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SLIMMERKIWI SparkPoints: (138,254)
Fitness Minutes: (33,254)
Posts: 21,853
8/20/13 2:53 A

I know it isn't answering the OP's question, but I have already done that, but I am really concerned at the members who are knowingly consuming far too little. Please be aware that it isn't safe for your long-term health. You are putting yourself at risk of a variety of serious health conditions including painful osteoporosis, blindness, brain damage, other organ damage .... and the list goes on!


RUSSELL_40 Posts: 16,826
8/20/13 2:16 A

I eat 2000-2100 a day right now. I started doing low carb, and aiming for 1800, just based on a doctor's guess. I lost so fast, I was hungry, and just started upping calories. I topped out at around 3200, and as I lost 150 lbs, I sometimes ate as low as 1600, but that usually caused me to cheat, so around 2100 seems to be where I feel full, but not stuffed.

I love food, so my goal is the most food I can eat , and maintain a few lbs loss every What changed was the type of food, so I don't binge.

SONICB Posts: 4,262
8/19/13 5:52 P

I eat around 1600-1700 calories a day when trying to lose weight (usually pretty slowly) if I find I am more than a couple of pounds higher than where I am comfortable. In maintenance, I eat 1700-2200 because I feel best when I eat in that range. This summer I was eating around 2600 calories most days and was not active enough, so I gained around 5 pounds. Whoops!

JENNILACEY SparkPoints: (77,129)
Fitness Minutes: (72,849)
Posts: 2,489
8/19/13 5:29 P

When I'm losing weight... I average 1400-1600 cals to lose 1 lb/week.

I seem to maintain averaging 1900-2100 cals.

How did I come up with that number? Spark determines my calorie range based on my age, gender, weight, activity level and exercise calories burned but also the trends on the scale over time.

ETA- Like Russel above, eating too little I feel deprived and wind up starving and eventually succumb to temptation. I try to be very careful I am getting enough calories so that doesn't happen. I find I'm usually feeling the deprivation by the 4th day when I am losing weight so I plan ahead to consume more calories every 4th day. I usually eat around 1400-1600 cals for 3 days and then 1 day at 1700-1800 cals. I am not afraid to eat at my TDEE once in awhile if my body needs that. I'd rather beat it to the punch before my hunger decides it wants a pint of ice cream after dinner.

Edited by: JENNILACEY at: 8/20/2013 (08:30)
REDMOUNTAIN SparkPoints: (7,722)
Fitness Minutes: (4,620)
Posts: 176
8/19/13 3:52 P

About 1500 a day. I was told by the doctor to eat 1500 calories and 45 grams of fat.

NANLEYKW SparkPoints: (59,408)
Fitness Minutes: (29,299)
Posts: 847
8/19/13 3:22 P

My SP range is currently 1550-1900, and I'd say I'm usually around 1700-1800.

RENATARUNS SparkPoints: (3,938)
Fitness Minutes: (2,155)
Posts: 1,236
8/19/13 3:09 P

I'm in maintenance now, and it seems like I continue to lose weight if I don't keep calories above about 1800-2000 per day, more if I'm exercising a lot. It feels like a ridiculous amount of food. I don't think I ever fully realized before how much of what I was eating was pure junk, because with that stuff largely gone from my diet I'm finding I have to make a conscious effort to eat enough to maintain my current weight.

While I was still losing weight, the couple times I checked it seemed I was eating 1500-1700 calories when exercising a lot, and somewhat less than that when i wasn't.

BITTERQUILL Posts: 1,370
8/19/13 2:27 P

I used SP to determine my original range (it gave me 1200-1550, and I started out eating toward the lower end of that). I use the "new" fitness tracker method but I try not to "eat back" all the calories I burn. My intake average is now around 1500, sometimes a little higher. Exercise made the biggest difference for me. I work out six days a week (about two thirds cardio, one third strength training) and when I increased exercise and intake I was losing weight faster than I did when I was less active and eating 1200/day. Recently it has started to slow down a little as I reach my goal, but it's still a lot faster than it would be without exercise, that's for sure.

The numbers are rarely perfect for everyone, so it can take a little bit of practice, experimenting with different calorie ranges and activity levels, to find a balance that keeps you feeling good and creates a deficit that is appropriate for your goals.

Edited by: BITTERQUILL at: 8/19/2013 (14:30)
WADINGMOOSE Posts: 1,044
8/19/13 2:13 P

1500-1800 thanks to the SP nutrition tracker with my exercise goals set.

MELBA321 Posts: 66
8/19/13 1:06 P

900-1500 calories. I'm currently trying to find a balance and get myself to eat at least 1400 calories, but it is very hard for me. I use to drink up to 1000 calories, and eat closer to 1000 calories (with either maintaining weight or losing very slowly), but after quitting soda and glutinous foods, I am having a hard time adding "food calories" to replace. I think I will have to resort to adding a nutritional shake into my meal plan.

GLEBRI SparkPoints: (3,599)
Fitness Minutes: (2,472)
Posts: 14
8/19/13 12:39 P

1200-1550 but I tend to lean more toward the 1550 since I have been exercising a little harder. I do notice that since I started about 3 weeks ago I don't crave junk food any more and am satisfied with eating less. Yesterday while the whole family bought ice cream cones I declined not because I was conscience of what I was eating but because an ice cream cone truly did not sound good. Strange but loving it!!!

XOBLUEROSE72 SparkPoints: (1,321)
Fitness Minutes: (701)
Posts: 6
8/19/13 12:20 P

1,000-1,200 calories a day emoticon

ROXIELU0422 Posts: 317
8/19/13 12:11 P

1000-1500 depending on what I am doing activity wise.

JAZZYGF Posts: 861
8/19/13 11:33 A

on a good day 900
I don't eat enough

SLIMMERKIWI SparkPoints: (138,254)
Fitness Minutes: (33,254)
Posts: 21,853
8/16/13 10:16 P

1500 - 1600 cal's per day.

My dietitian initially put me on 1400 (no range) to lose weight. I keep a daily spreadsheet, and after entering all food for the day on the SP Nutrition Tracker, I transfer calories over to the spreadsheet, daily. Every now and then I would average them out and found that an average of 1600 calories allowed me to stay the same weight - more and in time I gained, less I would lose. I have been doing this for a long time, and have been at goal weight for nearly 3yrs, and I still do it. It is what keeps me in the right place :-)


8/16/13 9:47 P


CHIBI_TOTORO SparkPoints: (147)
Fitness Minutes: (0)
Posts: 79
8/16/13 5:03 P

For right now, i'll just let sparks tell me. (1200-1500). it's a range my doc is comfortable with, too.

as i get active, that might change....

MEGAPEEJ Posts: 732
8/16/13 4:56 P

My Spark range is 1550-1900, and I usually average 1800. I got my range from entering a slower goal (I can only expect to lose 1/2 lb a week at the most, and 1/4 is more reasonable) and an average of about 200 calories of exercise a day. I'm also 5'10", so I'll require a slightly higher calorie count to maintain my weight when I hit goal.

Even starting out when I could lose more quickly, my range was 1500-1850, and I was still close to that 1800 mark.

Edited by: MEGAPEEJ at: 8/16/2013 (17:03)
BUNNYKICKS Posts: 2,329
8/16/13 4:28 P

1200-1550, and I came up with the number by plugging in my current weight, goal weight, activity level and desired weekly loss targets into Spark, and voila. That's the range I was given. I didn't used to exercise much and I have a sedentary job, so, I just stuck to that range. Now that I am more active, I will assess whether I need extra calories by plunking in any significant activity I might do, into the Fitness Tracker.

And when I stick to the Spark-assigned ranges, my weight loss has been reasonably steady.

DIDS70 Posts: 5,100
8/16/13 4:27 P

hard to say. i don't really track here. Most of what i eat is fruit, veggies, nuts and seeds. I probably eat between 1300-1500 calories a day.

SLASALLE SparkPoints: (169,469)
Fitness Minutes: (69,522)
Posts: 9,376
8/16/13 4:26 P

I eat usually 1300-1580 calories per day. I came up with my calorie range by using SparkPeople. Under your "Start" menu, you can do the same thing. Spark will ask you a series of questions. What you will need is your height, weight, age and about how much you exercise (or are going to exercise) each week. Knowing your calorie burn in exercise is the best way.

Hope this helps!

PRINCESSAA12 Posts: 470
8/16/13 3:56 P

... and how did you come up with that number? This is just for me to get an idea of how the rest of you eat. Thanks!

Edited by: PRINCESSAA12 at: 8/16/2013 (15:57)
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