- Pregnancy
- Baby & Toddler
- Parents
- Getting Pregnant
- Baby Names
- Product Reviews
-
Registry
- Community
-
More
Want a personalized experience?
Download the free app
Parenting
Thoughts About Calorie Intake
Someone asked about using fitness tracker and if she was eating enough calories.
Here's my two cents:
I don't feel that a woman should eat below 1200 calories. If anything, I recommend keeping calories between 1200-1500 a day.
Also, the calories consumed should be quality calories. For example, a whole piece of food (a piece of grilled chicken or fruit) is much better than food that consists of non-nutrient empty calories (brownie, package food, etc.)
So, here's my recommendation for figuring out how to determin your daily calorie intake goal:
Protein: approximatley .08 grams per pound of bodyweight (4 calories per gram)
Fat: between 20-30 grams (9 calories per gram)
Carbs: the Carb grams will make up the existing calories. (4 calories per gram)
Of course, this does not take into consideration your Basal Metabolic Rate (calories your body burns on its own during rest and regular daily activity). Regardless of that number, you need to create a weekly calorie deficet to shed the pounds.
Does that make sense?
"Fvuck 'em if they can't take a joke." - Bette Midler
Boom Shaka Laka
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Thoughts About Calorie Intake
I went to grad school to get my RD. I don't know the background on this, but I think you're a little low. Anything below 1200 calories is considered starvation. Most doctors recommend between 1800-2000 calories per day for women. I also think you're low on your fat recommendation. Your fat should be 25-25% of your intake every day which is around 50-70 grams if you are on a 2000 calorie a day diet. Saturated fat should be below 16 grams.
I'm only 4'11" but am so active I'm supposedly supposed to eat 2400 calories a day according to mfp.
That 1500 would leave me keeled over
My MFP says my BMR is like 2200 calories and gives me 1830 calories a day, to hypothetically lose 2 lbs a week. But I am a big girl, hence why my BMR is so high.
I totally agree. Obviously every one is a little different and should follow doctor's advice but in general, I am with you 100%.
1200-1500 is even too low for a lot of people, particularly if they are working out.
Also, I need more protein, personally. Anything that is not a protein calorie is a carb or a fat, and if I eat too many carbs (even what is considered "normal"), I balloon. I aim to get about 40% of my calories from protein.
You have many thoughts today, Tuna.
This.
Down with carbs! Fat isn't bad!
DS2 - Oct 2010 (my VBAC baby!)
It was a generalized statement to help those gals trying to make sense of calories intake.
Many people don't take into consideration which or how protein, carb and fat grams contribute to overall daily calorie intake.
To get all technical - an honest BMR and RMR should be determined after metobolic testing, and a nutrition and exercise plan should be created based on the results.
The content in the OP shouldn't be taken as gospel. Everyone is different. It takes some time for a person to figure out what (foods, calories, exercise) works for them.
I was thinking the same thing. And the cutting calories or cut back on strength? Sounds like the nutritionist only cares about numbers on the scale not overall health
Or find another docotor and nutritionalist....where did you get those recommendations? Medifast?
And why would they advise you to ease up on your strength training?
I agree with this. I can lose weight eating 1800 calories/day if I'm working out, eating enough protein, and limiting carbs to 1 meal/day.
Charlotte Ella 07.16.10
Emmeline Grace 03.27.13
please see reply about generalized statement....everyone is different.
It's actually true a woman shouldn't eat below 1200 calories. Around that point it throws your body into starvation mode.
https://straighthealth.com/pages/articles/darticles/starvation-mode.html
Your body burns calories just from functioning. Unless you are lying in bed all day everyday, there's no need to drop below 1200 calories.
Eh, I agree it's great to lose weight. My SIL lost a bunch of weight on it but now all she eats is processed foods that happen to be lowfat. I wouldn't argue that she's gotten any healthier. I think crap like that is what's slowly killing people.
Then she's not using the program correctly.
DH and I started WW 5 weeks ago and we hardly eat any processed foods. We mostly eat fresh vegetables, fruit and meats. I know they make frozen meals, but I've never had them.
*inserts antecdote about how I'm genetically tall and thin here*
KC.....YOU DON'T KNOW IT ALL
Actually, some people can go under 1200/day. Again....everyone is different.
It depends on the situation.
For example:
- A bodybuilder preping for a comp, eating under 1200 to look a certain way on stage on competition day
- Someone who just had gastric bypass surgey needs to eat under a certain calories, as well as specific foods to accomodate a new stomach
A person who..
oh never mind. I guess if you found it on the internet, it must be true
*sigh*
That's good! I never used the program myself, I just have witnessed my SIL doing it. Her fridge is full of lowfat everything. That crap is the devil IMO.
Agreed!
Some rare exceptions don't make that general statement any less true. I'd argue a bodybuilder who's starving their body so they can look better for a competition isn't doing it for the right reasons. Someone cutting calories after major abdominal surgery probably does have a good reason to.
And actually, I took nutrition courses in college.
You don't understand that sport.
I guess if you took a nutrition class in college, you're a good source of information.
You just killed this thread for me.
I'm out................
That's a stupid rationalization. Just because someone does something for sport doesn't make it healthy for their body. Sure, for them maybe it's worth it. It doesn't make the statement that one should keep their calories at or above 1200 for optimal health any less true.
That's a stupid rationalization. Just because someone does something for sport doesn't make it healthy for their body. Sure, for them maybe it's worth it. It doesn't make the statement that one should keep their calories at or above 1200 for optimal health any less true.
Whats with the crazy overreactoin
Look. I know K.C. likes to act like an expert about everything.
This time, she really ticked me off.
Yes, I understand that she's free to post whereever she wants on a public internet message board.
But when I saw her post in this thread, I flipped my b1tch switch.
*passes tuna a light beer*
If something like that would get you all riled up, you should probably step away from the computer.
Well, at the same time, you came and made this post as if you're a nutrition expert and it was seemingly out of left field. So there's that.
I like you but this is stupid
I hate beer
It's a side of me that I haven't shared. I'm not an expert, but I've spent that last 10 years or so studying this subject.
Amen, sister.
LOL
I started this post to provide my two-cents regarding an inquiry that someone made. That is all.
Nope. She just freaked out over nothing. Which was kind of ironic because in her exact post she said people shouldn't drop below 1200 calories a day which I AGREED with. It's pretty comical.