Someone near 5'4" especially if 200-250lbs what's your calorie goal? Need advice..or encouragement.

Verity1111
Verity1111 Posts: 3,309 Member
edited October 2016 in Health and Weight Loss
I'd call myself sedentary honestly because of an injury earlier this year I am still recovering from and because I'm a stay at home mom.
5'4"
220lbs
Female if that matters

I'm afraid to eat more tonight because I don't want to gain weight... I have a history of ED yes I know talk to a dr and so on but that doesnt help me right now at this moment. Can I lose weight at 1,500 calories? I've been eating the minimum and then I had a week where I overate.. (I mean really overate not like 1600 over ate lol like I ate more than maintenance probably, every other day or so) Now, I'm trying to get back on track, but tonight I'm really hungry and I feel like an extra small meal. Can someone just reassure me if it is still an amount I can lost weight on and if it's not let me know? I'm afraid to go over 1,200calories.

Also, I didn't always eat so low. I used to eat 1700-1900 to lose weight when I was smaller (170-180), but I was a couple years younger and also I didn't walk for 5 months this year so I'm scared my metabolic rate might have been hurt by that..I was a lot more active back then too (worked out 1-2hrs per day).
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Replies

  • Bearbo27
    Bearbo27 Posts: 339 Member
    edited October 2016
    I started in July at 258 lbs and I am 5'3". The only thing I have done was set my goal for 2 lbs per week (you could also do 1 lb per week, and get more to eat). My calorie goal then for 2 lbs per week was around 1600, but would have been more with a 1lb per week goal. I am now just shy of 120 days of straight logging and am down 43 lbs.

    With that being said. It's hard for one person to tell you if that calorie amount will work for you. You need to enter your stats here on mfp and let it tell you how much to eat. If you are having a hard time with only 1600 calories, try a less aggressive goal and you'll get more calories to eat. All you need to do is stay under, but as close to that goal as possible. Get a food scale and weigh everything solid. That is the only thing I have done and it works if you stick to it.
  • Verity1111
    Verity1111 Posts: 3,309 Member
    edited October 2016
    Bearbo27 wrote: »
    I started in July at 258 lbs and I am 5'3". The only thing I have done was set my goal for 2 lbs per week (you could also do 1 lb per week, and get more to eat). My calorie goal then for 2 lbs per week was around 1600, but would have been more with a 1lb per week goal. I am now just shy of 120 days of straight logging and am down 43 lbs.

    With that being said. It's hard for one person to tell you if that calorie amount will work for you. You need to enter your stats here on mfp and let it tell you how much to eat. If you are having a hard time with only 1600 calories, try a less aggressive goal and you'll get more calories to eat. All you need to do is stay under, but as close to that goal as possible. Get a food scale and weigh everything solid. That is the only thing I have done and it works if you stick to it.
    I'm on 1200 calories. I was asking if you think Id lose on 1600 or at least not gain...because I am hungry today and kind of want to hit that amount. Im assuming Id be ok then? Youre around my weight. Do you still eat 1600 now?
  • SideshowTam
    SideshowTam Posts: 74 Member
    You will definitely lose weight at 1500 calories, as it is still roughly 500cal lower than your TDEE. You could eat 1500 calories everyday and still be losing around 1lb per week, which is a really good and safe way to lose weight!
  • SideshowTam
    SideshowTam Posts: 74 Member
    1600*** calories, my bad
  • leanjogreen18
    leanjogreen18 Posts: 2,492 Member
    I started July at 233 I'm at 203 I've been zig zagging my calories. I eat 3 days at 1200, one day at 1000, one day at 1100, one day at 1300 and one day at 1500. That averages to 1200 daily.

    I started this zig zagging in hopes of staving off a plateau (I've not had one yet and not sure if they exist after some initial reading about them) but more importantly 1500 calories will be pretty close to my maintenance when I get to goal weight. So one day a week for the next year I will be eating approx what I will have to eat for the rest of my life.

    I'm using this year getting to goal weight as a learning process. Hopefully I will learn something this time around!
  • Verity1111
    Verity1111 Posts: 3,309 Member
    SideshowTam wrote: »
    1600*** calories, my bad

    I did originally say 1500 but its 100cal difference lol so not too much difference to me... Ok well I hope so because Im so hungry lol
  • Verity1111
    Verity1111 Posts: 3,309 Member
    johunt615 wrote: »
    I started July at 233 I'm at 203 I've been zig zagging my calories. I eat 3 days at 1200, one day at 1000, one day at 1100, one day at 1300 and one day at 1500. That averages to 1200 daily.

    I started this zig zagging in hopes of staving off a plateau (I've not had one yet and not sure if they exist after some initial reading about them) but more importantly 1500 calories will be pretty close to my maintenance when I get to goal weight. So one day a week for the next year I will be eating approx what I will have to eat for the rest of my life.

    I'm using this year getting to goal weight as a learning process. Hopefully I will learn something this time around!

    Good to know. That means if I eat 500 above what you eat (1700) I should, in theory, lose around 1lb per week since you lose over 2lbs per week and are around my weight...Thank you very much for the information!
  • Bearbo27
    Bearbo27 Posts: 339 Member
    Verity1111 wrote: »
    Bearbo27 wrote: »
    I started in July at 258 lbs and I am 5'3". The only thing I have done was set my goal for 2 lbs per week (you could also do 1 lb per week, and get more to eat). My calorie goal then for 2 lbs per week was around 1600, but would have been more with a 1lb per week goal. I am now just shy of 120 days of straight logging and am down 43 lbs.

    With that being said. It's hard for one person to tell you if that calorie amount will work for you. You need to enter your stats here on mfp and let it tell you how much to eat. If you are having a hard time with only 1600 calories, try a less aggressive goal and you'll get more calories to eat. All you need to do is stay under, but as close to that goal as possible. Get a food scale and weigh everything solid. That is the only thing I have done and it works if you stick to it.
    I'm on 1200 calories. I was asking if you think Id lose on 1600 or at least not gain...because I am hungry today and kind of want to hit that amount. Im assuming Id be ok then? Youre around my weight. Do you still eat 1600 now?

    I would say yes, but you really need to enter your stats in and let mfp tell you how much to eat to lose X pounds per week. I am active, not sedentary so that does make a difference too.
  • Trane333
    Trane333 Posts: 5 Member
    As long as you eat 500 calories below maintenance, that is calories to keep you at your current weight, you should lose 1lb a week because it takes 3500 calories to lose a pound as Im sure you have figured out. But as the others said, please put your info into MFP, and then move from there!
  • ridiculous59
    ridiculous59 Posts: 2,901 Member
    I'm a 57 year old female and started out at 232 pounds. I'm now at 148 and it's taken me about 2 years and 10 months. I sit at a desk all day and do about an hour of some sort of exercise each day.

    Generally, if I eat 1200 calories per day I will lose weight. And if I eat 1500 calories per day I stay the same. That's what i've come to understand over time. Do I eat 1200 calories every single day? Heck no. Eating and celibrating are part of life. The difference is that now, if I over indulge one day, I make up for it the following day. Back in the day I would have just continued overeating day after day after day.

    Like everyone else says, put in your numbers and mfp will tell how much you can eat. And then track your food honestly and with integrity. If you say "oh that's close to a cup" or whatever, the only person you are hurting is yourself. And you are worth so much more than that. If you do this faithfully you will get to know how your own body reacts to certain foods; carbs, alcohol, or sodium for example.You will then feel more comfortable and actually start to enjoy this amazing journey to better health :)

  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    edited October 2016
    I started at 260 (around 130 currently, but got as low as 122 lbs). I avgeraged 2000 cals per day for the majority of my loss. I do use a food scale for accuracy of portion sizes and I use a fitbit to adjust my calories based on my activity.

    I am a fairly active person. Until recently I was a stay-at-home mom. Here recently due to a very poor tracking this summer and starting my new job (poor choices) I have regained about 10 lbs (down to 8 lbs now). My job has me on my feet all day and I can lose half a pound per week while averaging around 2200 calories.
  • lilac_bunny
    lilac_bunny Posts: 137 Member
    I started at 252lb now 230lb in 10 weeks. I have been eating 1740 calories. I have been strength training though. Could you do some chair based strength training if it's your walking that is difficult? I did set to loosing 1.5lb a week but I generally haven't been eating back exercise calories. I'm 5'3.
  • ConnieT1030
    ConnieT1030 Posts: 894 Member
    edited October 2016
    Verity1111 wrote: »
    I'm on 1200 calories. I was asking if you think Id lose on 1600 or at least not gain...because I am hungry today and kind of want to hit that amount.

    Your calorie goal was 1200 because you asked MFP for an aggressive weight loss. Go back to your goals and ask for a slower weight loss and your calorie allowance will go up. And/or use online calculators for TDEE and (take an average if they are too far apart), and just stay below that to prevent weight gain. Use the mifflin-st.jeor equation in the calculator if it asks, because the newer ones aren't accurate for very overweight people, they don't consider bodyfat, just lean muscle, and the older one is just less accurate period, or so i read on scoobysworkshop. :) Remember mfp expects you add in your exercise to get more calories, but dont trust how much it says, the rule of thumb I hear is eat half of what mfp tells you for exercise cals.

    Oops I should say I am 5"3", cw 197, and it told me 1200 originally also, and per my calculations elsewhere that was below my bmr, so i adjusted mine after a bit, in fact i am still toying around with it. Ive only been using mfp since the 12th, but my weight hasnt changed yet. :( On the other hand, it hasnt gone up either :smiley:
  • DisruptedMatrix
    DisruptedMatrix Posts: 130 Member
    Put on some music and walk for 15 minutes (or an hour if your back can stand that already. If not, build up to an hour). Then eat back what calories you burn on the walk, on top of your daily goal.
  • Verity1111
    Verity1111 Posts: 3,309 Member
    Thanks all! I decided to try to use Xbox Kinect to work out like I used to...Im just not sure if I can dance yet. I used to dance well and it was one of my favorite activities before I was injured. If I get time today I will...but my child is sick so I might have to wait until tomorrow. Thanks again :) Also, I ended up around 1300 calories yesterday.
  • aboverubies5
    aboverubies5 Posts: 6 Member
    My guess is 1. Use the fitness tracker and stick with it 2. You are problably bored not hungry. Find something to do. Your stomach is expanded maybe and thinks it needs ssomething. YOU CAN DO THIS. try weight training or yoga. Get on Pinterest for inspiration too.
  • fitoverfortymom
    fitoverfortymom Posts: 3,452 Member
    I am 5' 6" and weigh 229. MFP gave me 1250 calories per day with me being sedentary and wanting 2lbs per week weight loss.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    5'5", 34 when I lost the weight, was 213 lbs, lost everything eating 1600-1700 but I worked out every day... so I'd say 1400 is probably a good bet for now.
  • daylewhite
    daylewhite Posts: 2 Member
    shadow2soul wrote: »
    I started at 260 (around 130 currently, but got as low as 122 lbs). I avgeraged 2000 cals per day for the majority of my loss. I do use a food scale for accuracy of portion sizes and I use a fitbit to adjust my calories based on my activity.

    I am a fairly active person. Until recently I was a stay-at-home mom. Here recently due to a very poor tracking this summer and starting my new job (poor choices) I have regained about 10 lbs (down to 8 lbs now). My job has me on my feet all day and I can lose half a pound per week while averaging around 2200 calories.

    Thanks when you say that you are fairly active do you do Gym? What do you eat before a gym session I am battling with energy I used to munch an energy bar but think that they are too high in sugar?
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    daylewhite wrote: »
    shadow2soul wrote: »
    I started at 260 (around 130 currently, but got as low as 122 lbs). I avgeraged 2000 cals per day for the majority of my loss. I do use a food scale for accuracy of portion sizes and I use a fitbit to adjust my calories based on my activity.

    I am a fairly active person. Until recently I was a stay-at-home mom. Here recently due to a very poor tracking this summer and starting my new job (poor choices) I have regained about 10 lbs (down to 8 lbs now). My job has me on my feet all day and I can lose half a pound per week while averaging around 2200 calories.

    Thanks when you say that you are fairly active do you do Gym? What do you eat before a gym session I am battling with energy I used to munch an energy bar but think that they are too high in sugar?

    Do I go to the gym? Yes.

    I didn't however join a gym until I was around 160 lbs. Prior to that all I did was walk lots, use Xbox Kinect (360)/Wii Fitness games, and online workout videos. Before I started working, I went to the gym 5-6 days a week and averaged 12k steps a day (with some high days being around 25k). Since I've started working I'm only in the gym 2-3 days a week. I also have a 2 boys (2 yr and 4 yr) who keep me on my feet at home.

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