Calories per day.

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pavingnewpaths
pavingnewpaths Posts: 367 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
It seems as though everyone I stumble upon has a goal of at least 1500 net calories per day. It's probably due to the fact that I'm trying to lose 2 pounds per week instead of 1. But I was wondering if anyone else is/was in the same boat(or has advice) and thinks this is unhealthy?
I try to eat healthy and stay under my calorie goal. I started out at 200 pounds about a month and 2 weeks ago, and now i'm down to 186 so I know that it's working in the scale weight sense. I just don't know if this is healthy or if it's going to cause a plateau later on.

Any advice? (if my horrible rambling hasn't already driven you away/confused you all)
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Replies

  • cmeade20
    cmeade20 Posts: 1,238 Member
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    Yes. Netting 1500 is fine. Its refreshing to see someone just starting out that isnt starving themselves in an attempt to drop all their weight in a week.
  • Anna800
    Anna800 Posts: 637 Member
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    1500 is perfect
  • zaxmom09
    zaxmom09 Posts: 18 Member
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    How many calories are you eating per day? I started off at 196 over 3 weeks ago and I am only at 187. If i eat more than 1200 calories per day, I will gain weight! So, I try to stay under 1200 calories a day in order to lose 2lbs a week. However, I do not exercise much because I am in school and have a 3yr old........Add me as a friend if you like!
  • pavingnewpaths
    pavingnewpaths Posts: 367 Member
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    Okay, my rambling is awful. Haha.

    I have a Net Calorie goal of 1200, which I think is unbelievably low. Everyone else seems to have 1500+ which seems to be the appropriate. I'm losing weight, but I don't think 1200 is healthy.


    Sorry, I should have specified my net calories as well.
  • WhiskeyCity
    WhiskeyCity Posts: 711 Member
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    1500 is a good goal. It's obviously working, keep at it. As long as you're eating the right stuff, you're getting plenty of nutrition, you're fine.

    Keep On Rockin'!

    *****EDIT*****

    1200 is fine too. Same as above.
  • Captain_Tightpants
    Captain_Tightpants Posts: 2,215 Member
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    It depends how much you have to lose. If you were 200lbs and 5'4" then yeah, you've got quite a bit to go to reach normal bmi and 2lbs a week weight loss is achievable and probably doctor recommended. But if you're 6'2" and 200lbs then you're not that far off your goal weight and you will probably just get frustrated trying to lose that fast.
  • pavingnewpaths
    pavingnewpaths Posts: 367 Member
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    It depends how much you have to lose. If you were 200lbs and 5'4" then yeah, you've got quite a bit to go to reach normal bmi and 2lbs a week weight loss is achievable and probably doctor recommended. But if you're 6'2" and 200lbs then you're not that far off your goal weight and you will probably just get frustrated trying to lose that fast.

    I'm 5'6" but I don't follow BMI whatsoever. I think it's ridiculously innacurate, especially is a person works out in excess. I try to follow BFP instead, although as of right now i'm just trying to hit 160. I have a lot to lose, but at the same time if I attempt to lose it too quickly, i'm going to gain it back in a matter of weeks if I so much as eat 100 calories over my average for a week. And I really don't want that. I want to lose weight in a healthy fashion starting now so I don't need to worry about it later on. Y'know?
  • pavingnewpaths
    pavingnewpaths Posts: 367 Member
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    1500 is a good goal. It's obviously working, keep at it. As long as you're eating the right stuff, you're getting plenty of nutrition, you're fine.

    Keep On Rockin'!

    *****EDIT*****

    1200 is fine too. Same as above.

    Yeah, definitely trying to stay healthy too.
    Thank you!
  • morgansmom02
    morgansmom02 Posts: 1,139 Member
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    Okay, my rambling is awful. Haha.

    I have a Net Calorie goal of 1200, which I think is unbelievably low. Everyone else seems to have 1500+ which seems to be the appropriate. I'm losing weight, but I don't think 1200 is healthy.


    Sorry, I should have specified my net calories as well.

    Change it to 1500! I was at 1200 and plateaued pretty quick
  • zCarsAndCaloriesz
    zCarsAndCaloriesz Posts: 348
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    If you don't feel your body is being starved or deprived at 1200 it's perfectly fine, just make sure you're getting all the nutrients you need! My caloric limit is set to 1450 I think, but I'm thinking of changing it to 1200 to 1300, because I seem to be fine with that. :)
    Do what feel right for your body.
  • LowcarbNY
    LowcarbNY Posts: 546 Member
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    I set my goal at 1 lb / week and I am happy to be able to over achieve that on a regular basis. I've considered setting it at 2 lbs / week but I don't want the negative reinforcement of having MFP tell me that I went over my target. Plus, on days when I exercise heavily I could wind up in negative numbers and that always leads to a bad day the next day. My number is in the 1700's and I frequently total out in the 1500's.

    I don't eat back exercise calories so I want a moderate number that gives me a buffer on heavy exercise days and still recharges me on refractory days.

    As they say on Wall Street: Under Promise and Over Achieve.
  • Reesecup312
    Reesecup312 Posts: 277 Member
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    I try to stay between 1200-1400 a day. It works for me. I have a tremendous amound of weight to lose. I have lost 43 pounds in 3 months. I feel wonderful!! Do what works for you!! :)
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
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    I'm doing one pound a week. I'm 5'10", started at 187 and going to 165. I've lost a pound a week for 10 weeks.

    I started at 1470. I'm now at 1370, as my calories recalculated when I lost 10 pounds. I eat back my exercise calories when I'm hungry - usually when I'm doing heavier work like carpentry or yard work, but not when I just walk.

    I am going to make a very basic suggestion: read your diary.

    Find out where those extra calories are. Frankly, I learned a lot about where I was gaining a few hundred calories that I didn't really care about dropping. Things like whole milk v. skim, two cups of rice v. one, a heavy beer v. a martini.

    I learned that the extra capuccino and croissant was more calories than my lunch and breakfast combined.

    I learned the handful of candy I picked up leaving the restaurant was an extra hundred calories.

    Now that I've got a good baseline, I'm full all the time and usually 1000 or more calories under my net for the week. I'm not trying to do that, it just happens.
  • WhiskeyCity
    WhiskeyCity Posts: 711 Member
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    ...Find out where those extra calories are. Frankly, I learned a lot about where I was gaining a few hundred calories that I didn't really care about dropping. Things like whole milk v. skim, two cups of rice v. one, a heavy beer v. a martini.

    I learned that the extra capuccino and croissant was more calories than my lunch and breakfast combined.

    I learned the handful of candy I picked up leaving the restaurant was an extra hundred calories.

    Now that I've got a good baseline, I'm full all the time and usually 1000 or more calories under my net for the week. I'm not trying to do that, it just happens.

    That's some good stuff right there.
  • pavingnewpaths
    pavingnewpaths Posts: 367 Member
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    I'm doing one pound a week. I'm 5'10", started at 187 and going to 165. I've lost a pound a week for 10 weeks.

    I started at 1470. I'm now at 1370, as my calories recalculated when I lost 10 pounds. I eat back my exercise calories when I'm hungry - usually when I'm doing heavier work like carpentry or yard work, but not when I just walk.

    I am going to make a very basic suggestion: read your diary.

    Find out where those extra calories are. Frankly, I learned a lot about where I was gaining a few hundred calories that I didn't really care about dropping. Things like whole milk v. skim, two cups of rice v. one, a heavy beer v. a martini.

    I learned that the extra capuccino and croissant was more calories than my lunch and breakfast combined.

    I learned the handful of candy I picked up leaving the restaurant was an extra hundred calories.

    Now that I've got a good baseline, I'm full all the time and usually 1000 or more calories under my net for the week. I'm not trying to do that, it just happens.

    Oh, no! I have no trouble staying under 1200 calories, it's really easy for me because i've adapted to it and I don't even get that hungry anymore. I just wasn't quite sure if that was healthy.
  • sscv87
    sscv87 Posts: 1
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    try this web side it calculates the amount of calories you need

    http://www.healthstatus.com/cgi-bin/calc/calculator.cgi
  • mcarter99
    mcarter99 Posts: 1,666 Member
    Options
    It seems as though everyone I stumble upon has a goal of at least 1500 net calories per day. It's probably due to the fact that I'm trying to lose 2 pounds per week instead of 1. But I was wondering if anyone else is/was in the same boat(or has advice) and thinks this is unhealthy?
    I try to eat healthy and stay under my calorie goal. I started out at 200 pounds about a month and 2 weeks ago, and now i'm down to 186 so I know that it's working in the scale weight sense. I just don't know if this is healthy or if it's going to cause a plateau later on.

    Any advice? (if my horrible rambling hasn't already driven you away/confused you all)

    You're doing great. Keep it up. We all have slow periods of loss. It doesn't mean you need to try some new plan. If you truly lose nothing for 4 weeks, no scale weight, no inches, then maybe consider trying something new.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
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    Oh, no! I have no trouble staying under 1200 calories, it's really easy for me because i've adapted to it and I don't even get that hungry anymore. I just wasn't quite sure if that was healthy.

    Check your nutrients. With low calories you just have to make every one count.

    I learned that I was way low on iron - which surprised the heck out of me. (It may be that some of the user-added foods don't have all nutrients listed.) I had been getting a little dizzy sometimes. Started taking an iron pill and it went away.
  • clobercow
    clobercow Posts: 337 Member
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    There is no real minimum calorie intake needed. What you eat and timing is far more important. Being in a deficit is the goal, but it can be obtained several ways.

    I use Keto, Intermittent fasting, and only 1 meal per day. I'm having amazing results.

    Advantages: Insulin control, appetite control, hormone balance, clarity of the mind, lots of energy, less sleep needed / sleeping better, constant weight loss, and the big one, FREEDOM.

    I don't count my calories. I just eat until I'm full and then I'm done. 37lbs on MFP and over 50 lost since I started.
  • una48
    una48 Posts: 43
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    I had put my goal as 1 and a half pounds and had a calorie allowance of 1200. I had to starve myself to meet that goal, and after three days I went bonkers on the biscuits. I eat more now and dont pay too much attention to the total calories, and am losing weight. I do however choose my food carefully, and try and keep the fats to a minimum, and get some exercise everyday.

    There is no point keeping to a calorie allowance if it isnt sustainable. I think its better to lose it slowly so that you can keep it off.

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