a good balance and find what is best for you and what amount of calories you feel comfortable eating that is around that range. Hope i could help :)

    Stupid advice. She is not trying to lose weight. 1300-1500 would be weight loss, and certainly is too low for someone recovering from an ED. Do not post if you do not know what you are talking about, seriously.

    I was just about to make this exact point. Not only is the advice contradictory, but not helpful for someone recovering from an ED.
    1300 is far far too little!
  • Linnaea27
    Linnaea27 Posts: 639 Member
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    That's great that you are working on recovering! I know it can be a very hard process, so good for you!!

    I'm 27 and 5'1", so a few years older and significantly shorter than you! At my goal weight, I can probably maintain at around 1650 calories a day, before exercise. I often exercise a fair amount, so will eat, and be able to maintain, on a lot more (up to 2500+ if I've been very active).

    When I was in my late teens/early 20's, I think I could eat a bit more than I do now and maintain. Though my eating habits were pretty funky through college.. . and I had no idea how many calories I was consuming, both when I was really small and when I gained a fair amount of weight.

    I went and read the link that tinychuck posted-- the "your eatopia" website. Read it. I'm sure it will surprise you but it seems like really good advice. According to what that website says, many of the recommendations people are throwing out are way, way too low for someone recovering-- 2500 to 3000 or so is what it recommends, because of needing extra nutrition to heal.

    If you keep at your recovery, I'm sure your period will come back! And hopefully over time, with adequate nutrition, your heart will heal and you will be able to enjoy more exercise.

    Best of luck!
  • tayloryay
    tayloryay Posts: 378 Member
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    Yes, check out YourEatopia like the others have said. Since you're under 25 your minimum would be 3000 calories a day, and that's minimum! Early on (and randomly throughout recovery) you may experience extreme hunger and eat well over that amount. Minimum means minimum! Your body has a lot of repairing to do, so don't compare yourself to others, especially those who haven't suffered from a restrictive ED. Also, people tend to under-report or underestimate their intake. Normal girls/women do actually eat 2500-3000 cals a day on average and maintain their set point weight!! MFP is pretty much the absolute worst place to ask for recovery advice, and honestly I'd recommend getting far, far away from here if you truly want to recover. This site can be incredibly triggering.
  • st_scrivener
    st_scrivener Posts: 26
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    5'5'' and a marathon-trainer. I'd say to maintain I'd have to eat about 2200 cals a day, though I am trying to lose a couple pounds, so I have my base of 1500 + at least half of what I earn from exercise, which can add up to over 3000 cals on some days. If I wasn't so active, I think my maintenance intake is around 1750-1800.
  • leapetrasova
    leapetrasova Posts: 3 Member
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    Heya. I am 18, hope you don't mind haha. I don't weigh myself 'cause we do not have a scale at home, I only take measurements from time to time.
    I've always been thin, been eating healthily at least 80% all my life (healthy eating runs in the family haha - we never have fast food, drink only water of fresh juices and eat a lot of fruits, veggies and whole foods), my mum has a stunning body so genetics also play really big role here and I've never had any ED, so I'd say that my weight is pretty natural for me and my bodytype - I am 168cm (5'6 tall) and weigh around 54kgs (120 lbs).
    At the same time, I have two friends the same height who always have weighted a little bit more than me, yet always been the same "thinnes" as I was.
  • shaniceen
    shaniceen Posts: 2 Member
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    Hi I think you are doing great. Try not to compare yourself to your friends as we are all different shapes and sizes.. l But you sound like your doing amazing. We all need to eat a different amount of food to maintain our body's or gain or lose weight . I' weigh myself once a month and take body fat reading and BMi and heigh at the gym on this machine the. Compare my results I try not to do cardio just lift weights as i wana look tone and lean .. Hope this helps xx

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