I've always heard this and accepted it as a hard and fast rule but now that I'm older I wonder about it. Calculators say that at my age and exercise level I should eat 1271 calories to lose one pound a week -- 721 to lose 2 pounds a week. I find the one pound a week thing very slow and frustrating, particularly if I plateau or actually gain that week.
I've always heard you must have 1200 cals per day to meet all your nutritional needs, but I'm considering trying 1000 a day. Surely, my nutritional needs as a 70 year-old sedentary woman are not the same as when I was a young active mother.
Hmm. I think that a calorie intake in the 700's sounds really low. I'm 20 years younger but I don't go below 1100 more than one day in a row. I don't want my body getting used to it. I'm not a big calorie counter but I would guess normal pound a week weight loss for me is at 2200 calories a day. Can you build up some lean muscle with pilates or exercise bands? You might gain a pound or two initially but it should up your metabolism.
I think you'll be okay at 1000 a day if you are truly sedentary. I eat around 1200 calories a day and I'm highly active. So far no issues... I don't count calories though, I just eat every 2 1/2 hours.
You should ask a professional though, like your doctor. I don't want to give you wrong advice.
Last edited by fat2fitgirl; 08-22-2016 at 01:52 AM.
You should probably talk to your doctor or nutritionist to be on the safe side.
I don't like to set my daily calories below the BMR of my goal weight. First off, I get too hungry, and second I don't want to train my body to exist with that low a food supply. But that's just my personal guideline.
If, due to your age and activity level, you are not burning that many calories, I do not think that it is dangerous to go to 1,000 or even 800 calories a day, provided they are very nutritious calories. That is, make sure you get your protein and micronutrients by cutting out carbs and keeping the protein and vegetables.
Don't go below 1200 calories?
I'm not a big calorie counter but I would guess normal pound a week weight loss for me is at 2200 calories a day. Can you build up some lean muscle with pilates or exercise bands? You might gain a pound or two initially but it should up your metabolism.
