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?

[RedToothBrush]

Last time I ate out with my ILs, I deliberately ordered a small portion. My SIL upsized it. She and my MIL spent the entire time passing comment on what I ate. I ended up feeling like I HAD to eat it all, because of their comments and because they were being so attentive about my food. I find it so intrusive having to defend and justify myself. Its awful.

And they are by no means the only ones who do it. I've loads of friends who have done the same. It drives me crazy.

I LIKE FOOD. I just like LESS of it.

Is there anything wrong with saying "I don't need to eat as much as that?" or "I think I would be huge if I ate 2000 calories?". That in no way impies that someone who does eat 2000 calories is a greedy biffer.

No that definitely says more about the people who have made that assumption from what the OP posted.

[NinaHeart]

Whatsthebuzz - if that's directed at me I'm not at al jealous. I don't believe I have ever even hinted I am not happy with my weight. you people are reading too much into this!
If you read an earlier post, I state that no-one should be judged on their appearance and that is the position I am coming from.
And if no-one should be judged on appearance, and since no-one can see on MN what anyone looks like, the discussion is moot.

[NinaHeart]

And I am happy to say I have no issues with food in any direction!

[CuriousMama]

RedToothBrush are your SIL and MIL a healthy weight? How very controlling of them

[LivingThings]

with you Whatsthebuzz however find it amusing how quick people are to criticise the normal weight person and justify the "larger version"as average! it's only becom average because we have become a nation of fatarses with every excuse under the sun for why we are like that other than we eat too much!

I would say that 98% of the mums i see on a day to day basis are obese (3/4 year age range). What sort of message is that for the children.

[Haberdashery]

Hear hear, RedToothBrush. I too am sick of people sneering at perfectly reasonably and appropriate weights. I don't sneer at people who are larger than me as I am well aware that healthy can be a whole range of different body sizes and types. It's a shame some people feel the need to denigrate the thinner end of the spectrum (just as it is when people are rude/personal about those at the fatter end of the range).

[Wishihadabs]

YANBu but 2000 doesn't seem like a lot to me and I think of myself as "average". I am 165cm weigh 61kg (BMI 22.5).

I have moderately active job, run 2-3 times a week and cycle to work.In the summer I might also swim in the sea go on a bike ride at the weekend.



I struggle to keep to a limit of 2000 kcal/day

[BreadForMyBREADGUN]

FGS I don't care what people eat, what size they are or how many bloody calories they eat.

[NinaHeart]

Ah well, I'll get me coat. Me size 10 coat.
Have a lovely evening all and beware the fridge!

[BlackholesAndRevelations]

redtoothbrush, I wasn't beating anyone with a stick, thanks! I just joined slimming world and was told by them that I couldn't have 8 stone as my target wright because it'd give me a bmi of under 20, and that healthy is between 20-25. Clearly slimming world have it wrong then (and the machine at the gym, incidentally, which says the same thing).

As it happens, to get a bmi of 20, I need to be 8 stone 8. I'm not overweight but want to shift some stubborn baby weight.

[Wishihadabs]

Sorry posted too soon. I naturally eat more like 2500-3000 and will maintain between 9-10st.

[BlackholesAndRevelations]

Ps I have NEVER known how many calories I eat per day! Not a clue.

[CuriousMama]

I'm that people tell thin women they would look better with more curves! How appalling is that? I know lots of very healthy beautiful thin women and they look amazing as they are. I used to be very thin when younger and got lots of comments too but never someone saying 'get some curves you'd look better'.

[specialsubject]

you aren't standard (who is) - you are short and skinny. Probably because you don't eat much, just as well as you aren't very active.

so that's all right.

[BreadForMyBREADGUN]

It's terrible that people pass judgement like that Curious. I've had it said to me, and personally I do think I look a bit better with a few curves (but then that was said to me when I was extremely underweight and didn't look very well - they meant well but it came across as very controlling). If I had a BMI of 19 I would look ill (I've been there and I do). Doesn't mean that that's not the right BMI for another person, or that a BMI of 26 is best for someone else.

[HoratiaWinwood]

I had my calorie requirement calculated by an expert once. I am also a lazy shortarse under average height and not hugely active. It came out as 1900. So if I ate 2000 calories a day I'd gain weight.

2000 is accurate for nearly nobody. That doesn't mean it isn't a useful estimate for those people who haven't a clue whether a 1500kcal burger is an appropriate snack.

[Posterofapombear]

2000 calories of good food including decent portions of fruit and veg would not make you gain weight like 2000 calories of shit processed food.

Anything that has the guidelines printed on it is unlikely to be good food.

[Nicecuppachar]

Oh , nice thread

FWIW, I eat like a horse ( at least 3000 cals a day) and am skinny as a rake.
But that's because I work outside, hard in a manual job and I exercise.

[RedToothBrush]

My MIL is currently a healthy BMI. She's been on a massive fitness drive about lately, to the point of obsession and lost a lot of weight. She recently had a health scare which turned out to be nothing, but the doctors were very concerned in part because of her recent rapid weight loss. She's just had a facelift too, which she really didn't need as she looked great for her age (and if I'm perfectly honest, I wouldn't have noticed unless she had told me).

My SIL has had serious health issues and needs medication (and will need it for the rest of her life) which prevent her from being able to maintain a healthy BMI. She's tall too, so is big. But she's pretty, she under close medical supervision, and is probably fitter than me.

I wouldn't DREAM of making a comment about their weight or appearance. To me they really are just who they are and what they are. I don't always get on with them, but their appearance is something I would never criticise them for. Ever.

[HorribleMother]

I love my food. No idea how many calories/day.

[CuriousMama]

Bread I love my curves, hated being skinny. But we're all different. I have big beautiful friends too. I only think weight needs to be addressed if it's affecting your health and even then it's entirely up to the individual.

Women can be so awful to one another. I'm glad my friends aren't like this (afaik?) we support one another. In fact I do know they're not as you find those who are talk about others so you know they'd do it to you.

[Yotamsrazor]

I think a lot depends on metabolism and activity levels. I don't burn off much energy and think I've got a pretty sluggish metabolism and if I ate 2,000 every day I'd really pile the weight on. I need to lose a stone as it is. At the moment I am getting between 1,200 - 1,500 I reckon. If I was more active I think 2,000 would be fine.

[RedToothBrush]

The NHS state 18.5 - 25 is healthy BlackholesAndRevelations. If Slimming World say 20 - 25, they are giving out information that is potentially damaging to some people, if it makes them criticise those who fall into that gap as being an unhealthy weight.

[CuriousMama]

You'd think SW would be encouraging the other way though if it were to help with their sales pitch?