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A calorie based question...

gettingto65
gettingto65 Posts: 78 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi!
I am unsure how many calories to consume. I have done lots of calculating and research but I'm still conflicted re which number I should go for. I don't want too few but I also don't want too many.

I'm 5'7, 220lbs and have a desk job. I intend to go to the gym a couple times a week but I don't want this to factor in the calorie count as at this point I won't work out hard enough for it to count. I'd like to lose 1kg a week.

I'm conflicted between the 1200/1300 calorie amount and something closer to 1500. But 1500 doesn't seem to allow for a loss of 1kg a week?

Thank you x

Replies

  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    Sometimes it's okay to lose less than 1kg a week. It's best to find a calorie level that will allow you to continue losing weight until you reach your goal weight. I mean you could go for 1200 calories, but how long do you think you can keep up the pace? Look at the big picture: what would be better for you in the long run, to lose 5 kg fast and then stop because it's too restrictive and gain back 3, then feel guilty, start again and continue this same cycle? or to slowly but surely reach your goal? In both cases you would be losing relatively the same weight but in the first case you will probably be miserable.

    To determine the right sustainable amount for you. Start at 1800 calories and reduce it by 100 every 2-3 days and see how you react to that. As soon as you reach a level where dieting becomes too hard stop and increase 100 calories back, then stay there. Dieting is harder than not dieting, but at lower calorie levels it can become too stressful and unsustainable, and you don't want that. Any loss is a good loss if you keep it up long enough. You just need to experiment and find the right balance where the level of difficulty is reasonable to you.
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,488 Member
    edited January 2016
    A loss of 1kg a week is pretty aggressive, as is a 1200-1300 calorie goal.
    Look at it this way.

    If you start now at 220 lb eating 1200-1300 cals and get down to 210. You have to recalculate your goal on MFP because you are lighter so need less calories. MFP will drop you 50 from the 1300. Next time 200lb another 50cals and you are down to 1200 cals. MFP will not give you any fewer calories than that so your loss will start slowing to a crawl.
    ( these numbers are hypothetical and used as an example only)

    1200-1300 calories are also very hard on most people mentally and physically. It is hard to eat so few calories, and your energy levels will probably be lower than you are used to.

    Take the higher cal slower loss option. People with 50lb or less to lose tend to do best losing at a 1lb a week loss.
    Under 25lb= .5kb a week loss.

    If you do exercise eat back 50-75% of the exercise calories MFP gives you (they overestimate). Your loss is accounted for in your basic daily goal and MFP expects you to eat exercise calories. Not eating them can slow down your normal daily activity, and decrease the effectiveness of your exercises. You need to feed your burn.

    Hope this helps you in deciding.

    Cheers, h.

    Ha ha @amusedmonkey we cross posted. Good job we had similar advice.
  • Blueseraphchaos
    Blueseraphchaos Posts: 843 Member
    Mfp is set up so you plug in your stats, choose the proper activity level (this doesn't include exercise), and it gives you a base amount of calories. You log exercise separately, and most people eat back 50-75% of calories burned because mfp burns are usually way too high.

    If you want to use mfp, give it a shot to do its job with you providing accurate height, weight, and proper activity level minus exercise. Try it out for a few weeks, see if you're losing as expected, then tweak as needed.
  • Yi5hedr3
    Yi5hedr3 Posts: 2,696 Member
    Yeh - 1300 prob about right. :)
  • veganbaum
    veganbaum Posts: 1,865 Member
    edited January 2016
    Blueseraphchaos wrote: »
    Mfp is set up so you plug in your stats, choose the proper activity level (this doesn't include exercise), and it gives you a base amount of calories. You log exercise separately, and most people eat back 50-75% of calories burned because mfp burns are usually way too high.

    If you want to use mfp, give it a shot to do its job with you providing accurate height, weight, and proper activity level minus exercise. Try it out for a few weeks, see if you're losing as expected, then tweak as needed.

    I agree with this (though the other advice is good as well, especially about the aggressiveness of your goal). It looks like you're just trying to go with the generic 1200/1500 goal for weight loss. I'd suggest entering your stats into MFP and starting there. MFP is designed to help you with your weight goal (be it to lose, maintain, or gain). Of course you can enter your own calorie goal, but if you're new I think it's best to start simply. Then, wait around 6 weeks before changing anything you're doing, and then only if you have been consistent with what you've been doing.
  • melonaulait
    melonaulait Posts: 769 Member
    I started at pretty much where you're at, 5'7'' and 216lbs. The first couple of weeks on MFP I did lose like 1 or 2kg per week, but ever since then I've been losing at a much slower pace. It's still crept up to a 15kg total loss in 6 months. So, don't hurry! It's ok to lose slower and it's just as effective.
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