5'7 female - Is 1600 calories enough?

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dakotababy
dakotababy Posts: 2,406 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I have lost about 96lbs, currently sitting at 154lbs. My goal is to get to at least 140lbs, perhaps even down to 135lbs.

Now, when I was eating at 1800 calories, my weight was coming off nicely at about 1-2lbs per month. Then it stopped. So I lowered my calories to 1700 calories per day. I lost another 2lbs in a month, then 1 more lb the next month...then it stopped.

I am debating about going down to 1600 calories/day. I feel like that is getting low. At 1700 calories I was starting to struggle with "keeping it together" and at times crave large amounts of food...and as soon as chocolate was in the room I would lose control.

I do acknowledge that there has been some emotional eating I need to re-evaluate. I also notice I have been having a wicked craving for chocolate for some reason (I dont typically have such uncontrollable cravings for chocolate).

So my question - Is 1600 enough for a 5'7 female who works out light-moderately daily. I do cardio and sometimes heavy lifting. (When I was doing 5x5, I noticed that was when things were falling apart in terms of keeping to 1700 calories per day...so I stopped).

Replies

  • suzieJones55
    suzieJones55 Posts: 11 Member
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    I'm 5'7 and I'm on 1300 cal. I'm trying to figure out the ratio. Carb. Fat. Protein.
  • North44
    North44 Posts: 359 Member
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    I'm 5'8" weigh 155 and I'm at 1220 calories. I eat back my exercise cals an usually end up at around 1500-1600 per day.
  • dakotababy
    dakotababy Posts: 2,406 Member
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    Thanks so much ladies! :D I appreciate the comparison.
  • My_Butt
    My_Butt Posts: 2,300 Member
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    I'm 5'7" and eat 1760 calories. But I also work construction, so I'm pretty busy during the day.
  • wolfsbayne
    wolfsbayne Posts: 3,116 Member
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    I'm 5'7" and I eat 1600-1700 per day. Sedentary job, but I lift heavy 4 days a week with a little cardio thrown in.
  • MKEgal
    MKEgal Posts: 3,250 Member
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    I'm 5'9" to 5'10" depending on when I'm measured, 46yo, currently just under 200 lb, & I'm aiming for 1400 cal/day.
    Some days I manage it, others I don't... though because of MFP's "net calories" idea, it looks like I'm under goal.
    (Ignore exercise calories.)

    This calculator will tell you not only your BMI, but how many servings of various foods to eat to maintain any
    weight. If you enter your healthy goal weight, this will help you plan your food intake.
    https://www.bcm.edu/cnrc-apps/healthyeatingcalculator/eatingCal.html
  • lifeisbueno
    lifeisbueno Posts: 16 Member
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    oh my! I'm 5'5 140, am a special ed teacher so I'm on my feet but mostly active within my classroom walls. i do 10-15 min of HIIT or 20-30 min steady state cardio and 30 minutes of heavy weights 4x a week and eat about 1800 mon-fri and 2200 on sat/sun. I'd find out your TDEE and eat that minus 200/300 calories. I couldn't enjoy life on 1600 calories!
  • lcooper327
    lcooper327 Posts: 112 Member
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    After 96 lbs lost I would almost think your body could use a short diet break. Eat at maintenance or back to 1800 for a month or two and then slowly decrease after.
  • kellscz
    kellscz Posts: 16 Member
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    suzieJones55 wrote: »
    I'm 5'7 and I'm on 1300 cal. I'm trying to figure out the ratio. Carb. Fat. Protein.

    Hey I'm with you, I can't work my out. I'm 5'9 on 1590 cals... Is that too much. I weigh 161lbs.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,157 Member
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    I'm 5'6" and on 1250 cal.

    When I exercise, I have a few more calories to work with, and will eat maybe about half of my exercise calories back.
  • eseeton
    eseeton Posts: 80 Member
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    I'm 5'7 and I was eating 1590 cals per day before I got my fitbit. That helped me lose weight, but I stagnated around 143 for a while. I got my fitbit and just changed my calorie goal to my BMR (1374) and now I allow my fitbit to add more calories each day depending on how active I am. After a month and a half I have broken the plateau and have been losing again, 138 now! Woohoo, a lot closer to my goal of 135. :smiley:
  • kmsoucy457
    kmsoucy457 Posts: 237 Member
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    MKEgal wrote: »
    I'm 5'9" to 5'10" depending on when I'm measured, 46yo, currently just under 200 lb, & I'm aiming for 1400 cal/day.
    Some days I manage it, others I don't... though because of MFP's "net calories" idea, it looks like I'm under goal.
    (Ignore exercise calories.)

    This calculator will tell you not only your BMI, but how many servings of various foods to eat to maintain any
    weight. If you enter your healthy goal weight, this will help you plan your food intake.
    https://www.bcm.edu/cnrc-apps/healthyeatingcalculator/eatingCal.html

    Your link provides a really great calculator... but it's for children ages 2-20... Don't developing bodies have different requirements than full grown adults? (Sorry, I'm not being snarky, I genuinely don't know)
  • andylllI
    andylllI Posts: 379 Member
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    I'm 5'7", and 36 yrs old and 140 lbs. I walk a quite a bit at work and chase after two young kids at home I've been unable to exercise otherwise for the past month due to a health issue. I've been maintaining on 2000-2200 cal a day. 1600 would be deprivation for me. If you aren't losing weight you are probably eating at maintenance or close to it and it's probably not 1700 a day accounting for chocolate based indiscretions. If that was me, I would take a break from the deficit - eat at maintenance, continue with 5x5 an throw in some cardio if you enjoy it. During that time I would focus on adjusting my macro ratio and also adjusting my relationship with chocolate. After a month or so I'd add in. 10-15% deficit from maintenance.

    As I get closer to my goal this strategy has worked for me - diet bursts (around 4 weeks to lose 1-2 lbs) alternating with maintenance. It's slow but it supports my limited self control and has eliminated episodes of overeating/ overindulge :).

    (I don't know what to call it when you overindulge. Calling that binging seems inappropriate since true binging is assoc with a trance like state and compulsive eating even when uncomfortably full and imo eating an entire Lindt bunny, even two, doesn't even come close).
  • sarahlifts
    sarahlifts Posts: 610 Member
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    5'7 1665 calories. The lower you get in weight the harder it is to lose. Find a # that is comfortable and sit there. The fat will come off. just slower.

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