How many cal. should a 50 yr old woman with limited mobility consume a day? I have been doing Atkins but was told that the reason I can't seem to lose beyond the 1st 2 wks weight lose is because I can't do strenuous activity.I have muscular distrophy. Would I be better off counting calaries rather then carbs and if so what would be a good number ? I saw on 1 site that 2000 is what an average woman needs per day and subtract 500 for every pound you want to lose weekly.

Saw this old post brought back out and thought an update would be a good thing. I did the cals and followed so much of the wise advise I recieved here.I even got leg braces which have allowed me greater mobility.
When I started I weighed 280 and my life was so restricked.I had to shop only where they provided handicapped carts and daily chores where fast becoming impossible.
Now I've lost 70lbs and I walk 45 min everyday. I can go anywhere and do almost anything.I have new clothes and a new outlook. Things I thought I could never do again are once more doable.I still have 60 to 65 lbs to go so I'm still in the fight but I can testify that it's a battle worth fighting.There are benifits every step of the way.I hope every person who ever comes to this site will some day beable to say this same thing. Love All Pam

I wouldn't go below 1200, if I were you. Choose good foods (veggies, fruit, whole grains) and know that you might not lose as fast as others who do exercise. You might consider seeing a nutritionist to get an idea of what kind of ratio (protein, carbs, fats) you would need given your activity level.

Are you wheelchair bound? If so, I know that there are several exercise programs for wheelchair-bound people that use the upper body to get the heartrate up. You might also consider a specialized water aerobics class if there are any available. The more you get your heartrate up however you can, the better you will lose. While you can't do strenuous exercise, any kind of movement that burns calories will help.

Good luck!

There is no one calorie level that suits everyone. Metabolisms are as individual as fingerprints.

Given that you have a medical issue, I would ask your doctor about what you should do. Or, ask your doctor for a recommendation for a dietitian who can work with you. You have special needs and the advice for the general population may not work for you.

I have boasted about this site many times, but I have really found fitday.com to be extremely helpful because it takes your lifestyle, weight, and age and figures up about how many calories a day you use by just being alive. You can enter different activities and it totals them all up. Then, you can enter the foods that you consume, and it will tell you how many calories. you have eaten. It is especially helpful to see if you are burning all of the calories that you consume.

Sooooo........ You are 50 too. Ok this is getting down right erie. LOL
From experience... 1000 per day if you can get about some and do meander about a bit then 1200. Drink lots of water though, we mobility challenged women have systems that function more slowly anyway it will keep your kidneys clean(get rid of the excess toxins) and help the intestines (which also move slowly due to lack of normal movement) process the food you take in. For us the water is a must. Lots of it.
Pam

Pam - I would recommend doing an online Calorie Calculator to see how much you need in a day... Its based on your weight, height, age and activity level so its pretty custom so that you get a good estimate of what you need.

From my experience, cutting down 1000 cals. per day results in a 2lb. per week loss which is very healthy. With that said, I as well would not recommend going below 1200, when you go too low with calories - it has the potential to be counter productive in the long run.

For counting calories, I swear by Fitday... I have all my foods customized in there and it really lets you stay focused as well as see where all you're calories are coming from. I would also recommend that you watch the fat % as you could be eating stuff low in calories but still eating too much fat. Its a good balance to have your fat % around 30%.

Hope this helps... Good Luck!

Normally I would totally agree, however with those of us whom walking to the bathroom may be your main exercise the Doctors assure me that is not the case. For some of us the "normal" physical movement, like going to work, sweeping the house, mopping the floors, dusting and so on is not possible. Those of us with diseases that make walking a short distance difficult, find ourselves sitting and laying all day. The body does not require a "normal" amount of calories. The one thing all my Doctors were in agreement on (a rare thing) is that a seditary lifestyle means a drop in calories.
I shall see about fitday it sounds most interesting! Have a great one.
Pam