Do I really have to eat 1400 calorie forever?
shortone100
Posts: 4 Member
I'm 4'11, 110 pounds. I walk at least 10,000 steps a day, but I also have a desk job; I go to the gym about 3 times a week but I tend to do weights not cardio. I've been told that's sedentary, so I'm going with that to be safe.
I think my bmr is about 1150, which at sedentary (x1.2) would put my total calorie needs at about 1400.
Am I off with my calculations? Do I really need to eat such a low amount just to maintain? I might be shorter but my appetite is pretty much the same. I hear my friends talk about how impossible it is to eat at 1400 while they're losing weight. It just doesn't seem sustainable. Am I just doomed to gain weight?
I think my bmr is about 1150, which at sedentary (x1.2) would put my total calorie needs at about 1400.
Am I off with my calculations? Do I really need to eat such a low amount just to maintain? I might be shorter but my appetite is pretty much the same. I hear my friends talk about how impossible it is to eat at 1400 while they're losing weight. It just doesn't seem sustainable. Am I just doomed to gain weight?
14
Replies
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10,000 steps is not sedentary. That's how many I get and I've been logging as lightly active for years.
My TDEE is low for my weight as well. 1800 when I'm anywhere in the 130s or 140s. Only way to up it is increase NEAT or do a bit more cardio, consistently.8 -
Well, hello there. It's not often that I come across a fellow 4'11 shorty.
My appetite, regardless of how active I am, typically falls in the 1500-1800 calories mark. Eating that amount keeps me in the 110's, so long as I'm not completely sedentary. If I were to engage in the activity level that you describe, going by my own history, I'd definitely be able to eat around 17/1800 calories without gaining, and I'm in my 30s.
I hope you find that you can up the calories.
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I agree w/bbell, probably should be lightly active! I'm retired and not sure how many steps a day I do. I also workout 3 times a week (mostly weights w/some light cardio) and am eating around 1600 cals a day and have my activity level set for lightly active. I'm 5'3" and have trouble maintaining 114/15 eating that much.2
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I am also 4'11" and don't like the low TDEE as well. I don't know how to make it work just yet after tracking my calories for only about three months. As I'm nearing maintenance (probably by the end of the month), I have been having more and more re-feed days to stop binging on other days. This way is probably only sustainable for me for another 2 or 3 more months, but other than increasing NEAT/cardio like bbell1985 has mentioned, eating 1400 calories seems like the only way to maintain.2
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Yeah, I know I have more calories than you guys, but I am taller and bigger. I probably feel almost the same way. I have an appetite for at least 2200. Maintaining and losing are both rather uncomfortable for me.2
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you have few options
Try to look into what are you eating, and see if you can change things so you stay within your calories but feel satisfied
Try to increase activity and see if it feels sustainable
Come up with calorie number you are happy with, and see what weight this supports. I had a goal weight of 57, but found at 59 I felt I am happy with calorie number and activity to maintain. If I reduce any further, it won't feel any sustainable for me. I was disappointed, but unwilling to try to live in way I don't feel content with so I left it at 59
Of course I will be happy eating more and moving less, but this is the least amount that I eat and the max amount that I move while still enjoying the way I live. It was my sweet spot, not as slim I was hoping but happy overall
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shortone100 wrote: »I'm 4'11, 110 pounds. I walk at least 10,000 steps a day, but I also have a desk job; I go to the gym about 3 times a week but I tend to do weights not cardio. I've been told that's sedentary, so I'm going with that to be safe.
I think my bmr is about 1150, which at sedentary (x1.2) would put my total calorie needs at about 1400.
Am I off with my calculations? Do I really need to eat such a low amount just to maintain? I might be shorter but my appetite is pretty much the same. I hear my friends talk about how impossible it is to eat at 1400 while they're losing weight. It just doesn't seem sustainable. Am I just doomed to gain weight?
you're not sedentary.
how many calories have you been eating to lose weight?2 -
I'm the same height as you but in 115. On the days I walk 10,000 sets my Fitbit gives me a minimum of 1800 calories to mantain and it's been working. Maybe since your lighter it could a little less. Maybe add 10-15 minutes of cardio to your workouts. On the days im more sedentary I burn closer 1600. I would definitely think your maitenance is higher than 1400.1
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lol. 1400 is my goal and I find it hard to eat that many! I'm 5'2 and trying to maintain no less than 98 lbs. I say listen to your body. Eat a few more calories if that's what feels right and pay attention to your weight. Everyone is different.4
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shortone100 wrote: »I'm 4'11, 110 pounds. I walk at least 10,000 steps a day, but I also have a desk job; I go to the gym about 3 times a week but I tend to do weights not cardio. I've been told that's sedentary, so I'm going with that to be safe.
I think my bmr is about 1150, which at sedentary (x1.2) would put my total calorie needs at about 1400.
Am I off with my calculations? Do I really need to eat such a low amount just to maintain? I might be shorter but my appetite is pretty much the same. I hear my friends talk about how impossible it is to eat at 1400 while they're losing weight. It just doesn't seem sustainable. Am I just doomed to gain weight?
If you walk 10,000 steps per day and go to the gym 3x per week, you're not sedentary...4 -
Have you logged for a while? If not, my guess is that you'll find that you need more than 1400, since you walk a lot and work out 3x per week. I would try setting the activity level to "lightly active" and trying that calorie recommendation for a few weeks, and then adjust as needed.1
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My first question would be (and i dont know if anyone has asked yet) is what is your goal? That is important to know before anyone can answer any of your questions. The 10,000 steps a day doesnt mean really anything. Its better than 1,000 yes and its a start but its not really doing much for you in the way of burning of fat. 3x a week at the gym lifting weights is great. How long are you there? What does your split look like? Do you do any cardio? So many questions to be asked prior to giving an answer 2
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If you do no exercise and don't want to gain or lose...yes.
But you do exercise, you live life, you move etc.
BMR is what you need just to survive...the rest is extra and you get to eat that extra.3 -
My first question would be (and i dont know if anyone has asked yet) is what is your goal? That is important to know before anyone can answer any of your questions. The 10,000 steps a day doesnt mean really anything. Its better than 1,000 yes and its a start but its not really doing much for you in the way of burning of fat. 3x a week at the gym lifting weights is great. How long are you there? What does your split look like? Do you do any cardio? So many questions to be asked prior to giving an answer
The 10,000 steps a day means that she is not sedentary and can eat at the slightly active level. The additional calories might possibly help her to eat within that goal. For me at least half of those (or more) should be at a speed that qualifies for aerobic activity...at least a 3.0-3.5 level. The main thing that those 10,000 steps show is that she not just sitting...she is moving.
I think resistance training of some type should be included. However as a beginner does she really need to worry about what split she is doing. I am a beginner...I just do a 3 day full body workout...with weights that are heavy for me. I am sure that some people would tell me that they are not doing much good.2 -
My first question would be (and i dont know if anyone has asked yet) is what is your goal? That is important to know before anyone can answer any of your questions. The 10,000 steps a day doesnt mean really anything. Its better than 1,000 yes and its a start but its not really doing much for you in the way of burning of fat. 3x a week at the gym lifting weights is great. How long are you there? What does your split look like? Do you do any cardio? So many questions to be asked prior to giving an answer
Step counts are huge. It's NEAT. Take two people of the same height/weight/body composition. One gets 2,000 per day and one gets 10,000. The person who is more active has a higher TDEE and when you're little, 100-200 calories extra per day is a big deal.10 -
Strength and conditioning work will help you increase the amount of calories that your body burns naturally.1
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It might depend on what you eat too, if you bulk up your meals with lots of low calorie vegetables that also have a lot of fiber you will feel satisfied with 1400 a day. I was at 1400 on weekdays for a year and 1800-2000 on weekends. I was satisfied with the 1400 on weekdays however, I don't know if it also helped that I ate more on weekends. Some foods make you want to eat more and usually these have the highest calories.2
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I'm close to your height and weight and I had my RMR tested at 1400 (I do have a fairly good proportion of lean mass). So being lightly active, I tend to end up around 1600-1800. You can do a lot with 1600 calories if you eat bulky foods. I tend to be like @Toniagr1 and eat less on the weekdays and more on the weekends.
Only way to know for sure what is going to work for you is to log for a period of time and play around with your calories. If you eat 1400 and lose, add more. If you eat 1600 and maintain, try 1700 and see if you still maintain. There will be a dialing in period.
Also, to someone else's point, you may find a weight that you find acceptable that lets you eat an amount that is filling to you. I am finding I am maintaining without logging at about 103lbs, compared to my youth weight of 95lbs or my leanest over 40 of 98lbs. But it's a weight that I feel I don't look too bad at and I don't have to think about food too much. And when I want to lean out for summer, I just start logging again.5 -
OP - have you been losing weight prior to this? Were you logging and tracking your calories in and calories burned during the weight loss process? Or are you starting from scratch? While the calculators and activity trackers are helpful to assess your TDEE (maintenance calorie levels), ultimately the best numbers come from your own results.
Otherwise, I agree with others that if you are exercising regularly and getting 10K steps or more each day, that's not necessarily sedentary. I'm a petite female over 40, with a desk job, and the calculators would generally put me at a low maintenance level based strictly on stats. However, once I got my FitBit and realized that I was also averaging 10K steps/day, I got the good advice here that I wasn't sedentary, and I raised my activity level and my base calories at that time. I now average 15K steps/day and have a TDEE of about 2200 (I'm 5'2) so it is definitely possible to maintain at higher calorie levels than often predicted, simply by working to raise your overall activity level.4 -
I'm in the process of losing weight and I'm hoping after I've done all the hard work, a regular lighter exercise regime and some more sensible (not boring) food choices will be all I need to maintain my weight.
As an example I love curry and I'm equally fond of Jafrezi and Tikka Masala but one has far more calories than the other. Makes sense in future (when Curries are back on the menu) to go for Jafrezi far more than Tikka Masala. Some things you get to learn have a ridiculous amount of calories for their minimal or average enjoyment level.
Keep your metabolism high and muscles large by exercising and you get to have more calories per day and still maintain your weight.
Sadly for me this is the second time I've had to lose a lot of weight and this time I'm determined to keep it off.5 -
Buy a fitness monitor and measure your activity. Eat those calories. But yeah, maybe. I am 5'10". I've been logging more than 5 years and maintaining at a great weight. But I net 1300 calories. And I'll have to keep doing that. I EAT more than that because I walk and exercise. But not a lot more.
OTOH, I'm good. I eat everything I love, just not a lot of it. I've dropped a few big things from my diet (whole milk, cheese, bread) and just eat them in smaller quantities. But yeah, a few big cookies and I'm over for the day. Good news is that I'm also not hungry and my body knows that I don't need it. So it really DOESN'T bother me.0 -
I think there is some math involved... obviously, your body needs a certain amount of food to maintain weight. Instead of focusing on forever, maybe focus on what you're going to eat today or this week. Do what it takes to maintain your weight this week. Make positive choices. I lost 50 pounds and have been in maintenance within a few pounds for 1.5 years now and haven't found it too difficult to stay within a healthy range due to just being accustomed to my lifestyle/routine.6
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Tabbycat00 wrote: »lol. 1400 is my goal and I find it hard to eat that many! I'm 5'2 and trying to maintain no less than 98 lbs. I say listen to your body. Eat a few more calories if that's what feels right and pay attention to your weight. Everyone is different.
Have you maintained on 1400 healthily? Have you had any negative affects?0 -
Lovelifeyoulive wrote: »Tabbycat00 wrote: »lol. 1400 is my goal and I find it hard to eat that many! I'm 5'2 and trying to maintain no less than 98 lbs. I say listen to your body. Eat a few more calories if that's what feels right and pay attention to your weight. Everyone is different.
Have you maintained on 1400 healthily? Have you had any negative affects?
Is there a reason you revived a zombie thread to ask the same question you’re asking in every thread?23 -
collectingblues wrote: »Lovelifeyoulive wrote: »Tabbycat00 wrote: »lol. 1400 is my goal and I find it hard to eat that many! I'm 5'2 and trying to maintain no less than 98 lbs. I say listen to your body. Eat a few more calories if that's what feels right and pay attention to your weight. Everyone is different.
Have you maintained on 1400 healthily? Have you had any negative affects?
Is there a reason you revived a zombie thread to ask the same question you’re asking in every thread?
Yes, sorry if it bothers you, I just wanted more insight10 -
If you're eating 1400 calories daily and losing weight, eat more to maintain. You can experiment to find what's right for you. Congratulations on being at a maintenance point!1
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that's why the advice to count calories and eat what you want just make it fit into your calories .. can not work. That's because if you eat cookies, cheese, peanut butter. You get to eat a few bites of food a day and that's it.
Eat fish, grilled chicken, scallops.. vegetables, salad... you get to eat all day long until you're full.
It comes down to what you eat.23 -
That's true if ALL you eat are cookies, cheese, and peanut butter. But I do just fine on seitan, Greek yogurt, veggie burgers, Gardein, fruits and veg... plus an ice cream sandwich, a couple of fiber one bars, maybe a bag of protein chips.
You can eat what you want. It just can't necessarily be whenever you want or as much as you want.12 -
Lovelifeyoulive wrote: »collectingblues wrote: »Lovelifeyoulive wrote: »Tabbycat00 wrote: »lol. 1400 is my goal and I find it hard to eat that many! I'm 5'2 and trying to maintain no less than 98 lbs. I say listen to your body. Eat a few more calories if that's what feels right and pay attention to your weight. Everyone is different.
Have you maintained on 1400 healthily? Have you had any negative affects?
Is there a reason you revived a zombie thread to ask the same question you’re asking in every thread?
Yes, sorry if it bothers you, I just wanted more insight
@Lovelifeyoulive you want insight about WHAT?
You are asking OTHER PEOPLE if they lose hair at xxxx Cal or if they find yyyy Cal enough. WHAT DOES IT MATTER WHAT THEY DO?
Are YOU losing hair at zzzz Cal? THAT's the ONLY thing that matters. Others are NOT YOU. You do you!
Assuming that the other people are the same size, weight, and age as you, how do you know how active they are? How do you know what their % of lean mass is relative to yours? How do you know if they are an outlier, or right in the middle of the expected BMR curve, and do you even know this about yourself? How do you know how accurately they log their food and exercise? How accurately do you?
IF you're losing hair due to under-eating your deficit has been too severe for too long and you'd better do something about it.
It is NOT a **race** to the bottom. It is not a race. And there definitely does exist a bottom which is even more unhealthy than being over-weight. And health issues that come up if deficits are extreme.
So why not create a new post detailing YOUR situation?
Maybe you will then find the insight you crave a bit more directly and relevantly....18 -
Lovelifeyoulive wrote: »collectingblues wrote: »Lovelifeyoulive wrote: »Tabbycat00 wrote: »lol. 1400 is my goal and I find it hard to eat that many! I'm 5'2 and trying to maintain no less than 98 lbs. I say listen to your body. Eat a few more calories if that's what feels right and pay attention to your weight. Everyone is different.
Have you maintained on 1400 healthily? Have you had any negative affects?
Is there a reason you revived a zombie thread to ask the same question you’re asking in every thread?
Yes, sorry if it bothers you, I just wanted more insight
@Lovelifeyoulive you want insight about WHAT?
You are asking OTHER PEOPLE if they lose hair at xxxx Cal or if they find yyyy Cal enough. WHAT DOES IT MATTER WHAT THEY DO?
Are YOU losing hair at zzzz Cal? THAT's the ONLY thing that matters. Others are NOT YOU. You do you!
Assuming that the other people are the same size, weight, and age as you, how do you know how active they are? How do you know what their % of lean mass is relative to yours? How do you know if they are an outlier, or right in the middle of the expected BMR curve, and do you even know this about yourself? How do you know how accurately they log their food and exercise? How accurately do you?
IF you're losing hair due to under-eating your deficit has been too severe for too long and you'd better do something about it.
It is NOT a **race** to the bottom. It is not a race. And there definitely does exist a bottom which is even more unhealthy than being over-weight. And health issues that come up if deficits are extreme.
So why not create a new post detailing YOUR situation?
Maybe you will then find the insight you crave a bit more directly and relevantly....
I'm pretty sure they did. And obviously didn't like the advice they got!8
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