MFPs calorie limit seems high...

flyawaybride
flyawaybride Posts: 11 Member
in Getting Started
So, as someone who has set the goal for a loss of 1lb./week and who is moderately active day - to - day, (I walk between 5 and 7 miles a day at work, and I work 40 hours a week) I'm just wondering if my goal is a bit high. Currently its set to 2,560. I'm five foot six, about 310lbs, age 22. Is that number something I should follow absolutely, or is it something I can adjust on my own and still lose weight in a healthy way?

Replies

  • Heatherbelle_87
    Heatherbelle_87 Posts: 1,078 Member
    If you were at a 2 lbs per week loss I wouldn't advise you to play with it. However if the calories seem High see what it would say for 2 lbs per week and try to stay somewhere in between the two calorie ranges.

    As far as the calories seeming higher, the thinner you are the lower your maintenance calories will be so that number will go down the more weight you lose.
  • __freckles__
    __freckles__ Posts: 1,238 Member
    Nope, it doesn't seem high considering your current weight. You can see where you stand using this, but I got similar numbers with your stats:

    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
  • j4nash
    j4nash Posts: 1,719 Member
    My opinion, start with 2 pounds a week until you get close to your goal then change to 1. Just make sure you adjust your calories as you lose weight.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    That actually sounds like a reasonable goal to me too, given your day to day activity. However, if you try it for a week or two and really feel it's too much, feel free to reset your goals a bit. Your activity level sounds reasonable but going with 1.5-2 pounds per week would be ok, given the amount you want to lose.

    Good luck!
  • galprincess
    galprincess Posts: 683 Member
    I don't think that's too high but maybe try it and lose weight if not drop it 100 at a time good on you if you can eat all that and lose weight , I eat 1700 and I started on 2200 and lost 2 stone almost im much smaller so deffo try it and good luck well done for starting your journey x
  • gregpack
    gregpack Posts: 426 Member
    No, I don't think it's too high. I believe you'll find that's not a lot of food if you weigh and measure carefully. Your body will let you know. .

    Resist the urge to cut too many calories. Find something sustainable. You've got a long road ahead, probably 18 to 24 months
  • Patttience
    Patttience Posts: 975 Member
    I think you could probably easily aim to lose 2 pounds a week for say the first three months. I know that's not your question but i second the opinion of the others here who suggest it.

    As you go along, aim to improve the quality (nutrition density) of the foods you eat so that as you cut back on foods it will sustain you more easily through the day.

    With a 40 hour week and 4-7 miles walking per day (if that's accurate) you will find that all plenty to worry about so i wouldn't go trying to complicate matters by adding in more exercise until the idea really grabs you.

    With regard to your question, i went by the suggestion for calories given by MFP when i started and found it very good. If you find you are getting too hungry, even though your food is maximum nutrition (i.e. lots of vegetables, low GI foods, plenty of protein and healthy fats, and diversity) and you are not suffering tiredness, stress, emotional distress, boredom (all of which give rise to appetite), then maybe consider cutting back on the speed of losing to 1 pound per week. The further you go along, the better it is to slow your rate of losing down. Your body needs to adjust to the new you and it might even fight you with increased appetite, inexplicable lethargy and various other things. If that happens, pause and regroup.

    Another tip i would offer is to eat most of your calories earlier in the day, in meals fairly close together. This is the time when you are spending most of your energy. It's all a fair bit easier if the hungrier time of happens while you are asleep. At the beginning of my diet and in general, i would eat breakfast before 9, lunch at noon, and dinner at between 5-7pm. I know your lifestyle makes that impossible but you can adjust it to what you are doing, i'm sure.

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