How many calories?
 

The Daily Plate tells me I need 1,997 calories to loose 2 pounds a week. This seems like a lot of calories to me and I usually eat about 1650 with 2 snacks a day. I keep hearing that going to low is bad but I can't wrap my brain around 1650 being too few calories. What do you guys think? Does 1,997 seem high? I walk 4 miles a day 5 days a week but I have a very sluggish desk job....

I just read an article in Runner's World and they say to eat ten calories per goal weight. So if your goal is to get to 160, you'd want 1600 calories a day.

If you run, you have to add another 25% to that figure but as a base, it's 1600 calories a day for a sedentary person.

I started out close to your current weight and ate around 1600-1700 at first, then dropped to 1500. I walked as my exercise too.

All of those online calculators, are really just suggestions. Everyone's body is different, so you need to just play with your calories and find out what works for you.

Coming up with the right number of calories for you is always a difficult task because there are so many factors that determine how your body will respond. If you have a high metabolism and are very active, you might very well lose weight with 2000 calories per day. Most of us aren't that lucky and thus choose to eat less than that. Right now I eat anywhere between 1400-2000 calories per day (the average being somewhere in the middle) and am losing 1-2 pounds per week.

How long have you been eating 1650? Have you been losing weight?

I read the 10 calories per lb goal weight idea also. That sounds like a good rule of thumb to me, but personally have to dip below that.
Try different levels and see what works for you.
No person or calorie calculator can tell you at what level your body will respond.

Good luck :)

It depends on WHAT you eat too, right? Two hundred calories of brown rice feels a whole lot better than 200 calories of Lunchables. Whatever THAT is.

I personally can never eat that many calories. I eat between 900 to 1200 calories a day and feel full. daily plate said i needed 1700 calories to lose, but the only time i eat that much is when i binge. i know i need to eat more, but if i'm not hunger i am not going to force myself to eat another 500 to 800 calories.

50

I just had this discussion with Shy. She's right. We have to eat more. 1200 calories for me is gorging. But when I quit smoking, things may go up a bit. Do you smoke? I'm curious to see if there is a link between smokers and appetite.

Ya'll just rock....
Drina I have been eating around 1650 for months and really not loosing anything. My Dr. swears I'm lying that is why I started using daily plate... I'm going to print it out, roll it up and beat her with it (just kidding). (I have a every symptom for hypothyroidism and she won't run any blood work besides the TSH test so I'm a little bitter)
Maybe I should drop down to 1500 and see how I do?

i'm not a smoker. i just don't know. today i ate 1500 calories and i feel sick and bloated. at 1000 calories i feel good. who knows.

I don't understand why your doc won't run the blood work you ask her to. Even if she thinks it isn't necessary, it can't hurt you to have it run. And it may put your mind at ease.

A drop to 1500, as long as you feel alright and aren't hungry all the time couldn't hurt. :)

Actually - there is a link between smoking and appetite. Nicotine suppresses your appetite, so quitting smoking can increase your appetite.