So I plugged in my details on the spreadsheet that the wonderful lottie sent me (thank you! ), and figured out that in order to lose 2 lbs each week I should eat about 1500-1600 calories each day. Then I sign up on sparkpeople, plug in the same data and learn that I should eat just over 1800 each day.
In between the two there's a 2lbs weight gain. Could that account for the difference in these two calorie allowances?
It's not been long since I was at about your weight. I currently eat 1700 calories daily and exercise 1 hour 5 days a week. This keeps a pretty steady loss of a lb to 1.5 lb a week. I don't know how old you are or how much exercise you're doing, but if you aren't exercising you should just try the 1600 for now. If you do a lot of exercise you might bump up to the 1800 on exercise days. Also: The easiest thing would be to pick a number, stick with that number for an entire month (stay on plan the whole month) and then see what the average loss/week is. If you're between 1 and 2 lbs, stay with what you're doing. If it's less than a lb a week, drop your calories 200 per day and try another month. If you can't stick with your calorie goal for a month because you're too hungry then up your calories a little bit and try again.
I'm not sure I understand the 2 lb weight gain part of your question, but... if I do: No, 2 lbs will not make a difference of 200 calories per day.
Last edited by sprklemajik; 08-26-2009 at 01:09 PM.
Every site uses different information to tell you how much you should eat. I'm pretty much the same weight as you and I can lose weight on 2000 cals a day. I walk usually 5 days a week, and lift weight 3 days (although I take a PWO shake on those days so technically I eat more those days). Everyone is completely different - the calories I eat are good for me, but not necessarily good for you (or anyone else).
sprklmajik gave the best advice when she said:
Quote:
Also: The easiest thing would be to pick a number, stick with that number for an entire month (stay on plan the whole month) and then see what the average loss/week is.
In my mind 1500-1600 calories a/day for your weight and height sounds pretty good to me. I bet your doctor would agree with that, have you talked to him/her? I totally agree with the others, what ever you do stick it out for a month or 2 and see what happens. You can either add or take away if you think the loss is too fast or too slow.
Calorie deficit confusion
), and figured out that in order to lose 2 lbs each week I should eat about 1500-1600 calories each day. Then I sign up on sparkpeople, plug in the same data and learn that I should eat just over 1800 each day.
