1900 cals too much?

Thicc_thighs85
Thicc_thighs85 Posts: 37 Member
in Getting Started
MFP says to eat 1900 calories to lose 1 lb a week. That seems pretty high, I'm 5'7 260 lbs. Not very active as I need surgery on my ankles. What do you think? Should I start off with MFP's recommendation or go down to 1500/1200?

Replies

  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
    Did you put in "sedentary" or "lightly active" when you set up your account? You may need to change that. But first I'd start off with the goal MFP gave you. After 2 weeks, if you're not losing, then change your settings. It's common to have to change things up as you go along. The goal you have now might work just fine. You don't want to cut your calories too low.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,986 Member
    Thicc_thighs85 wrote: »
    MFP says to eat 1900 calories to lose 1 lb a week. That seems pretty high, I'm 5'7 260 lbs. Not very active as I need surgery on my ankles. What do you think? Should I start off with MFP's recommendation or go down to 1500/1200?

    Doesn't seem to be way off to be honest. If you've chosen sedentary then a random calculator gives me over 2300 calories per day to maintain your weight. If you want to lose 1lbs per week then you'd need to eat 3500 calories less per week, or 500 per day. That would give you according to the method I used, and a guessed age of 30 about 1800 calories to eat per day. Other methods might give you more. If you're not sedentary then it's more. So trust the process! Try it for at least one full mentrual cycle and see what happens. After all, you got to this weight by eating a lot more than 2300 calories :)
  • corinasue1143
    corinasue1143 Posts: 7,460 Member
    I lost 10 pounds a month (maybe 2.4 pounds a week) on 1600/day from 260 to 200, so 1900 sounds like you may lose a little more than one pound a week. I say just try it and see what happens. It sounds close.
  • westrich20940
    westrich20940 Posts: 921 Member
    I think it probably sounds right...what's your age?

    I just used '28' as a 'guess' (not based on your pic just picked a random number) and your TDEE (maintenance) at 'sedentary' would be ~2300....1900 being more like your BMR...so ---- I definitely do NOT think you should be eating 15 or 1200 calories....ever.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,027 Member
    Sounds right.

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  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    1900 is an estimation that's calculated based on your stats using a well known formula based on studies.
    1200 or 1500 is a complete guess.

    Go with the calculation!
    At least trial it for about a month and then you will have a far clearer picture.
  • IAmTheGlue
    IAmTheGlue Posts: 701 Member
    I think it sounds right, and I also would not do a dramatic cut if you are also healing. Recovery from surgery requires it’s own consideration. I hope you feel better soon! 💐
  • dannytrees1
    dannytrees1 Posts: 378 Member
    I believe it depends on your weight and activity right now 😁
    I have mine set at 2 lbs per week
    And it’s been working for two months now. I’m set at 1500 a day

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