to think a standard woman does not need 2000 calories a day?

[CardinalRichelieu]

I know it says on packaging etc that 2000 is the standard intake for a woman but it sounds like kind of a lot. I reckon I eat maybe 1600-1700 per day? I am quite small (5 ft 3) and don't do much exercise except walking around and a bit of pilates. I work partly from home and partly out of the home and don't really burn that much off in daily activity. I am in the healthy BMI range (19).

I don't think someone like me needs 2000 calories a day - am I right?

[ItsAllGoingToBeFine]

YANBU.
These numbers were calculated back when people tended to have a more active lifestyle. If you are not sporty, and if you don't have a manual job, then it is likely that 2000 calories would be too much.

chandon of course they would! Many many people have lost the ability to establish to their appetite, or the shit they estate messes this up. If someone is making an attempt to eat healthily they might well start off by eating to the guidelines on the box.

[CardinalRichelieu]

Oh no wait, I've thought of something else.

My doctor once told me 5 ft 3 was average height for a woman. I think he might have been wrong though. I guess it might be once you take into account 90 year old little old ladies but thinking about it I reckon I am probably shorter than most women my generation.

[NinaHeart]

5'3" average? Good lord, I must be a man.

[NinaHeart]

PS my 90 year old mother is 5'6"

[Chandon]

My 75 year old mum is 6 ft!

( top trumps, next round: dads' weights, mine weighs 160 pounds)

[CardinalRichelieu]

Oh no wait, I've thought of something else.

My doctor once told me 5 ft 3 was average height for a woman. I think he might have been wrong though. I guess it might be once you take into account 90 year old little old ladies but thinking about it I reckon I am probably shorter than most women my generation.

[InVeryveryBadTaste]

Ah fuck off

[IslaValargeone]

:o

[Mitchy1nge]

No, I think 5'3 IS average, I'm 1.62m which is more like 5'4 and that is definitely taller than average.

I supspect I eat a lot more than 2000 cals a day and manage to only be overweight in my mind, not in real life, although my imagination is part of real life. Maybe it depends what sort of calories?

[CardinalRichelieu]

I come from a family of shorties, it is true.

[Dahlen]

I think OP has a point. Given that we're having a bit of a obesity epidemic in the UK and that the guidance calories far exceed the amount that would have been eaten at any point in the past, it would indeed seem that 2000 is too high, just as 2500 is for men.

However, it's up to every individual to work out the necessary intake for themselves, even assuming that they believe calorie counting is the best way to manage weight.

FWIW, I am your height and if I wanted to lose weight I'd have to drop to about 1300. Fortunately, I don't want to lose weight.

[akaemmafrost]

If I ate 2000 cals a day I would be huge.

I maintain on around 1400. It's a pain and I can't eat much but i am used to it now.

[NinaHeart]

Ah but Chandon, your mum has another 15 years of shrinkage to go yet.

Sorry unable to join in with Round 2.

[NinaHeart]

If 5'3" is indeed average this would explain why I cannot get trousers to fit.

[MajaBiene]

I'm 5'2", have a BMI at the top end of healthy (24 I think?) and gain weight if I eat more than about 1500 a day.

[Mitchy1nge]

actually am 1.6m but if I stand more deliberately erect I can make the height and weight machine think I'm 1.62

feel like I need some new hobbies though

[CardinalRichelieu]

The reason I asked is that today I was in the supermarket buying my food for the day and I picked up everything I wanted for the day and then was standing bored in the checkout queue so I looked at what was in everything and it didn't come to 2000. Then it struck me that 2000 would be a lot for me.

Don't judge me for reading the backs of things. I know it's not of vital importance. I am the sort of person who reads the terms of conditions for train tickets as well.

I thought I was a standard woman but it could well be that I'm a FREAK.

[CardinalRichelieu]

I don't do grammar, you may have noticed.

[BumBiscuits]

I am 5'3" and if I ate 2000 calories a day I would definitely gain weight.

My TDEE is 1860 according to MFP.

[StephaniePowers]

I wonder how many extra calories one needs, per inch of height above the average?

[Mitchy1nge]

not the sort of hobby that involves reading the ts and cs of travel tickets though

[worldgonecrazy]

I'm 5'4" and I would gain weight if I ate 2000 calories a day. I also have PCOS so I have to manage my weight carefully. I try and keep below 1500 calories most days, though don't worry too much if I go out for a meal and go over.

I'm not sure that the 2000 guideline is helpful anyway - what is an "average" woman. In my experience it would be someone who is 5'5" and does a sedentary job, yet other women may think that 5'6" and active is "average". We are going to judge "average" from our own viewpoint.

[ItsAllGoingToBeFine]

m.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11534042

Average woman 5'3" and 11 stone

[ItsAllGoingToBeFine]

m.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11534042

[libelulle]

I'm surprised that everyone can so accurately determine how many calories they ingest. Do you really weigh all your food? I suspect i eat well over 2000 calories, but I can't even begin to imagine how I'd find out .

For instance we had a stir-fry yesterday. It had noodles, prawns, broccoli, mushrooms, soya beans, soy sauce, rice wine, garlic, vegetable oil, peanuts, pak choi amongst other things! Good luck with working out the calorie content in that without scales and waaay more time and effort than I'm prepared to put into it.