2650 Calories a day??!

TarheelramTr
TarheelramTr Posts: 18
edited November 9 in Health and Weight Loss
I am a 6'3 18 year old male. I started my diet two weeks ago and have lost 20 pounds so far. I wanted to start going down to the 2 pounds a week diet so my body doesn't get damaged. But when I put my info here the site is telling me 2650 calories is what I need to eat a day. Does that seem accurate? It just seems like a really high number and I want to make sure I'll be losing weight. Keep in mind I burn around 200 calories a day using either the elliptical or punching bag so technically its telling me to eat 2850 calories a day. If anyone is close to my height or has some knowledge on this can you tell me if this looks incorrect? Its 3pm and I'm only at 560 calories. I've had breakfast, lunch, and snacks am I suppose to buldge to reach 2850 calories?
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Replies

  • I'm not really a big fan of MFP's caloric breakdown but they do take into consideration your activity level, did you put in sedentary? Also you didn't tell us your current weight so I have no clue if that's too much or too little in terms of calories. Your 20 lbs in two weeks may have been to a severe low caloric intake and water weight loss. Sometimes we need to eat more to lose more, if that makes sense. You also don't want to be losing protein and muscle mass with your new dieting skills.

    A better way is to calculate your TDEE (google IIFYM calculator)
    On the website you put in your stats and it tells you how many calories you need.
    To lose a safe amount of weight you'll have to eat at a negative 20% of your TDEE (they calculate it for you). It'll help and show you what you need to eat in terms of your carbs, fats and proteins too.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    What is your current weight?
  • Laoch_Cailin
    Laoch_Cailin Posts: 414 Member
    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

    Plug all your info in here to double check. I'm sure its right though :smiley:
  • 20yearsyounger
    20yearsyounger Posts: 1,630 Member
    It's probably right. Looks like your BMR at a healthy weight is around 2000 without any exercise. What were you doing before you changed it to 2 pounds a week?
  • misskarihari
    misskarihari Posts: 104 Member
    http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/ You can calculate on this site how much energy you need a day. Eat something between your BMR and TDEE and you will lose weight, but never eat below your BMR. Read the information under the calculator on that site for better explanation.

    But I wouldn't believe 2650 cal a day is very wrong, since you are tall. I don't know how heavy you are though.
  • Sorry, I am 259 pounds right now and my activity is set to active. And thanks I'll check out the site see if it makes more sense. And yes I was eating around 1000 calories or less for 2 weeks because I did not ever feel hungry but I'm trying to change that.
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
    You lost 20lb in 2 weeks?
  • karlsantiago
    karlsantiago Posts: 90 Member
    try to spread your calories out a little more, i would say most of your calories should come early in the day when you wake up since that's when the body is most depleted of nutrients. the fact that you are burning calories is the reason why MFP is giving you a higher intake of food, so 2650 sounds accurate and safe.

    btw i love cardio on the punching bags too great and fun way to burn some cals!
  • kendalslimmer
    kendalslimmer Posts: 579 Member
    MFP always allocates more calories to:
    - men
    - taller folk
    - people who weigh more

    Maybe just try eating more calorically dense foods?
  • 999tigger wrote: »
    You lost 20lb in 2 weeks?

    Most of it was water weight since I was 278 but I was definitely not taking enough calories.
  • kelly_e_montana
    kelly_e_montana Posts: 1,999 Member
    That's about how much I maintain on, so given your age and size, it seems reasonable for a deficit to me.
  • Will the calorie intake decrease as I lose weight?
  • Atrocity108
    Atrocity108 Posts: 328 Member
    Im 6'4 and was at 360lbs. I started eating 1200 calories on non-active days, and 1300-1500 calories on active days. One day a week, usually Sunday, I eat upwards of 3000-4000 (it is my cheat day after all). So far, since February 17th, I have lost 130lbs.
  • Laoch_Cailin
    Laoch_Cailin Posts: 414 Member
    Will the calorie intake decrease as I lose weight?

    Yeah, if you update your weight ever so often your cals will decrease.

    If your struggling to meet your goals maybe try prelogging. Add loads of calorie dense foods to your day, I always find nuts are great for using up cals.
  • Sorry, I am 259 pounds right now and my activity is set to active. And thanks I'll check out the site see if it makes more sense. And yes I was eating around 1000 calories or less for 2 weeks because I did not ever feel hungry but I'm trying to change that.

    Eating 1000 calories isn't safe by any means and I'm glad you know that. Your weight loss was probably a lot of water weight and you're going to need to get that eating up because remaining at a severe caloric restriction will stop your metabolism. So in the future when you do develop an appetite, looking at food will make you gain weight! (been there)
    MFP does seem to have a right calculation there. Even if you can't make it to that amount, try and at least eat above 2000 calories. Fill up SOME of your numbers with fruits, veggies and shakes if you're not that hungry all the time.
  • williams969
    williams969 Posts: 2,528 Member
    The calorie number is probably pretty close, given your age (young), you are male, and very tall (and probably on the heavy side, you are trying to lose). I'm over twice your age, and much shorter and probably half your weight, and I can lose on 2,000 calories.

    Also, it is very important to be as accurate as possible when logging. We all suck at this at first. Are you sure you only ate 560 calories for two meals plus snacks? I only ask, since I've only logged 550 today so far (NOT done yet, lol), and it's practically NOTHING (two small handfuls of soybean nuts, a protein shake, and the milk for my coffee).

    The main point is that yes, you probably can lose on 2,650. BUT...it must be accurately logged. Underestimating food intake is so easy to do.
  • Sorry, I am 259 pounds right now and my activity is set to active. And thanks I'll check out the site see if it makes more sense. And yes I was eating around 1000 calories or less for 2 weeks because I did not ever feel hungry but I'm trying to change that.

    Eating 1000 calories isn't safe by any means and I'm glad you know that. Your weight loss was probably a lot of water weight and you're going to need to get that eating up because remaining at a severe caloric restriction will stop your metabolism. So in the future when you do develop an appetite, looking at food will make you gain weight! (been there)
    MFP does seem to have a right calculation there. Even if you can't make it to that amount, try and at least eat above 2000 calories. Fill up SOME of your numbers with fruits, veggies and shakes if you're not that hungry all the time.
    Thank you and one more thing is it important to increase your calorie intake with exercise? Lets say one day I felt like burning 500 calories am I supposed to eat more than I usually do?
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
    Calorie number seems ok for me. I got your maintenance at just over 3000 for sedentary.

    Oh and the eating 1000 calories not ok, but its your body and if you dont want to diet in a safe and sustainable way then go right ahead. Alternatively go and see a dietician or talk to your Dr so they can supervise you.
  • mymodernbabylon
    mymodernbabylon Posts: 1,038 Member
    Yes. You should eat back 1/2 of your workout calories or you will be in too big a deficit.
  • Sorry, I am 259 pounds right now and my activity is set to active. And thanks I'll check out the site see if it makes more sense. And yes I was eating around 1000 calories or less for 2 weeks because I did not ever feel hungry but I'm trying to change that.

    Eating 1000 calories isn't safe by any means and I'm glad you know that. Your weight loss was probably a lot of water weight and you're going to need to get that eating up because remaining at a severe caloric restriction will stop your metabolism. So in the future when you do develop an appetite, looking at food will make you gain weight! (been there)
    MFP does seem to have a right calculation there. Even if you can't make it to that amount, try and at least eat above 2000 calories. Fill up SOME of your numbers with fruits, veggies and shakes if you're not that hungry all the time.
    Thank you and one more thing is it important to increase your calorie intake with exercise? Lets say one day I felt like burning 500 calories am I supposed to eat more than I usually do?

    It usually adjusts that for you with MFP. Enter the exercise as cardio and you'll get more calories to eat! For me, somedays I'm far hungrier so I eat more when I exercise, other days I don't. Listen to your body and go from there. Your body needs fuel to exercise. So on days you go hardcore it might be a good idea to add some decent carbs in before you workout.
  • Unknown
    edited December 2014
    This content has been removed.
  • 999tigger wrote: »
    Calorie number seems ok for me. I got your maintenance at just over 3000 for sedentary.

    Oh and the eating 1000 calories not ok, but its your body and if you dont want to diet in a safe and sustainable way then go right ahead. Alternatively go and see a dietician or talk to your Dr so they can supervise you.

    I already said I know 1000 calories is bad and I'm trying to fix it.
  • ButterflyFran
    ButterflyFran Posts: 2 Member
    Yes i think this sounds right. . Dont worry about it. . Go with what it sayds for a week and then see what you have los. MFP always allows more calories for a man and also if you are tall and weigh more. I am 6ft tall and weigh now 224 lbs and my calorie goal is 1650 a day. Also you have set your activity level at Active. . Becareful with this as you are also eating back your exercise calories. . If i were you i would go for lightly active but then thats up to you! Good luck!
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    I'm three times your age, almost 100lbs lighter and I'm eating about 2650 to maintain my weight..... Still think that's a lot of calories?

    Don't want to be mean but how come you are struggling to eat enough? You sure as hell ate a lot more than that to get fat!
    Somewhere between getting fat and losing weight far too quickly is the sweet spot of eating the right amount to achieve your goals.

    In the end no-one can tell you what that right amount is and whether you use this calculator or a TDEE calculator you are going to have to suck and see for a few weeks and then adjust based on results. Make your rate of loss, your food choices and the habits you build sensible and sustainable. Crash dieting unless to have an urgent medical imperative isn't smart.
  • NowyTends
    NowyTends Posts: 110 Member
    I'm 26 & 6' (184cm) and i cut on first 2150cal down to 1890cal and got rid of 27.5 or 60lb since Feb. I've moved to my bulking phase (powerlifting plus distance running- bad combo i know) and slowly upped my calories to 3000cal and will eventually be somewhere between 3000cal-5000cal in the long term.

    Lots of people have provided facts here, and some have provided their own experiences like i have. The comment by Sijomial above mine is very accurate.. Follow it, because there is no 100% one size fits all solution.. It takes time, effort and patience.

    I wish you the best of luck.
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,724 Member
    All I can say in response to the subject line is, "must be nice" :|
  • icrushit
    icrushit Posts: 773 Member
    edited December 2014
    35 here, between 5'9 & 5'10 and weigh 166lbs. I've a little muscle mass but nothing major, and am broad-shouldered with a build somewhere a little more than medium but less than large. I don't sit at a desk all day, but neither would I do anything that I would break a sweat from either. Currently I maintain on about 2625 calories a day, just to give you another data point to consider.

    I plugged myself into MFP as 'lightly active' (what I actually consider myself to be) when I joined, and found the MFP figure to be on the low side and at least 400 calories off, probably more. When I exercise (walking & some bodyweight resistance training), I would need to eat anywhere from an additional 200 to 500 calories on top of that 2600 to maintain.

    In any event, calculators can vary a lot and are really only good for giving you a starting point. It's often much better to figure it out yourself, and is easily enough done by keeping track of what you are typically losing each week and seeing if it is corresponding with what you would have expected to lose with your chosen calorie intake. Just remember the first few weeks of any weight loss programme will include a bit of water weight loss, so best to exclude these initial weeks from your calculations.

    Hope this helps :smile:
  • icrushit
    icrushit Posts: 773 Member
    By the way, MFP's 3650 for you for maintenance works out to be about 14 calories per lb of your bodyweight, which seems a reasonable enough estimate to me.

    Re: eating, if you're struggling to eat, I found what worked for me was planning my meals a little. I make sure myself to eat something in the first half of the day, the middle part, and in the evening. I had a tendency for unbalanced meals, where I would eat mostly just a decent-sized portion of one thing for that meal, which made it difficult to exceed 500/ 600 calories I found. Nowadays I try aim for more balance at each meal, and find the overall calorie level of each meal is 700/ 800/ 900, which fits in with my daily calorie goal.

    So, whereas a breakfast before might have been a big bowl of porridge with additions, whereas now I will still have the same bowl of porridge, but also have some eggs and toast with it. A pot of yoghurt and a piece of fruit are easy additions to a lunch, as well as perhaps having a second light meal/ decent snack mid-afternoon to bump up your intake. Likewise with evening meals, a post-meal dessert is an easy (and enjoyable) way to tack on anywhere between 200- 400 calories calories also.

  • sheldonklein
    sheldonklein Posts: 854 Member
    Thank you and one more thing is it important to increase your calorie intake with exercise? Lets say one day I felt like burning 500 calories am I supposed to eat more than I usually do?

    If you use MFP's method, add exercise calories. If you use the TDEE method, it's already built on, so you would be double counting exercise.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I'm a 5'10" male and oldish...I am active and that's right around my maintenance calories. With your stats, and if your activity level is indeed "active", the number you are getting is highly plausible.

    Also, with MFP's method, you account for exercise after the fact when you log it...if you are including that in you "active" activity level then you would not want to log exercise and eat those calories back as you would be double dipping.
This discussion has been closed.