Newbie worried about calories.

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appleg1rl
appleg1rl Posts: 28 Member
in Introduce Yourself
Hey, guys! I'm Ashleigh! Just started my diet two weeks ago, & I'm already down eight pounds. It's going to be a rough road, but I'm willing to put in the work. We can all do this together!

I have some concerns, though. Here's my stats: 264lbs, 5'8", eighteen, & female. My BMR is 2,098 calories. I've been trying to take in around 1,500, but sometimes I just don't get there. I'll eat what I want (as far as healthy goes) all day, but by the end of the day I've only eaten around 1,300 calories. Is this okay? Do I need to force myself to eat at least 1,500?

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  • MzBeauty2U
    MzBeauty2U Posts: 106 Member
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    No you don't need to force yourself to eat all of your calories if you are not hungry. Statistics show that a women should consume at least 1200 calories a day to be healthy. So just make sure you don't eat under 1200..
  • donnalord
    donnalord Posts: 18 Member
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    its a good idea to consume close to that because as you loose weight your BMR will lower, so you will lower the calories needed, if you start too low then you will have no where to go as 1200 is the minimum recommended :)
  • empresso
    empresso Posts: 5
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    congratulations on losing eight pounds so far !
  • xraychick77
    xraychick77 Posts: 1,775 Member
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    there is no scientific data that 1200 is a limit..instead its just a random number people have grabbed onto and perpetuated as a diet myth.

    every single person has different caloric needs. Meaning if you are say 90 lbs and 4 foot tall, then 1000 calories a day is probably what you'd need to be healthy without gaining weight. Its what your body needs to maintain and function properly. Technically any deficit we incure effects our bodies.

    I am 5'2" 127 lbs and my TEE is around 1800. That means, for my body to function properly I need to intake that amount of calories.

    The myth comes from the common belief that if one eats under 1200 cals or limits themselves that much, they will tend to binge, hence ruining any work they've done to lose weight. plain and simple. obesity doctors routinely put their clients on 800 calorie diets. So there is no magic number for anyone. And if you look at it, no one ever says a man needs 1200 cals a day to be healthy..its always females. Like I said, its a myth.

    But to answer the actual question..you will be fine. but i would suggest trying to intake that much because as you lose its gets harder, our bodies adapt and stall, and if you are too low you will have no wiggle room to lower calories to maintain weight loss. of course all that being said too..remember if you do go too low you run the risk of losing lean body mass (muscle) which is not desirable.
  • anchorageb2
    anchorageb2 Posts: 55 Member
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    Ok here is the deal about calories. They are based on a general population. Your body has special enzymes and bacteria in your stomach that change every time you eat. Those enzymes and bacteria break down the nutrients you need ( calorie intake) So you can eat the same exact meal twice and never get the same digestion rate. Calories are just to make you aware of what you are eating. So If you can diet and stick strictly to the all natural foods calories is not a big deal but when we start processing them they change and if you do not keep track of the changed foods you eat it will change you.

    I am one who has to force herself to eat her vegetables and so I do not keep a proper balance of foods so I do not worry about calories so much because I would be happy with a peanut butter milkshake two times a day and that is not good. My main concern now is to just to teach myself to eat like we are suppose to I find days I am eating like I am suppose to I am naturally below or just slightly above calorie intake anyways. So its not just about calories at all there are rules with that guideline. I use this site to record what I eat not for the calories but to teach myself to eat properly. P.s. I have learned a lot but do not always feel inclined to use what I have learned. However I acknowledge that and now how to fix it. :)

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