I use Myfitnesspal to keep track of my calories. I have been going by their suggested calorie intake, based on my info. I started at 256lbs and to lose 2lbs a week they had me eating 1540 calories. I weighed in today at 242.8 lbs and they reduce my calories to 1470. I was actually contemplating increasing my calories a bit because I have had a hard time staying at or under the 1540. I am just afraid that I will stop losing weight. What calorie amount should I be at?

Thanks in advance

At some point you will have to stop using those calculators because they like to believe you can continue losing 2 pounds a week by diet alone... Soon, you will be eating just 900 calories a day by their methods... Um no...

So, eat at a level comfortable for you, but also try to eat more filling foods that aren't calorie dense. That will help with the hunger feelings too.

Once you get to a calorie deficit per day that is too low for you, you will want to slowly adjust your weight loss per week parameters. Adjust to 1.5 pounds per week and you should be ok. You will eventually want to adjust down to one pound and then a half a pound. I think these phone apps are a great too and I have been loosing nicely with mine but it is still a tool. It needs tweaking when the calories parameters get too low.

The whole starvation mode mess is really just a myth. By the logic of if I eat too little I'll stop losing weight, no one would ever starve to death! All it does is slow weight loss down, but you have to be super low, like 500 calories per day for that to even be a concern.

My fitnesspal will give you trouble if you go below 1200 per day, the recommended lowest limit. Don't worry about going too low on calories unless you're crazy low.

Like pp said, it is just a tool, and just an estimate.

Good luck!

A grown women isn't going to get the nutiriton she needs keeping her calories extrememly low and yes, it could be a concern before she gets as low as 500. Every body is different and many people find their weight loss stalls at various calorie amounts all long before they've gone below 500.

<<The whole starvation mode mess is really just a myth. By the logic of if I eat too little I'll stop losing weight, no one would ever starve to death! All it does is slow weight loss down, but you have to be super low, like 500 calories per day for that to even be a concern. >>

That's exactly what my research has led me to conclude.

F.

<<it could be a concern before she gets as low as 500.>>

I don't think Cherbear was suggesting the OP eat as few as 500 calories per day, she was just saying that SIGNIFICANT metabolic slowdown doesn't happen until you reach this low level of consumption.

F.

Thanks everyone for the responses and info. I increased my calories to 1720. I hope to still lose weight even with the increase. It will also give me a little more wiggle room so I don't go too low.