Are 1600 calories a lot?

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batoolnabulsi
batoolnabulsi Posts: 35 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
I finally decided to maintain my weight at 121 lbs, height 5'3 ft, 19 years old, sometimes I feel like 1600 calories are not enough, many TDEE calculators gave me 1500-1600ish,but it's not enough:// like there's not enough space for food and it sucks, I don't eat junk food and I try to get my nutrition , still not satisfied. I've gone through 3 days binging this week and the week before, although I was in a deficit before the binging but I'm sure I ate all of those calories back and more, but didn't notice a difference in my weight, I don't judge from the scale because I know I'll have extra pounds from water, sodium.. Etc
I judge from my clothes and the mirror, still the same, recently I'm not active, but after a week I'll start working out again 2-3 days a week besides I'll have classes 4 days a week.

So what do you think, I need some guiding.
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Replies

  • Noreenmarie1234
    Noreenmarie1234 Posts: 7,493 Member
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    WHen you are working out you can easily eat a lot more. I am lighter than you and I workout 4-5 times a week and maintain on 2200-2600 I would be starving too at 1600.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
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    You are much younger than me and we are similar heights/weight - I maintain on 2100-2300 cals a day. (I'm active )
    I reckon even if you were sedentary that 1600 would be the minimum to eat and maintain, possibly still lose, if you are active at all it will be more than that - maintenance takes a bit of trial and error but if I were you I'd be trying 1750-1800 at least for a few weeks and then up the calories again when you see you are maintaining.
  • batoolnabulsi
    batoolnabulsi Posts: 35 Member
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    Noreenmarie1234 wrote: »
    WHen you are working out you can easily eat a lot more. I am lighter than you and I workout 4-5 times a week and maintain on 2200-2600 I would be starving too at 1600.

    Yea starving ://

  • batoolnabulsi
    batoolnabulsi Posts: 35 Member
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    RunRutheeRun wrote: »
    You are much younger than me and we are similar heights/weight - I maintain on 2100-2300 cals a day. (I'm active )
    I reckon even if you were sedentary that 1600 would be the minimum to eat and maintain, possibly still lose, if you are active at all it will be more than that - maintenance takes a bit of trial and error but if I were you I'd be trying 1750-1800 at least for a few weeks and then up the calories again when you see you are maintaining.

    I'll weigh myself and see, if I lost weight I'll add more calories, it sucks to eat 1600,I don't get to enjoy treats or taste food, I don't wanna keep obsessing :(
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,182 Member
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    My youngest daughter is 20, about 5'7", maintaining on about 1800. She's not particularly active and does not work out. She used MFP long enough to understand her maintenance needs.
  • VividDawn
    VividDawn Posts: 111 Member
    edited July 2016
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    I can barely maintain at 1600 during my lazy days. Every day activity on a regular basis and I need 1800+
    I'm trying to gain weight, so my goal is 2000+ bare minimum on lazy days.

    Remember that "junk food" is not totally evil. It's perfectly fine to have a bowl of ice cream, or a few cookies, burger, etc to help with calories. It only becomes a problem if that is what you eat MOSTLY and hardly do anything healthy.
    I love veggies, cooked in butter or dipped in Ranch dressing. Fruit dipped in marshmallow fluff, or yogurt (but not diet/lite). Healthy AND tasty or treats for calorie high stuff is totally doable :)
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
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    Not enough for me. i maintain around 1800-1900 and still feel that isn't enough.
  • batoolnabulsi
    batoolnabulsi Posts: 35 Member
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    JeromeBarry1 wrote: »
    My youngest daughter is 20, about 5'7", maintaining on about 1800. She's not particularly active and does not work out. She used MFP long enough to understand her maintenance needs.

    What's her weight?
    And ugh 1800 without being active sounds good.
  • batoolnabulsi
    batoolnabulsi Posts: 35 Member
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    arditarose wrote: »
    Not enough for me. i maintain around 1800-1900 and still feel that isn't enough.

    What's your age/weight/height/activity level?
  • batoolnabulsi
    batoolnabulsi Posts: 35 Member
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    VividDawn wrote: »
    I can barely maintain at 1600 during my lazy days. Every day activity on a regular basis and I need 1800+
    I'm trying to gain weight, so my goal is 2000+ bare minimum on lazy days.

    Remember that "junk food" is not totally evil. It's perfectly fine to have a bowl of ice cream, or a few cookies, burger, etc to help with calories. It only becomes a problem if that is what you eat MOSTLY and hardly do anything healthy.
    I love veggies, cooked in butter or dipped in Ranch dressing. Fruit dipped in marshmallow fluff, or yogurt (but not diet/lite). Healthy AND tasty or treats for calorie high stuff is totally doable :)

    I do eat junk food, but not alot, I try to balance those 1600cals to eat the thing I like
  • batoolnabulsi
    batoolnabulsi Posts: 35 Member
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    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    The more you move, the more energy (calories) you require. Think of it like a car...if it just sits there, it doesn't really need gas...if you drive it, it will need gas...the more you drive, the more gas it needs.

    I know, but I can't eat easily when I don't know what are my maintenance calories, I fear gaining weight, and I don't wanna lose either.
    Even when I'm not moving alot, I still feel like eating more than 1600 :(

  • Nikion901
    Nikion901 Posts: 2,467 Member
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    If you click on the APS link in the menu bar of MFP you will be able to select the BMR calculcator where it will tell you how many calories you need to consume is you did nothing but rested for 24 hours. That might be a good indicator for yourself as to where the 1600 calories fit in for you. ...

    I have 1600 calories set as my deficit calorie goal to but the weight loss is slow at that point for me ... MFP recommended I cut an additional 60-some calories a day to lose a pound a week. And of course, it is not ever a steady loss each week.

    Hope this helped.
  • batoolnabulsi
    batoolnabulsi Posts: 35 Member
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    Nikion901 wrote: »
    If you click on the APS link in the menu bar of MFP you will be able to select the BMR calculcator where it will tell you how many calories you need to consume is you did nothing but rested for 24 hours. That might be a good indicator for yourself as to where the 1600 calories fit in for you. ...

    I have 1600 calories set as my deficit calorie goal to but the weight loss is slow at that point for me ... MFP recommended I cut an additional 60-some calories a day to lose a pound a week. And of course, it is not ever a steady loss each week.

    Hope this helped.

    MFP gave me 1640 :( not that big difference :(

  • batoolnabulsi
    batoolnabulsi Posts: 35 Member
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    I wanna enjoy food :s
  • mkakids
    mkakids Posts: 1,913 Member
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    arditarose wrote: »
    Not enough for me. i maintain around 1800-1900 and still feel that isn't enough.

    Me too. Im 5'5" and 162#. To lose .5-1# a week I need to eat less 1400-1500 cals a day on non gym days. Days when I run (usually 3-4miles) aand lift, I get to eat 1600-1700 and still lose.
  • tmi_gang
    tmi_gang Posts: 781 Member
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    I'm on 1,500 a day right now.
    To be honest, it's not much. Calories add up quick, but I'm trying to get in better shape for a cruise.
    Everyone is different.
  • MichelleLea122
    MichelleLea122 Posts: 332 Member
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    I'm 5'4'' 115lbs. I have a BMR of like 1350, but with my pretty sedentary lifestyle my TDEE is <1500. But with an hour of lifting and an hour of cardio, my TDEE ends up being like 2100. Hope this helps you out.
  • sunnybeaches105
    sunnybeaches105 Posts: 2,831 Member
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    batoolnabulsi wrote: »
    Nikion901 wrote: »
    If you click on the APS link in the menu bar of MFP you will be able to select the BMR calculcator where it will tell you how many calories you need to consume is you did nothing but rested for 24 hours. That might be a good indicator for yourself as to where the 1600 calories fit in for you. ...

    I have 1600 calories set as my deficit calorie goal to but the weight loss is slow at that point for me ... MFP recommended I cut an additional 60-some calories a day to lose a pound a week. And of course, it is not ever a steady loss each week.

    Hope this helped.

    MFP gave me 1640 :( not that big difference :(

    What about the extra calories for exercise that you should be entering?

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