Unsure how many calories I need to eat for weight loss?

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maddystella577
maddystella577 Posts: 7 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi :)
I am a 22 year old female wanting to lose around 25-30kg/50-60lbs. I am 5'7 and wanting to get to around 65/70kg or whenever I feel healthy so could be a little heavier than that who knows - size AU10 is the goal :)

Anyway! This might end up a little long but I'd really really appreciate any advice?

I am a little unsure as to caloric intake and what my daily intake should be. My TDEE is 2142 and BMR 1785. My goal is to lose around 1kg a week so I stay motivated but also to keep it healthy and realistic. I'd rather it take a little longer and stay off, but I also want to aim to get majority of it off by the end of the year if possible.

My thinking is 1500 calories a day but that would roughly only lose 0.5kg per week. I have been toying with the idea of 5:2 as the health benefits sound great (my dad has diabetes and grandad also had it) and if I had x2 500 cal days that would bring my net caloric intake for the week to 1200ish per day which would mean I lose around 0.8kg per week. I also exercise 3 times a week at the gym but I don't think I exercise "hard" enough to consider that a factor to up my calories. At least at this stage.

My main concern is not eating enough calories and it not being maintainable once the weight is gone and gaining it back. The idea of being trapped in to eating 1200 calories forever isn't too appealing!

Also, food wise I am eating clean 80% of the time so lots of veges, fruit, whole grains, some lean meat (not a big meat eater), nuts etc. I mean I'll still eat some processed stuff, I am only human, but I'll try to limit it to not every day like I do now!

Thank you x

Replies

  • skinnyinnotime
    skinnyinnotime Posts: 4,141 Member
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    Your bmr seems quite high, you shouldn't be eating below that.
  • maddystella577
    maddystella577 Posts: 7 Member
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    @skinnyinnotime Yeah that's where I'm unsure - I feel like eating below BMR isn't good but 1785 seems like a lot of calories though?
  • 20yearsyounger
    20yearsyounger Posts: 1,643 Member
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    I like to look at it from the opposite side. I have had success that way and many have my friends have as well. Your BMR at 65kg is about 1444. That's the number you shouldn't try to eat below.
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
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    With 50 lbs to lose, at this point the most important thing is sticking to a plan, whatever it is. You will lose at 1800. You will lose at 1200. You will NOT lose if you start too low and just end up binging to the point where you're not in a deficit. My advice? Why not try 1600-1700 for a couple months. See how you do.
  • meulf6f
    meulf6f Posts: 32 Member
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    I use MFP. Input your info and it calculates what you should eat daily to lose x amount of pounds per week. Then I weigh and log everything. Good luck OP. You've got this!
  • Krystle1984
    Krystle1984 Posts: 146 Member
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    Plug your numbers into MFP and stick to what it gives you. 1kg a week may be too aggressive for you, I'd start out at 0.5kg per week, get used to logging accurately and then take it from there. You will probably see a big water weight loss at the beginning then it will even out.

    1kg a week also isn't sustainable long term. As you near your goal the loss will slow down.

    I was consistently losing a pound a week eating 2000+ calories a day, but my TDEE is about 2800. I have cut down now to 17-1800 as I've got an event in a few weeks and would like to hit 25lbs lost by then. I will put my calories back up to 2000 after the event and continue aiming for a pound a week. You don't need to deprive yourself to get to your goal.

    Start off slowly and once you're comfortable logging reassess. :)
  • allenpriest
    allenpriest Posts: 1,102 Member
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    I started just trying to maintain while I recorded everything. Just learning to stay within a limit every day got me to lose a little. Then I upped my goal by 1/2 pound after a couple of months. Then I did it again. My goal is now 1.5 lb per week and I am managing about 1per week - after 18 months of work. The best thing I realized is it took me years to get this fat and it will take a while to lose it I figure I have a 4 year project to lose 200 lbs and keep it off.
  • sheldonklein
    sheldonklein Posts: 854 Member
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    skinnyinnotime wrote: »
    Your bmr seems quite high, you shouldn't be eating below that.

    Why not?
  • cbelc2
    cbelc2 Posts: 762 Member
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    I use MFP. It's a great guide!

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