how many calories do you eat per day?

amother

Sun, Feb 27 2011, 4:37 am

I am really struggling with this one.
According to my cereal box, I am supposed to eat 2000 calories a day. I am 4 foot 10.5 inches, which is short.
I simply cannot cannot eat 2000 a day - I mean, physically I CAN, when I say I cannot it means I cannot eat that amount a day and not become obese.
So I asked my doctor and he said for my height I should be eating 1,200 a day. But that still feels too much for me. I don't think I need more than 900 a day, and I am very full and feel good on this amount.
How can it be that a woman is supposed to eat so many calories a day? If you work it out, you will be eating tons.
I have 200 cals for breakfast (cereal)
300 for lunch (150 on crackers, 100 on cottage cheese and 50 on fresh salad)
300 for supper (chicken breast, or piece of fish, with vegetables)
100 on snacks during the day (2 fruits at 50 cals each, or the like)

How do I need more than that? I am so short don't forget.
How can it be that I should be eating 2000 or is my cereal box talking nonsense?

How many cals do you eat a day?

crush

Sun, Feb 27 2011, 4:58 am

Ok, honey, now you're making me feel bad. I thought this post would be venting how you eat so many calories, not that you eat too little! Yes, you're list makes sense, if you're totally disciplined and healthy and dietetic. But you forgot to write the chocolate! And cookies! And cakes! Ok, maybe not for you, for if you're asking how I get all those calories, um, yeah. That's where. Trust me, 2,000 calories can add up quite fast in my world.

freidasima

Sun, Feb 27 2011, 4:58 am

If you do hard labor you can use 2000 calories a day. That having been said you can do fine at your height between 1000-1500 depending on what you weigh and your exercise level.

I'm 5.2 at that height depending on whether I want to lose or maintain I should be eating between 1000 to 1500 calories a day at my exercise level.

3mitzvos

Sun, Feb 27 2011, 5:12 am

wow -- OP, you eat so healthy! do you ever have nosh? 900 calories seems to be very low, though. I know you're short, but still. How long have you been eating 900 cals/day? Have you been losing weight or maintaining? Do you have a thyroid issue? I'm 5'5" and I exercise about an hour a day. I'm currently trying to lose a nice amount of weight, and according to Livestrong.com, I'm supposed to be eating around 1200 cals/day in order to lose 3 lbs a week.

amother

Sun, Feb 27 2011, 5:41 am

I am sorry I didn't explain properly.
I can EASILY eat 2000 or 3000 a day!!!! and I do very often!!!!
but when I am trying to lose or maintain, I really feel 900 (sometimes 800) is plenty and more realistic for my height.
this is NOT a post to show off how little I eat because I REALLY don't besides for losing or maintaining coz I have a wedding or something. but in normal times.... bring on the calories!!!!!

So let me ask again... when you are DIETING, how much cals do you eat?

cassandra

Sun, Feb 27 2011, 5:50 am

If you feel good and energetic and not hungry on 900, eat 900. If you can limit what you eat to just what you are hungry for and feel good at, don't even count calories-- just eat like that!

In the kitchen

Sun, Feb 27 2011, 5:58 am

What do you mean by your cereal box tells you? Are you talking about the nutrition facts where it says "based on a 2,000 calorie diet"? OR is there a big chart somewhere on the box that takes into account gender height weight and build or something similar?

amother

Sun, Feb 27 2011, 7:16 am

Yeah, on the cereal box it says based on a 2000 calorie diet and it makes me wonder who when eating healthy eats that amount?
Not talking about mega active ppl, I am talking about the average woman, in an office job, a teacher, a nurse etc.... 2000 cals? seriously?

ewa-jo

Sun, Feb 27 2011, 8:47 am

IMO, the 'based on a 2000 calorie diet' thing is a clever way to manipulate nutritional info to make the food seem healthier.

Let's say that a serving of some food (let's say it's cookies) is 200 calories, then you think 'oh, this is 1/10 of my daily calories... that's not so bad' (based on 2000 calories/day)

But if the box said 'based on a 1200 calorie diet' then the same serving of cookies is 1/6 of your daily calorie intake. So maybe you won't eat the cookies now.

The cookie company wants you to eat more cookies, so they'll make the nutritional info (% of daily fat intake, % of daily carbs..etc) based on 2000 calories.

amother

Sun, Feb 27 2011, 9:56 am

How much do you weigh? To figure out how many calories you need make your weight into kg (divide by 2.2) then times it by 25-30cal per kg. If you want to lose weigt times it by 20-25

simhat_nisuyyin

Sun, Feb 27 2011, 9:57 am

You should remember that half of people are men. My husband is 5'9" (compact frame) and easily eats 2000-2500 calories a day, and he's a thin, in-shape guy. Also, I am 5'8" and eat about 2000 (sometimes a bit less, often a little bit more). I am not overweight. Though I work out 3-5 times a week and my work outs burn 250-500 calories regularly. A lot depends on metabolism (though I have thyroid issues, and mine is not very good!), fat distribution, and activity level. I need to eat as much as I do to have energy and stay as healthy and active as I am, and some women need much less. I think a lot also depends on the TYPE of calories you eat. My calories are made up mostly of whole, healthy food-- unless someone's brought me gummies. So unless there are gummies around, I would say most of my calories go into the maintenance of a healthy body, rather than towards the storing of fat in awkward places.

amother

Sun, Feb 27 2011, 12:10 pm

ewa-jo I like your theory! it makes sense.

nope, I just checked my cereal box again and it says based on a recommended diet on 2,000 cals per day for a woman and 2,500 for a man!!!!
But if an average woman ate 2,000 then she will almost certainly be obese!!! I am not talking about someone very active or very tall, I am talking about the average 5 foot woman who works out 3 times a week.
How can it be that 2,000 is recommended????????????????????????????????????????????????????

Ruchel

Sun, Feb 27 2011, 12:14 pm

I'm 5'10. If I eat 1100 and more, I gain (slowly if 1100, quickly if much more like 1500).

When I diet, I eat 700, up to 800 if need be. I lose slowly under 1000 but then I'm not motivated.

That's what works for me. When I listened to professionals who told me you're young and tall, eat 1500, I was better off eating just like I wanted, like 2000, and gaining while enjoying.

mirror

Sun, Feb 27 2011, 12:32 pm

I've been reading lots of books relating to this. I can say this: The body requires more calories to digest protein than to digest simple carbs, such as cookies.

That's why Weight Watchers reformulated its guidelines so that if you eat foods that are high in protein, you are allowed more points than if you eat carbs with the same calorie content.

DovDov

Mon, Feb 28 2011, 11:55 am

I'm 5'9" and very, very obese. I lost 15 lbs in the past 6 weeks on a 2000+ calorie diet. Part of it is the height and part the weight, but if I went down to 900 my body would be well in starvation mode.