How many calories should I be eating?

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jodi_keen2014
jodi_keen2014 Posts: 10
in Health and Weight Loss
I am starting to eat 1,700 calories a day, and burning 500 calories. So my body will be running on 1,200 calories. Will that help me lose weight? (I'm 5'2" and weigh 168)
I just figured out today I was doing it all wrong, and not eating enough to lose weight I would have actually been gaining.

Thanks!

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  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
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    How old are you?
  • shadowofender
    shadowofender Posts: 786 Member
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    If you got 1700 through MFP you need to NET that amount. The calorie burns are often overestimated though, so try eating back half to 75%.
  • jodi_keen2014
    jodi_keen2014 Posts: 10
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    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    How old are you?

    I'm 20. Sorry forgot to mention that. Lol.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
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    I should have tossed this to you in the first place as you need to give your activity level as well.
    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
  • jodi_keen2014
    jodi_keen2014 Posts: 10
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    shadowofender wrote: »
    If you got 1700 through MFP you need to NET that amount. The calorie burns are often overestimated though, so try eating back half to 75%.

    I didn't get that from this website. I just know that 1,200 is the lowest amount that you should ever go. I don't want to only eat 1,200 and burn 500. That would leave me with 700 calories my body is running on and I know that isn't healthy at all.
  • hill8570
    hill8570 Posts: 1,466 Member
    edited October 2014
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    My rule of thumb has been "eat at least BMR plus part of the really big burns". Your BMR is around 1500, so 1700 sounds reasonable. And remember these numbers are just a starting point -- you adjust up or down every few weeks based on how the journey is going.

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  • olystacy
    olystacy Posts: 6 Member
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    I am 44 year old female and have mfp set to 1700 - I exercise 3-4 x a week and burn 500 or more calories during those sessions. I am not hangry, am losing weight, albeit slowly (.5 to 1lb a week - only have 10 to lose) but I am ok with that because it needs to be sustainable and not cause obsessing over food. 1700 is a good number for me. Just try it for a while and adjust if needed. If you are doing heavy lifting 1700 is NOT enough.
  • olystacy
    olystacy Posts: 6 Member
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    If I lift I increase intake on those days and try to make the calories eaten be in the form of protein or complex carbs.
  • jodi_keen2014
    jodi_keen2014 Posts: 10
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    olystacy wrote: »
    I am 44 year old female and have mfp set to 1700 - I exercise 3-4 x a week and burn 500 or more calories during those sessions. I am not hangry, am losing weight, albeit slowly (.5 to 1lb a week - only have 10 to lose) but I am ok with that because it needs to be sustainable and not cause obsessing over food. 1700 is a good number for me. Just try it for a while and adjust if needed. If you are doing heavy lifting 1700 is NOT enough.

    Honestly, I'm mainly doing cardio. I love working out now. It's been almost 3 weeks. I take all my vitamins, only drink water. The food I am eating is all high protein, vegetables, and some fruit. Some other lean meats as well. Your body need at least 1,200 calories to run correctly though right? Lol.

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