I believe my cal count is too high! 1600!

2

Replies

  • Unknown
    Unknown
    This content has been removed.
  • inertiastrength
    inertiastrength Posts: 2,343 Member
    edited June 2017
    Depending on how active I am I lose on 1600-1800 and that's a pretty aggressive deficit. I could easily lose on 2000 too.
  • carolbrady1
    carolbrady1 Posts: 38 Member
    SafioraLinnea wrote: »
    My weight loss intake amount is 1840 calories - that gives me a deficit for roughly 0.75-1lb of loss weekly. Yep. Lots of food.

    Could I do it faster at less calories? Sure. But I don't want to so I'm not. I'd rather do this slow and steady and succeed long term and feel healthy while losing than try to lose it fast and yo yo back up.

    Agree completely. I've yo yo dieted since I was a teenager, now I'm 55 and the only way I lost weight properly was slowly and certainly not through starving myself! Exercise helps a lot though - it changes the way you see food, as a fuel rather than something to be scared of!

  • TheCalvinGaba
    TheCalvinGaba Posts: 12 Member
    1600 calories is not that much at all dependent on your calorie expenditure. and you said you only have 1hr - 1.5hr to work out. Thats plenty of time to get a good workout especially if you structure them properly. The right balance of macros and the 1hr - 1.5hr x 5 days of traning you currently doing should give you a nice controlled loss overtime.
  • grimmc603
    grimmc603 Posts: 16 Member
    Hello, new to counting calories and if my BMR is 2100 and my calories is 1900, how will I lose 2 pounds a week? I burn 500-600 calories a day, 6 days a week. Would 1500 calories be better? I'm just trying to lose fat and stay away from burning muscle. I'm soo lost, HELP please!
  • estherdragonbat
    estherdragonbat Posts: 5,283 Member
    How much do you need to lose? Two pounds a week is generally too aggressive unless you've got 75 lbs or more to goal.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    grimmc603 wrote: »
    Hello, new to counting calories and if my BMR is 2100 and my calories is 1900, how will I lose 2 pounds a week? I burn 500-600 calories a day, 6 days a week. Would 1500 calories be better? I'm just trying to lose fat and stay away from burning muscle. I'm soo lost, HELP please!

    You don't cut from your BMR to lose weight...BMR is the calories you burn merely existing on this planet. You also burn calories just going about your day to day and then finally, exercise.

    Just put your info into the calculator...it will calculate your target and do all the work for you...that's what the calculator does.
  • kristen8000
    kristen8000 Posts: 747 Member
    1600 isn't low. I can lose on 1640 and I only have 10lbs to lose.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    These were my calories for the past 12 days, averaging about 2000 calories. I have been more active lately so this averaged to a deficit of about 600 calories a day. My loss is as expected, about half a kilo (slightly over a pound) a week.

    gfej3tp0j50n.png

    Don't be afraid of calories. With time you will know how your weight loss goes over time and if you need to change your calories up or down, for now, go for 1600 and you can change it later. No need to starve yourself on 1200 for no good reason. Some people have to go that low (older, shorter, don't have much to lose) but you don't.
  • grimmc603
    grimmc603 Posts: 16 Member
    estherdragonbat wrote: »
    How much do you need to lose? Two pounds a week is generally too aggressive unless you've got 75 lbs or more to goal.

    I'm 310 pounds and 5'4 female. So 1900 calories is correct?
  • estherdragonbat
    estherdragonbat Posts: 5,283 Member
    Sounds like it might be, if that's what MFP gave you. It gave me 1710 when I started at 254 to lose 1lb/week and I'm 5'3. (I then started moving around more and ended up losing around 2 lbs a week due to the increased deficit.) You need to gauge how you're feeling, though.

    If you're doing okay, feel like you have enough energy, not dizzy or hungry all the time, you're doing okay. If you're always hungry and tired and miserable, it's possible you're overdoing and even though you can safely lose 2 lbs/week, it doesn't mean you should. There are general basic recommendations, and then there are individual personal realities. Go with what MFP gave you to start with and adjust as needed.
  • Annaisready
    Annaisready Posts: 6 Member
    Dear poster
    You are probably like me
    This program says 1200 for me and it's way too little calories for us
    I'm going up to 1500
    It's way too little ....and then if of exercise its insanely low no wonder my body is not giving up any fat its starving ...
  • forthegloryofmyLORDJESUS
    forthegloryofmyLORDJESUS Posts: 2 Member
    Yes, I most definitely have, mine is 1800,
    When I stick to it, I do ..... but for some reason, I even still feel so hungry and that's why I lose 15, then gain 25 back....I really need JESUS to save me from my appetite.
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    Annaisready wrote: »
    Dear poster
    You are probably like me
    This program says 1200 for me and it's way too little calories for us
    I'm going up to 1500
    It's way too little ....and then if of exercise its insanely low no wonder my body is not giving up any fat its starving ...

    You are not starving and holding on to fat - your body doesn't do that, otherwise explain how people suffering from anorexia become so thin.
  • Muscleflex79
    Muscleflex79 Posts: 1,917 Member
    Annaisready wrote: »
    Dear poster
    You are probably like me
    This program says 1200 for me and it's way too little calories for us
    I'm going up to 1500
    It's way too little ....and then if of exercise its insanely low no wonder my body is not giving up any fat its starving ...

    have you not seen people who are actually starving??? they do not "hold onto" fat...smh
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    Annaisready wrote: »
    Dear poster
    You are probably like me
    This program says 1200 for me and it's way too little calories for us
    I'm going up to 1500
    It's way too little ....and then if of exercise its insanely low no wonder my body is not giving up any fat its starving ...

    First, the program suggests 1200 based on information you provided during set up and based on the goal rate of loss you indicated. Perhaps you should start by looking at what you input to see if you were too aggressive with your rate of loss goal or if you underestimated your activity level (selecting Sedentary when you are much more active in reality).

    Second, the program is designed for you to eat back some exercise calories when you do exercise, so if you aren't doing that, again, that's your misunderstanding and misuse of the tool, not MFPs fault.

    Third, your body doesn't hold onto fat when it's starving.

    I suggest you spend some time reading the stickied threads before doling out advice.
  • datbrittish
    datbrittish Posts: 14 Member
    TheCalvinGaba wrote: »
    1600 calories is not that much at all dependent on your calorie expenditure. and you said you only have 1hr - 1.5hr to work out. Thats plenty of time to get a good workout especially if you structure them properly. The right balance of macros and the 1hr - 1.5hr x 5 days of traning you currently doing should give you a nice controlled loss overtime.

    Okay I might be a little slow but what do you mean by "calorie expenditure"? I guess I need a more efficient workout. We have a 2.5 mile trail in my neighborhood in which I walk and might jog some parts. Then I go to the gym to do some form of weights on certain areas of my body. Then I sit in the sauna. And I am currently 251 I would love to be 150 but realistically 170 is my pre law school/goal weight
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,727 Member
    datbrittish wrote: »
    TheCalvinGaba wrote: »
    1600 calories is not that much at all dependent on your calorie expenditure. and you said you only have 1hr - 1.5hr to work out. Thats plenty of time to get a good workout especially if you structure them properly. The right balance of macros and the 1hr - 1.5hr x 5 days of traning you currently doing should give you a nice controlled loss overtime.

    Okay I might be a little slow but what do you mean by "calorie expenditure"? I guess I need a more efficient workout. We have a 2.5 mile trail in my neighborhood in which I walk and might jog some parts. Then I go to the gym to do some form of weights on certain areas of my body. Then I sit in the sauna. And I am currently 251 I would love to be 150 but realistically 170 is my pre law school/goal weight

    Sitting in the sauna doesn't burn calories

    Are you following a particular program for strength training?

    Be very specific.

    Walk/Run is a good way to get and stay active. 2.5-5 miles is a good distance.
  • KevHex
    KevHex Posts: 256 Member
    Walking is great, don't feel you have to run yet, that can come with time.
  • datbrittish
    datbrittish Posts: 14 Member
    stanmann571 wrote: »
    datbrittish wrote: »
    TheCalvinGaba wrote: »
    1600 calories is not that much at all dependent on your calorie expenditure. and you said you only have 1hr - 1.5hr to work out. Thats plenty of time to get a good workout especially if you structure them properly. The right balance of macros and the 1hr - 1.5hr x 5 days of traning you currently doing should give you a nice controlled loss overtime.

    Okay I might be a little slow but what do you mean by "calorie expenditure"? I guess I need a more efficient workout. We have a 2.5 mile trail in my neighborhood in which I walk and might jog some parts. Then I go to the gym to do some form of weights on certain areas of my body. Then I sit in the sauna. And I am currently 251 I would love to be 150 but realistically 170 is my pre law school/goal weight

    Sitting in the sauna doesn't burn calories

    Are you following a particular program for strength training?

    Be very specific.

    Walk/Run is a good way to get and stay active. 2.5-5 miles is a good distance.

    I sit in the sauna to relax after my workout and clear my mind before I start studying. I'm preparing for the bar exam which is very stressful on my body. So it's something I like to do after I workout because it makes sense since I'm already sweaty. I follow some old routines from my trainer or Pinterest. I just focus on one part of the body a day.
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,727 Member
    datbrittish wrote: »
    stanmann571 wrote: »
    datbrittish wrote: »
    TheCalvinGaba wrote: »
    1600 calories is not that much at all dependent on your calorie expenditure. and you said you only have 1hr - 1.5hr to work out. Thats plenty of time to get a good workout especially if you structure them properly. The right balance of macros and the 1hr - 1.5hr x 5 days of traning you currently doing should give you a nice controlled loss overtime.

    Okay I might be a little slow but what do you mean by "calorie expenditure"? I guess I need a more efficient workout. We have a 2.5 mile trail in my neighborhood in which I walk and might jog some parts. Then I go to the gym to do some form of weights on certain areas of my body. Then I sit in the sauna. And I am currently 251 I would love to be 150 but realistically 170 is my pre law school/goal weight

    Sitting in the sauna doesn't burn calories

    Are you following a particular program for strength training?

    Be very specific.

    Walk/Run is a good way to get and stay active. 2.5-5 miles is a good distance.

    I sit in the sauna to relax after my workout and clear my mind before I start studying. I'm preparing for the bar exam which is very stressful on my body. So it's something I like to do after I workout because it makes sense since I'm already sweaty. I follow some old routines from my trainer or Pinterest. I just focus on one part of the body a day.

    You would do better to get on a systematic whole body routine that works everything in 1 or 2 sessions

    focusing on one body part ultimately leaves you working very very hard for very little effect.
  • DamieBird
    DamieBird Posts: 651 Member
    datbrittish wrote: »
    TheCalvinGaba wrote: »
    1600 calories is not that much at all dependent on your calorie expenditure. and you said you only have 1hr - 1.5hr to work out. Thats plenty of time to get a good workout especially if you structure them properly. The right balance of macros and the 1hr - 1.5hr x 5 days of traning you currently doing should give you a nice controlled loss overtime.

    Okay I might be a little slow but what do you mean by "calorie expenditure"? I guess I need a more efficient workout. We have a 2.5 mile trail in my neighborhood in which I walk and might jog some parts. Then I go to the gym to do some form of weights on certain areas of my body. Then I sit in the sauna. And I am currently 251 I would love to be 150 but realistically 170 is my pre law school/goal weight

    Calorie expenditure is the sum total of three things.
    1. The basic amount of calories you need to stay alive, if you were doing noting but laying in bed and breathing all day. This is your BMR.
    2. The calories that you burn doing all the of the stuff you do every day, from showering to eating to your job to studying to grocery shopping, whatever. This is your NEAT, and this is what MFP asks you for when it asks for your activity level. The amount of movement you do throughout your day can have a huge impact on how many calories you burn, just by living your life.
    3. The deliberate exercise that you do on top of BMR and NEAT. You should be eating at least part of these calories back, if you go by the MFP recommendation for how many calories to eat in order to lose.

    So, OP - MFP recommends that you eat 1600 calories based on your settings. They mean that if you do nothing else to increase your calories expenditure (i.e. exercise or become more active that your settings indicate) you could lose weight based on the information and goals you selected when you signed up. When you exercise, you earn MORE calories that you should eat as well, to maintain a healthy weight loss. Most people agree that calories burned estimates are pretty high, so they choose to only eat 50-75% of those exercise calories back.

    The best thing to do is to accept that the process will take some time, and to be patient. No two physiologies react exactly the same (although the basic principles of thermodynamics remain unchanged), so the best thing to do is to pick a calories and exercise amount and stick to it for at least a month (since we women have monthly hormonal weight changes to deal with) and then go back and look at the data and see where you need to make adjustments.
  • Nikki802017
    Nikki802017 Posts: 11 Member
    datbrittish wrote: »
    I really feel uncomfortable doing 1600 cals a day. I mean I want to lose weight not gain! Has anyone lose weight by sticking to the recommended cal count being over 1200?

    Mine was 1450 and its my first week and lost 2lb even though it is stated to lose 1lb per week. Works very well for me x
  • SusanMFindlay
    SusanMFindlay Posts: 1,804 Member
    edited June 2017
    Nikki802017 wrote: »
    datbrittish wrote: »
    I really feel uncomfortable doing 1600 cals a day. I mean I want to lose weight not gain! Has anyone lose weight by sticking to the recommended cal count being over 1200?

    Mine was 1450 and its my first week and lost 2lb even though it is stated to lose 1lb per week. Works very well for me x

    It's very common to lose a little extra the first couple of weeks - particularly if you're changing the types of food you eat (less salt and sugar, particularly) as well as how much. The "extra" is likely water weight.

    If you continue to lose weight at 2 pounds/week for more than a month, you should consider raising your calorie intake a little as that would indicate that MFP is underestimating your calorie burn.

    For now, keep up the good work!
  • Sjoerringvej100
    Sjoerringvej100 Posts: 11 Member
    simple math, burn more than you eat! :-) well easy sayd than done, but anyway trie to keep track of your carbs. and your sugar intake. on my good dayes my figures is calc. 929 - carbs. 38g - fat. 35g - protein 114g - sugar 18g ( sorry the figures is in gram(metric meassur) i'm from europe! the carbs and the sugar are the diet worst nightmare.

    I lost 50lb in under 4 month, just by burning more and loos a lot of sugar and carbs.

  • saskiavanson88
    saskiavanson88 Posts: 13 Member
    I have heard that if you burn 500 calories more then what you eat you will lose around 1 pound a week. So if you eat 1600 and you burn 2100 your good. I don't know if it is true, it is working for me
  • Sjoerringvej100
    Sjoerringvej100 Posts: 11 Member
    you have to burn 7200 cal for burning 2,2lb Fat tissue. Fat tissue a mixture og fat and water.
  • BanksyTime
    BanksyTime Posts: 17 Member
    I agree with the others who have said it's certainly possible to lose at 1600 cals. I've found that a moderate cal intake (i.e. not super low) is more conducive to long-term results anyway. Good luck!

Categories