Calorie Total - Just Starting

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samichael20
samichael20 Posts: 4 Member
in Getting Started
I just signed up and got 2190 calories based on what I entered. Is this a lot? I am a 40 year old woman, 5'7, 320 lbs. Sedentary lifestyle. I know I probably eat more than this but it just seems really high.

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  • wunderkindking
    wunderkindking Posts: 1,615 Member
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    It is absolutely fine. Don't second guess it and go undereating and making life harder on yourself. FWIW I'm 'lightly active' with some intentional exercise, 5'5, and 127(ish) pounds now (started obese over a year ago). I eat about 2000 calories and some exercise calories to maintain.
  • Skyler103
    Skyler103 Posts: 121 Member
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    Because it takes more calories to operate a larger body, you'll still be in a deficit with that amount. As your body get smaller, you'll have to adjust MFP to your new weight. It doesn't do it automatically. Most people do this every 10 or 20 pounds.

    I can't exactly remember how to adjust it, but people talk about it here in the forums all the time. I think you have to go into your settings. I bet someone comes along to tell you. Good luck on your journey!
  • wunderkindking
    wunderkindking Posts: 1,615 Member
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    Skyler103 wrote: »
    Because it takes more calories to operate a larger body, you'll still be in a deficit with that amount. As your body get smaller, you'll have to adjust MFP to your new weight. It doesn't do it automatically. Most people do this every 10 or 20 pounds.

    I can't exactly remember how to adjust it, but people talk about it here in the forums all the time. I think you have to go into your settings. I bet someone comes along to tell you. Good luck on your journey!

    Yep. Just go to 'goals' and 'guided set up' and it will use your last recorded weight and recalculate for you. I actually did that like every whole pound, so I was only 'losing' 10 calories at a time instead of 100 or 200. K ept things easier.
  • samichael20
    samichael20 Posts: 4 Member
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    Thank you both. Great job @wunderkindking!

    I guess I'm just use to WW and not being able to eat. I struggle with their newer program so that's why I am just going to count calories.
  • conniewilkins56
    conniewilkins56 Posts: 3,391 Member
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    samichael20 wrote: »
    I just signed up and got 2190 calories based on what I entered. Is this a lot? I am a 40 year old woman, 5'7, 320 lbs. Sedentary lifestyle. I know I probably eat more than this but it just seems really high.

    Enjoy it while you can!….the more you lose the less you can have lol….I started at about 1900 a day for 2 lb loss a week….now 110 pounds lighter I only get 1400 for 1 1/2 lb loss a week!
  • wunderkindking
    wunderkindking Posts: 1,615 Member
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    Eeeeh don't look ahead and think it's necessarily going to get super hard. Readjust your goal calories as you lose, but also stay aware of your activity level and what your weight is doing.

    There's ultimately about 200 calories difference between what I was eating to maintain nearly 200 pounds and what I eat to maintain at 12something. Because muscle mass is different, daily activity is different. No big drastic changes like "I MUST RUN 900 miles a day!" just what happened to my lifestyle over that time.

    Basically, reconfigure frequently, expect your RATE of loss to slow down some (and let that happen - don't starve yourself, that is the way you rebound!) but absolutely do not look ahead and go "OH MY GOD I AM GOING TO HAVE TO EAT SO LITTLE EVENTUALLY". Because you might not and even as your calorie allotment goes down it will be gradual enough not to be painful.
  • wunderkindking
    wunderkindking Posts: 1,615 Member
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    samichael20 wrote: »
    Thank you both. Great job @wunderkindking!

    I guess I'm just use to WW and not being able to eat. I struggle with their newer program so that's why I am just going to count calories.

    Yeah. Things that are programs like that tend to be... hard to stick to and require some massive changes that aren't really sustainable. Look at that calorie limit, and play with it and figure out what works and you can keep doing long run re: substitutions and whatever. Be kind to yourself, go slow, make it as easy as you can. It doesn't have to be a big continual struggle. Like... at all.
  • dralicephd
    dralicephd Posts: 401 Member
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    wunderkindking wrote: »
    Skyler103 wrote: »
    Because it takes more calories to operate a larger body, you'll still be in a deficit with that amount. As your body get smaller, you'll have to adjust MFP to your new weight. It doesn't do it automatically. Most people do this every 10 or 20 pounds.

    I can't exactly remember how to adjust it, but people talk about it here in the forums all the time. I think you have to go into your settings. I bet someone comes along to tell you. Good luck on your journey!

    Yep. Just go to 'goals' and 'guided set up' and it will use your last recorded weight and recalculate for you. I actually did that like every whole pound, so I was only 'losing' 10 calories at a time instead of 100 or 200. K ept things easier.

    This is a fabulous idea! Thank you!
  • dralicephd
    dralicephd Posts: 401 Member
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    samichael20 wrote: »
    I just signed up and got 2190 calories based on what I entered. Is this a lot? I am a 40 year old woman, 5'7, 320 lbs. Sedentary lifestyle. I know I probably eat more than this but it just seems really high.

    Give it a go for about a month and see what happens. Your results will tell you what you need to do for your body. Give any changes that you make at least a month to see what happens (because periods!).

    Also, make sure you hit your protein target. :smile:

    And to echo @wunderkindking - weight loss isn't linear. Plateaus and weird temporary "weight gains" happen. When that happens, don't panic, stick to the plan, and be patient. (I'm typing this to remind myself, too!)
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,866 Member
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    wunderkindking wrote: »
    Eeeeh don't look ahead and think it's necessarily going to get super hard. Readjust your goal calories as you lose, but also stay aware of your activity level and what your weight is doing.

    There's ultimately about 200 calories difference between what I was eating to maintain nearly 200 pounds and what I eat to maintain at 12something. Because muscle mass is different, daily activity is different. No big drastic changes like "I MUST RUN 900 miles a day!" just what happened to my lifestyle over that time.

    Basically, reconfigure frequently, expect your RATE of loss to slow down some (and let that happen - don't starve yourself, that is the way you rebound!) but absolutely do not look ahead and go "OH MY GOD I AM GOING TO HAVE TO EAT SO LITTLE EVENTUALLY". Because you might not and even as your calorie allotment goes down it will be gradual enough not to be painful.

    This is excellent advice. Obese, aging me lumbered around ponderously, and as little as possible. 125-ish pound 65-year-old me is pretty scamper-y, honestly. I don't know how much I used to eat, but I can eat plenty enough calories now, to maintain my weight and stay happy.

    Calorie needs are dynamic. That is, heavy people burn more calories inherently, lighter people are more likely to be more active and burn more calories that way, fitter people tend to burn more calories because activity is easier and more fun for them, and other stuff like that. Changes are gradual.

    Work on losing excess fat in a sustainably moderate way, establishing new, happy habits in the process. Encourage yourself to move more in daily life. Find some fun body-moving activities - anything, doesn't need to be miserable exhausting exercise, just any fun thing that involves more movement.

    Food for thought, and maybe action: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10610953/neat-improvement-strategies-to-improve-weight-loss/p1

    Test drive your 2190, see how it goes after 4-6 consistent weeks (whole menstrual cycles if that applies). After that, adjust based on average weekly weight loss, and keep it sustainable. You'll do great.
  • samichael20
    samichael20 Posts: 4 Member
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    Thank you everyone! I am going to take all your advice and be patient with myself (which is hard for me when it comes to my weight, like everyone else).
  • healhierhappiness
    healhierhappiness Posts: 96 Member
    edited October 2021
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    Everyone else gave great advice on the calories. I agree.

    I have a tip... Exercise may be hard for you and it is hard for me as I have a bad hip and really cant do standard standing type exercises. I have found free to watch on You Tube some fun sitting chair exercises and you can dance to these. LIVE! Chair Yoga Dance Recital - 10 Dances with Lyrics led by Sherry Zak Morris. You Tube has many exercise videos for all levels. Here's A great video to get you started you can find here.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7hrDkbXHxk
  • pbpunisher
    pbpunisher Posts: 17 Member
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    samichael20 wrote: »
    I just signed up and got 2190 calories based on what I entered. Is this a lot? I am a 40 year old woman, 5'7, 320 lbs. Sedentary lifestyle. I know I probably eat more than this but it just seems really high.

    I think you'll find as you log your food that it is not as much as you think. But it really does open your eye's to what we eat, and how bad some of those things are. I like to exercise because it gives me more calories to eat. Not to mention just feeling better in general. But glad you are here, and looking forward to reading your journey.

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