I need help with my Calories goal.

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nubtella
nubtella Posts: 2 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey, I just started MFP today, and it gives me a calorie goal of 2460. I weight 375, and trying to lose down to 250. I set my activity level to sedentary because I am mainly in class or sitting at a desk at work all day, dont have much time for exercise (I do what I can though). It perplexes me though, because to me 2460 calories would be too much in order to lose 2lb per week. I'm afraid to eat that many and not lose weight. Any comments you have on this would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

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  • AliceDark
    AliceDark Posts: 3,886 Member
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    It's not too many. In order to get to 375, you've probably been eating way more than 2460 for a long time. I don't say that to be harsh -- the vast majority of people eat way more calories than they think they do.

    Get a food scale. Learn how to log as accurately as possible (that means weighing solids, measuring liquids, choosing accurate entries, using the Recipe Builder when you cook and always logging individual items instead of choosing something that sounds like what you made [entering the peanut butter, jelly and bread as separate items instead of finding an entry for a PB&J, for example]). Stick to 2460 for 6-8 weeks, then reevaluate.
  • nubtella
    nubtella Posts: 2 Member
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    Alright, thanks for the advice. I'll just make sure to weigh/measure everything and see what happens. Thanks again!
  • kriscastleberry
    kriscastleberry Posts: 6 Member
    edited July 2015
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    I agree, when things are logged separately it adds up much faster than it seems. A PB &J can quickly become a 500 cal snack for the bread, jelly and peanutbutter. I also always check my nutrition values on MFP and it tella me how much of fat,sugar and sodium i ate. Sometimes "good" food can turn into high cals bc of their sugar value or salt etc. Just keep at your cal goal and you should notice a difference within a few weeks....maybe even a couple of days...I wish you the best!!!
  • Glinda1971
    Glinda1971 Posts: 2,328 Member
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    Just chiming in to say that at your current size that is probably the perfect calorie goal.

    Good luck with the weight loss! I wish you all the best!
  • cococraze24
    cococraze24 Posts: 9 Member
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    Yeah that seems awfully high?
  • cwilso37
    cwilso37 Posts: 79 Member
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    It isn't that high at all actually. Your body has to carry around that much weight, to do that it has to use a lot more calories. At 2400 you will lose a lot of weight. As you lose it that number will go lower since your body wont have to work as hard.

    Buying a scale and logging accurately will help you a lot.

    Also a suggestion / advice. I know you say that you don't have time, but you might want to make time to begin lifting weights. Being as heavy as you are, your body has far more muscle than you think it does right now. Lifting weighs will help maintain more muscle than if you didn't. I have been where you are at (started at 492) and while the road looks long you can do it.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
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    After logging for three weeks, you can adjust the number. I second weight lifting. You will love doing it after a few weeks and love how you look as you are dropping weight.

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