What is a sensible abount of calories

[thedogsmother]

Can anyone tell me what a sensible amount of calories a day is, I am sticking to 1000 calories a day but Ive been told that I shouldnt go below 1200, Im managing fine on 1000 and dont feel hungry, but I dont want to stop loosing weight because my metabolism slows down (unless thats an old wives tale)

 

[Pippa1703]

I'm no expert but it depends on your weight and how much you want to lose, its recommended that you should only aim to lose at a rate 2 lbs a week.
For example, I'm 5'11, weighed 240, aiming for 170, to lose 2lb a week, I had to cut to 1540, now I've lost 20lbs, I've reduced to 1400 because my body needs less energy to function.
I'm no doctor though!
I have a good app on my iPhone called 'mynetdiary', it works it all out for you and gives you a date that you should realistically meet your goal. Mine was September but because I've lost quite quick it hopped back to august

Sent from my iPhone using MiniMins

 

[Emmaline]

Hi Dtm, First of all, I am on a 1000 calorie diet altho' I tailor it round the OLD WW which is by process of serving sizes by weighing most things. I am only 5feet and disabled slightly so am not able to exercise and quite sedentary. So on 1000 cals can only lose an mere one pound a week if I am really good.
You also need to take into account that if you start too low, when you come to a plateau it will be unsafe to go lower to get things going again.
It would be a good idea to Google it if you can't get the proper info' anywhere else.

All the very best with your efforts....

 

[thedogsmother]

Thanks for the replies, I am pretty active as Ive got two children who keep me on the go and two german shepherds who need at least one long walk a day. I asked the nurse at the gps and was basically told that if Im not feeling faint then I should be ok, and shes supposed to be the dietary nurse. Im going to have a google now and see what I find out, I cant imagine dropping much below 1000 if the weight loss plateaus.

 

[Fattack]

Hi! Bit of a wannabe nutritionist here (starting a course next year!). At your current weight and height, yes, it is a bit unhealthy for you to go so low, and your body will have difficulties shedding weight long-term.

I hope you don't mind, but I put some of your details into a website that calculates how many calories you need to have per day to lose 2lbs a week and it came out with around 1700kcals at your height and current weight. This is regardless of exercise - you can eat the *burnt* calories back and go over 1700 on a day where you do that extra bit of exercise. However you may want to lose more than 2lbs a week, in which case you may not want to eat those calories back As you're pretty active, you'll probably notice a good loss on 1700.

I'm a big fan of eating as many calories as recommended to lose weight, because then if you start to plateau you can recalculate (with your new weight) and reduce as needed - if you start on 1200 and then plateau, then you can't really reduce by much more without damaging your health too much, at your height.

As you've been functioning on 1000kcals a day, you may be thinking "oh god how can I increase to 1700 without gaining weight!". You may well gain weight in the first week or two at 1700 whilst your body readjusts from not starving itself, but after a few weeks you'll be losing again. An easy way to increase the number of calories you eat without being unhealthy or feeling like you're stuffing yourself is simply by adding things to your meals. E.g. adding some nuts to your cereal, cooking with olive oil, adding avocados and olives to your salads, drinking more milk / fruit juice. Good luck!

 

[thedogsmother]

Thanks so much Fattack I have to admit Im finding it all very confusing, Im supposed to be getting help from the nurse at the gps but when I told her I was on 1000 calories a day she didnt really comment, I think Ive got it into my head that I just want this weight gone asap and Im rushing it, I will up my calories but I think I'll have to do it gradually.

 

[Fattack]

You're more than welcome! Glad I could help

 

[rowanx2]

I started on 1800 calories last time and lost well - with your BMI I should think even if you went as high as 2000 on some days you would still lose.
I think you would lose more upping your calories than on 1,000 - ''eat to lose''.
Good luck xx

 

[The Moog]

Hi! Bit of a wannabe nutritionist here (starting a course next year!). At your current weight and height, yes, it is a bit unhealthy for you to go so low, and your body will have difficulties shedding weight long-term...

I'm a big fan of eating as many calories as recommended to lose weight, because then if you start to plateau you can recalculate (with your new weight) and reduce as needed - if you start on 1200 and then plateau, then you can't really reduce by much more without damaging your health too much, at your height.

I've got to disagree with you here. I'm on a medically supervised low cal diet (600-800 cals per day) in order to lose weight. At 1500 cals a day, I maintain. At 1700, I gain weight.

No, I'm not damaging my health by eating a low calorie balanced diet - none of my calories are 'wasted' calories for 'treats'. I eat my 5+ fruit/veg per day, I eat good proteins etc and GP, Nutritionist and Physio are all very pleased with my progress.

I appreciate that my body doesn't work in a 'normal' way, so my calorie counting wouldn't be good for most people. Different things work for different people.

 

[Fattack]

I've got to disagree with you here. I'm on a medically supervised low cal diet (600-800 cals per day) in order to lose weight. At 1500 cals a day, I maintain. At 1700, I gain weight.

No, I'm not damaging my health by eating a low calorie balanced diet - none of my calories are 'wasted' calories for 'treats'. I eat my 5+ fruit/veg per day, I eat good proteins etc and GP, Nutritionist and Physio are all very pleased with my progress.

I appreciate that my body doesn't work in a 'normal' way, so my calorie counting wouldn't be good for most people. Different things work for different people.

I'm not sure exactly what you're disagreeing with. VLCD (very low calorie diets) are not meant for long-term usage. Dropping below 1000calories (or less, if you're older, or sedentary) for more than a short-term period can lead to medical problems and other issues (even if you're eating a nutritionally fortified diet. This is why even diets such as Cambridge which provide you with all your RDAs are only recommended for a certain number of weeks).

I don't know your personal medical situation, but you have access to an array of experts that some people do not have access to in their NHS area (OP even went to a nurse who clearly wasn't very helpful) and are losing weight without being unhealthy, so you are obviously doing fine and being supervised, so that's fantastic and well done But you're the exception, rather than the rule - and naturally some people may find they aren't losing on the *recommended* amount of calories, in which case they will need that support that you have in place so that they don't end up lacking in nutrients.

 

[The Moog]

I'm disagreeing simply because not one size fits all. I don't know the OP's background and I don't know what works for her. Your recommendations may work for her, they may not. All I wanted to point out is that it's not the only route. These things aren't cast in stone.

Medical services are out there to support. I would wholeheartedly recommend running diets past the GP anyway - any diet can cause deficiencies and it's wise to be checked up on periodically.

 

[Fattack]

I agree entirely