to eat 3000 calories a day?

[chocolategateaudeluxe]

DH is on a diet so all conscious about how much calories everything has... So, just out of curiosity, I counted how many calories I ate for a couple of days - it was, pretty concistently, 3000! To be honest, I watched what I ate on those days, not restricted but watched, I bet it's usually more towards 3500.

I knew I eat a lot and that most people I know eat less, but I'm a bit shocked in light of those figures. Yes, I've gained a bit of weight since having DCs, I'm a size 10 now, but it makes me wonder what would happen if I really piled on the weight. I don't think I could get below 2500 calories a day, let alone properly diet.

Can there really be that much - healthy - variation between people? The guideline for women is, how much, 1800-2000? DH eats half of what I do, is muscely and 3 stone overweight... Should I try and eat less or is this just how much I need? Btw, I'm healthy, thyroid etc. all ok. I sit at the desk most days but also walk and run a bit.

You're fine then, just watch the shit then hey

I would be the size of a house if I ate that much! But if you're a healthy weight, I wouldn't worry about the calorie count, it's obviously not a problem for you. Better to focus on making sure you have a balanced diet and not too much junk food.

You might find exercise helps you look more lean and toned, especially resistance/weights type exercise. I am similar - slim in terms of weight, but feel a bit soft and flabby - and my aim is to stay about the same weight, but 'replace' some of the fat with lean body mass. That's probably a better strategy for you than trying to restrict calories and lose weight.

Bmi should take into account mahoosive chebs. Mine are like 5 stone each (ok exaggeration)

I would be overweight with that sort of calorie intake. I need to hover under 2000.

3000 a day in early twenties will be fine if you have a fast metabolism and a propensity to be slim. I was a skinny rake til my nmid-thirties. Now, 3000 calories a day would make me chubby, and I can't just lose the weight like I used to.

When you have been thin all your life and always found it easy to lose weight, it's a shock when that's no longer the case.

If you keep eating like that you will just get slightly bigger over time, so in 20 years that may mean a size 14 rather than a size 10. That's what's happened to me.

I have 1200 or less....anymore than that and I bloat right up! I prefer to stay under 1000 per day but some days I need a bit more. I do loads and loads of exercise too :)

You excercise a lot though (running 5k a day, is that right or did I read it wrong?), so your calorie intake seems ok. If I don't excercise I only eat about 1,500 calories a day, but if I go out running then I eat more, about 1,800, but even then I don't do anywhere near as much running as you do :)

Op is mid 30s.
But 5k a day is a lot, isn't it?

Calorie counting is also notoriously difficult.

It can be hard to keep track totally accurately.

I think you must be built like me, op, though I am 42. I also eat frequently, could never contemplate missing a meal and run three times a week. I am 5'7" and weigh 8 st 10. But under my clothes my belly is a bit soft and so are my upper arms. I think it is because I eat too many carbs, too much sugar and am older with two children. Watch out, I am your ghost of the future!

stealth, yes it is quite a lot, im in my early 20s and am a size 10 too but would balloon if I ate that amount of calories, even though my metabolism is supposed to be faster because I'm younger, the 5K a day must play a big part in it.

5k is just over 3 miles. I walk 8k on an average day. That's 5 miles....with dd who is 3(who walks). I wouldnt say it's a huge amount of excercise for me. Saying that if I ate 3000 cals a day I'd be maHOOSive

Op I can sympathise with you.

I eat loads: never counted calories but I would guess in the same region as you. Never met anyone yet who matches my piggy habits..

I have a BMI of 20.4 and found that if I tried to eat healthier (swapping crisps and choccie for fruit etc) I lose weight till I become underweight. Putting on weight again (to a healthy weight) was a nightmare, I felt sick with the amount of food that I forced myself to eat.

Everyone has a different basal metabolic rate.

Oh and my 19 month old dd is the same. She eats more than many of my adult friends and is a skinny minnie.

Slim people can still have high cholestoral levels and get blocked arteries too you know!

How many calories people need does vary hugely. My brother used to be a very keen rower. He used to buy, cook and eat 2 pounds of meat for dinner! But he also knew people who were on diets of one grilled chicken breast and greens, or who seemed to be able to eat whatever snacks and carbs they wanted. It varied such a lot and they were all doing (obviously) exactly the same training programme, so it really shows how much individual body type matters.

squeaky is right though, that it doesn't do any harm to think about other things than weight/BMI.

You still quite young, don't forget weight gain can build up very slowly, even just gaining a couple of pounds a year you will have put a stone on by the time you are in your 40's, and it does get harder to lose.

This has just prompted me to tot up my calorie count for today. I'm already at over 2000 calories, and there's all afternoon and evening to go yet :s

I'm 6ft, a fraction over 11st, and exactly in the middle of the BMI ideal range. And I have a sedentary desk job, and don't exercise (other than a half hour walk to the shops at lunchtime). And I'm 40 this year, maybe it's all going to catch up on me very soon :S

You'll typically burn somewhere around 100calories per mile, but it's very round, and it is linked to your size (the heavier you are - either through being tall or being fat) the more you'll burn. It doesn't change much with speed, it's pretty much all down to distance. Most people will be more efficient walking, and less efficient running (so burn more calories running a mile compared to walking a mile), and people will also differ in exactly how efficient runners they are.