I looked on a calorie calculator and it says to lose fat/weight I need 1800 calories a day. This seems steep. Maybe it's just me not being used to it, but it seems high for me to actually lose weight. I try to stay around 1500. I weigh 190 and I am 5'7. I haven't been losing weight that easily so far, is it really possible that I'm not eating enough. What amount of calories do you all eat? I've always been so confused about all of this. Thanks so much
I've been trying to maintain a 1000 calorie deficit every day, so on days I exercise more I eat more. I think my lowest day might have been about 1300 and my highest day might have been 1750.
You are right 1500 calories seems a little too low for you. You are alot taller than me..I'm 5'2 and I eat about 1400 calories per day..you have a good 5 inches on me so I think you would probably start losing at about 1700-1750. I would try upping my calories for a week to that level and see if it works. Good luck!
Everyone is different and the number of calories you need to eat to lose depends on your size, metabolism, and exercise levels. Those calculators are just guidelines! Pick a calorie level to try. If you don't lose weight fast enough, you need to cut back or increase exercise. If you are really uncomfortable or losing weight too fast, you need to add calories.
Personally, I've been averaging 1700 calories and have been losing about a pound a week.
The best thing you can do is try the 1800 for two weeks. If you lose a pound or two, then you are at the correct calorie level. If not, then drop it to 1700, and see what happens over the next few weeks.
You can't really go by what other people are eating per day-because we are all different weights, with different levels of body fat and muscle mass, and are doing different exercise regimes-all which affect your calorie intake for weight loss.
You have to do trial and error with yourself. Honestly, it is best to start higher, and then only drop calories when you really need to, when you hit a plateau and are no longer losing weight at your current calorie level.
Thanks everyone for the help! I have always been so confused about calories and everything, but I think this site is clearing those questions up!! I think I am going to try what you all suggested and do 1800 for a week. It's gonna be hard at first cause I'm not used to eating so much but I'll try
I went to the Dr. last week for help on the exact thing, I am 51 years old and 5'4" and I weight 299. The dr. put me on a 1500 calorie a day diet, anything I want really just 1500 calories and to be sure and to eat 3 meals a day....snacking would be something like half an apple or pretzels or something and lots of water.....I am seeing results already.....But, I am actually having to make myself eat....
I have to be careful though because I have low blood sugar so my snacks have to be something substantial. If I don't eat something that has some protein then I start to crash. The thing that sucks the most is I'll start feeling really crappy and have to eat because it's a sign my blood sugar is going way down but I'm not hungry. So I generally have to eat breakfast at 8 snack at 10:30-11, lunch 12:30-1, another snack, and then dinner. I've been trying out different calorie ranges and so far I like 1500-1700. I don't really feel comfortable at 1800, it just seems like too much and I feel like I'm going to gain so I try to stay at 1700. Thanks for all your help everyone
Just so you know the healthier your eating the more this will go away too, try to aim for less sugars and white carbs. I used to eat horribly growing up and for a long time I had huge blood sugar issues, pre diabetic I am sure because if lunch was more than half hour late it was HORRIBLE! I have moved to more balanced meals and now gotten used to calorie counting and eventually it has all evened out. Also getting rid of pop helped regular or diet! Just so you know as your health improves so does the symptoms of stuff like that. For the longest time it seemed like I would never be able to miss a meal or anything like a "normal" person might, but now I can eat lunch 2 hours late or skip it if I really needed to without feeling sick or taking off someones head lol.
If you're working out regularly, you probably will need that 1800. I'm trying to loose my last ten pounds and I am at about 13-1500 but I've noticed that when I work out, if I haven't eaten enough- my work isn't as top shelf as it could be.
If you're feeling really lethargic or hungry you should go up just a bit. Remember, we're not on diets to feel like poo. We want to feel great!
I also would like to point out that when you eat better foods for the most part, you are usually eating more volume of food because it is less caloric. So, it may seem like you are eating "too much food" when you really aren't. You don't have to feel hungry/starving when you calorie count. If you are eating foods with a lot of volume for the calories, you can still eat large portions.
A thin regular size Hershey bar is 230 calories, but you can have an egg (70), a banana (110), and a cup of strawberries (45-50) for the same exact calories and be full.
Calorie help
