How many calories do I need to maintain weight?

fudokung
fudokung Posts: 31
edited September 25 in Health and Weight Loss
I am a 19 year old male with 174cm height and weight of 64kg. Assuming I do little to no exercises at all will 2000 calories maintain my weight? or is that too much?

Replies

  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
    You might consider plugging your info into MFP's goals page and see what MFP recommends... they do have a setting for maintenance as your goal. It will consider your height, weight, age, gender and normal daily activity level. This will give you a starting point. You can use what it gives you, then tweak up or down as you need.
  • fudokung
    fudokung Posts: 31
    it says I should aim for around 2050 calories.................anyone agree that this is a reasonable amount?
  • cmgriffis
    cmgriffis Posts: 13
    Technically, you should consume 25 calories for every kg you weigh. So, for you, if you want to maintain your current weight, you should be eating about 1600 calories.
  • fudokung
    fudokung Posts: 31
    but that is just the BMR right? so can you help me out with a realistic calorie?
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
    Technically, you should consume 25 calories for every kg you weigh. So, for you, if you want to maintain your current weight, you should be eating about 1600 calories.

    What's your source for that? Seems AWFULLY low. Most of the maintenance levels I see for guys are much more than 1600 calories. I plugged in the OP's stats to various maintenance calorie calculators online and got estimates from 2000-2200.
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
    PS - here are a few calculators, for what they're worth:

    http://www.caloriecontrol.org/healthy-weight-tool-kit/weight-maintenance-calculator-men
    http://www.personalhealthzone.com/mens_weight_calculator.html
    http://www.shapefit.com/dailycalorie-calc.html

    Results will depend on how active you are.
  • fudokung
    fudokung Posts: 31
    If i walk around 30-45 minutes at a normal pace everyday could you give me a reasonable amount?
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
    If i walk around 30-45 minutes at a normal pace everyday could you give me a reasonable amount?

    No. Neither I (nor 99.9% of the other MFP members) are qualified or knowledgeable enough to be able to tell you any more than what the calculators online will give you. I'd suggest you check out those various calculators I gave you the links for, write down what they give you for both "sedentary" and "lightly active" and pick a calorie goal somewhere in the middle of the range of numbers you get. It's hard for me to know which one (sedentary or lightly active) is most accurate for you, as it would depend on what kind of job you have, what you do most days, etc. I definitely wouldn't go any higher than "lightly active" if the only exercise you get is light walking.

    Your only other option is to go to a licensed/certified nutritionist/dietician and see what they think.

    Pick your goal, try it out for a few weeks, and if you find you're losing or gaining weight, adjust your goal accordingly.
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