Important Calorie change question please!

TheWayIUsed2Be
TheWayIUsed2Be Posts: 70
edited September 20 in Health and Weight Loss
So I work at an airport. I was working at the gates boarding flights and helping customers ...i spent the day standing. I just got moved up and now work in operations. I am downstairs doing weight and balance talking to piolts etc...I am sitting most of the day. I weigh 215 lbs...I am set to eat 1370 calories a day. However I went in my goals and went to change my activity level form lightly active to sedentary (because i wont be standing anymore) and it told me my new calories were 1200. Is that healthy? Its really that much of a difference? 170 calories???Isnt that starvation mode?
I guess my question is even though im always busy but im sitting with that much of a calorie difference should i change my activity level?

Thanks in advance as always :smile:

Replies

  • sixtyinchesoffury
    sixtyinchesoffury Posts: 321 Member
    if i want to lose 1 pound a week i am set for 1200. i am 5 feet tall.

    i can't do that low and i don't have a lot i want to lose so i am now at 1450.

    it's more doable for me :flowerforyou:

    good luck

    ps it comes off slow if you don't have a lot to lose so i try to focus on fitness/water/calories goal :drinker:
  • BrendaLee
    BrendaLee Posts: 4,463 Member
    1200 calories is the minimum- how much of a deficit that is will depend on your weight loss/ week goal. The gap will grow smaller as you have less weight to lose. If it's not enough calories change your weight loss goal to 1 pound or 1/2 pound/ week.
  • TheWayIUsed2Be
    TheWayIUsed2Be Posts: 70
    bump...need more opinions please! dont think i can do 1200
  • CinthyNair
    CinthyNair Posts: 261
    well, you could eat your exercise calories :) my recommended cal intake is 1250 a day. Most of the time, i will surpass this, but I ensure i exercise to gain the extra calories I could use, and usually i will have excess cals not eaten up :)
  • Taradise
    Taradise Posts: 302 Member
    My cals are set to 1200 and I still eat 5 times a day. I should mention that I am 5 feet tall and weigh 135 lbs. I use my exercise cals when I need to have a big meal. It takes some planning to maintain 1200 cals but its totally doable. If you think 1200 is too low for you, then set it for something higher. Maybe shoot for 1300, or possibly 1270 - which is 100 cals lower than what you had in the beginning. Everyone is different... you'll have to play with the numbers and figure out what works for you. Good luck and I hope you find your happy cal number :bigsmile:
  • TheWayIUsed2Be
    TheWayIUsed2Be Posts: 70
    It seems that everyone who posted they eat 1200 calories is 5 ft tall why is it the same for someone who is 5'7 215 lbs
  • jlefton1212
    jlefton1212 Posts: 171 Member
    Whenever I want to eat more, I just exercise more. Keep in mind that 1200 calories a day is for a day that you do not earn any exercise calories. Also, try to find ways of making your calories go farther. I have found that for the same 300 calories that I used to eat in a tiny frozen entree, I can eat CUPS worth of vegetables and moderate portions of lean protein. Veggies are where it's at if you are looking for something with bulk (fiber & water) that will be low in calories.

    Good luck to you!
  • klybarger
    klybarger Posts: 214
    I'm 5' 6" and 175 lbs and been at 1200 cals per day. I'm not going to lie to you, it takes a lot of planning but you can still eat well with that limited number. Again, it is just retraining ourselves. I am really enjoying the raw fruits and veges more than I ever had which fits into this routine well. I typically try to get at least 30 minutes of exercise every day (tennis or walking) so I can eat about half of those cals. Believe it or not, once your body is acclimated to this caloric intake, there are days when it's hard to eat the 1200 cals.

    You can do it.
  • BiloxiBelle
    BiloxiBelle Posts: 680 Member
    I hope I did the calculations correct, but I used the Harris Benedict Equation for figuring out your basic calorie needs...calories needed to maintain your weight w/no exercise. I put you at 24 years old, 5'7, 215 lbs. I came up w/1792 calories per day. If I give you a 1.2 exercise factor (for sedentary) I come up w/2150 calories for weight maintenance. Usually they suggest to subtract 500 calories from this number if you want to lose weight. For you that would be 1650 calories per day. Obviously everyone is different and this may be too much/too little for you. I also don't know if you workout, etc.... But at least this gives you something to go by....
  • TheWayIUsed2Be
    TheWayIUsed2Be Posts: 70
    Thanks for that info....i havent excercised the month iv been doing this due to schedule...when i work out i work out hard. i set my calories for 1200 a day....but im worried if i work out one day and earn 500 exercise calories and not work out the next, that staying at 1200 will be really difficult....im almost debating the gym for that reason
  • courtneyweiss
    courtneyweiss Posts: 59
    I think it's completely different for everyone. I was also set at 1200, but just recently upped my calories to between 13 and 1400 per day, and I've been losing faster (it seems counterintuitive, but it's true).

    The numbers can say anything they like, but you may need to take some time and play around to find your sweet spot. If 1200 is too few calories for you, you may need to experiment with 1300, 1400, 1500...whatever you think will work best. Just make sure you monitor your weight during these "experiments" so that you don't start gaining. Everyone's body is different. Just be patient with yours and it will tell you what it needs. :flowerforyou:
  • Giggles27
    Giggles27 Posts: 139
    Im set at 1200 Cals...im 216 lbs and 5'6. I have only lost 2 lbs in 12 days but I think its because I was eatting all of my exercise cals...so i was eating 2000 cals. Starting yesterday I am trying to stick to 1200 Cals and HALF of my exercise cals (1600 total cals) and see how much I lose. If i don't lose 2 lbs a wk then i will once again decrease my exercise cals...im testing my body to see what works
  • Giggles27
    Giggles27 Posts: 139
    Thanks for that info....i havent excercised the month iv been doing this due to schedule...when i work out i work out hard. i set my calories for 1200 a day....but im worried if i work out one day and earn 500 exercise calories and not work out the next, that staying at 1200 will be really difficult....im almost debating the gym for that reason

    And also it is difficult to get back to 1200 cals a day when your used to eating more...but planning really well works with that...im guessing thats why I work out 5 days a wk...not only cuz I like the burn but also because I get to eat more...lol

    I don't know about anyone else BUT I LOVE FOOD
  • twilight1542
    twilight1542 Posts: 403
    Thanks for that info....i havent excercised the month iv been doing this due to schedule...when i work out i work out hard. i set my calories for 1200 a day....but im worried if i work out one day and earn 500 exercise calories and not work out the next, that staying at 1200 will be really difficult....im almost debating the gym for that reason

    Sure you'll lose weight with only diet changes but you should still exercise when you can because that will make your body stronger & healthier. I understand your concern about feeling deprived on non exercise days & it can be hard at times, but exercising now will make it easier to keep the weight off in the long-run because you'll be stronger & more muscular. Even if you just choose to walk instead of drive, stairs instead of elevator, etc that will help.
  • Kyria_Skotadi
    Kyria_Skotadi Posts: 2
    I think what everyone is saying really makes sense. It just depends on what you're comfortable eating compared to how much exercise you get and how much you want to loose. 1200 is the minimum, and with everyone its different. Some people can't eat that little. I am perfectly fine with that amount, and can keep it easily as long as I dont just eat to eat. I distract myself and dont realize im hungry for quite a while.
  • healthiesthappiestme
    healthiesthappiestme Posts: 29 Member
    how many pounds are you trying to lose a week? I am 5'7 and was never put that low. Ever. I was trying to lose 1 pound a week and when I started, i weighed 188. I was given 1780 calories a day and I too said I was sedentary. When I got down to 150 pounds, I was given 1301 calories. Maybe you have your goal of weight loss set too high or maybe your settings are wrong. By the way, even though I had mine set to 1 pound a week, I ended up losing more than that on average. If you really want to do this in a healthy way and then keep the weight off, I suggest "slow and steady"

    Good luck.
  • TheWayIUsed2Be
    TheWayIUsed2Be Posts: 70
    I have it set to 2 pounds a week....i will try the different amounts.....1370 felt good but maybe ill try 1200 for awhile and if its too hard ill up a little and see what happens.
  • BrendaLee
    BrendaLee Posts: 4,463 Member
    You can eat your 1370 if that's what feels good for you. That's still a big calorie deficit. For a 2 pound/ week loss, I'm set at 1430 calories, but on days I feel I need 250 or 500 more calories, I eat them. Some days I just eat at my maintenance calories. The weight loss may not be as fast as I would like, but, for me, it means the difference between giving up and sticking with it. Some days we just need more food!
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