[krazyb3autiful84]

So i just weighed myself and i am very disappointed to have learned that i've gained like 5 more pounds meaning i have to lose roughly 40 lbs to get to my ideal weight ...I want to give it my all starting tomorrow but i have no idea on how many calories to eat a day.. I am 5'7 and weigh 212 lbs. Help please!

[CherryQuinn]

im your height i eat 1300-1500. id suggest try 1500-1600 and adjust according to how you feel. just a suggestion since your my height. im heavier than you but im a light eater as well so you may need more

[sontaikle]

what's your activity level? You'll generally want to eat a little bit on the higher end if you're pretty active. If you're sedentary you'll have to eat less.

[krazyb3autiful84]

what's your activity level? You'll generally want to eat a little bit on the higher end if you're pretty active. If you're sedentary you'll have to eat less.

i work during the day sitting down.. as a hobby i take Salsa classes about 2-3 times a week for about an hour and a half or so..

[Queen Sarah]

Great post, Kara! I learned something today!

Last September, I bought a FitBit, and that has been the best $100 I've spent in years! I log my food into their website (soon it will be linked with MyFitnessPal!) and the FitBit compares it to how active I've been that day. Of course, it's not totally accurate, but after several months, I've found the numbers to be very useful! I lost 30 lbs, and have been maintaining, and plan to lose 10 more.

When I'm in weight loss mode, I try to eat at a 500-calorie deficit. In maintenance mode, I just try to break even.

I'm a sometimes-runner, so my activity level can vary wildly. I can be totally sedentary one day, and run a half marathon the next. So this gadget has taken the guesswork out of how much I can eat! I really don't know what I'd do without it!

[K9Owner]

Originally Posted by Kara

There are 3 standard calculations for figuring out calories, the Harris-Benedict, the Mifflin-St.Jeor, and the Katch-McArdle. Most internet calculators use the Harris-Benedict, but really they all tend to come within 100 cals or so of each other.

You don't say how old you are, but I put what stats you did give into my spreadsheet that gives an average of all three and came up with this:

BMR: 1638
Maintenance: 2253 (assuming you're lightly active)

Start with dropping 500 cals from your maintenance and see where that gets you. You can always drop a few more if you feel the need to, but you really shouldn't go below your BMR if you want to be healthy!

Excellent advice!

[theox]

There are also online calculators that use the calculations Kara listed to help you figure out how many calories you should be eating. Just do a web search for "calorie calculator."

[krazyb3autiful84]

Thank you all for the advice Very helpful!

There are 3 standard calculations for figuring out calories, the Harris-Benedict, the Mifflin-St.Jeor, and the Katch-McArdle. Most internet calculators use the Harris-Benedict, but really they all tend to come within 100 cals or so of each other.

You don't say how old you are, but I put what stats you did give into my spreadsheet that gives an average of all three and came up with this:

BMR: 1638
Maintenance: 2253 (assuming you're lightly active)

Start with dropping 500 cals from your maintenance and see where that gets you. You can always drop a few more if you feel the need to, but you really shouldn't go below your BMR if you want to be healthy!

i also googled calorie calculator like Theox suggested and came to a similar number.. i am going to go with 1700-1800 calories or so.. i would like to try 1600 calories but i have heard that if i start to low i can come across a plateau and stop with weight lost altogether.. dont know how much of this is true but i def dont want that to happen.. again, thank you guys !

[andrew80k]

Remember to adjust as you go. As you lose weight your standard BMR will decline. If you are working out hard you might need a little more. Also remember that if you hit a plateau, eating MORE may actually get you past it. Don't go crazy though, start with an additional 100 calories. People have their own methods that work for them, but try not to over analyze. Count your calories, measure your results, adjust accordingly. Limit the temptations you provide yourself, choose to succeed. Have fun!

[mammasita]

One pound is 3500 calories.

Calories needed to maintain current weight for a moderately active woman is 12 x <body weight>.

To lose one pound a week, we need a calorie deficit of 3500 calories because 3500 calories is 1 pound.

Using myself as an example:
12 x 202 = 2424 calories a day to maintain my weight at 202 pounds
2424 - 500 = 1924 calories a day to lose 1 pound a week
2424 - 1000 = 1424 calories a day to lose 2 pounds a week

This number lowers as we lose weight. When I reach my goal of 159 pounds, I will need 1908 calories to maintain.

Ultimately though, everyone is different based on their weight and activity level - but the general formula remains the same.