Will I lose on 1600 cals?

bingbongpuppet
bingbongpuppet Posts: 1 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi there. I'm 5'1, female, mostly sedentary, and weigh 200lbs. I want to lose weight until I'm 150lb or less.

Will I lose on 1600cals approximately?

Lately, I've been eating probably 2000-2500 on good days and 3000+ on bad days and walking a couple times a week and maintaining at 200. This is after I gained 40lbs in a few months after binge eating my way to 200 during those months.

So would 1600 be a decent weight loss number?

I've tried 1200cals but I have such little self control with food that it's so hard to do/I end up giving up and binging probably 3000 cals.

Thanks for any help. Have a good day.

Replies

  • Dreamroper
    Dreamroper Posts: 39 Member
    I'm at 1200 calories per day and it's tough I know.
  • pamperedlinny
    pamperedlinny Posts: 1,661 Member
    If you are unsure, I recommend doing a calculator to see what your maintenance calories would be (still an estimate but fairly close) and try to eat at that amount. It should help you to lose until that approximate weight and help you learn to eat that way long term.
    One of the calculators is at https://www.calculator.net/calorie-calculator.html
  • StaciInGa
    StaciInGa Posts: 60 Member
    edited March 2023
    If 2000-2500 most days has been maintenance, anything less on average should result in weight loss. If you believe 1600 daily would be a reasonable # and not lead to binges, go for it. But perhaps give yourself 'permission' to eat 2000 occasionally if you feel you need extra. This is still below your 2000-2500 typical, and if it will help you prevent future binges that is a Win.
  • drjeff0609
    drjeff0609 Posts: 17 Member
    bingbongpuppet wrote: »
    Hi there. I'm 5'1, female, mostly sedentary, and weigh 200lbs. I want to lose weight until I'm 150lb or less.

    Will I lose on 1600cals approximately?

    Lately, I've been eating probably 2000-2500 on good days and 3000+ on bad days and walking a couple times a week and maintaining at 200. This is after I gained 40lbs in a few months after binge eating my way to 200 during those months.

    So would 1600 be a decent weight loss number?

    I've tried 1200cals but I have such little self control with food that it's so hard to do/I end up giving up and binging probably 3000 cals.

    Thanks for any help. Have a good day.

    Binges are definitely tough. Have you considered removing the foods that you binge on from your home?

  • drjeff0609
    drjeff0609 Posts: 17 Member
    StaciInGa wrote: »
    If 2000-2500 most days has been maintenance, anything less on average should result in weight loss. If you believe 1600 daily would be a reasonable # and not lead to binges, go for it. But perhaps give yourself 'permission' to eat 2000 occasionally if you feel you need extra. This is still below your 2000-2500 typical, and if it will help you prevent future binges that is a Win.

    That’s solid advice.


  • RunStart34
    RunStart34 Posts: 164 Member
    PAV8888 wrote: »
    Estimators on line and everywhere are predictors, not final authorities. That said: they ARE fairly accurate for the vast majority of users. And that said... what does it matter?! :smile:

    First off: we know that 1200 doesn't work for the OP. And that 2000 to 2500 with the occasional day at 3000+ works to keep weight at maintenance.

    Just @solyn2312 said, if the above statements ars true, then a consistent 2000 intake given the same level of activity would be a great test for a sustainable start.

    Nothing indicates that 1600 would not work either for an even faster loss--other than it will have an increased potential to trigger restrict-binge issues as larger deficits tend to feed into the particular problem which is already partially in evidence for the OP.

    The balance is a deficit that works--yet doesn't trigger to the extent possible.

    I agree with all of this. Staying consistent at 2000 will be best. Because when you do start losing weight there will be a point when you will have to adjust your calories a bit lower since 200lbs might then be 150lbs and the same 2000 calories might just then become maintenance. By the way, this is just an example, you might need to adjust before you get to 150lbs but that can be another discussion.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,202 Member
    Try and see is all you can do. Being accurate is unrealistic even if a person wants to be so, record everything as accurate as possible and give it 3 or 4 weeks and reevaluate. Most adults should be able to lose weight on 1600 accurately calculated calories. Cheers.
  • csplatt
    csplatt Posts: 1,205 Member
    Just experiment with it and give it a few weeks. If it doesn’t work, drop to 1500. rinse and repeat. It’s a lot of trial and error.
  • recover808
    recover808 Posts: 13 Member
    What PAV said is perfect advice. If you really wanted to cut calories for whatever reason I would suggest you start slow maybe cut them to1850/1800 and add in a daily walk. Nothing hard just something to get moving. Be consistent with those calories and the walks and your metabolism should ramp up and the weight will slowly come off. Increase the length of your walks as you feel comfortable and maybe start to add some resistance workouts to burn more calories.

    Good luck
    Aloha
  • bathsheba_c
    bathsheba_c Posts: 1,873 Member
    It sounds to me like you tend to go to extremes. What does MFP recommend for you? That would be a good starting point.

    More generally, though, I think it would be more helpful to you long-term to think about weight loss more holistically. What caused you to gain the weight to begin with? What precipitates your binging episodes, and do you have other tools you could use (or learn to use) instead of binging? What are some easy changes you could make to reduce your calorie intake? What amount of calorie reduction allows you to eat below maintenance without feeling deprived or miserable?
  • tomcustombuilder
    tomcustombuilder Posts: 2,198 Member
    At 5-1, 1,600 isn't a bad target. Much will depend if you're actually taking in 1,600 accurately and consistently. Food choices will determine if that amount will be tolerable.

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