Am I reducing my calories by too much?

Libs90
Libs90 Posts: 1 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
33 yo (female) / 5’7” / 220lbs

Here’s what I’ve been following as of last Thursday:

-1500 calories/day
-Not including calories that are burned during exercise into daily goal (my current goal for calories burned with exercise is 500)
-Using Apple Watch to track things like active calories burned, steps, heart rate, etc.
-A daily 2 mile walk/run mix
-Using the macro tracker in MyFitnessPal (only as of today)

So far, I don’t feel overwhelmed by any of this. I feel like I’m totally getting enough to eat and that I’d like to increase the 2 mile walk/run but am happy with it for now.

QUESTION: I’m concerned that I’m reducing my calorie intake by too much. According to multiple calculators I’ve found online, I can eat around 2000-2300 (the answers vary a bit) calories a day to maintain my weight. Is it too much to reduce my daily intake to 1500 and ALSO not include my extra 500 exercise calories? On top of that, I’m burning who knows how many calories just by living, so I want to make sure I’m not overdoing it!

Any insight would be greatly appreciated. I may just find a nutritionist but wanted to start here.

Thanks in advance!




Best Answers

  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,885 Member
    Answer ✓
    500kcal exercise sounds on the high side - it may be an overestimation.

    In any case, there are a few ways to evaluate if your calorie goal is too low:
    - if you eat 500kcal less than your TDEE (maintenance) per day, that's the equivalent of a weight loss rate of 1lb per week. 1000 = 2 lbs per week. A general recommendation is to lose 0.5-1% of your bodyweight per week, so an intake of 1500 doesn't sound unreasonable. (FYI: any calculator or even fitness watch just gives you an estimate of your maintenance calories, you may or may not fit the statistical averages used by these calcultors/devices -> the true test is your actual weekly weight loss, but not taking into account the first few weeks since those weeks can be atypical
    - others may look at how many % you are eating below your TDEE/maintenance to judge whether or note a calorie goal is too aggressive. I don't usually use this method, so not sure on the precise numbers - I think a deficit of 20% is considered an aggressive goal, so 1500 may be a bit too low using that criterium
    - feeling weak/fatigued and/or so hungry you're bingeing would be a sign that you may be undereating

    My personal experience: I ate 1700 calories throughout my weight-loss, and often more (exercise calories) which I found very sustainable, I didn't feel deprived. But I can imagine that many would find it a bit slow (0.5-1lb per week).
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,458 Member
    Answer ✓
    My stats were similar: 5'7" 220, female. I lost almost all my weight at a base of 1500 daily calories BUT I also ate the additional calories "earned" by exercise, using myfitnesspal's method.

    That put me at 1800-1900 on days I exercised. I lost 80ish pounds at that range, and I wasn't working at the time nor doing a lot of heavy housework (small condo.)

    At 220 you're probably okay - for now- to eat 200-300 a day MORE on those exercise days, and see how you do. There are a lot of variables, not the least of which are adherence. If you're miserable and fatigued then you're under-eating.

    Track as accurately as you can for 4-6 weeks without making big changes. At the end of that time you'll have good personal trending data you can use to make adjustments going forward.
  • tomcustombuilder
    tomcustombuilder Posts: 2,248 Member
    Answer ✓
    You have a decent amount to lose so 1500 is fine, you’re carrying a lot of stored energy.
    Sit there for 4-6 weeks and then review how those calories are working. 90% of the time people under figure their true weekly calorie amounts so your daily average in reality will be higher than you think you’re taking in.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,986 Member
    Answer ✓
    What the others said. I also think your calorie estimates for your workouts are too high, but if you are really burning 500 exercise calories per day then what you're doing would be similar to only eating 1000 calories if you don't eat them back. That's massive and can backfire in many ways. Observe what happens for a while, and if you see a very rapid weightloss then eat more. Eating more and losing a bit slower is always preferable to losing quickly and then giving up, crashing, getting sick, losing lots of muscle mass.
  • Corina1143
    Corina1143 Posts: 3,839 Member
    edited August 14 Answer ✓
    We're all just guessing. I'm guessing you're doing fine, but would also be fine with a few more calories a day.
    You'll know better when you have 5 weeks info. Throw out the first week. Average loss and calories for the next 4, go from there.
    Less than 1 week is really not enough to say you're not hungry. Your appetite is fine, but is your body? You're wise to ask. If you start to feel tired, it may be that your BODY is hungry. You may need to feed it more.

Answers

  • Justlivit_fit
    Justlivit_fit Posts: 6 Member
    Hey! If you are looking for a little guidance, I would love to help! A lot of my clients came to me because they were unsure if they what they were doing was appropriate for them as an individual. Right away, I would say if you aren't resistance training or doing some type of weight lifting, that would be a good addition. The more muscle you have, the more calories you will burn at rest and the more you can eat. The only problem with nutrition calculators is they don't tend to take your diet history, true body composition, activity, and other foundation habits like sleep, water, and stress management into account. I will say, if you are feeling good, sleeping well, your mood is good, you are recovering well from activity, and not struggling with overwhelming hunger, I don't think you are dropping them too much. That said, it largely depends on your current body composition, your long term goals, and again your history. If you want to chat a little bit more about your goals, I would be happy to!
  • tomcustombuilder
    tomcustombuilder Posts: 2,248 Member
    Justlivit_fit wrote: »
    Hey! If you are looking for a little guidance, I would love to help! A lot of my clients came to me because they were unsure if they what they were doing was appropriate for them as an individual. Right away, I would say if you aren't resistance training or doing some type of weight lifting, that would be a good addition. The more muscle you have, the more calories you will burn at rest and the more you can eat. The only problem with nutrition calculators is they don't tend to take your diet history, true body composition, activity, and other foundation habits like sleep, water, and stress management into account. I will say, if you are feeling good, sleeping well, your mood is good, you are recovering well from activity, and not struggling with overwhelming hunger, I don't think you are dropping them too much. That said, it largely depends on your current body composition, your long term goals, and again your history. If you want to chat a little bit more about your goals, I would be happy to!
    A pound of muscle only burns around 6-8 calories a day so the “ the more muscle you have the more you can eat” statement is highly exaggerated.

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