Never going to eat more food than this...

SteveinChicago
SteveinChicago Posts: 24 Member
edited November 25 in Health and Weight Loss
Sigh. I've almost made it to an interim goal at a loss rate of 1 lb./week figuring I'd then decide on a final goal weight and rate of loss. Just did the calculations and found that my TDEE at my final goal weight is... exactly what I'm eating now.

I suppose I was hoping to get a few more calories if I slowed down. On the bright side, I guess I know what maintenance eating feels like.

Replies

  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    You'll need less food to maintain a lower weight. You'll be all right.
  • HoneyBadger302
    HoneyBadger302 Posts: 2,085 Member
    I'm in the activity category. What I'd be "allowed" to eat to maintain even my current weight (none the less my goal weight) with a desk job is just dismal and miserable. Not something I'm wiling to do - so, instead, up the activity!

    Plus, being more active I find I have more energy in general so I'm more likely to be a teensy bit more active during the day - probably doesn't add up to any significant calorie burn, but I find I'm fidgeting a lot more (I have ADD too, so the combo results in an inability to sit completely still for too long), add little "hops" into things instead of just stepping up, etc - again, not huge differences, but hey, every little bit helps!
  • SteamPug
    SteamPug Posts: 262 Member
    mph323 wrote: »
    I agree with upping your activity. My sedentary maintenance is 1250 calories, but with moderate exercise I've been averaging 1650 and not gaining.
    Surely your TDEE is not 1,250? That sounds way more like your BMR
  • mph323
    mph323 Posts: 3,563 Member
    SteamPug wrote: »
    mph323 wrote: »
    I agree with upping your activity. My sedentary maintenance is 1250 calories, but with moderate exercise I've been averaging 1650 and not gaining.
    Surely your TDEE is not 1,250? That sounds way more like your BMR

    My sedentary TDEE is 1250 - that's without exercise. With the exercise I've incorporated into my life I'm able to eat around 1650 without gaining weight.
  • SteamPug
    SteamPug Posts: 262 Member
    mph323 wrote: »
    SteamPug wrote: »
    mph323 wrote: »
    I agree with upping your activity. My sedentary maintenance is 1250 calories, but with moderate exercise I've been averaging 1650 and not gaining.
    Surely your TDEE is not 1,250? That sounds way more like your BMR

    My sedentary TDEE is 1250 - that's without exercise. With the exercise I've incorporated into my life I'm able to eat around 1650 without gaining weight.
    For real? Tell me to go away if I’m being super nosy but can I ask how tall you are?
  • SteamPug
    SteamPug Posts: 262 Member
    mph323 wrote: »
    SteamPug wrote: »
    mph323 wrote: »
    mph323 wrote: »
    SteamPug wrote: »
    mph323 wrote: »
    SteamPug wrote: »
    mph323 wrote: »
    I agree with upping your activity. My sedentary maintenance is 1250 calories, but with moderate exercise I've been averaging 1650 and not gaining.
    Surely your TDEE is not 1,250? That sounds way more like your BMR

    My sedentary TDEE is 1250 - that's without exercise. With the exercise I've incorporated into my life I'm able to eat around 1650 without gaining weight.
    For real? Tell me to go away if I’m being super nosy but can I ask how tall you are?

    It's actually rude to jump right in and question someone's calorie needs without knowing anything about them. I really get tired of people going immediately to "you must be wrong about your calorie needs" without knowing anything about me.

    I'm 67 years old and I weight 105 lbs.

    They asked how tall you were. Not your age or weight. And way to assume and jump the gun!
    SteamPug wrote: »
    mph323 wrote: »
    I agree with upping your activity. My sedentary maintenance is 1250 calories, but with moderate exercise I've been averaging 1650 and not gaining.
    Surely your TDEE is not 1,250? That sounds way more like your BMR

    This is what I was responding to.
    I know this, and I’ll apologise once more for my intrusiveness. People on MFP are usually very open about their stats and goals so I rushed into questioning you without really considering that it may have been rude.

    Thanks! I'm fine with sharing my stats, especially since I'm able to eat considerably more because I'm able to get in an hour or so of activity most days. I think sometimes it's reflexive to see "1200 calories" and immediately assume the poster is trying to lose 2+ lbs a week at 5'9" and 180 lbs., but some of us are just older and smaller :)
    It’s not even that I thought you were going for an aggressive loss, because I cut to 1,200 myself when I wanna lose - I just got super concerned at the idea of gaining wait on over 1,200 calories :(
  • mph323
    mph323 Posts: 3,563 Member
    edited March 2018
    mph323 wrote: »
    SteamPug wrote: »
    mph323 wrote: »
    SteamPug wrote: »
    mph323 wrote: »
    I agree with upping your activity. My sedentary maintenance is 1250 calories, but with moderate exercise I've been averaging 1650 and not gaining.
    Surely your TDEE is not 1,250? That sounds way more like your BMR

    My sedentary TDEE is 1250 - that's without exercise. With the exercise I've incorporated into my life I'm able to eat around 1650 without gaining weight.
    For real? Tell me to go away if I’m being super nosy but can I ask how tall you are?

    It's actually rude to jump right in and question someone's calorie needs without knowing anything about them. I really get tired of people going immediately to "you must be wrong about your calorie needs" without knowing anything about me.

    I'm 67 years old and I weight 105 lbs.

    Ooh, you must be taller than me. MFP sedentary for me is 1200 :).
    (5'1, 64, 100-105lbs)

    Similar to you I get a TDEE of plus 400 through extra activity. (1600cals)
    My BMR according to MFP is around 950-975. Too lazy to go check.

    I think, like me, you are also a long term maintainer, so know your numbers well.

    I had 1200 to lose 30 lbs, then 1200 as maintenance.

    Cheers, h.

    Yeah, that's pretty much where I'm at! 1200 to lose 50 lbs and it was s-l-o-w!

    eta: Ah, I've got a couple of inches on you - 5'3"!
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Sorry OP. I sympathize :( The only way is to be more active, but even then, at some point there's just so much you can do :(
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    edited March 2018
    It is what it is. My sedentary TDEE is around 1450.. but I'm never sedentary so can eat around 2000 to maintain 125lbs/5ft 2/48yrs. its totally worth staying on plan, I love being lean and fit :smile:
  • Seffell
    Seffell Posts: 2,244 Member
    You won't feel as hungry because your body will need less. But in general it sucks, that's true.
  • Iwantahealthierme30
    Iwantahealthierme30 Posts: 293 Member
    I found this out too. Oh well, it's better to eat healthier anyway. Eating healthier often means eating less.
  • Dnarules
    Dnarules Posts: 2,081 Member
    gebeziseva wrote: »
    You won't feel as hungry because your body will need less. But in general it sucks, that's true.

    I wish this were true. But it wasn't, at least for me.
  • mph323
    mph323 Posts: 3,563 Member

    Dnarules wrote: »
    gebeziseva wrote: »
    You won't feel as hungry because your body will need less. But in general it sucks, that's true.

    I wish this were true. But it wasn't, at least for me.

    Yeah, running makes me a lot hungrier than the number of calories it burns!

    OP, I will say this - after taking a longer time to lose the weight I needed to lose, eating at a lower calorie target became more or less habit. And yeah, if you have the idea that you can't ever go over the minimum calories when you're maintaining, the future can look grim, but as you can see staying moderately active can contribute substantially to raising that number. My best advice right now would be to forget about how many calories you may or may not be able to eat in maintenance, and focus on where you're at right now - sometimes the future has a way of taking care of itself if we just let it be :)
  • raymax4
    raymax4 Posts: 6,070 Member
    mph323 wrote: »
    Dnarules wrote: »
    gebeziseva wrote: »
    You won't feel as hungry because your body will need less. But in general it sucks, that's true.

    I wish this were true. But it wasn't, at least for me.

    Yeah, running makes me a lot hungrier than the number of calories it burns!

    OP, I will say this - after taking a longer time to lose the weight I needed to lose, eating at a lower calorie target became more or less habit. And yeah, if you have the idea that you can't ever go over the minimum calories when you're maintaining, the future can look grim, but as you can see staying moderately active can contribute substantially to raising that number. My best advice right now would be to forget about how many calories you may or may not be able to eat in maintenance, and focus on where you're at right now - sometimes the future has a way of taking care of itself if we just let it be :)

    Wow that’s good advice!
  • Seffell
    Seffell Posts: 2,244 Member
    gebeziseva wrote: »
    You won't feel as hungry because your body will need less. But in general it sucks, that's true.

    Unfortunately lower hunger levels and a lower weight don't always coincide.
    Quite a few people have the same hunger level no matter the weight.

    Cheers, h.

    Not always. But mostly. Which is natural. I'm sure you'd agree.
    I'm not talking about cravings and apetite. Are you?
This discussion has been closed.