I'm freaked out by how high my calorie goal is!

sloth19891
sloth19891 Posts: 3
edited November 11 in Getting Started
I feel like I won't lose with the amount of calories I've been allotted for the day! 1700 calories for a retail worker who doesn't work out, 5'6 and 254 pounds seems like a LOT of calories. :0
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Replies

  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    That's about where I started (5'6", 248, working retail). Just make sure you're accurately weighing/logging everything and you'll lose. I'm down to 192 in a year.
  • scarygirl001
    scarygirl001 Posts: 6 Member
    hi mine was high too 1759! i just keep under it i dont eat them everyday but you will see even things like turkey bacon are full of salt and calories! but i have lost 5lb in 3 weeks so just stay lower than what they say and you should be good , sue
  • becam01
    becam01 Posts: 18 Member
    how many pounds are you looking to lose and in how much time? My calorie goal is 1460 and oh boy do I struggle to stay under haha
  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
    sloth19891 wrote: »
    I feel like I won't lose with the amount of calories I've been allotted for the day! 1700 calories for a retail worker who doesn't work out, 5'6 and 254 pounds seems like a LOT of calories. :0

    Your 25 yrs old, so that sounds about right. As stated before make sure you weigh all solid foods, measure liquids and be accurate as much as you can with your diary. Good luck.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    sloth19891 wrote: »
    I feel like I won't lose with the amount of calories I've been allotted for the day! 1700 calories for a retail worker who doesn't work out, 5'6 and 254 pounds seems like a LOT of calories. :0

    For what it's worth, I'm 5'8" 170-ish pounds and 32 years old with a desk job. I lose 1 pound a week on 1700 calories. Why don't you try it for a couple of weeks and then adjust from there?

  • 100andOnward
    100andOnward Posts: 145 Member
    It sounds like a lot, but it might not be. Retail can have you on your feet/lifting/moving a lot, and your body still needs to fuel itself even as you're losing weight.
  • umachanxo
    umachanxo Posts: 926 Member
    I'm 5"7 at 158lbs and I eat around 1500-1800 calories a day. Make sure to get in your workouts and fuel your body with clean, nutritious foods. :)
  • sunshyncatra
    sunshyncatra Posts: 598 Member
    That isn't high at all. If anything, it seems a bit low to me. I started higher than that when I was 196 pounds (5'7") and lost weight. Give it a try. Also check the calculator at http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/
  • candacefausset
    candacefausset Posts: 297 Member
    Firstly, at a higher weight, your body requires more to maintain. I am the same height and weigh about 207 and 1700 calories a day would boot me into .5-1.0 pound of fat loss per week probably. But considering the difference in weight, you will probably lose more than that at 1700 a week. When you lose some weight, you re-evaluate your goals because your body requires less. So you might drop your calorie goal down at that point or increase your activity level to maintain a steady drop of 1-2 pounds a week. When you get very close to your goal, it is much harder to lose so your goals will again change to reflect it.

    As a retail worker, are you still getting some activity during the day? I am almost completely sedentary during my day with the exception of my workouts so that plays a factor too. If you are sedentary like me, you require fewer calories. If you are even slightly active in your day to day job, you are likely going to require a few more calories. Just how it works...

    Do you have your settings at 2 pounds a week? Or 1?

  • sunshyncatra
    sunshyncatra Posts: 598 Member
    BTW, I am 151 pounds now and my goal is 1720 calories a day. I work a desk job and exercise 1-3 hours a week. I am losing weight still. Slowly, but surely.
  • airmedic8
    airmedic8 Posts: 24 Member
    That is not that many calories...to put it in perspective...I would write down what an average day was for you when you were eating prior to your change (as good as your memory allows)....

    Plug that in to the tracker just to get an idea...you may be shocked at what you were taking in at that time....1700 calories is nothing...trust me!

    Keep on trucking...your doing great!
  • csk0018
    csk0018 Posts: 219 Member
    I started at 273 (5'3) and was allotted 1890. I didn't do much when it came to exercise back then -- just 15 minute walks and 30 minute stationary bike rides a couple of times a week. I still lost about 1 pound a week.
  • lemur_lady
    lemur_lady Posts: 350 Member
    Haha I posted the same when I first started.
    I shouldn't worry. 1700 really isn't that much. I net about 2000 calories a day now and I'm still losing, currently weigh 182lbs.
    Give it a try for a while and see.
  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
    Your MFP calculated daily intake is lower than your basal metabolic rate (BMR). Essentially at your current weight, you require more than 1950 calories per day to maintain if you were in a coma.
  • bencze1
    bencze1 Posts: 30 Member
    Considering you're healthy, if 1700 is a lot I wonder how much you ate before?
    The other day I was lazy to cook for evening, bought some food from store to eat.. usual things I was eating before. After I ate, I did some calculation and it was about 2000 kcal. Sausages, cheese, salads with mayo and bread can do that to you. What can I say, I like greasy food.
    1700 is not a lot. :)
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    It may sound high, especially since there are so many threads about 1200 cals and how that's all one can eat if they want to lose weight.... but it's really not that high.

    Anecdotally, I am shorter (5'2) and started at a lower weight (150ish) and lost 1lb/wk at 1500 cals net and lose close to 0.5 lb/wk at 1700 cals net. I eat b/w 1800-2000 cals/day, I have a desk job, but I have small children and try to do some simple exercise every day (and I eat back my exercise adjustments).

    Trust me - it is better to start this process with as high of a calorie goal as you can to lose weight. It will make it easier to sustain, but also give you wiggle room if you do need to cut calories further after you have lost some weight.

    Lastly, follow the good advice from others about weighing/measuring/logging everything.
  • ShellyBell999
    ShellyBell999 Posts: 1,482 Member
    I freaked out about mine at first also

    I learned that my numbers were good as long as I was working out consistently AND if I had too many left over calories, I could have a beer!

    Cheers :drinker:
  • Therealobi1
    Therealobi1 Posts: 3,262 Member
    do you know roughly how much you used to eat before you started? this might help you realise that its not that much.
  • estherdfoster
    estherdfoster Posts: 127 Member
    check your inbox
  • Autumnfilly2005
    Autumnfilly2005 Posts: 232 Member
    I'm 5'5" 240lbs, "Lightly active," and my calories are 2240! I do feel that's a bit high for me, but what I do is prelog my entire day of food and put everything into a bag, then when I get hungry I can reach into the bag and eat anything I want that's inside, because I know it's all accounted for. By the end of the night, I usually end up having items left over that I didn't eat, but if I ever get those late night munchies, I can totally finish what's in my bag.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    its to do with your current weight and you should be pleased the cals are as high as that, you'll feel satisfied and will lose on that amount. As your weight reduces that number will reduce somewhat, thats why a lot of us like to exercise so we can eat back some exercise calories.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    Autumnfilly2005 wrote: »
    I'm 5'5" 240lbs, "Lightly active," and my calories are 2240! I do feel that's a bit high for me, but what I do is prelog my entire day of food and put everything into a bag, then when I get hungry I can reach into the bag and eat anything I want that's inside, because I know it's all accounted for. By the end of the night, I usually end up having items left over that I didn't eat, but if I ever get those late night munchies, I can totally finish what's in my bag.

    I think this is a fabulous idea!!!

  • Maries_wine_calories
    Maries_wine_calories Posts: 152 Member
    Autumnfilly2005 wrote: »
    I'm 5'5" 240lbs, "Lightly active," and my calories are 2240! I do feel that's a bit high for me, but what I do is prelog my entire day of food and put everything into a bag, then when I get hungry I can reach into the bag and eat anything I want that's inside, because I know it's all accounted for. By the end of the night, I usually end up having items left over that I didn't eat, but if I ever get those late night munchies, I can totally finish what's in my bag.

    Really great strategy!! It promotes self-awareness (hunger vs boredom) and I admire your dedication to portion control!!! (*)
  • AllonsYtotheTardis
    AllonsYtotheTardis Posts: 16,947 Member
    sloth19891 wrote: »
    I feel like I won't lose with the amount of calories I've been allotted for the day! 1700 calories for a retail worker who doesn't work out, 5'6 and 254 pounds seems like a LOT of calories. :0

    I'm 5'2", nearly twice your age and 100 lbs lighter, and 1700 is what I would eat to maintain my weight (and that's before exercise. If I exercise, I eat more)

    so, no. 1700 is not a lot of calories.
  • Virkati
    Virkati Posts: 679 Member
    1700 isn't as much as you think! I'm 5'2", MFP put me at 1200 to lose 2 lbs a week, but that was simply too low. Especially since I was working out twice a day for at least an hour each time, at 5 days a week. I injured myself (who didn't see THAT coming?!), I increased my intake to 1400-1500 per day, only do walking and climbing hills a couple times a week and I'm losing faster and more consistently than I did before. Plus I feel a LOT better. So, for perspective, your 1700 is a great number to start with. Keep at it for a few weeks and re-evaluate how you feel and how you're losing. Make adjustments. Don't be afraid of the numbers, and even if something seems counter-intuitive, give it a try. Just don't quit!
  • wendyjane86
    wendyjane86 Posts: 5 Member
    That is not too high for your current weight. I'm about the same weight as you currently and my average daily intake is around 1800-1900. I am losing weight pretty quickly (12 lbs in 5 weeks) although I do walk about 5 miles per day.
  • aarar
    aarar Posts: 684 Member
    I'm 5'6 and 145 lbs and when I want to lose pounds I drop my calories down to 1700 + I eat back all my exercise calories. My maintenance is 2000 to 2200 + exercise calories. Just make sure you accurately log your food.

    Enjoy eating all the food and knowing you don't need to starve to lose weight :) It makes this process so much better.
  • Maries_wine_calories
    Maries_wine_calories Posts: 152 Member
    MyNameIsCaffeine wrote: »
    It sounds like a lot, but it might not be. Retail can have you on your feet/lifting/moving a lot, and your body still needs to fuel itself even as you're losing weight.


    I am also a retail worker- logged over 16K steps at work yesterday with my FitBit! My MFP setting is at sedentary, goal of -.5lb per week and 1550 calories. My steps earned me an additional 800 calories- calculating that I burned 2600 calories for the day (notoriously over estimated however rarely off my more than 15% for the day) so eating back 1/3 to 1/2 of my earned calories has been suggested. At that it would also have me eating up to1950 calories if I chose to and still including a deficit to lose weight.
  • justcat206
    justcat206 Posts: 716 Member
    If it helps, I'm 5'1" and I maintained at 115 lbs at 1700 (and I'm not super active). You'll get there!
  • busseybl
    busseybl Posts: 32 Member
    Jealous! Mine is at 1,260 a day as a goal and it's hard to stay under unless I burn at least 500 calories working out.
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