How many calories as a daily goal?

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SophieGetsStrong
SophieGetsStrong Posts: 11 Member
in Getting Started
So...I started with "sedentary" activity as I'm a stay at home mum and at the moment, don't do a lot. I also put it to "lose 2lb a week" and it's still giving me 1700 cals a day. Is this right? Only, nearly everyone I've spoke to who's successfully lost weight calorie counting has started at 1200-1400 cals. So I don't know what to do. I'm 6ft tall, so would that make any difference? I don't know whether to lower my intake myself or just stick with what it's giving me for now. Please give me your opinion (am new to MFP). Thanks!

Replies

  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
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    If you change the setting to maintain what does it give you? About 2700? Then yes, 1700 would be correct to lose 2lb a week.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    Personally I would stick with it for a few weeks and adjust once you see what happens. 1700 doesn't seem high to me. It's where I set my calorie goal when I want to lose. But your mileage will vary, so give it a few weeks and then you'll know better how to proceed.
  • SophieGetsStrong
    SophieGetsStrong Posts: 11 Member
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    DancingMoosie wrote: »
    If you change the setting to maintain what does it give you? About 2700? Then yes, 1700 would be correct to lose 2lb a week.

    Yes! I just tested it and to maintain it says 2700. Thank you.
  • SophieGetsStrong
    SophieGetsStrong Posts: 11 Member
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    diannethegeek wrote: »
    Personally I would stick with it for a few weeks and adjust once you see what happens. 1700 doesn't seem high to me. It's where I set my calorie goal when I want to lose. But your mileage will vary, so give it a few weeks and then you'll know better how to proceed.

    Ok thank you. I think I'm just being silly and thinking "what if I try it for a couple of weeks but don't lose anything! That's a couple of weeks wasted!" Haha. I will give it a go for maybe even a month and stick at it. Thanks for your reply.
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
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    Just remember that you will not lose exactly 2lbs every single week. Some days your body will retain water, and so on. Don't give up if you don't lose one week. Chances are you will lose more the next. Be patient.
  • tagueray000
    tagueray000 Posts: 3 Member
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    What's up Sophie! I just wanted to throw in my two cents haha If you multiply your body weight by 12 you will get your estimated daily calorie intake. Subtracting anything more than 500 from that number is considered unhealthy. MFP gives you an accuract reading for weight loss @ a healthy rate. Stick to it and I promise you will see results!
  • ogtmama
    ogtmama Posts: 1,403 Member
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    1700 doesn't seem at all unrealistic for a person of 6 feet to me...1200 is the bare minimum and is generally recommended for shorter or older women.
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
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    sophiesgettingfit wrote: »
    So...I started with "sedentary" activity as I'm a stay at home mum and at the moment, don't do a lot. I also put it to "lose 2lb a week" and it's still giving me 1700 cals a day. Is this right? Only, nearly everyone I've spoke to who's successfully lost weight calorie counting has started at 1200-1400 cals. So I don't know what to do. I'm 6ft tall, so would that make any difference? I don't know whether to lower my intake myself or just stick with what it's giving me for now. Please give me your opinion (am new to MFP). Thanks!

    Height, age, starting weight, gender, activity level, exercise <- All of that factors into how much you can eat to lose weight.

    I typically eat around 1800-2k calories a day for weight loss. At first this meant losing at a fairly fast rate and as I got closer to my goal it slowed down (typically averaging 1% Bodyweight loss per week). If I eat 2k calories now, I will still lose weight. I'm not super tall (5'4.5") or overweight (125.5 trend), but I'm active. I wasn't very active when I started, but as I lost weight my activity level increased as things began to get easier for me to do. Now I'm the insane person who workouts out roughly 12hrs a week because I love to do it. Not everyone enjoys or has time for that much working out or to be equivalently active and that's okay. People who aren't as active at my stats will often maintain on less than what I lose weight at. 1200-1400 would be to low for me and result in losing the lean body mass I would like to keep plus other side effects like fatigue and being hangry all the time.

    The people you spoke to possibly had different stats, different activity levels, and there is even a high possibility that they were underestimating their food intake if not using a food scale. That's all okay. Each person has to find their own calorie goal to eat at that has them losing weight at a reasonable rate and doesn't leave them feeling horrible.
  • moham_kas90
    moham_kas90 Posts: 8 Member
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    Hey everyone... This week Ive been really disciplined... Had energy loss throughout the week but it does work.

    700 kcals a day helped me move 1.7 kgs throughout the week.

    Cereal for breakfast, some fruit for lunch (coffee during the day) and a varied non meat dinner.



    But then a cheat weekend :P
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
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    ^^^That sounds really dangerous. Calories and protein (and possibly fat) way too low. Cereal, fruit and veggies, that's it?
  • B4Rachael
    B4Rachael Posts: 155 Member
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    As you lose weight your calorie goal will go down.
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 5,948 Member
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    sophiesgettingfit wrote: »
    So...I started with "sedentary" activity as I'm a stay at home mum and at the moment, don't do a lot. I also put it to "lose 2lb a week" and it's still giving me 1700 cals a day. Is this right? Only, nearly everyone I've spoke to who's successfully lost weight calorie counting has started at 1200-1400 cals. So I don't know what to do. I'm 6ft tall, so would that make any difference? I don't know whether to lower my intake myself or just stick with what it's giving me for now. Please give me your opinion (am new to MFP). Thanks!

    Oh yeah, height makes a huge difference...

    What are the rest of your stats?
    Age and weight?

    Also, what is your goal weight?
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
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    B4Rachael wrote: »
    As you lose weight your calorie goal will go down.

    This is also true. You might need to readjust your settings after losing 10lbs or so.
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 5,948 Member
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    DancingMoosie wrote: »
    B4Rachael wrote: »
    As you lose weight your calorie goal will go down.

    This is also true. You might need to readjust your settings after losing 10lbs or so.

    Yep, every 10 or so pounds it is a good idea to recalculate...
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
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    Yep. I'm supposed to be losing on 1600 and I'm short, lightly active, and relatively low in weight.

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