Sorry but HOW many calories per day to maintain bmi at 25??

[LoveYouTimMinchin]

My bmi is above 25 at the moment and the sunny weather has motivated me to shed some pounds, like millions of us at this time of year.

I'm below average height so having a bmi of 25 would still make me pretty chubby - I would wear a size 12 at that weight, for context. But I need to be realistic. I've only had a bmi of lower than 25 for about 10 of my adult years and that time I smoked 20 cigarettes a day and didn't eat healthily.

So bmi 25 is my target and I looked up my calorie requirements to MAINTAIN that weight, not reach it.

The daily figure is 1405 . I feel kind of defeated before I start. And no wonder people find it really hard to keep weight off after they've lost it.

If had a target of bmi 23, the maintenance figure would be 1345.

So people who say it's easy to lose weight, you can stick that in your pipe and smoke it.

[totallyliterally]

You just have to be clever with food. Cut out empty calories from drinks.

Start with a good breakfast, eggs, oats etc.

I'm currently doing 1250 calories a day and eating 3 meals and having post workout snack.

Yes the first week is shit, but it gets easier.

But I'm trying to lose 2-3 stone.

Best advice is just start.

[Ummmmgogo]

after a while your stomach will shrink and you will be full on less. plus you can excersise if you want a few more calories to eat. you can do this good luck!

[Viviennemary]

I don't think you can give an amount of calories to stay at a certain weight. It will depend on quite a lot of things and will vary from person to person. . I think 1450 calories isn't much to sustain in the very long term. Why not aim for say 1500 in the short term to start with and up your exercise. And cut down on carbs. I find if I don't eat bread I lose weight. But it's hard.

[PickAChew]

Unless you're short and elderly, that maintenance value probably assumes you're sitting on your arse all day. I maintain at 1800 calories but I'm middle aged, 5'4 and quite active.

[NeedAUsernameGenerator]

I don't think that's right. My BMI is around 25 and I can eat closer to 2000. If I cut down to 1500 I lose about 1lb a week.

[LoveYouTimMinchin]

I am fairly inactive but not totally immobile.

If I upped my activity level to exercising 4 times per week the maintenance figure would be 1661 per day to maintain bmi 25, and 1590 to maintain bmi 23.

[LoveYouTimMinchin]

Out of interest, why don't you think that's right NeedAUG?

I've used an online calorie calculator and an online bmi calculator. I'm not sure what else I can do to get an accurate figure?

[PickAChew]

This is the difference being more active makes (yes I did have a crap night, last night!)

[DuchyDuke]

How tall are you? If over 5 ft 2 then the 1400 figure assumes you to be in a coma. Basically someone that height who is in a coma will maintain their weight on 1400 cals.

As you are not in a coma your maintenance value will be higher - at least 1700 -1800 cals but maybe more. I have pcos and low thyroid so have a shit metabolism but even I can maintain my weight on 2000 cals per day (I walk a lot).

[FATEdestiny]

My lazy day (last Monday) compared to active day (this Monday)

9th April - 1897 calories (my BMI is currently 33) for basically sitting on the sofa all day.

16th April - 3024 calories after an 8k dog walk plus a 5k jog.

I eat around 1500 calories a day (give or take 100)

[AlexanderHamilton]

Dd is a dancer & she has a book telling you how to maintain weight according to the level & type of excercise you do. There is a formula which works it out according to your body resting rate then you add in a typical day from sImple household/office tasks to a high energy excercise class. If you tell me your height, current weight & what your weight is at BMI 25 & outline what your typical excercise is I can look tonight.

[Lifeaback]

First of all, bmi is by no means a good way of working out a healthy weight so I don't think you should be making your calculations based on what bmi you want to be at.

Have you worked out your basal metabolic rate? (I'm assuming that's where you're getting your figures from but just wanted to check). That shows how many calories your body burns just by being alive. Once you've done that, download something like mfp or an app which tracks your steps to work out an average. 8,000 steps a day (based on my weight) burns 304 calories. So that already gives you an allowance of around 1600 calories to maintain weight, and that's with no strenuous exercising just the average amount of walking. Add a few light exercise sessions in there weekly (remember that people don't just exercise for weight loss and carry on exercising during maintenance because it has so many benefits) and you're easily at around 2000 calories allowance daily, which is a very comfortable and non restrictive amount to be eating.

Losing weight isn't easy. That's why there are so many overweight and obese people. Gaining weight is easier than losing it. Becoming fat is easier than becoming skinny. We have very negative mental attitudes toward food in the western world, which is why we're in the state that we're in with such high obesity rates

[stevie69]

It's hard. I lost six stones during my 40s and have to be constantly on the ball—and when I'm not on the ball, I'm in the gym—to maintain my treasured new shape.

Sorry to be able to offer little comfort

[LoveYouTimMinchin]

Duchy Duke

No, the basal metabolic rate with the same stats is 1121. I do know what I'm doing here.

[PickAChew]

My more active day is less extreme! Popped to the farmers market in the morning and a retail park in the afternoon, both by bus, did some housework and took ds1 for a hilly 4km pokewalk in the evening when it had cooked down a little. Basically to the park, through the park and back home again.

[MaMisled]

My bmi is currently 23 after losing 4 st. I'm 5ft 2in and 8st 5lb. I'm still eating 1450 cals a day as I have all the way through my diet (11 mths) and I'm still losing about half a pound a month.

[NeedAUsernameGenerator]

I missed the part where you said you are shorter than average in my first reply. I am average height (5'5) at a BMI of 25.5 so maybe that's the difference between us? I am moderately active (walking only) and my Fitbit tells me my daily calories are from 1800-2300, commonly around 1900.

[LoveYouTimMinchin]

I'm 5'2" and the bmi calculator I used said I would have a bmi of 23 at 9 stone.

[BodgingThisMumThing]

I’m eating 1550 calories per day, would have done 1200 but I’m breast feeding so my doctor recommended adding 300 which is a minimum to breast feed. I have lost 13lbs in 7 weeks so far, in that time I’ve drank a bit a lot of wine, had fish and chips, Chinese takeaway etc so I never deprive myself and just start again the next day.
I’m definitely definitely losing weight and I’m 5,6. I don’t actually think lowering calories is the best way even though I do calorie count, fill up on fruit and veg, none of that carbs make you fat bollocks, fruit and veg is good for you.
I also do bugger all exercise which is awful and I will start exercising now my son will take a bottle. 1200 isn’t sustainable long term, but lowering by anything will give you weight loss.

[BodgingThisMumThing]

Oh also my BMI is 25 exactly, but I am still losing weight. I think I’d need 1800-2000 a day to maintain.

[ItsAllGoingToBeFine]

I'm below average height so having a bmi of 25

BMI uses height in the formula.

[TheNoseyProject]

Isn’t that the basal metabolic number op - as in the minimum to feed your body before you do anything? Unless you’re under 5 foot I can’t find anything that says that low which isn’t basal metabolic.

[AlexanderHamilton]

Your resting metabolic rate calories is 126, & that’s just eating, sitting & sleeping. So include a 10 min walk per day plus a bit of housework & you should be fine.

[AlexanderHamilton]

Sorry that should read 1520 calories per day resting.