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Original poster

Isn't it time we stopped saying 200/2500 calories a day?

82 replies

hidinginthenightgarden · 19/08/2018 19:37

This is what the NHS website says.
"Within a healthy, balanced diet, a man needs around 10,500kJ (2,500kcal) a day to maintain his weight. For a woman, that figure is around 8,400kJ (2,000kcal) a day.
These values can vary depending on age, metabolism and levels of physical activity, among other things."

People will look at that and think they can have 2000 calories a day, more if they exercise a lot. But that isn't the case.
Shouldn't it say around 1500 calories (for women) but varies with age, activity levels etc? That way people will eat up to 2000 calories when doing exercise not when sat on their arse?

2000/2500 is taught at a young age but the "this varies depending on exercise" bit isn't! I teach maths and one of the exam papers even has a task where you work out what 1 third of your 2000 calories is and pick meal from a fast food menu to "fit in with your recommended calories". Hmm

I just think it would help with the obesity levels to re-educate people and this is probably a good place to start.

OP posts:
AssassinatedBeauty · 19/08/2018 19:44

1500 calories would mean most women would lose weight, surely? If you think it should be lower then an adjustment to 1800 might be justifiable. 2000/2500 is a simple rough guide, not advice to follow.

I don't think that this figure is responsible for the obesity upsurge, in any real way.

kaytee87 · 19/08/2018 19:45

You're not wrong. The average woman is 5"4 and most don't have very active jobs.

Original poster
hidinginthenightgarden · 19/08/2018 19:48

I don't think a lot of women would loose weight. I think those that burnt more would eat more but I know a lot of people who think they can have "around" 2000 calories and take that to mean 2000-2300 without doing any exercise. These are mainly teenagers/young adults between 17-24.
I don't think it alone is responsible but I do think it would help control it, if a binge day was stopping at 2000 not up to 2300ish.

OP posts:

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SouthernComforts · 19/08/2018 19:50

Agree. I'm 5'8 and 1500 calories is for maintenance, currently trying to lose a few pounds and need to drop to 1200 realistically. I sit at a desk for 40 hours a week so I appreciate active folk need more!

AssassinatedBeauty · 19/08/2018 19:53

1500 calories is only a small amount over a typical BMR, which would mean that over time most women would lose weight.

I don't think you'd be able to persuade the NHS and HCPs to suggest a daily calorie intake that would result in weight loss for most, in order to try to stop those who overeat from doing so.

Mide7 · 19/08/2018 19:53

Whatever the recommended amounts most people still have no idea what they’re eating.

Shenanagins · 19/08/2018 19:54

If I want to maintain my weight I eat around 1400 a day and I exercise a lot, which includes a minimum 10 mile run a wide. To lose weight I go down to 1200 calories a day.

What I do try to ensure is that I eat proper filing food, eg porridge rather than empty calories, although wine and crisps is a weakness!

I do think that a lot of people don’t realise that 2000 calories is a lot of food leading to weight slowly creeping on.

AssassinatedBeauty · 19/08/2018 19:55

I really don't think that most people who overeat/binge eat count calories when they do so. I think people know that eating too many calories causes weight gain, and that very few people are unaware of that.

Rufustheyawningreindeer · 19/08/2018 19:56

Yes

Dd had certainly taken the 2000 calorie message on board

And she is tiny...she won't be if she eats 2000 calories Smile

ALovelyWoman · 19/08/2018 19:58

I would gain weight if I ate 2000 calories every day. I can eat around 1500 to maintain my weight. I'm 5'9. I need to eat less than 1000 to lose weight.

Original poster
hidinginthenightgarden · 19/08/2018 19:59

Mide7 that is very true. I am trying to teach my kids from a very young age and it is really hard. I get them to check sugar in sweets and consider what they have eaten already when they ask for snacks etc. They cook with me but it is so hard to know what to do with them!

OP posts:
SocksRock · 19/08/2018 20:02

I'm 5'8 and active. I'm currently maintaining my weight on about 1600 calories a day. Today I had an Indian takeaway for tea but that's because I ran 14 miles this morning. I can't have that kind of food unless I put the miles in or I gain very quickly.

VladmirsPoutine · 19/08/2018 20:02

I'm tall and thin. On a good day I eat around 1500 but 2000 seems just a bit too much for me personally. The problem is still that many people eat mindlessly without really thinking about what they are eating. And it really isn't the job of the NHS to police food. They can only set guidelines and I think 1500 is too few calories to genuinely recommend. They'd do better to educate on mindful eating but that in itself is also problematic. The second Jamie Oliver gets a sniff of a good decent fish-finger sandwich it it will be banned.

LizzieSiddal · 19/08/2018 20:08

I agree it’s such a rediclous thing to put out there.
There are so many factors to consider

Height
Job
Exercise
Age
Weight

I’m 5’2”, am around 8 and a half stone and exercise but have a seditarty job. I’d be obese if I ate 2000 calories a day!

LizzieSiddal · 19/08/2018 20:08

Excuse typos

AssassinatedBeauty · 19/08/2018 20:11

That's why the NHS statement says that all those factors will affect it. It's a simple message to suggest a figure to start from. It's clearly not suggesting that 2000 calories is right for every woman.

Maybe it just needs to also say that for those with a sedentary lifestyle it may well be a lot less.

BarbaraofSevillle · 19/08/2018 20:13

If I could stick to 2000 calories a day, I wouldn't gain weight. 1500 I would lose.

I think the problem is that many people eat a lot more than 2000 calories a day and have the activity levels of a sloth.

Rather than reduce recommended calories, maybe encourage activity and sensible portion sizes/calories to stay between 1500-2000? disabilities and other reasons for low activity levels excepted obviously.

Original poster
hidinginthenightgarden · 19/08/2018 20:13

Exactly Lizzie! So why are we still peddling it? In fact, why are we doing calories at all (I know the answer to that)? For 2000 calories I could have 22 packets of wotsits. I would be very ill though!

I will put out there that I am not the perfect picture of health. I try but fail regularly to cut down on what I eat and do feel that "calorie intake" was pushed too much as a kid and it has screwed me over. The habits are now so hard to break.

OP posts:
AssassinatedBeauty · 19/08/2018 20:16

The NHS statement you quoted says "within a healthy balanced diet..." so not 22 packets of crisps. It says it right there at the start.

Original poster
hidinginthenightgarden · 19/08/2018 20:33

Assasinated you are right it does, but I do think that calories are misleading and as our education providers take their lead from the NHS I think it would be wise to reduce their recommendation.
Perhaps do as Barbara has suggested and put "between 1500-200" rather saying just 2000.

OP posts:
Prokupatuscrakedatus · 19/08/2018 21:06

The calorie recommendation for a woman my age (fifties) and activity level (low) was adjusted to 1700 calories per day on average over here.

eurochick · 19/08/2018 21:08

I think it's about right. I'm a healthy bmi and slightly above average height (5'6). I have a desk job and no time to exercise currently.

This is my Fitbit readout for the week. Today obviously isn't over yet so I'm likely to end up at roughly 14000 calories for the week. I'm usually at about that maybe a couple of hundred under.

Isn't it time we stopped saying 200/2500 calories a day?
GetBackInTime · 19/08/2018 21:52

I much prefer the use of calorie counting over money making schemes of syns and points etc. It all comes down to calories at the end of the day anyway. Weight loss is simply about calorie deficit, the nhs guidelines are just that, a guide. There are many apps and websites etc that will give a closer result based on your height, weight, activity etc.

Nothisispatrick · 19/08/2018 21:59

I have no idea how many calories a day I eat. I imagine it varies hugely day to day.

People should just apply common sense, my weight generally remains the same so I’m happy with what I eat. Why would you count calories every day unless you were actively dieting?

BettyBooJustDoinTheDoo · 19/08/2018 22:35

Totally agree with Barbara many people eat more than 2000 calories a day and have the activity levels of a sloth.

Most people do not have a single clue about how many calories they are eating, there was a slot on the news a while back asking people to estimate their calories and all of them vastly underestimated what they were eating. 2000 calories sounds a lot and it is a lot when your diet is based on lean meats, veg and fruits in controlled quantities, but if you eat average Joe foods such as bowl of cereal for breakfast, sandwich and crisps for lunch, some biscuits throughout the day, dinner followed by a pudding plus all drinks with no portion control it could go way over the 2000 calorie mark. I have a friend who claims to eat nowhere near 2000 calories who is overweight, I have added up her food intake and she is way over what she thinks, it came as quite a shock to her.