What's the lowest amount of calories I can eat?

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  • Fridaywed
    Fridaywed Posts: 10 Member
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    I ate 1000 or yes, Even less for a short while before I crashed and burned(I,E Binging out, Mood swings). I eventually realized a higher amount for a longer amount of time to lose was way more attainable. Losing weight quickly is basically setting you up for failure, In my honest opinion
    I'm trying to lose a couple pounds again and eating just below my TDEE, It'll be slow but I can still enjoy a couple cookies, Or a big meal here and there
  • nancy1465
    nancy1465 Posts: 25 Member
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    MFP recommended I take in 1596 calories daily. I adjusted it to 1500 calories and have been here for a month and have lost just about 12 lbs. I am very happy with that and must confess I am a bit hungry at times. I am hoping my stomach shrinks soon ...lol I used to eat alot of junk food and still crave it badly but I am going to do it this time and really love this program. You can do it!
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,419 Member
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    psulemon wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    beckygirl177 wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Alluminati wrote: »
    Funny , I wanted to know what the most amount was that I could eat and still get away with losing.

    Good plan. Much better plan - healthier - than the 'bare minimum' plan.

    OP, focus on finding the calorie level that you can sustain over the long haul, and that hits healthy nutrition targets. Then review your diary periodically to identify foods that 'cost' too many calories for the amount of satisfaction & nutrition they bring you. Replace those foods with something else you like that better meets your goals. Rinse & repeat. This will help you learn how to eat forever in a way that keeps you at a healthy weight.

    Okay, sounds good. So how many calories should I eat a day though
    Like maybe not bare minimum, after reading these comments I realizes that's not a good idea, and I just want to be less chunky I feel gross

    I don't disagree with the calorie-level suggestions of those who've comment above, as a starting point. If you have less than 20 pounds to lose, pick a higher calorie level (slower loss rate). If you have more than 50 pounds to lose, pick one of the lower calorie levels (faster lost rate) initially, and taper it to be less aggressive as you get lighter.

    Either way, assess how you feel. If you're at a higher loss rate, and feel fatigued, or have trouble sticking with it, increase your calories & lose more slowly, but more reliably/achievably. If you don't feel satisfied, experiment with your food & nutrient mix (within an healthy range) and eating timing, until you feel more satiated. If you're at a low loss rate in theory, but don't lose at all (over a period of a few weeks, not a few days), then reduce your calorie level gradually to find a reasonable loss rate.

    Bonus: You'll learn a lot about your body and your metabolism along the way, so that when you reach your target weight, you'll know exactly how to eat in a healthy way to maintain that weight.

    Whats wrong with 1600? Its less than 1lb per week.

    @psulemon: Nothing's wrong with 1600, based on what we know about OP.

    That's why I said "I don't disagree with the calorie-level suggestions of those who've comment above. . .". @shadow2soul suggested several options, and you suggested a sensible specific one.

    The rest of it was about picking among those that had been mentioned by anyone. Sorry that that was not clear.

    After any sensible estimate-driven starting point, I'd pretty much suggest to everyone that they monitor how they feel, and adjust if necessary - the standard calculations' calorie levels seem to be pretty accurate for most people, but they are materially off for some (e.g., they're surprisingly low for me, and I know some folks for whom they're high).
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,395 MFP Moderator
    edited July 2016
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    nancy1465 wrote: »
    MFP recommended I take in 1596 calories daily. I adjusted it to 1500 calories and have been here for a month and have lost just about 12 lbs. I am very happy with that and must confess I am a bit hungry at times. I am hoping my stomach shrinks soon ...lol I used to eat alot of junk food and still crave it badly but I am going to do it this time and really love this program. You can do it!

    Your stomach wont shrink. Increase protein and fiber to see if that helps. If not decrease your deficit to see if that helps.

    You can also increae volume foods such as low sugar fruits, egg whites, low sugar veggies, and lean proteins like chicken.

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