My calories

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razlendazle09
razlendazle09 Posts: 10
in Fitness and Exercise
I do not understand why MFP says for me to lose 2 pounds each week i need to eat 1,990 calories or less....that seems like ALOT of calories. I'm 20 years old, 5'11" and weigh 290 pounds...does this seem right? Is anyone in the same boat as I am?

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  • CarpStylist
    CarpStylist Posts: 24 Member
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    That IS a lot! To maintain your weight, you usually eat around 1500 cals (or so I've been told). Reset your goals and see if it has changed!
  • MrsMedeiros
    MrsMedeiros Posts: 14
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    Hmmm. I'm 30 and 5'5'' and it has me at 1320 calories a day. It factors in the amount of calories you burn naturally through just living and daily activity and puts you at a 1000 calorie deficit. I would definitely check your numbers again just to make sure. Keep in mind your very young and tall as well.
  • LoveMy3Boys
    LoveMy3Boys Posts: 562 Member
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    Its a lot, but you don't want to eat too little until you start losing weight, because you probably were eating more than that before...

    I am 5'3" and 175 and I am eating about 1500, I am breastfeeding so I added 300 extra calories and with exercising I can get up to 1800 calories. You gotta feed your body to lose weight. Seriously!
  • td_ssam
    td_ssam Posts: 32
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    What did you input for your exercise information? Maybe that has something to do with it?
  • BlueEyedMomma88
    BlueEyedMomma88 Posts: 558 Member
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    Actually it all depends on how much u weigh I believe..
  • Mads1997
    Mads1997 Posts: 1,494 Member
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    Hi, I'm 5'll and 218lb. I just started here this week have been allocated 1610 calories however I seem to be putting on a little each day.
  • razlendazle09
    razlendazle09 Posts: 10
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    I exercise 6 days a week at least 45 min, I've been exercising 6 days a weeks for an hour in a half.
  • dave4d
    dave4d Posts: 1,155 Member
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    As your weight goes down, so does your caloric needs. When My exwife did weight watchers they were giving her quite a few points when she started, by the time she was almost done she had very few.

    If I wore a backpack with a hundred pounds worth of weight in it. It would take me more fuel to get from place to place, and do my daily chores.
  • littlemoron
    littlemoron Posts: 36 Member
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    How much exercise are you planning on doing? That will have an impact on how many calories (on average) you should consume in order to lose 2lbs/week. For example, MFP has me at around 1500 cal/day for me to lose 1lb/week with 60 minutes of exercise three times a week, whereas some other girls are eating over 2000 calories and are losing weight (faster than I am, I should add.) Give it a try for a week and see how you feel and how much you are exercising.


    Also, the average woman, to maintain weight, should be eating around 1800-2000 calories per day, so 1900 isn't totally weird.

    Good luck! :smile:
  • gp79
    gp79 Posts: 1,799 Member
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    With your age, height, weight and sex, your BMR is somewhere around 2200 calories per day. This means that your body is burning 2200 calories on a daily basis simply for existing. You're going to burn some additional calories from doing whatever it is you do on a daily basis. On top of that you'd need to also account for any exercise conducted. To loose 2lb per week you need to have a 1000 calorie deficit each day for a total deficit of 7000 calories per week to equal a 2lb weight loss. Let's say your average daily calorie burn (BMR+activity+exercise) is 2600 ...then you'd need to be consuming 1600 calories to achieve that goal.
  • razlendazle09
    razlendazle09 Posts: 10
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    I don't want to maintain my weight lol, I work out 6 days a week for at least an hour burning like 700 calories.
  • kappyblu
    kappyblu Posts: 654 Member
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    Based on your weight and the amount you are exercising, that sounds about right. I weigh more than you and am lightly active. I exercise 3 times a week for 30 minutes at a time and my calorie allowance to lose 1 1/2 pounds per week is appx. 2330 per day. For people that are smaller, their calorie count would be lower. Trust MFP hon. I've been here for 5 months and have lost almost 40 pounds by following the formula that MFP sets. 1900 calories is only a lot to those people who don't have a lot of weight to lose. Do what MFP says, stick to it, and see what the scale says after a week. Good luck!!!
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
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    Your daily calorie goal is based on your height, weight, gender, age (I think), which is used to figure out your BMR, and your normal daily activity. If you set your daily activity (not including exercise, which isn't taken into account until you log it) as active or highly active, you'll have a bigger calorie goal. If you are a student or have a desk job, you probably want lightly active or even sedentary.
  • td_ssam
    td_ssam Posts: 32
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    Is 1990 your caloric intake after you've worked out? Or is it 1990 plus the calories you lose during your workout?

    Honestly I think it may be because of your weight as dave4d was saying. You'll need more fuel for now, but I guarantee that your caloric intake will get lower as your weight gets lower. As of now, I bet that is right because you'll need more fuel (i.e. calories)

    You'll get there little by little, don't worry. And of course DON'T get unmotivated!
  • megsta21
    megsta21 Posts: 506 Member
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    Yes that is alot, But it sounds correct to me.... FYI it is based on the following criteria:

    Gender
    Age
    Height
    Weight

    :drinker:

    Fun Facts:
    The reason most people become Overweight........ Over Eating!
    The reason most people STAY Overweight........... UNDER EATING! (pls notice i say "most") :drinker:

    Peoples mentality changes from "I eat what i want when i want" to (when they become overweight) "Im fat so i cant eat much" :blushing:
  • gp79
    gp79 Posts: 1,799 Member
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    I just ran your number manually, assuming you workout moderately 3-5 days per week and according to what you've given for information, you should be loosing 1.9lbs per week at 1990 calories. I'd say this is close enough to assume MFP is on target.

    You've got to take into account your weight. At 290 lbs, your body is burning extra calories to carry that weight around. As you lose weight, your BMR will decrease, as will your daily caloric needs and the amount of calories you burn during the same workout you are doing right now. All because your body is becoming more efficient at doing the same tasks.
  • razlendazle09
    razlendazle09 Posts: 10
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    ya i work out 6 days a week (no matter what), for about an hour to an hour in a half, sometimes more. like tomorrow I will prob. do about 2 hours

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