how many calories should i be eating to loose 1lb a week

lilvixen84
lilvixen84 Posts: 100
edited December 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
hi there. i was just wondering how many calories i should be eating to loose 1lb a week. i've had a look at what this site suggests but its seems a little low?

im 5'5'' 27 years female 146lbs


im currently on 1280 cals. i try and exercise 3 times a week for about 30mins at a time. not sure if much exercise happening this week though as hurt my left leg yesterday doing c25k. think i've pulled a muscle in it as its going along my calf :grumble:

any help would be grateful and feel free to add me :smile:

thanks

Replies

  • amnsetie
    amnsetie Posts: 666 Member
    According to this site your bmr is 1,398 and you should not eat below that.
    Is your job sedentary or active? don't forget to set that to get your TDEE. then you can add any extra exercise to eat more.
  • lilvixen84
    lilvixen84 Posts: 100
    is that to loose 1lb a week though?
  • amnsetie
    amnsetie Posts: 666 Member
    If you can't get above your bmr to lose a pound a week then a pound a week will be too fast for you.
    Take it easy, we in this for the long haul.
    I have set for half a pound a week for myself
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
    There's all sorts of fancy ways to calculate your calories, but I recommend using MFP as designed and using the calories it gives you when you enter your stats. For 1lb a week, it calculates a 500 calorie deficit a day which amounts to 3,500 calories fewer than you need a week - the amount in 1lb of fat.

    Your recommended calories are also low because you're at or near a healthy weight. In that case it's recommended you set MFP up to lose 0.5lb a week - that will give you more calories to eat.

    MFP is designed so you eat your exercise calories and you still remain at that deficit. Certainly I NEED those extra calories to feel full! As you're injured, is there anything different you can do? If it doesn't hurt to walk, swim or do resistance training, swap to that until your calf feels better.

    The final way to get more calories is to increase your daily activity level. If you can walk more of your commute to work or walk lunchtime, so long as you do it regularly and don't add it as separate exercise, you can change your activity level to moderately active.

    ===

    Still not happy with the way MFP calculates? Find a TDEE calculator such as this one and enter your stats:
    http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html

    Entering your stats, it gives me a TDEE of 2267 calories. Unlike MFP this includes your exercise calories. To achieve the same rate of loss, subtract 500 calories and eat 1767 every day, but don't eat any extra for workouts.

    Hope that helps!
  • amnsetie
    amnsetie Posts: 666 Member
    You will find your daily calorie usage in your goals page.

    You can reset the goal on that page too.

    I like what Berry says. She's on the money
  • lilvixen84
    lilvixen84 Posts: 100
    i've set it to 1300. is that ok?
  • amnsetie
    amnsetie Posts: 666 Member
    It's better
    I would suggest 1400 but see how it suits you
    If you get tired turn it up a notch, you have heaps to spare, you can go all the way to 1600 and still lose weight.
    +more with exercise
  • xAdrianax
    xAdrianax Posts: 269 Member
    I am 5'7 and 150lbs.

    I have put in MFP to loose a pound a week and i have 1380 cals a week. I have also done other research and its about right give or take 30 cals!

    If I were you I would make it 1350 if you feel its a little low
  • bathsheba_c
    bathsheba_c Posts: 1,873 Member
    Something I've seen people suggest, and it sounds sensible to me, is to spend your first two weeks on MFP eating normally and recording everything. That way, you can see how much you are overeating, whether your diet is balanced, what foods are keeping you from reaching your weight goals, etc. Then you can start reducing calories until you are losing at a rate that is comfortable for you.
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