6'2, 250lb fiance wants to only eat 1500 calories... help me

2

Replies

  • It's a difficult situation. I can undestand that you do not want him to weaken.
    Why don't you try to suggest to go to a nutritionist?
    He will surely suggest a different calories amount.

    Another way you can try to take action is making him light food. There are a lot of recipes on the internet.
    Without sauces, mayonnese and other junk ingredients, you can cook more healthy food in 1500 calories.

    Anyway, if he feels weak, he will surely add some calories by himself. I don't suggest you to do it lying at him.
    It's not a good idea for your relationship.
  • rodneypierce
    rodneypierce Posts: 10 Member
    1500 calories a day is enough for me. Im 5'11" tall, and weigh 310. I have no issues only eating around 1500 calories a day, and am fine without being hungry. In order to get more then that, I have to have a snack of almonds and 85% dark chocolate. That will get me closer to my 1700 a day goal. (mfp says I should be at 2010, but 1700 has been more then enough for me)
  • KC5ZRQ
    KC5ZRQ Posts: 21 Member
    Yes. He is responsible for his own weight. Tell him to do it himself. I guessing that if he doesn't lose the weight he's going to blame you. I wouldn't stand for that and neither should you.
  • fatboypup
    fatboypup Posts: 1,873 Member
    1500 is plenty
  • JohnnyResets
    JohnnyResets Posts: 177 Member
    Hey I'll tell you I am 283 pounds right now and MFP calculated 1730 for me to lose 2 pounds per week. What does his calculation say? I'll bet it's going to be close to that with him being 30 pounds lighter... Don't worry. If it's too low, his body will tell him.
  • Bysshe
    Bysshe Posts: 428 Member
    I honestly think he should count the calories himself too.
    Because that way he can learn what works for him and what doesn't.
    Personally for me SEEING the calories consumed and the calories burnt is rewarding and keeps me on track!
  • Wow at all the self righteous people!! I don't believe she was asking for relationship advice!

    Anyways, I am about 5'10" 240 and a pretty big guy that should drop about 30lbs.....I often end up around 1500 calories and almost always under 2000. I make sure to keep my carbs below 200, and eat high protein meals (ie:tilapia, chicken, turkey meat, etc). People take this MFP tracker way too serious, and while I think it's a great thing I believe it's more for people who are just getting into shape and learning nutrition. If you are eating too little and slowing your metabolism you will feel lethargic and overall not well, so eating too little is clearly bad. You still want to put your body into a deficit though, so while I only eat 1500-2000 calories a day and burn off whatever I do exercising my body is metabolizing fat for energy. If he feels any different than eat a bit more, I think a similar meal plan to mine would be ideal for him.

    Good luck and KUDOS for being an awesome wife!
  • TWrecks1968
    TWrecks1968 Posts: 138 Member
    What you really need to do is tell him to count his own darn calories.

    :laugh: THIS!!!
  • Mcgrawhaha
    Mcgrawhaha Posts: 1,596 Member
    my husband is 6 foot 2 and was 275 in december. he put himself on a 1500 calorie a day diet, and has actually done a pretty dang good job sticking to it. he is now at 258 as of yesterday morning, and he is very proud of himself. i do not see a change in his energy, and he says he actually feels better now that he has cut all the greasy, fried, fattening food from his daily diet. he is eating mostly raw foods, and taking a "diet" meal to work each day for lunch. he even has a smart ones treat each night after dinner. he definatley does not feel deprived! i feel like its his body, and 1500 calories a day is not dangerous, so, if thats what he wants to do, more power to him. to each thier own i guess!
  • rileamoyer
    rileamoyer Posts: 2,412 Member
    If he wants 1500 fine, if you want to cook fine. But If he wants to track them, have him sign up on MFP and make it a joint adventure! You have my sympathy, I struggle to get my DH to eat something/anything during the day - he forgets. Just how he does that I will never know. LOL.
  • ckapes
    ckapes Posts: 31
    What you really need to do is tell him to count his own darn calories. Why should you do it for him. That's the first problem. He needs to take responsibility for his own weight loss.

    As to him eating 1500 a day, if he is hell bent on it, good luck getting him to do otherwise. My husband was the same except he was 6'2" and 311. Once he started to see how bad he felt on that few calories he started eating more. Your husband will figure it out. It's not up to you to change his mind. Just mention that it's too few calories, tell him why and then be done with it.
  • ckapes
    ckapes Posts: 31
    Excellent point. You can't diet for your husband. I've been there and it is too stressful:-)
  • kr3851
    kr3851 Posts: 994 Member
    I'm a girl, but i weigh 250lb, and MFP had me at just under 1500 calories a day. I get that he's a guy, so he needs more than a girl, but if he's not doing heavy cardio exercise, I don't see how it would be harmful. I'd just stress that on a low calorie diet, he'll be losing muscle as well as fat, so to make sure he includes strength training to reduce the muscle loss.

    As for eating back exercise cals, I suppose he'll work out for himself if he needs to or not. On a 1500 calorie diet, he may feel ravenous after exercising, or he may feel fine.

    I can't wait until I'm lucky enough to be a mum and stay home with my kids, keep the house in order, and cook all the meals. Seriously, I'm not being sarcastic.
  • Melroxsox
    Melroxsox Posts: 1,040 Member
    What has happened to the "community". She ask for some advise about calories and half of you respond that it is "not her job".
    My wife does things for me, I do things for her. She does cook more than me - I change the oil more than her.
    Come on - don't we do things for each other because we love each other.
    Where is the love here?
    this is exactly how I feel:)^^ it has nothing to do with control...lol he will do what he wants if he isn't happy. we just work together as a team!
  • jowings
    jowings Posts: 157 Member
    What you really need to do is tell him to count his own darn calories. Why should you do it for him. That's the first problem. He needs to take responsibility for his own weight loss.

    As to him eating 1500 a day, if he is hell bent on it, good luck getting him to do otherwise. My husband was the same except he was 6'2" and 311. Once he started to see how bad he felt on that few calories he started eating more. Your husband will figure it out. It's not up to you to change his mind. Just mention that it's too few calories, tell him why and then be done with it.

    Agreed!
  • I count for him because I make all his meals. I stay at home with our daughter, so I make the meals. It is easier to measure and notate as I cook. I don't mind doing it, really.
    I do this as well because I am the only one that cooks out of the two of us..( I work alot though).plus I cook everything from scratch....Alot of people don't really understand why women spoil their hubbies like that....but I do because he deserves it:) I would just make sure he's getting enough nutrients, but 1500 cals seems okay to me. If he's starving then make something satisfying, but HEALTHY and low cal. Hope this helped a little.

    I'm at home and I do the cooking (from scratch most of the time), but my husband still counts his own calories. I just tell him what I made. If it's a complicated recipe I create a listing for it. It is up to him to decide how many servings he wants of it. He goes to work and smacks on God knows what. He's accountable for it. My husband has lost over 20lbs. and counting his calories has become an automatic thing for him.

    It's not a question of "spoiling" your husband or not. It's a question of personal responsibility.

    I don't put his calories on here, I just write figure the things that went into the dinner and tell him the count. he doesn't track formally on MFP or another site. I don't see the sense in me cooking something and making him figure out the calories. That's ridiculous.
  • What has happened to the "community". She ask for some advise about calories and half of you respond that it is "not her job".
    My wife does things for me, I do things for her. She does cook more than me - I change the oil more than her.
    Come on - don't we do things for each other because we love each other.
    Where is the love here?

    So, so agree...
  • I am just concerned because he has an active job, he is in IT but is constantly up and down steps, crawling under desks, etc. Just want him to be healthy, but I guess he will know what is best for him.
  • liroez29
    liroez29 Posts: 221
    If you're counting couldn't you just feed him as many calories has you want? :devil:

    HA HA HA!! YEAH!
  • Sublog
    Sublog Posts: 1,296 Member
    My fiance is former military so is in pretty good shape. He has gained some weight over the years and wants to get back to being lean. He wants me to count the calories for his meals for him and stay at 1500 calories a day. He is 6'2 and 250 lbs. I try to tell him this is way too few calories but he just wants to lose weight quick. He claims he can lose 10 lbs a week because he has a super fast metabolism. Please give me some ides on how to back up the fct that this is NOT healthy.

    Tell him to eat minimally 1800-2000 with at least 170g of protein. His metabolism won't crash.
  • liroez29
    liroez29 Posts: 221
    I would just do what he asked, keep giving him all the information you have. If he starts getting really tired, tell him he may need to eat more. Just be supportive, his body will tell him what he needs. Good luck to you!
  • gleechick609
    gleechick609 Posts: 544 Member
    If you're counting couldn't you just feed him as many calories has you want? :devil:

    HA HA HA!! YEAH!


    Exactly. If you are doing the work for him, you can feed him 2,000+ calories and tell him he is staying within 1500 calories. I do the same with food. My boyfriend hates ground turkey but never knows when I use it for cooking. He thinks it is beef! What he doesn't see won't hurt him :P
  • mrlazy1967
    mrlazy1967 Posts: 285 Member
    I say help him count the calories
  • DOWNUP
    DOWNUP Posts: 1
    If he has enough sense to listen to his body, it may work. I do this and it works for me as long as I listen to my body. Everyone is different.
  • HeaderAutumn
    HeaderAutumn Posts: 119 Member
    I think we all have done this. After a few days or couple of weeks he will be craving more calories. Just add superfoods to his diet. Eggs, at least a cup of plain oatmeal a day, greens, nuts, citrus fruits, berries.... That way he is getting the fiber, protein, nutrients he needs.

    If you are in charge of the meals in your household make the food he eats as clean as possible. Some have said he should count his own calories. It's sneaky but take advantage of the fact you make the meals. My husband is the same way. If I don't make a lunch for him when I make mine his brain seems to turn stupid :heart: He falls off the wagon or gets veggie sub at Subway not getting any protein or vitamins and is ravenous when he gets home. I send him off with stuff for lunch but also some stuff to snack on like carrots, broccolie, small container dressing for dipping, nuts or trail mix, cuties, small apples, maybe some lower sugar peanut butter or string cheese. He gets what his body needs at naturally lower calories. He doesn't even know how many calories he is getting. When he feeds himself :smile: he goes to bed starving or relapses. Good Luck
  • Di3012
    Di3012 Posts: 2,247 Member
    My fiance is former military so is in pretty good shape. He has gained some weight over the years and wants to get back to being lean. He wants me to count the calories for his meals for him and stay at 1500 calories a day. He is 6'2 and 250 lbs. I try to tell him this is way too few calories but he just wants to lose weight quick. He claims he can lose 10 lbs a week because he has a super fast metabolism. Please give me some ides on how to back up the fct that this is NOT healthy.

    Why are you so convinced it is not healthy?

    It all depends WHAT he eats, if he eats 1500 calories worth of good food that includes no crap, there is no problem.

    By the way, don't secretly feed him more, if you do that and he ever finds out, he will never trust you again.

    He would be much better off, logging his own food. Tell him to create his own MFP account and keep tabs on his own intake.
  • Horskrzy
    Horskrzy Posts: 71 Member
    i learnt a long time ago that if a man is hell bent on doing something, they will do it no matter wat u say! just support him and let him figure this out for himself

    I think this is safe to say REGARDLESS of our gender.

    As to the 1500 calories per day goal, it DOES depend on one's lifestyle. My job is to sit at a desk all day and at 6' 4" with a starting weight of 252 MFP started me out just over 1200 calories per day with a 2 pound per week loss as a goal. Now that I'm down to 217 it's closer to 1500 BUT I rarely exceed that intake even with burning 500-1000 calories per day doing cardio exercises. Guess what? I haven't felt this great for well over 15 years. My snoring no longer keeps us up, acid reflux and other issues are a thing of the past. So as many others have posted, let him go for it. If he is overdoing it his body will tell him but I don't think his goal is unhealthy, just unrealistic in the sense of losing 10 pounds per week (THAT is unhealthy!).
  • VoodooLuLu
    VoodooLuLu Posts: 636 Member
    What you really need to do is tell him to count his own darn calories. Why should you do it for him. That's the first problem. He needs to take responsibility for his own weight loss.

    As to him eating 1500 a day, if he is hell bent on it, good luck getting him to do otherwise. My husband was the same except he was 6'2" and 311. Once he started to see how bad he felt on that few calories he started eating more. Your husband will figure it out. It's not up to you to change his mind. Just mention that it's too few calories, tell him why and then be done with it.


    this^^^ 500%
  • kiminikimkim
    kiminikimkim Posts: 746 Member
    My boyfriend is 6'2 and 148lbs. He's naturally thin so compared to him you don't need worry about it.
  • While 1500 may be lower than he needs to go, it's not as if he is anorexic. I say chill out and pack in the fruits and veggies and lean proteins and he'll be fine and healthy on that. Just reduce the carbs. Not really such a big deal. I have to agree with what others have said and let go of the control. You're his gf not his mother.
This discussion has been closed.