Allowed calories for the day

cuz86
cuz86 Posts: 45 Member
edited September 26 in Health and Weight Loss
Hey everyone...so I am allowed 1330 cals for the day...to me this seems so low and im struggling to stay within that ...I do work out most days so that usually bumps me up to 1800 calories which is much better. What do you guys think of the number...on non workout days what should i do?

any tips are great thanks :)

Replies

  • amyhoss
    amyhoss Posts: 414 Member
    1300 is hard, but possible. You just don't have much wiggle room. I think 1800 calories is pretty good though and entirely reasonable.

    btw - I am allowed 1200 calories without factoring in exercise. But I want to loose 50lbs by my vacation in September.
  • ItsAsha
    ItsAsha Posts: 78
    My calorie limit is 1200. I find it easiest to break my meals apart so I'm not hungry through out the day
  • kimmerroze
    kimmerroze Posts: 1,330 Member
    Check your bmr... my bmr is like 1450 so I bumped mine up to that. and I have still lost weight. My maintainence is abour 1750.

    When I work out I eat all my work out calories too. If I am feeling extra hungry or munchy I make sure to work out! and then I am good! haha
  • LovelySnugs
    LovelySnugs Posts: 389
    stuff up on spring mix and spinach. seriously, they make 50/50 blends of that stuff - you can have a HUGE bowlful of it and only eat like 40 calories. top it off with some cherry tomatoes and your favorite salad dressing. it's a full, usually satisfying meal that you don't have to think too much about, and it still allows you a bit of wiggle room for larger meals and other snacks during the day.

    that's one of my tricks for days when i don't know if i'm gonna be working out or not and i wanna save calories.
  • ltlemermaid
    ltlemermaid Posts: 637 Member
    on my non workout days I try to eat more veggies to keep me full and lower in calories.
  • tiffanyvc
    tiffanyvc Posts: 99
    By no means am I a professional in this subject, and I really don't have anything to go off of but my own experience.

    I'm only allowed 1200 calories a day. I struggled for about two months to figure out what foods I can eat to stay within that range. I didn't lose anything during those two months. Once I figured out how to eat properly (what foods to cut out, what to eat more of, etc), it actually became a challenge for me to eat enough to reach my 1200 calorie goal.

    I would stay to stick with the 1330 on the days that you don't work out. You don't want to eat too much and then ruin your progress by eating too many calories.

    But, I don't always know what I'm talking about. I only know what has worked for me.
  • hpsnickers1
    hpsnickers1 Posts: 2,783 Member
    What is your weight loss goal. You aren't that overweight. You could re-calculate your goals (if you are 2lb per week, drop it to 1lb).

    This will give you more calories. My only choice was .5 per week since I was only trying to lose 10lbs. It took a little longer than that.

    maybe eat your Maintenance on days you don't workout (those workouts will have you burning more the next day too. I have learned this through my BodyMedia Armband) and eat your Maintenance and some if not all your exercise calories on days you do workout. You'll still lose weight and the slower way is the healthiest way and more likely to stay off since your body can adapt to the changes). My maintenance calories turned out to be quite a bit higher than what MFP gave me. 1570 going by height, weight, and activity level (sedentary/desk job) but on my absolutely laziest day I burned 1641 (we're talking lying on the couch in front of the TV. My armband even tracked me as "lying down"). My highest has been 2323 (I'm 5'2" and in a 120-123lb weight range)
  • cuz86
    cuz86 Posts: 45 Member
    By no means am I a professional in this subject, and I really don't have anything to go off of but my own experience.

    I'm only allowed 1200 calories a day. I struggled for about two months to figure out what foods I can eat to stay within that range. I didn't lose anything during those two months. Once I figured out how to eat properly (what foods to cut out, what to eat more of, etc), it actually became a challenge for me to eat enough to reach my 1200 calorie goal.

    I would stay to stick with the 1330 on the days that you don't work out. You don't want to eat too much and then ruin your progress by eating too many calories.

    But, I don't always know what I'm talking about. I only know what has worked for me.


    what sort of foods did you use to fill up on? i just want to make sure im getting enough calories as i have quite a bit of muscle on me already i worry 1300 isnt enough
  • potluck965
    potluck965 Posts: 529 Member
    I have been limited to 1200 from my beginning here. I just had to get used to being hungry. You're lucky if you are physically able to workout to get that many more calories.

    But, I have lost weight and now that I am kind of easing up on the calories, I am not losing anymore. For me, MFP was spot on in their recommendations. YMMV
  • mayree1979
    mayree1979 Posts: 15 Member
    my resting calories is 1800 , in order to lose 1 to 2 lbs a week I need to stay around 1200 calories. I am finding this very easy but I think some of it is in the mind. Stay with it and Good Luck
  • pipinan24
    pipinan24 Posts: 14
    I was the same as I have a 1380 limit but you begin to look at food differently after a few days because you don't want to waste those calories on junk food that won't fill you or aren't substantial. I used to eat loads of crisps and breadyy type things and dranks loads of Coke and the like but I realised it's such a waste so I'm trying to switch to fruit or popcorn for snacks and have been drinking only water now. I didn't think it would be this easy either though i would have the very odd glass of fizzy drink or some sweets but not half as much as before.
  • tuscaroragal
    tuscaroragal Posts: 78 Member
    It is tough to do, but there are many people on this site who are keeping at 1200 calories... I'm relatively tall (5'9) so I am allowed 1500 calories a day. I don't know if I could do the 1200 calories...that would be hard for me to do...I have the same issue of not feeling like I can go without working out. I'll find the balance, but right now, I have just continued to do workouts 7 days a week. If I truly am tired, I take a break. Listen to you body. I also have days where I feel hungry all the time. I find ways to eat small things throughout the day when I feel like that...hard boiled eggs (70 calories), and fruit and veggies. Good Luck, and keep up the good work! :)
  • ahanson6
    ahanson6 Posts: 102
    I'm at 1400 to 1500 calories per day with my workouts included (1200 without), but I generally don't eat more than 1300. But days when I don't workout are miserable. I really need those extra 100 calories. Every morning when I get up I am tempted to "take the day off" from exercising and then I think about being hungry all day, and I practically run to the elliptical.

    On days when I really can't work out I have to be very careful about what I eat. I always turn to salads and hot cereals those days. I have cream of wheat for breakfast. I have a huge Freshii Wild Pacific salad (197 calories) or some other salad that will keep me full for 5 hours or more for lunch. I have a dinner that includes some big carbs (like rice), and instead of eating fruit (which seems to just make me more hungry) I eat grits, cream of rice or more cream of wheat for snacks.

    I don't think this is the most balanced diet, and I wouldn't do it everyday, but it works to get me through a rough day every once in a while.
  • haulewould
    haulewould Posts: 11
    I take my body weight, replace pounds with oz. (fluid), cut it in half, and drink that much water daily. That really helps with my hunger, especially in the evenings. You might already be drinking enough, but just a thought.
  • cuz86
    cuz86 Posts: 45 Member
    What is your weight loss goal. You aren't that overweight. You could re-calculate your goals (if you are 2lb per week, drop it to 1lb).

    This will give you more calories. My only choice was .5 per week since I was only trying to lose 10lbs. It took a little longer than that.

    maybe eat your Maintenance on days you don't workout (those workouts will have you burning more the next day too. I have learned this through my BodyMedia Armband) and eat your Maintenance and some if not all your exercise calories on days you do workout. You'll still lose weight and the slower way is the healthiest way and more likely to stay off since your body can adapt to the changes). My maintenance calories turned out to be quite a bit higher than what MFP gave me. 1570 going by height, weight, and activity level (sedentary/desk job) but on my absolutely laziest day I burned 1641 (we're talking lying on the couch in front of the TV. My armband even tracked me as "lying down"). My highest has been 2323 (I'm 5'2" and in a 120-123lb weight range)

    well id like to be 120-130 so i have about 30 lbs to lose and i have set the loss at 1 lb a week i have been working out a lof over the last year or so so i think ive built quite abit of muscle and that my BMR should be higher then most. what is a body media armband?? so you think on the days i dont workout i should eat my maintenance calories and that should be ok? also what abotu cheat days do you ever have those?
  • me3ad
    me3ad Posts: 5 Member
    I really struggled with 1200 calories and gave up, but I have started again and I am finding it much easier.

    I suggest doing as much excercise as possible. I try to burn 200 calories a day, then may food allowance doesn't seem so hard, I am finding now that I am normally under.

    Also really increase your amount of vegatables, they fill you up and less calories.

    I now input my food straight after eating so I really know where I am , and I can make sure I have enough calories left for a good dinner.

    I eat dinner earlier aswell so that I am using the energy rather than just sleeping.

    Oh and lots of water.

    Hope some of these help!
  • AMANDAKENNEDY101
    AMANDAKENNEDY101 Posts: 15
    ON THE DAYS YOU DONT WORKOUT TO RAISE YOUR CALORIE GOAL BY ABOUT 200 CALORIES TAKE A MOD. PACED WALK FOR 30 MIN MOD PACED WALK IS 3 MILES/HR. I AM ON A 1200 CALOIE DIET AND HAVE FOUND THAT I CAN STAY UNDER MY GOAL BY SIMPLY CUTTING OUT REGULAR SODA ALL TO GETHER I DON'T LIKE TASTE OF DIET SO SWITCHED TO SUGAR FREE KOOL-AIDE AND WORKS GREAT SO FAR. ALSO IF YOU ONLY EAT FRUIT ON THE DAYS YOU DON'T WORK OUT FOR BREAKFAST THAT HELPS ALOT TOO. ALSO PLAN ON DAYS YOU DONT WORKOUT ON EATING A SALAD WITH A FAT FREE DRESSING ON IT FOR ONE OF YOUR MEALS AND THAT WILL HELP TOO. I HAVE ALSO STARTED BUYING LOTS OF PRE-PORTIONED MEALS AND SNACKS FOR ME TO TAKE ON THE GO. ALL MY SNACKS I KEEP UNDER 100 CALORIES AND THERE ARE SEVERAL SNACK OPTIONS IN THAT CALORIE RANGE SO LOTS OF CHOICES AND I ALSO LIMIT MY SNACKS TO ONE IN THE EVENING AROUND 7:00. YOU NEED TO ALSO DRINK LOTS OF WATER TO HELP KEEP YOU FULL BETWEEN MEALS. IF YOU WOULD LIKE YOU CAN ADD ME TO YOUR FRIENDS LIST THAT WAY IF EITHER OF US HAS ?S OR NEEDS MORAL SUPPORT BECAUSE I AM FAIRLY NEW TO THIS SITE, BUT LIKE IT LOT BETTER THAN THE OTHER ONE I TRIED KEEPS UP WITH YOUR ACTIVITIES AND CALORIES BETTER.
  • hottamolly00
    hottamolly00 Posts: 334 Member
    How old are you? How much do you weigh? What is your height? MFP is pretty accurate on the calories you should eat to lose weight. I did a fat comp with a dietician and the results matched with MFP.
  • Jillmgk36
    Jillmgk36 Posts: 14 Member
    I agree- a big huge salad for lunch saves a ton of calories and fills you up. I like taco salads with lots of lettuce, spinach, and tomatoes, then add light sour cream, some grated cheese and lean ground beef, with salsa (which is also next to nothing). Its under 400 calories, lots of protenin and low carbs, and very filling.

    My allowed calories is 1400, and with exrecise, I don't seem to reach even that.
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