WebMD has a chart to be used to calculate "How Many Calories You Really Need". On it, it states that for a woman that is moderately active (meaning normal daily activities plus at least 1-3 miles per day of fast-paced walking), she would need to consume 1500 calories to lose 1 pound per week, and 1000 to lose 2 pounds per week.
The 1500 calories work on exercise day, but does that mean that, on the days when I'm not doing exercise (I can't get it in every single day), I should stick to just 1000 calories?
Also, I thought it was okay to aim between 1-2 pounds per week weight loss, but with the calories required for 2 pounds seems like there's a contradiction in there when taking account the advice not to go under 1200.
I do think 1000 calories a day is too low, sure, you will lose but you may be robbing yourself of needed nutrients. I would suggest not going below 1200 calories a day. If I were you I would try 1300-1400 a day and see how it goes.
Agree w/bargoo - that's a recipe for failure at 1000 (for the majority). I would expect big trouble with managing the hunger at that level, especially if you're even remotely active.
It is generally not recommended for anyone to go below 1200 calories a day. If you cannot workout on certain days, then just think of it as not losing 2 lbs that day...on that day, you would be doing maybe 1 lb. and so by the end of the week, you will have (theoretically) lost a little less than 2 lbs....maybe 1.5 lbs.? Either way, it will be done in a rational way. If you are feeling very hungry, you are not likely to stick with what you're doing and you might turn back to your old eating habits. When I say "you," I mean any given person.
The problem with low calorie (ie. 1000 calorie) diets is that you are losing MUSCLE in addition to water and fat. Yes, the scale can move down, but at what cost? This is how people end up sickly-looking at a low or "average" weight.
The bottom line, and anyone who has stayed in maintenance for a long amount of time will tell you, is that slow, steady, and healthy, will always win the race.
I will also add that no chart, graph, calculator, person, etc can give you a set number of calories your body needs to lose weight, it is a matter of trial and error..in my opinion, anyway.
None of those methods can give an exact number. I started out by eating less than the 4500 calories I was consuming, I didn't need some calculator for that.
Last edited by Onederchic; 11-28-2009 at 10:59 PM.
There are calculations - actual, scientific, tested calculations that take into account age, current weight, height, etc., that will tell you how many calories you need.
Only if by estimate or you mean a variance of up to 1000 calories or more, but then that's hardly much of an estimate is it.
I've been using these calculators for more than 30 years, and when I was 12 through 20, I found them fairly accurate (sort of), in that I would lose within a pound or two of the estimate (but even that means the calculations would have had to be"off" by at least 500 to 1000 calories per day - hardly "scientific" even then.)
With every diet, and every year - the calculators became less and less and less accurate.
If you've never been on a diet before, or you just happen to by chance have an average metabolism, you might find the calculators to be of some use.
However, unless you're in a metabolic chamber (where your body temp, body fluids, even breath are being measured) the vast majority of these calculators are EXTREMELY inaccurate. Even the bodybugg devices aren't very accurate.
Trial and error - is still the best and most accurate method - not some mathematical formula based on wide-ranging averages.
That chart is based on persons on the low end of a healthy BMI range. If you are overweight, it takes more calories just to keep your body functioning than if you are in the normal weight range.
Don't get caught up in the numbers quite so much and don't do things that aren't good for your body. Eating too little will not only damage your body, it will most likely stall your weightloss at some point.
Just for another perspective, my friend's dad's doctor (He is the best brain, neck, spine surgeon in AZ), his nutritionist doctor says if you take your weight x 7 and of those calories burn 300 calories you will lose weight. So at 170 (your profile) you should eat 1140 and burn 300...I know that's under 1200, but that is what he recommends.
Air81, I'm sure that if I had just over 1,000 calories a day, I would lose weight (which is what it comes out to be using this X 7 method), but I am quite certain that this wouldn't be healthy. I would be weak, cranky with diminished cognitive function. I really don't recommend that anyone eats like that. I don't mean this to insult you at all....I appreciate you sharing what someone else said. I just wanted to share my own opinion that this kind of low calorie consumption will not lead to good long term results. Your body needs actual fuel to run and if you don't provide enough, it taps into its own resources and you end up with all kinds of vitamin/mineral defficiencies. Just food for thought.
Yeah, that formula says I should have *started* at 197 pounds with 1379 calories. Nope. By 160 I should have dropped to 1120. 1120! God knows how I'm losing now at 135, because I'm sure as heck not eating 945 calories a day plus exercise.
I'd hate to see anyone new depend on that formula.
Alright let me offer more insight into this idea for all of you. According to the Biggest Loser team, this 7x weight method is also used. However, if you weigh less than 150, you should eat around 1050 calories a day. Eating less than 1000calories is too low for any adult. This is just the professional opinion of their nutritionists and doctors.
For the next month, I will be doing this so I will be eating 1400-1470cal a day. I'm nervous because I naturally eat 1200-1400(pigging out) and I will have to force myself to eat that much food!
Oh Luckymommy, you didn't insult me, we are all entitled to our amateur(i'm an amateur I don't have a degree in any of this lol) and professional opinions. I have definitely learned that through speaking to so many nutritionists and doctors and THEY differ on their views of diet and exercise and calories
WebMD says "1000 calories a day"
