Ladies- How many cals do you eat?

Looking at all of these answer...am I eating too little? Is it hurting my weight lost goals? I struggle to reach 1200 calories even on days I don't work out. Exception, friday...work tends to buy the most unhealthiest food for me to consume...

I am set at 1360. I have found this incredibly easy to stick to AS LONG AS i dont eat much junk/fast food. If i am wise in my decisions while out at resturants, i can still have a good meal and stay under my calories.

I also do not work out much, and for whatever working out I do do, i dont count it.

I generally net between 1200-1500 calories a day (usually closer to 1200), I eat back some/most exercise calories (or spend them on something awesome like rum and diet cokes).

Me too! :drinker:

I'm 5'8", 119 lbs and I exercise 7 days a week (20ish min before work, then either a 4-5k run or 45 minutes of strength on alternating days, I'm starting Insanity when the DVDs arrive).

I'm 5'7" and i'd kill to be 119! Even with my constant running I can't break 130. Maybe I should omit the rum and diets after all . .

I am perfectly healthy. I have great muscle tone and definition and am never lethargic. In fact, I have more energy than I have ever had. I eat whole foods, no processed junk foods. You want a lower net when you are dieting. My BMR is about 1000, and I have a low activity job, so it works for me. I guess people will do it their own way, but I see a lot of people struggling when they don't need to struggle. When nutritionists and trainers put you on a certain number of calories, they NEVER tell you eat your exercise calories. That would be counterproductive.

when nutritionist and trainers put you on a certain number of calories, theyre taking into account that youll do their program (exercise, etc).
with mfp, they dont assume youll exercise so they give you a number to eat that involves your lifestyle excluding exercise - which is why when you do exercise it give you more calories to eat.
nutritionist - eat 2000 calories a day and burn 500 on the treadmill.
mfp - eat 1500 calories a day. oh you burned 500 on the treadmill? eat 2000 for the day.
same math, different approach

The last number I went by for losing was 1600-1700. I now maintain at 2000. I do not use MFP calculations but use TDEE.

Edit to add: When I did have MFP set to 1200, I did eat most of my exercise calories back.

I'm not trying to argue with you, but no fitness trainer, my mom used to be one, or nutritionist would put you on 2000 calories if a fitness program assigned had you burning 500 a day.

I'm 5'6" and anywhere from 149-151 lbs. I eat at least 2000/day but I'm training for a triathlon so I burn 400-800 calories a day. I'm not actively trying to lose weight while training but have lost a couple of lbs in the last month at this calorie intake. I'm happy at my current weight but would like to work on building muscle (once tri season is over).

I'm eating 2400-2500 calories per day to maintain my weight! When I was trying to lose I was eating between 2100-2200 calories per day!

1900 - keeps me satisfied, allows a splurge, and I can still lose. It's slower than I'd like, but I can stick with it.

You also didn't start out obese. There is strong evidence that metabolisms are different. I tried starting out with 1600 calories and never lost a pound at 230 pounds. I dropped it to around 1200-1400 and started losing weight. You were already 130 pounds, 100 pounds lighter than me.

Today, I'm eating around 2100 (1470 is my goal, plus I exercised a little over 700 calories off).

I am pretty confident in my burn, too-I have a polar ft7.

*I'm 5'2'' and currently 157.

I'm 5'3, 150 pounds and I do 1,500 to 1,600.

I try to stick between 1200 and 1500 a day. I am *basically* exactly the same body type as you (26yrs, 5'6"-5'7", hovering around 190lbs at the moment, shooting for anywhere between 120lbs and 140lbs--no actual number, more just a figure in the mirror that I am happy with kind of thing).

I read something interesting the other day that I think that *EVERYONE* should keep in mind while trying to lose weight: During WWII Auschwitz inmates engaged in heavy labor received 1,700 calories per day and those on light work 1,300.

So, please, take care of yourself and don't push it! Working out 6 days a week is pretty dang awesome of you!!!

2000.
My BMR is 2011.

I am along the same lines, I eat 1200 and don't use my exercise calories normally, because in my eyes you want your exercise to stay negative so you lose better.

*sigh* You still need fuel. the more activity you do, the more fuel you'll need just to keep your organs and shizz in function. Looking at you, you should really eat more than that on a rest day, even.