Tall lady (6'2) - too many or too few calories?

I'm not exactly sure what your calorie intake should be but I'm sure a doctor or dietitian can help. I'm 5'11 and my goal is 139lbs. I weigh 151 right now I'm at 1200 calories a day and exercise at a gym. 5x a week. All according to bone structure and body type. I will tell you. I too am suddenly at a standstill. I feel like I eat nothing and yet still hanging on. Keep doing what you're doing. It just takes time. A lot of time.

Sounds low to me im 5' 3" and can lose on 1500. I would put your calories to 1800 at least. You want to be able to sustain for long haul! Send me a friend request if u want:) im nursing so my calories are set to 1720 right now and im losing

6'2" - female and 1460 sounds about right (if weight loss is the goal and that number would be a goal of losing about 1.5 - 2 pounds per week) and you have it set to sedentary. I assume you plug in your daily exercise, yes rather than use TDEE?

I'm 6'4" - male and MFP calculates 1670 for me (with the goal of 1 pound of weight loss per week). I have it set to sedentary and I plug in my daily exercise which adjusts my calories each day based on how much I burn through exercise.

Here's on off site calculator with your height, weight, gender (no idea what your age is) and it shows that MFP is pretty in the ball park based on having a weight loss goal...



Yes, exercise endorphins are addictive! And it is a drug that is free!!!!

Some of your other thoughts should be addressed...

I was just wondering really, whether MFP calorie goal of 1460 is accurate for me. I know it uses a particular calculation, but for a lady my height I wonder if 1500 calories is too few if I want to build strength and lose inches rather than focus on weight loss. I want to be strong not skinny! Have I miscalculated my 'daily activity level'? I have put sedentary because I have a desk job. Should I modify to take into account my exercise level has increased to an average of an intensive >40mins a day?

You cannot bulk muscle while losing weight. You can, however lift while losing weight to fight from losing the muscle mass that you do have and "tone" what you have. If you want to bulk your muscle, you have to eat at a surplus. And the body stores the surplus (usually as fat). One could dream about a 1.8 pound (about the maximum possible) of muscle gain per month on a surplus and lifting, but most see much less gain than that per month. If you want to be strong (and not skinny) - then lift heavy and eat at a surplus.

If you want to cut inches, it's the fat you currently have on your body that needs to be cut. You'll have to eat at a deficit to remove that fat. No other way to do it. So most would probably choose to do the weight loss first (cutting), and once all the inches have been shed, you could turn your diet into a surplus and attempt to bulk the muscles you have for improving strength. However, continuing to lift while losing weight is important to try and maintain the muscle mass that you do have.

BigAnnieG wrote: »

Thanks ModernRock, that's really insightful and very helpful to know. I think sometimes the calories on MFP exercises are pretty inflated, so that's the other reason I don't eat them back, as I don't trust them!

It's not an all or nothing deal. I'm a 6'2" guy and am down to 215 from 255 about 5 months ago. I figure I have about 15-20 left to go. My activity level is set to sedentary with my desk job and it being winter. I currently eat around 1950 a day, and am now at about a 1 pound a week loss. Being a guy, my calorie burn is going to be about 200-300 more than yours.

I gladly eat an extra 200 calories if that is 50% of the estimated exercise burn. My main exercise at the moment--this winter while recovering from an arm injury--is an exercise bike. I use the calorie burn from the machine and log 50% of it. I savor those extra calories. More importantly, if my deficit is too large day after day it'll eventually catch up with me and I'll want to eat everything in sight. Getting every calorie I can on a consistent daily basis helps me prevent that from happening.

Today I have finally come to the conclusion that I am eating too little and am going to have to up my calorie intake. I have been watching trendweight very carefully and am have 20 solid days of tracking AFTER my initial water weight loss. It says I am losing an avg of 1.7lbs a week (even though 2 weeks ago, I stalled and yoyo'd without losing). That puts me about 225 cals under my target. I want sustainability and a permanent change so I only want to lose 1lb a week.

I workout an avg of 400-500 cals a day and have only been eating half of it. So looks like its clear for me - I am going to have to eat all my exercise calories back. I didnt trust MFP either - but I do trust trendweight and looks like they are saying MFP is right.

I'm satiated on my current calorie level and even fit in rare treats. But my husband has commented that I am a bit more scattered than usual and I am noticing I am more sleepy in the mornings.

BigAnnieG wrote: »

SingingS - that makes so much sense, thank you! I think I started lifting because I knew just dieting was no longer an option for me if I wanted that toned look I'm after (not to mention to feel strong enough to do cool things like pullups - I can dream, eh!), but I didn't really put two and two together that you can't lose and build at the same time. Stupid really, when you think about it!
Also, for those that asked, I'm 28 and have been overweight since around the age of 9 - so this is a very long journey but definitely feel positive about getting there this time. Not once have I wanted to quit.
Definitely agree that I'm going to have to cut fat first. I think in my first post what I meant to say really was that the scale doesn't bother me as much as how I feel does - I know I'll never be a skinny minny because I've got such an androgynous build already, but of course losing body fat is what I really meant I suppose. Which in turn doubtless affects the scale! Not sure that made sense either, I hope it did though. (Not weight loss, but body fat loss, and eventual muscle build - there's the synopsis for ya!).
Endorphins being addictive... hmm that's probably why I don't want to quit, and why I spend more time at work thinking about being in the gym than work... (or it says something else about my job...!). Give. Me. MOAR!

Yes, the free endorphin release can really balance out one's psyche. So the "healthy benefits" of exercise include mental health!

Good for you on this journey, life style change, fitness improvement, or whatever nomer one wants to call it.

You are correct, measuring the inches and seeing improvement is also important to gauge progress as opposed to only seeing what the scale says.

I do know, at your height (I have two sisters your height), that the lighter you get, the better you will feel health wise. Knees, back, neck, energy level, balance, stamina, heart health - will all improve. Especially as you get down to 200 and below. It will be pretty life changing for you in many ways. One of my 6'2" siblings went from 250 down to 165 and has been feeling great for over a decade now because of it.