Setting my Calorie Goal
 

Another thread on here got me thinking about my own calorie goals for each day. I looked up my basal metabolic rate, and it said I burn 1675 by just doing nothing everyday. However, I've been trying to eat between 1200-1400 calories, even when I exercise on some days. Is this too low? I feel like eating more would be too much... so confused!!:?:

From what I have read--and someone correct me if I'm not remembering it right--but you should not eat under your basal metabolic rate EVER --else your body thinks you are starving and won't. let. one. ounce. go.

Not what you want when you want to lose weight.

Hope that helps.

Your calorie goal really varies. It all depends on the person. I know if I eat under a certain amount, my body won't lose much of anything. I try to aim for 1600 (sometimes lower/higher). But it's really about trial and error. Start out at a certain amount for a few weeks, look at your results, and try adding or subtracting 100-200 calories and do the same!

I was wondering about that too. Mine was like 1758 or something. I can't imagine eating that much though! I struggle as it is to get the 1400 I am going for.

the calculators on the web arent always that accurate. You really need to just try it out and see how it goes. Are you hungry? Are getting enough protein, vitamins, minerals? When i was your weight I was eating between 1200 and 1500 calories (we're the same height too), so you might be ok. If your weight loss stalls then you might want to increase it and play around with it to see if it helps budge it (haha says the girl with the enormous plateau -_-)

This isn't true- I set my calories to always be about 200 below my BMR, and from what I've heard from dietians, on tv, and from other successful calorie counters is that you won't lose decent amounts if you go above your BMR.

My nutritionist recommended I eat around 1400 at this stage, which is almost 300 below my BMR (which is around 1696). She told me that if I eat even 1600, I won't lose (or less than a pound a week).

So yes, I think you need to be below your BMR, but how far below is really up to your body. If you're eating an average of 1250 or 1300, and not losing, see if 1350 or 1400 does it for you.

It's kind of a hit and miss process. 1500 is what Jillian Micheals always recommends starting out no matter what, then once you figure out how your body works you can adjust it from there.

I saw a dietitian early this week and he said the BMR and weight loss calculators at Livestrong.com were actually pretty good.

Kelly, you are right, but I was told (by the dietitian) that that only remains true as long as you are significantly overweight. Once you start nearing normal weight, ESPECIALLY if you have gotten into an exercise routine, you have to completely reconfigure it to account for a bajillion different things that i'm not completely sure of right now. My BMR is about 1200 a day, but I exercise. Eating 1200 cals a day had my body in starvation mode for the last seven months. I'm eating around 1800-2000 since Tuesday, and sure enough just in the last four days i've lost a pound.

So DRose, no matter what you do now, remember that it won't work consistently unless you plan on just relying on diet and no exercise whatsoever. It may also turn out that it's ineffective after 20lbs or so, so the best thing to do is keep track of it and always be ready and willing to adjust. It's confusing, but you can do it. :) :hug: