HOW MANY CALORIES DO I EAT?

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sunflowerxoxo
sunflowerxoxo Posts: 4 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Okay so myfitnesspal told me to eat 1600 BUT on the other hand people from the gym told me 1200... I'm 5'4 & I weigh 202lbs my ideal goal is to be at 140 but right now I would like to be 170. I exercise two days out of the week. I do weights and cardio for an hour. Thanks! :)

Replies

  • myheartsabattleground
    myheartsabattleground Posts: 2,040 Member
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    What are the college qualifications of the people at the gym ?
  • jkenglish61
    jkenglish61 Posts: 15 Member
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    From my experience and I am no expert. You need to do cardio at least 3-4 times per week. I am 5'4" and my calorie intake is 1200/day for 2 lbs/week. Just my opinion. I am by no means a professional.
  • sunflowerxoxo
    sunflowerxoxo Posts: 4 Member
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    Thanks, I guess 1200 will do !
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,565 Member
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    If MFP told you 1600, why not try that for a few weeks and see if you lose? I've lost 60 pounds so far and I've never eaten less than 1500 calories.
  • jaqcan
    jaqcan Posts: 498 Member
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    sunflowerxoxo wrote: »
    Thanks, I guess 1200 will do !

    If you put in accurate information in the MFP profile, eat what it tells you.
  • jenncornelsen
    jenncornelsen Posts: 969 Member
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    i eat 1650 calories a day at 5'4 and am losing 1-1 1/2lbs a week. honestly why eat less is u can lose eating more? it makes no sense to me. eat what mfp tells u to. just try it.
  • sunflowerxoxo
    sunflowerxoxo Posts: 4 Member
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    Thanks ladies! Will try the first week with 1600 and see any results.
  • atypicalsmith
    atypicalsmith Posts: 2,742 Member
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    I read somewhere (NOT on MFP) that you should eat ten times your goal weight. My goal weight is 110, so I should eat 1100 calories a day. Yours is 170, so that's 1700. When you change your goal, then change the caloric intake.
  • sunflowerxoxo
    sunflowerxoxo Posts: 4 Member
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    malibu927 wrote: »
    If MFP told you 1600, why not try that for a few weeks and see if you lose? I've lost 60 pounds so far and I've never eaten less than 1500 calories.
    dannngg 60 pounds ! NICE :)
  • JamesSmedley
    JamesSmedley Posts: 37 Member
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    The best way is to experiment. Everyones body is different, and if your physically active then you will need more energy than 1200 (most likely). Try 1600 cal for a week, if you lose any weight then its working, if not then drop down to 1400 cal, then again if you still haven't lost any weight. Do not go below 1200 though as your body needs energy to survive! Let alone do exercise etc.
  • PaulaWallaDingDong
    PaulaWallaDingDong Posts: 4,641 Member
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    On what were the "gym people" basing the 1200 cal goal? If it's "because that's what people do," then ignore them.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,565 Member
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    sunflowerxoxo wrote: »
    Thanks ladies! Will try the first week with 1600 and see any results.

    You'll need to stick with it for about a month to see, as the first week often is skewed by loss of water weight
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
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    I am 5'4" as well and I maintain my weight on less that 1600 cals a day... With that being said,

    I wish that everyone would realize that there is not a one size fits all. My stats at 5'4", and the other posters stats at 5'4" are not the same or even with the same starting weight..

    I ran her stats in scooby and it states to loose 20% eat 1660.. It should be recommended to eat what MFP gave her, and if she does not loose, she can tweak her calories and/or up the exercise which I do think will help her get to her goal faster and she will be healthy and fit...
  • genehigg
    genehigg Posts: 1 Member
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    the caloric intake should be based (primairly) upon your height. I am 5'5 and 1660 is the computer solution. If you are eating too small amount, you will eventually revert and "regain". If you loose it slower over longer period of time, that indicates you are not dieting, but have changed the way you eat. I can live "long term" on 1660 but I can not last on 1200 calories.
  • PrizePopple
    PrizePopple Posts: 3,133 Member
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    gia07 wrote: »
    I am 5'4" as well and I maintain my weight on less that 1600 cals a day... With that being said,

    I wish that everyone would realize that there is not a one size fits all. My stats at 5'4", and the other posters stats at 5'4" are not the same or even with the same starting weight..

    I ran her stats in scooby and it states to loose 20% eat 1660.. It should be recommended to eat what MFP gave her, and if she does not loose, she can tweak her calories and/or up the exercise which I do think will help her get to her goal faster and she will be healthy and fit...

    You know as well as the rest of us who have been around awhile that getting to goal faster is not a great idea. Slow and steady is far more sustainable.
  • Merkavar
    Merkavar Posts: 3,082 Member
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    sunflowerxoxo wrote: »
    Thanks, I guess 1200 will do !

    You might find 1200 is too low. You might loss too fast and too much of your weight lose might be muscle not fat.

    I recommend following what mfp says first and then go up and down from there if your losing to much or too little.
  • atypicalsmith
    atypicalsmith Posts: 2,742 Member
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    PrizePopple wrote: »
    gia07 wrote: »
    I am 5'4" as well and I maintain my weight on less that 1600 cals a day... With that being said,

    I wish that everyone would realize that there is not a one size fits all. My stats at 5'4", and the other posters stats at 5'4" are not the same or even with the same starting weight..

    I ran her stats in scooby and it states to loose 20% eat 1660.. It should be recommended to eat what MFP gave her, and if she does not loose, she can tweak her calories and/or up the exercise which I do think will help her get to her goal faster and she will be healthy and fit...

    You know as well as the rest of us who have been around awhile that getting to goal faster is not a great idea. Slow and steady is far more sustainable.

    I gained approximately five pounds a year for eleven years. I'm losing about three pounds a month. People are STILL asking me what is the secret. Patience is the secret, which most people don't have. See it time and time again here. "I have eaten 100 calories a day for three days and I only lost one pound" ad nauseum.

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