Setting calorie goal weight loss post menopause

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Hi there. I am relatively new here. I have been tracking my calories the last few weeks tracking everything I put into my mouth. Meals snacks and all those little things we sample when making a meal! I am a 56 year old post menopausal woman 5’7” 180 lbs with a desk job. I work out 5-6 times a week combination of strength training and cardio. From my tracking it looks like approximately 1500-1600 maintains my weight and I do not feel hungry on that amount. If wanted to lose about 1 lb per week I would need to drop my calorie goal to 1000-1100 which doesn’t sound healthy to me. If I bump that up to 1200-1300 I would hope it would result in some sort of weight loss albeit slow. However when I do the whole BMR TTBE calculations it leads me to believe I could lose weight at around 1600 which doesn’t seem to be the case for me. I don’t think I am someone who has messed up my metabolism from overly restrictive diets. I am wondering if my numbers above sound right to others who are similar to a situation stage or life/situation?

Replies

  • lisakatz2
    lisakatz2 Posts: 652 Member
    I agree about not fixating about estimates. A better gauge is keeping an eye on the scale for a few weeks and logging your food consistently. After about 4 weeks, if you haven't lost weight you're probably at maintenance. My personal number for weight loss is 1500, I lost 20 pounds from 200 (I'm 5 foot 4 inches) on that with an hour's worth of non-strenuous daily walking. I'll adjust my exercise and/or calories when I hit a plateau.
  • Corina1143
    Corina1143 Posts: 4,919 Member
    I am 5'8", 180, 75 years old. My tdee is around 1650, so I'd guess you're very close.
    Also, take into consideration how particular you are about logging. I'm not very. That's why I don't know my exact tdee. If I nibble while I cook, I nibble on lettuce or carrots and estimate.(or omit it) If I want to nibble on cheese or something more high calorie, I weigh it. It works. It just changes what shows on paper.
  • L_desmar
    L_desmar Posts: 2 Member
    That’s for the responses. This is all good information and helpful to hear other's approach and experience.
  • kellyjarmantrainer1
    kellyjarmantrainer1 Posts: 1 Member

    I’m 58 years old, 5’2 and weigh now 133 pounds. I’m on a 1200 calorie diet. I’m also in active menopause. When I had seen the doctor about my weight going up during menopause, she told me our bodies at this time are very carb friendly. Take in more protein and healthy fats with low carbs.

  • age_is_just_a_number
    age_is_just_a_number Posts: 1,010 Member

    A little update. I’m now at 11 pounds lost in 6 months.

    Another resource I’ve come across is

    Dr Stacy Sims https://www.drstacysims.com/

  • csplatt
    csplatt Posts: 1,353 Member

    I’m 43 and maintain at 1600. I lose weight just fine at 1350! Just take it slow and try not to overthink the numbers. Take 200-250 off your maintenance and try it for two or three months. Then re-assess.

  • ddsb1111
    ddsb1111 Posts: 1,047 Member
    edited July 2

    Your calculations look off based on typical physiology. At 5’7”, 180 lbs, age 56, desk job, and working out 5-6 days a week, your estimated TDEE is around 2,200–2,400 cals depending on your workout intensity. That means:

    -Maintenance: 2,200 cals a day
    -To lose 1 lb/week: a deficit of 500 cals → 1,700 cals

    Your stated TDEE is extremely low for your stats and activity. Possible explanations are…

    1. Underestimating intake. Eyeballing or measuring cups/spoons are not accurate. A food scale will cut out the guess work.
    2. NEAT reduction. Are you barely moving the entire day unless you’re at the gym?
    3. Water retention masking fat loss. Hormonal changes, inflammation from workouts, sodium intake, or stress can cause water retention, obscuring actual fat loss on the scale.This is in more extreme cases and not usually the issue.

    My suggestion… Use a food scale and log everything. Stay around 1500-1600 cals a day, protein is dialed in, lift progressively, and give it 3-4 consistent weeks to check for true progress beyond daily fluctuations. If you’re still not seeing results, share your food journal and we’ll review it with you.

    Hope this helps, your body needs fuel, and precision plus patience are key.