So... Does The Average Woman Maintain On 2000 calories?

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  • PokeyBug
    PokeyBug Posts: 482 Member
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    BusyRaeNOTBusty wrote: »
    Now if we assume the "median" person is the same, then 50% (or like 49.9999%) of all women are shorter, and 50% weigh less, while 50% weigh more, and 50% weigh less. And of course then you have to take age and activity into account. I'd guess that more people are sedentary than active, and right now due to the baby boomers, more people are older than 50 than younger than 30. But there's also a really large portion of the population that obese and they of course can maintain their currently obese weight at a pretty large intake. So considering all that, I think sure, it'd be "safe" to say that at least 51% of women could maintain their current weight at 2000 calories or more.

    Very, very good point. I'll just be shutting up now, lol. :D
  • socalkay
    socalkay Posts: 746 Member
    edited November 2014
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    I think there are too many variables for one number like "2000" to be good for much of anything except a benchmark for the food industry to use on nutrition labels.

    Weight maintenance calculator

    General guidelines
  • dunnodunno
    dunnodunno Posts: 2,290 Member
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    I eat around 2,200-2313 (mostly active due to job) & have maintained from 151-158 for awhile.

  • StrawberryLattes
    StrawberryLattes Posts: 8
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    I'm 5'5 and I was able to maintain 120lbs at around 2000 cal, which was great.
    I shouldn't have started started binge eating..
  • meganjcallaghan
    meganjcallaghan Posts: 949 Member
    edited November 2014
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    I'm probably more active than the average joe. I'm currently losing a little while having anywhere between 2800 ish calories on my "lower" activity days and up to between 3500 and 3800 ish on my long distance run days

    I'm 5'6.5 and hovering around the 138 pound mark at the moment
  • LAWoman72
    LAWoman72 Posts: 2,846 Member
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    Missjulesdid wrote: »
    5'5" 42 years old 230 pounds... If I'm sedentary I will gain on 2,000... EVEN AT 230 pounds!!! Yes, really.

    I don't think that's weird at all...I am 5'1", 47 years old, 210 and sure as check again on 2000. :D Or even 1800.
  • Vailara
    Vailara Posts: 2,452 Member
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    I think 2000 is far too round a number to be absolutely accurate as an average!

    It's misleading - I thought I was pretty average and couldn't understand why I was gaining weight on 1800 - 2000. I got a shock when I worked out later that my sedentary TDEE had been around 1400.
  • LAWoman72
    LAWoman72 Posts: 2,846 Member
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    Here's another thing to consider: by average, are you talking literally average? Because average for a U.S. woman, AFAIK, is 5'4" and a little over 165 lbs. - overweight at least per BMI charts. In that case, you're talking about maintaining an overweight state.

    The point is basically moot anyway for the many reasons already listed on this thread...I was just curious.
  • noexcusesjustresults2014
    noexcusesjustresults2014 Posts: 212 Member
    edited November 2014
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    lol. I am 5 foot 7 and 126 pounds. I would lose a pound a week on a 2000 calorie diet. If you want a higher TDEE, get off the couch and earn it!

    If you compare yourself to the "average" woman you are more likely to be "average". If you want something to aspire to choose a better role model. "Average" these days means sedentary, overweight, a bachelor degree, several prescription medicines, and a 50% chance of divorce. Do you really want to compare yourself to that?
  • steff274
    steff274 Posts: 227 Member
    edited November 2014
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    I lose weight on 2000 guess I am not average!! I am only 5ft 2 but am very active my maintenance is 2010 but I need to eat back at least half of my excersize calories often more or I will drop..
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    edited November 2014
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    What's average? I guess maybe I'm not. I'm 5'7" and 130 pounds and I've been maintaining on 1700 PLUS exercise calories for over three years. I would gain weight over time on 2000, because I'm basically sedentary on days that I don't exercise and there are a lot of days that I don't exercise. Those 300 extra calories a day add up...I would think many petite women would definitely gain on 2000 a day unless they were active.

    ETA: Today I had over 2000, but only because I hiked 6 miles in the hills. I don't do that every day.
  • noexcusesjustresults2014
    noexcusesjustresults2014 Posts: 212 Member
    edited November 2014
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    LAWoman72 wrote: »
    Here's another thing to consider: by average, are you talking literally average? Because average for a U.S. woman, AFAIK, is 5'4" and a little over 165 lbs. - overweight at least per BMI charts. In that case, you're talking about maintaining an overweight state.

    +1 Being average should perhaps be a milestone for some people but not an ultimate goal.
  • Preetsangel
    Preetsangel Posts: 2
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    I try to maintain 1200 cal per day...its really difficult..I have to cut out so many things I usually eat/drink...I hope this sacrifice of mine will bear its fruit...by the way I'm 26 yrs weighting 62 lbs and 5'2.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    edited November 2014
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    Clinical studies offer some clues to the answer -

    After a 12 week VLCD the 40 week maintenance phase average reported calorie intake of a group of women was 1300 calories, less than their Resting Energy Expenditure. http://europepmc.org/abstract/MED/10078857 "Maintenance" was not consistent :-
    ruduqn4w1d8s.png

    http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/71/5/1138/T3.expansion.html reports an average of 2170 calories a day energy expenditure in a group of free living women, +/- 770 calories at 2 s.d from the mean.
  • KentWhiteRabbit
    KentWhiteRabbit Posts: 92 Member
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    The whole point is that it's an average. Being older and petite I maintain at around 1350 but I'm sure that a larger younger more active woman may well maintain at 2650 which would make the average 2000.

    You just need to find the right value for you. Average values are of no importance when you are working out you personal requirements. After all very few of us are actually the exact average!
  • noexcusesjustresults2014
    noexcusesjustresults2014 Posts: 212 Member
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    Preetsangel wrote: »
    I try to maintain 1200 cal per day...its really difficult..I have to cut out so many things I usually eat/drink...I hope this sacrifice of mine will bear its fruit...by the way I'm 26 yrs weighting 62 lbs and 5'2.

    Please get professional help immediately! At 62 pounds your BMI is 11.3. You are at risk of death from organ failure.

    http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/BMI/bmicalc.htm
  • KentWhiteRabbit
    KentWhiteRabbit Posts: 92 Member
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    I'm jealous now! I love good food and all you posters that say you can eat 2000+ calories are making me drool!
    +
    Personally if I ate 2000 calories a day for extended periods I'd be the size of a whale!!
  • steff274
    steff274 Posts: 227 Member
    edited November 2014
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    noexcusesjustresults2014 wrote: »
    Preetsangel wrote: »
    I try to maintain 1200 cal per day...its really difficult..I have to cut out so many things I usually eat/drink...I hope this sacrifice of mine will bear its fruit...by the way I'm 26 yrs weighting 62 lbs and 5'2.

    Please get professional help immediately! At 62 pounds your BMI is 11.3. You are at risk of death from organ failure.

    http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/BMI/bmicalc.htm

    What she said!! I struggle to keep weight on I panic when I drop a pound!! Am eating 2500 calories on average sometimes more and up until this morning was 105 pounds.. 104 this morning am the same height as you feel too skinny my ribs show :|
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
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    Preetsangel wrote: »
    I try to maintain 1200 cal per day...its really difficult..I have to cut out so many things I usually eat/drink...I hope this sacrifice of mine will bear its fruit...by the way I'm 26 yrs weighting 62 lbs and 5'2.

    I hope that's a typo and you meant to say 62kgs, because 62 pounds is not OK.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,345 Member
    edited November 2014
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    I'm 5ft 2" - 134lbs and I maintain on 2000 calories but I am very active.
    workout 6 days/week - jogging and strength training plus a daily average of 15000 steps.
    - If I were much less active/sedentary I would maintain on 1600.

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