How many calories do you eat a day?

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  • jessef593
    jessef593 Posts: 2,272 Member
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    So I'm currently in jail on the forums but I recently had a friend admit that her daily calories consist of a coffee. A chicken thigh and some pickled jalapeno slices. I've tried to discuss healthy and non. Detrimental weight loss strategies but she refuses to even entertain the idea of losing by eating more. She would also refuse and help from an outside source.

    Does anyone have any experience or advice that might aid in this?
  • pamlorbieski
    pamlorbieski Posts: 187 Member
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    1600-1800
  • rose2_0
    rose2_0 Posts: 150 Member
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    1400-1500 with a high day around 2800. I try to average 1600 at the end of the week for weight loss. I really don't know how much of a deficit that will end up being per week. My weight fluctuated and increased so much this year I think my maintenance did too but I'm not ready to trust that.
  • Lillymoo01
    Lillymoo01 Posts: 2,865 Member
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    jessef593 wrote: »
    So I'm currently in jail on the forums but I recently had a friend admit that her daily calories consist of a coffee. A chicken thigh and some pickled jalapeno slices. I've tried to discuss healthy and non. Detrimental weight loss strategies but she refuses to even entertain the idea of losing by eating more. She would also refuse and help from an outside source.

    Does anyone have any experience or advice that might aid in this?

    As sad and as frustrating as it is you can't help them unless they want it. One of my MFP friends was drastically undereating. I found out when she made a comment about cravings which prompted me to look at her diary. I replied that it would be best for her to eat more so she wasn't hungry all the time. Yesterday she had some inspirational quote about replacing old habits with new. I commented that replacing them with new habits that aren't healthly isn't good and that I was concerned with how little she was eating (her fiary showed her eating less rather than more). She has now deleted me as a friend. It is hard because I am genuinely concerned about her wellbeing but there is nothing I can do. It makes it harder when all her 'friends' like her posts when she has completed her diary and was under goal. This just gives her reassurance and a pat on the back.

    All I can hope for is that I have planted a seed which may continue to grow but I can't help thinking, 'if that were my daughter....'
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    edited May 2018
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    It varies greatly for me, anywhere from 10-5000 calories (traditionally fasting on certain days of the year to holiday dinners), but as I mentioned earlier, currently averages to about 1700-1800 calories for weight loss.

    I was actually thinking about this today. My happy don't think about it calorie level averages to about 3500 calories. My happy be reasonable but able to achieve close to 100% physical and mental satisfaction on most days level averages to about 2400 calories. My happy sustainable dieting level averages to about 1800 calories. I can eat less and be physically satisfied on less, but I can't do it for long because all the planning is mentally exhausting, so it's just a low day here or there where needed.

    I was thinking how maintenance for me will be somewhere between dieting and eating reasonably to full satisfaction. Basically, I will be in some sort of a food limbo where I can eat more, but it will still feel like dieting sometimes. I'm trying to be mentally prepared for the fact that once I reach maintenance my work is not done. Despite all the food skills I've acquired, I will always have times where I'm just a little bit dissatisfied with the experience because I can't burn 800 calories every day due to physical limitations.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,345 Member
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    Lillymoo01 wrote: »
    jessef593 wrote: »
    So I'm currently in jail on the forums but I recently had a friend admit that her daily calories consist of a coffee. A chicken thigh and some pickled jalapeno slices. I've tried to discuss healthy and non. Detrimental weight loss strategies but she refuses to even entertain the idea of losing by eating more. She would also refuse and help from an outside source.

    Does anyone have any experience or advice that might aid in this?

    As sad and as frustrating as it is you can't help them unless they want it. One of my MFP friends was drastically undereating. I found out when she made a comment about cravings which prompted me to look at her diary. I replied that it would be best for her to eat more so she wasn't hungry all the time. Yesterday she had some inspirational quote about replacing old habits with new. I commented that replacing them with new habits that aren't healthly isn't good and that I was concerned with how little she was eating (her fiary showed her eating less rather than more). She has now deleted me as a friend. It is hard because I am genuinely concerned about her wellbeing but there is nothing I can do. It makes it harder when all her 'friends' like her posts when she has completed her diary and was under goal. This just gives her reassurance and a pat on the back.

    All I can hope for is that I have planted a seed which may continue to grow but I can't help thinking, 'if that were my daughter....'

    This used to happen me all the time too when I would have mentioned MFP friends undereating... some of them got really nasty with me for trying to tell them to eat more!
  • iamjanice7
    iamjanice7 Posts: 23 Member
    edited May 2018
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    WinoGelato wrote: »
    iamjanice7 wrote: »
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    iamjanice7 wrote: »
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    iamjanice7 wrote: »
    1000 to 1200

    Why?

    That's the recommendation of MFP to lose weight faster. :smile: My height is 5'2 or 5'3.

    MFP won’t recommend below 1200, that’s the minimum NET goal for women.

    Is your height changing or you aren’t sure? Regardless, I’m 5’2, and it really isn’t a requirement to go to the bare minimum cals to lose, nor is losing weight faster always a good thing.

    Yes, the recommendation is 1200. I usually consume 1000 to 1100 because it's working for me. I do home workout 5x a week 20mins. Losing 2lbs per week. I have a sedentary lifestyle.

    But as I reached my goal weight, I will increase my calorie intake.

    Consuming under the minimum and exercising on top means you are netting below 1000 cals. Losing at a rapid rate means you risk loss of lean body mass, fatigue, organ damage, hair loss, sallow skin, etc - not to mention difficulties getting adequate nutrition.

    Additionally you are supposed to raise calories as you get closer to goal weight, not just wait till you’ve reached goal. With less than 50 lbs to lose you should aim for 1 lbs/week with less than 25 lbs it should slow down to 0.5 lb/week.

    Thanks for your concern. Appreciate it. :smile: I'll consider raising it to 1200 to 1300 and see what's the result.

    I'm trying to lose 47 lbs.
  • Journeyfromfat2fit2fab
    Journeyfromfat2fit2fab Posts: 12 Member
    edited May 2018
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    1320 calories and aiming to lose 1kg per week.
  • wahmx3
    wahmx3 Posts: 646 Member
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    1500,being in your 50's isn't fun for this
  • nickssweetheart
    nickssweetheart Posts: 874 Member
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    I was eating 1800 calories, but I had a medication change and I've just been starving all the time. I'm experimenting with 2000 calories to see if I can still lose weight and feel better.
  • The_Canadian_Apex
    The_Canadian_Apex Posts: 572 Member
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    I'm at 2200 before exercise calories. I'm set for losing 1lb/week
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,752 Member
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    Losewtforlife4him wrote: »
    stevephi01 wrote: »
    I'm tracking less than 1000 but still gaining - too low for me to close my diary, ah well a problem I'm having to work though.

    Are you trying to lose? If so, you aren’t eating enough calories to lose and that’s why you’re gaining. Why so low?

    No. That's not how this works.
  • ravergirl1992
    ravergirl1992 Posts: 39 Member
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    between 1400 and 2000 depending on how I feel. I am pretty active and do a high impact class at the gym three/four times a week and try and do at least 10,000 steps on the days when I'm not at the gym.

    I am losing very slowly, but then I don't have much to lose. I am trying to focus on toning up more than anything and just generally leading a healthier lifestyle.
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,752 Member
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    Losewtforlife4him wrote: »
    livingleanlivingclean wrote: »
    Losewtforlife4him wrote: »
    stevephi01 wrote: »
    I'm tracking less than 1000 but still gaining - too low for me to close my diary, ah well a problem I'm having to work though.

    Are you trying to lose? If so, you aren’t eating enough calories to lose and that’s why you’re gaining. Why so low?

    No. That's not how this works.

    How does it work? Anything under 1200 calories and our bodies are in starvation mode, holding on to every bit of fat.

    If you're in a deficit you lose. By your logic, anorexia sufferers and prisoners of war would be obese.
  • dunkind45
    dunkind45 Posts: 110 Member
    edited May 2018
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    Between 1400 and 1730 (my calorie goal set by the site) on my rest days, around 1900 on exercise days (I tend to aim for 400 calories or more burns). Have it set as sedentary lifestyle and to lose a pound a week.
  • Pipsqueak1965
    Pipsqueak1965 Posts: 397 Member
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    Maintenance is around 1800 per day (I'm 5'1", 53 years old, with a desk job - although I walk a fair bit and exercise 3-4 times per week). Currently trying to cut a little - so on 1550 (average).
  • Losewtforlife4him
    Losewtforlife4him Posts: 422 Member
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    livingleanlivingclean wrote: »
    Losewtforlife4him wrote: »
    livingleanlivingclean wrote: »
    Losewtforlife4him wrote: »
    stevephi01 wrote: »
    I'm tracking less than 1000 but still gaining - too low for me to close my diary, ah well a problem I'm having to work though.

    Are you trying to lose? If so, you aren’t eating enough calories to lose and that’s why you’re gaining. Why so low?

    No. That's not how this works.

    How does it work? Anything under 1200 calories and our bodies are in starvation mode, holding on to every bit of fat.

    If you're in a deficit you lose. By your logic, anorexia sufferers and prisoners of war would be obese.

    Why doesn’t MFP allow settings to be under 1200 calories? I get what you’re saying as far as being in a deficit. I found this on livestrong.com

    Because a 1,000-calorie diet is exceptionally low, your body might compensate by slowing down daily functions and making you feel tired so you do not overexert yourself. As a result, you burn fewer calories daily. When you initially begin a 1,000-calorie diet, you may lose weight quickly. Much of this weight comes from water and lean muscle mass. When you lose lean muscle, your body also burns fewer calories at rest – meaning you may experience an even further drop in metabolism. Usually, this creates a dieting plateau in which you feel deprived and eat very few calories, and all the while the numbers on the scale refuse to budge downward.
    If your weight loss stalls on a 1,000-calorie plan, it might be because your metabolism is slowing down and holding on to every bit of energy you put into your body. It may also be because you are actually eating more calories than you think.

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