How many calories are you eating?

Hey all!

I’m curious, I am 5’6, active, and have 15lbs left to my personal goal of 165lbs. MFP suggests I eat 2,000 per day to lose one pound a week, another app suggested 1,700. Lately I have felt very hungry & lethargic and I’m struggling with eating more calories & potential slowly down losing in order to make this a slow process that LASTS or lowering my calories to get to goal faster. I have YO YOed so many times & I just want to find something that works and I can maintain! Please share any experiences you may have. 💕
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Replies

  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Net 1700 to lose 0.5lb per week.

    I'm 5ft5 and 132lbs

    Pick a number and try it for 4- 6 weeks. I'd start with the highest number
  • LauraSrock18
    LauraSrock18 Posts: 125 Member
    It sounded like a lot to me, but all of the TDEE calculators give me a similar number when I subtract 15%.
    My other option is to lose 1.5lbs at 1,700 calories & that just feels too low most days.
    :(
    nowine4me wrote: »
    I’m 5-7” and active and MFP ain’t never gave me 2000. Even to maintain. But roll with it and adjust accordingly

  • Fflpnari
    Fflpnari Posts: 975 Member
    Im heavier than all of you. I ate 2400 calories which was a pound a week loss. I lost almost 30 pounds and my weight loss slowed down a little. I just lowered my calories to 2200 to see how that works. If I go down to 2000 I start feeling really crappy, dizzy, tired, and it just leads to binge eating. Point of my story.... Try a number for a month and see what happens. See if you feel better and still lose.
  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
    It sounded like a lot to me, but all of the TDEE calculators give me a similar number when I subtract 15%.
    My other option is to lose 1.5lbs at 1,700 calories & that just feels too low most days.
    :(
    nowine4me wrote: »
    I’m 5-7” and active and MFP ain’t never gave me 2000. Even to maintain. But roll with it and adjust accordingly

    But TDEE already has exercise built in, so a bit different formula. Try it for a few weeks, worst case you can cut by 100 or so until the scale moves
  • Phirrgus
    Phirrgus Posts: 1,894 Member
    I was losing @ 1780, .5lb a week but I was still hungry all the time. I changed my goals a bit and get ~2000 a day now, but it hasn't been long enough to really tell.

    Oh, only 6lbs to go, 180lb male, 59. I keep reading the last 15lbs are the toughest...
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    Depends on my activity, but I typically avg around 2000 total intake for weight loss. Currently 2000 calories is about 0.5lb per week loss for this 5’4.5” mom weighing 134.8lbs.

    Due to being unable to exercise at the moment (doctors orders), I am aiming to stay between 1500-2000 calories so that at the very least I maintain my weight for the next week or 2 until I am cleared to exercise again.
  • zeejane03
    zeejane03 Posts: 993 Member
    edited February 2019
    5ft, 6in, 40 years old, sedentary (no intentional exercise currently), current BMI 21.8 working on a few vanity pounds. Have my target set for .5lb a week, calorie intake at around 1,350 a day.
  • lalalacroix
    lalalacroix Posts: 834 Member
    5'7.5", 50 with almost 40 pounds left to go. Currently sedentary, but usually active. I'm eating at 1590 but kinda struggling with it since I haven't had exercise calories to eat lately.
  • Kalemeemily
    Kalemeemily Posts: 2 Member
    I'm 5'6 I weigh about 145 pounds. I have a pretty sedimentary job and I eat about 1500 calories a day. You should use a macro calculator like IIFYM or follow The Flexible Dieting Lifestyle on Instagram and he shows you how to calculate your macros.
  • psychod787
    psychod787 Posts: 4,088 Member
    3700... lean bulk...
  • Smacfit_
    Smacfit_ Posts: 101 Member
    I am 5'5 125lb lost 3lb since Jan 1st on av 1650 per week.
  • LauraSrock18
    LauraSrock18 Posts: 125 Member
    I love the instagram recommendation! His calculations have me at about 2,000 as well, I guess I should clarify I’m at 180lbs & 23% Body fat
    I'm 5'6 I weigh about 145 pounds. I have a pretty sedimentary job and I eat about 1500 calories a day. You should use a macro calculator like IIFYM or follow The Flexible Dieting Lifestyle on Instagram and he shows you how to calculate your macros.

  • Mslmesq
    Mslmesq Posts: 1,001 Member
    I’m very short and don’t have much to lose, relatively. So mfp always gives me 1200. If I’m being very active, I can eat 1500-1600 and still lose at a deficit. If I’m being very lazy, usually 1200-1400.
  • whatalazyidiot
    whatalazyidiot Posts: 343 Member
    I am given 1,250 a day for losing 2 lbs a week, and I try to eat about half my exercise calories. Most days I'm around 1400-1500. At the very least, my weekly calories even out.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    With 15 lbs to lose you should be aiming for 0.5 lb/week not 1 lb.

    Have you previously been losing weight with MFP or another method or is this a new start?

    One thing to keep in mind is that the calculators may all be using different assumptions and algorithms (some factor in exercise, others like MFP do not).

    The best thing is to pick a number and stick with it. If you’re concerned about the 300 cal difference between the two numbers you’ve gotten then split the difference. Set the target, aim to hit that consistently, logging as accurately as possible, for 4-6 weeks and then adjust after you have some of your own data points.
  • MeganReid1991
    MeganReid1991 Posts: 170 Member
    I eat around 1400-1600 calories.
    I’m 5’7 not super active but slowly trying to become more active.
    Technically I can eat up to 1800 and still lose half a pound a week. & sometimes I eat 1800 if I’m super active that day or just having a off day where I’m super hungry!
    I have about 30-45 pounds left to lose!
  • SCoil123
    SCoil123 Posts: 2,108 Member
    I’m 5’7.5” 39 yr old female and mostly sedentary outside of my workouts (which are fairly intense 60-90 min a day). Currently 158 with an updated GW range of 145-150. If I want to lose weight I have to eat 1600-1800 calories and I lose an average of 0.5lb a week. I won’t go lower. I’d been maintaining 160-164 at around 2200
  • neugebauer52
    neugebauer52 Posts: 1,120 Member
    I trust MFP and their calculation: a total of a bout 80 kg - 175 pounds - to lose, 1740 calories a day.