340 lb'ers, calorie allowance?

samandlucysmum
samandlucysmum Posts: 320
edited November 12 in Health and Weight Loss
I am at 339lb now, I am in a dilema as to how many calories to allow a day, MFP says 2000, but this seems like a hell of a lot!! I have looked on another website, and it says, for my age, weigh and height, to consume 1700 - 1800 cals... I put myself down to 1500 for a few days, thinking it would give my loss a boost, but seems to have no effect, so what to do, is my dilema.

Has anyone been, or is now 340lb, if so how many calories do you consume / allow, and do you eat your exercise calories....

HELP!!!

:grumble:
:mad:
:huh:
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Replies

  • DoubleE615312
    DoubleE615312 Posts: 173 Member
    Have you calculated your BMR yet?
  • fatboypup
    fatboypup Posts: 1,873 Member
    2000 sounds right .... i get 1710 and im at 212lbs but im a man we get more :(
  • samandlucysmum
    samandlucysmum Posts: 320
    2,220 calories/day, thats my BMR.
  • macylane4
    macylane4 Posts: 224
    I started my journey at 352 pounds. I know I was more then that, but that was the first time I actually stepped on the scale. When I started my journey I ate around 1300 calories a day, and worked out 5 times per week. I have lost almost 100 pounds now, and have increased my calorie to 1500 a day, and work out 3-4 times per week. I still see a very steady weight loss. I think you need to focus on what you're eating not the calories so much. Recently I switched all my food to fresh veggies, fruit, lean meat, all natural peanut butter, and cut out any boxed stuff, cereal bars, etc, and had a 4.5 lbs weight loass that week! I eat apples and bananas all day everyday, and enjoy sweet potatos (they really fill you up!) I haven't looked at your diary to see what you eat, so if it isn't public could you change it, and I'll check it out?! Are you workin gout at all?
  • samandlucysmum
    samandlucysmum Posts: 320
    2000 sounds right .... i get 1710 and im at 212lbs but im a man we get more :(

    I am guessing by your loss ticker, you were near 300lb at start, did your recommended allowance allow you to lose a steady amount of weight? How much exercise did you do, and did you eat back those calories?
  • hardten2lose
    hardten2lose Posts: 7 Member
    You have to SLOWLY come down. 2000 is right. If you starve yourself with less, your body is going to freak out. As you lose weight, you'll need less calories. Reassess your caloric need every time you lose 10% of your weight. So, when you lose 30 lbs., then see how many calories you should eat. SLOWLY come down!!! Can't stress that enough for someone of your size. It's a lifestyle change--not a race or quick fix. Have patience. The weight will still come off at 2000 for you!

    GREAT JOB MAKING A COMMITMENT TO YOUR HEALTH!
  • Railr0aderTony
    Railr0aderTony Posts: 6,803 Member
    I am at 335 right now and 2080 a day and have been losing steadily, remember you can not do this fast. Take what MFP tells you and stick with it. It does work. If you need some positive support send me a friend request.
  • Snjlowe
    Snjlowe Posts: 11 Member
    Go with close to what mfp suggests. I started 255 and it had me on 1880 calories. I lost 14 lbs the first month with no exercise. Then I got a little over zealous and cut my calories on my own down to 1600. Lost nothing for 2 weeks...went back to the 1880 and lost 2lbs in a week. I think my body went into starvation mode by cutting down too much too fast. I almost always am a little under my calories though. Hope this helps :)
  • lizzieollie
    lizzieollie Posts: 11
    I am 328lbs and I get 1640 calories. I try not to eat my exercise calories. I know my sister is 350 and she gets over 2000, she does not eat all her calories. If I leave 100 calories because I am not hungry, that seems to work fine with me. I loose more weight if I dont eat my exercise calories and I dont feel starving.
  • samandlucysmum
    samandlucysmum Posts: 320
    I started my journey at 352 pounds. I know I was more then that, but that was the first time I actually stepped on the scale. When I started my journey I ate around 1300 calories a day, and worked out 5 times per week. I have lost almost 100 pounds now, and have increased my calorie to 1500 a day, and work out 3-4 times per week. I still see a very steady weight loss. I think you need to focus on what you're eating not the calories so much. Recently I switched all my food to fresh veggies, fruit, lean meat, all natural peanut butter, and cut out any boxed stuff, cereal bars, etc, and had a 4.5 lbs weight loass that week! I eat apples and bananas all day everyday, and enjoy sweet potatos (they really fill you up!) I haven't looked at your diary to see what you eat, so if it isn't public could you change it, and I'll check it out?! Are you workin gout at all?

    I walk on average, 3 times a week, for 2 hours, sometimes an extra 2 hours at the weekend.
    Did you not get hungry on 1300 cals? What sort of thing did you eat? did you eat back your exercise cals?
  • Sepheara
    Sepheara Posts: 208 Member
    Mine says 1900. I usually eat between 1500 and 1800 and if I go to the gym I eat some of it back.
  • charlieduc
    charlieduc Posts: 108
    I started at 303 and MFP set my goal at 1560. You may need to set your activity level to sedentary if you haven't already. It also depends on your weekly goal. You do not want to sabotage yourself by eating too few calories.
  • ahoov72
    ahoov72 Posts: 20
    I try to stay between 1500 and 1800 calories a day and I weigh more than you,its working so far
  • Olive32214
    Olive32214 Posts: 467 Member
    Bump
  • hdrider8968
    hdrider8968 Posts: 25
    I'm now at 348lbs, down 52lbs using MFP. I put my calories at 1800, and yes I eat some on most days of my exercise burned calories. But my job on my feet most of the day constantly moving. Add me as a friend we can do this together.
  • samandlucysmum
    samandlucysmum Posts: 320
    Go with close to what mfp suggests. I started 255 and it had me on 1880 calories. I lost 14 lbs the first month with no exercise. Then I got a little over zealous and cut my calories on my own down to 1600. Lost nothing for 2 weeks...went back to the 1880 and lost 2lbs in a week. I think my body went into starvation mode by cutting down too much too fast. I almost always am a little under my calories though. Hope this helps :)

    I guess this is what the BMR is all about.
  • meri_dian
    meri_dian Posts: 13 Member
    it really depends on your height... AND I found it best to do calculations at a number of different online calculators. They are all different. I averaged them.
  • Ali_TSO
    Ali_TSO Posts: 1,172 Member
    I'm 5'5", 29 yrs old, and my info is set to "sedentary", 2 lbs a week, with 3 workouts a week. When I was at 340, I was at 1790 cals.
  • fatboypup
    fatboypup Posts: 1,873 Member
    2000 sounds right .... i get 1710 and im at 212lbs but im a man we get more :(

    I am guessing by your loss ticker, you were near 300lb at start, did your recommended allowance allow you to lose a steady amount of weight? How much exercise did you do, and did you eat back those calories?
    i exercised ALOT , and ate back few of the calories remember eating 2000 and exercising 1000 nets 1000 calories, its NOT the same as only eating 1,000 calories
  • SugarNtheRaw
    SugarNtheRaw Posts: 191 Member
    I was 366 at my heaviest and I think my old daily goal was 2500 at a #/week loss. I pretty much ignored it an never got more than 1500 and could not lose weight efficiently, so I started eating more. Now I'm down 89 lbs (277 was my last weigh in) and my daily goal is 2070. I always try to eat 1800 at least. Small meals help a LOT!
  • geenabug
    geenabug Posts: 8 Member
    I started at 329 and my calories/day was at 1770. I lost 20+ pounds the first month and another 13 the second month with little exercise. I would suggest going with MFP's reccommendations.
  • macylane4
    macylane4 Posts: 224
    YOu will see a better weight loss if you eat more healthy small things throughout the day.. you are eating a lot of calries at one mean instead of spreading the foods out! I've been trying to master my body and what it needs to lose and be the most effictive...I've found that the healthier natural foods really help me lose weight, and keep me satisified longer. I've cut port from my diet since it is very fatty, adn I've seen a difference from that as well
  • tenas
    tenas Posts: 121
    2000 sounds about right to me. I started at 380 with an allowance around 2500 and now I'm down to 363 with an allowance of 2220 and have been losing steadily when I stay within my allowance.
  • Raivynsblood
    Raivynsblood Posts: 68 Member
    im at 336 (ive lost 31 since joining mpf about 6 weeks ago) and it has me set at 2130. its been working for me :wink:
  • misswallie2u
    misswallie2u Posts: 28 Member
    I'm 319lbs. My calorie allowance is 1670 per day.

    I'm sedentary and have my excercise goal at the lowest of 30 mins 1 x week (which it puts at 350 calories burned)

    I have mine set this way to get the minimum allowed amout of calories to lose 2 lbs a week.

    (if you are active daily instead of sedentary this will bring your calorie allowance up and you're excercise goal amount will affect your calorie allowance)

    don't know if this will help any, just thought i'd post it to compare?
  • jomo1113
    jomo1113 Posts: 17 Member
    When I started using MFP I was at 350lbs, and it calculated my BMR and gave me a daily alotment of 2240 calories.
  • SFalconStorm
    SFalconStorm Posts: 77 Member
    I am 356 pounds at the moment, down from 401. MFP allows me 2060 per day for a 2 pound per week loss. I will sometimes undercut this by 200-300 calories on net, but I often do that because I will spike over that amount once or twice a week in an effort to zig zag my calories.

    The reality is, it really does take more calories to be so heavy. We use more calories than a normal weight person when we stand up, when we walk down the street. Our heart has to pump blood to a larger volume of tissue than a normal weight person, electrical signals from nerves have farther to travel, etc. All of this takes calories/energy for your body to maintain. Also, it has been shown that heavy people tend to have more muscle mass than a normal weight person, simply because it takes that much muscle to move ourselves around every day. I have had people be shocked that I can easily leg press 300 pounds, but the reality is, that's less than me just standing up. My legs lift that kind of load EVERY day.

    So, main thing is, listen to your body, listen to your gut (literally and figuratively) but yes, it is entirely possible for you to be in a calorie deficit at 2k calories per day because of your size.
  • TurtleCrush
    TurtleCrush Posts: 80
    I weigh 332. My calorie allowance is 1840 and I exercise. I set a goal of 500 calories per 3 meals and a goal of 100 calories or less for 2 small snacks (fruit or veggie snacks) and I lost 3 lbs in one week doing that. I also don't eat back my exercise calories everytime only if I am hungry. I am adding you know I need more people my weight :)!
    Big hugs, Rebekah
  • mello
    mello Posts: 817 Member
    I'm hesitant to post because of the whole "starvation mode" and "eating exercise calories back" debates that have raged from the inception of this site, but I wanted to answer as someone who has been there, and still doing that.

    I set my goal at 1200 calories daily back in August of last year and I use this as what it is, a tracking tool. Some days I go over, but don't let it bother me because of the quality of foods I'm taking in for example nuts, avacado etc. Somemdays I actually may not quite make it there, especially in summer when I'm eating more salads, veggies, etc. I work out 5 to six days a week and I have yet to eat an exercise calorie back. I've lost 93 lbs in 7 months, have yet to hit a plateau due to "starvation mode" .

    I realize as my body changes, adjustments will have to be made, but I started at 328 and I just wanted to give an answer as someone who was there.
  • samandlucysmum
    samandlucysmum Posts: 320
    Well, I have changed my settings, I class my lifestyle as lightly active, as I am a mum of 6, with 2 at home, so I am on my feet quite a lot, I have cut down my workouts to what I realistically do, and it still has me at 2000 cals.

    Based on on the advice I have just recieved, I am gonna stick to the 2000 cals, MAX, and only eat back my exercise cals if really hungry, after drinking water first, my meals, mostly are well balanced, and I am happy with 90% of my food choices.

    Thanks for all your help and advice, it's nice to know there are more out there at my weight!!

    :smile:
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