I was wondering if anyone had a good baseline amount of calories I should be taking in, or a recommendation of a site to give me that info. I am 5'3" and about 214lbs. I have been using fitday, and according to it it says I need 3004 calories to maintain my weight, given my current activity level (1 hour exercise per day, plus mostly seated work). This seems way high to me. I have been aiming for about 1700-1800 calories a day, but am not seeing much in the way of weight loss.
ARgh! Any help would be appreciated. I just need a general number to strive for.
Thanks.

Thanks everyone. The mayo clinic site said 2098. I am still going to shoot for 1800. At least now I know that seems reasonable.

I have been logging my food onto fitday as I eat it, meaning right after a meal or snack, not eating at my computer. I am trying to be very honest and even over-estimate a bit what I am eating.

I don't do a whole lot of snacking or tasting, which is part of why I am befuddled at the lack of loss.

My one NSV of the week was that I started a belly dancing class on Monday, and after the hour was up, I was sweating like crazy, but I could have kept going for at least another hour. A year and a half ago, I don't think I would have been able to say that.

I definitely don't over estimate my activity. My exercise consists of daily water aerobics classes, yoga and bellydancing. I work from home in a mostly seated job, but it requires frequent stretching breaks in which I will get up and empty the dishwasher or do a load of laundry. I figure that counts as fairly sedentary. I suppose I could count playing fetch with the cat as some light activity, but I just figure it is a bonus.

Thanks again for your help.
--Francie

Also keep in mind...

I have read in MANY places that people CONSISTANTLY under-estimate how much they eat and CONSISTANTLY over-estimate how active they are or how much they burn during exercise.

I’d like to think I’m the exception to that rule… but I’m guessing not .

I’ve also read that we tend to remember that really healthy bowl of oatmeal in the morning but tend to forget the less healthy bites and nibbles that might find their way into our bodies.

So… take it with a grain of salt if anybody tells you that there metabolism is very slow and that they can only eat ____ calories to maintain.

If you think about it on every nutrition label on every package of food in the USA says, “* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie calorie diet”. Most people in the US are not burning 3,000 cals a day... no matter what Fitday says.

The government uses 2000 as an average person… and I’m a little shorter than average so I guess it makes sense that 1800-2000 might be about right for me…

For a second opinion, click on:

Mayo Clinic: Daily calorie calculator

(I'm not a calorie counter, so I have never used it myself.)

I find fitday too high as well. I'm pretty active and I maintain at around 1500 calorie/day. Fitday conservatively says 2200 (even more if I'm really honest about how much I exercise). Denise's website has me at 1800.

Unfortunately, it's a lot of trial and error but you'll figure out what works for you.

Hang in there!

quote:

Originally posted by fbroadie:
I have been aiming for about 1700-1800 calories a day, but am not seeing much in the way of weight loss.

It looks like you have figured out some great info right here all on your own.

OK... so drop down to eating 1600 and add 150 cals of exercise or activity... and you should see a loss of about .5 lbs per week.

A 1/2 lb might seem slow... but it beats a poke in the eye with a sharp stick or staying the same or gaining...

I also find fitday to be VERY generous with the calories.

Mine comes out about right if let them calculate my basal and “seated work” calories and don’t add in any extra activities.

Calories Burned Today
Total: 1814
Basal: 1251
Lifestyle: 563
Activities: 0

I’m pretty sure that I maintain on about 1800-2000 calories and I lose at about 1600 or less.

And Fitday gives you what they think that I need to maintain, not lose.

The Mayo Clinic has another calculator that might work better for you… Well it works “differently”… I’m not sure if it is “better” .

https://www.mayoclinic.com/invoke.cfm?objectid=4C466CA1...DE512E057#resulttext

I had to put in 10 hours a week of vigorous activity to get it up to 1800+ calories. But it only gives you a choice of light, moderate and vigorous, and I do some of all those levels - but not 10 hours of vigorous .

The very best gauge is your own trial and error!

I think that metabolisms vary. I know that I need about 1300-1350 calories to maintain- I should be a bit higher. (I am a moderate exerciser, though- not heavy.)
Sometimes fitday figures too high.


I was just thinking (as I tasted a bite of pasta I am preparing for dinner) that with the few extra bites a day and the food "officially" logged on fitday, I am probably nearer to 1400-1450 to maintain.
I keep wanting those extra bites to be calorie exempt.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Sandy,