To think 2000 calories a day is a crazy amount of food.

[HairsprayBabe]

The government guidelines are just not helpful when it comes to reccomending a healthy calorific intake. I have been dieting for the past 6 months and am proud to say I have lost over 4 stone not so stealth stealth brag

But anyway, the government recommends on average 2000 calories a day for women, even before I was watching what I ate I didn't eat that much (logged in MFP before diet proper started), and these days I would consider 1500 cals a treat day.

I know it is all linked to TDEE and BMR but I cannot believe that the average woman in the UK could happily eat 2000 calories a day and not gain weight! Where has this figure come from? It really is no wonder that obesity is on the rise.

So IABU is 2000 calories a normal amount of food or are my views skewed?

[KoalaDownUnder]

I have no idea how many calories are in things or how many calories I eat in a day.

Thank God! I thought it was just me.

[ImsorryTommy]

It's different for everyone. I think 2000 cals is a massive amount of food and would struggle to consume that in food alone (easy to get to 2000 cals if you drink a lot of alcohol) And I'd definitely be heavy if I ate 2000 cals a day and I'm not tiny (5ft 5 and size 12).

To other women it's an average or less than average amount.

[ToastDemon]

I remember the recommendation being 2000 calories a day for women in the 80a when I first became aware of the calories in food so it's not been increased.

It's only a guideline. No-one is saying you must eat exactly that. Clearly if you gain weight on it, eat less, if you're ravenous and underweight, eat more.

I'm surprised at how many people actually know their calorie comsumption. I don't have a clue what mine is. I just try to eat a lot of veg and not a lot of processed crap.

[HairsprayBabe]

But even with activity levels taken into account it will vary between person.

[iloveeverykindofcat]

I think people's jobs have a lot to do with it. I'm a college lecturer which I wouldn't consider a particularly active job, but it involves walking around campus buildings, going up and down stairs, and standing/moving in front of classes, so when you think about it that's a lot more activity than an office job. I had an office job when I was younger and the lack of movement really depressed me.

[KirstyLaura]

Of course carb free diets are calorie restricted, hence why 1500 and 2000 seem so much to you. But that's a not realistic or healthy way to live the rest of your life. You'll either be calorie restricting forever, or gain weight back when you start eating carbs again. Neither sounds like a good move to me.

[SomewhatIdiosyncratic]

As a broad average, 2000 is probably right. It depends on how average you are!

At 5ft 2 and a BMI of 22-23, on a day of light movement I'd burn 1800-1900 according to my tracker which does consider my height/ weight.

I can maintain on 2000 because I exercise regularly so several days a week I'll burn 2200+ calories, so across the week 2000 balances out. If I didn't exercise, I'd have to be much more critical of portion size and food choices.

I've had 2x 1.5 stones of baby weight to lose and did it by eating about 300 less than I was burning. It was slow, it was steady and it's stayed off. It also wasn't particularly restrictive, just a more conscious modification of my regular diet.

According to the calculators on minimum calorie burn just to exist in a sedentary state, I'd burn 1300-1400, a fair bit higher than the random 1200 that seems to be such a golden goal in dieting.

[timeforabrewnow]

okaaaay

If 2000 calories is not too much then why are you overweight?

[HairsprayBabe]

I view a lower carb diet as a lifestyle choice now rather than a diet so to speak.

[Birdandsparrow]

Well surely it totally depends on how sedentary your lifestyl is Government guidelines are just that, guidelines. I suspect they were formulated at a time when people were generally more active agree wholeheartedly with this. If you put weight on at 2000 cals then you're probably not very active.

[MistressMolecules]

I am (or was until about 3 weeks ago...must get back on it) on a calorie controlled diet and my calorie allowance to lose weight was 1650 per day (I was losing a couple of pound a week). To be fair I am obese (BMI 31) and measure 5'6" and working out twice a week. To get fat I think was eating in the region of 3000 calories a day easily over a sustained period of time (months), with zero exercise (don't think turning a page in a book or lifting a glass of wine counted!). So 2000 for the "average" woman seems about right.

[LeakyPeg]

I'd gain weight if I ate 2000 calories a day every day too.

I need to do 5:2 to lose weight really these days (could have fucked up my metabolism in the past maybe or possibly old age).

[Want2bSupermum]

It is very challenging for me to be active when I work a lot of hours. I still get my 10k steps in a day. I am entering the overweight category with the weight watchers plan. One week in and I think this is a good plan for me. I am on 30 points a day and have extra points for splurges over the week. I haven't used any of my splurge points this week as I would like some wine.

1500 calories a day for me is about right because I am not very active during the day. The walking isn't building muscle and I never get time to go to the gym.

[DuvetSofaTelly]

Hairspray I'll qualify my
Overeating/ binge eating is very common, and as much of an eating disorder as anorexia and bulimia.
It is very nice for you that you manage so well, but to me and maybe others who are struggling your OP comes across as goady.

[HairsprayBabe]

It wasn't meant to be, I was obese for a long time and I am just proud of what I have achieved.

Overeating is very easy to do I well know that, and I do have blow outs super occasionally now, it is about not letting one bad day slide into 1 bad week month etc for me.

Sorry you are struggling with your food issues Duvet but this was not meant to be a nasty thread.

[hungryhippo90]

Sorry, but i struggle to see how you were eating less than 2000 calories per day and had 4 stone excess. Im not trying to be funny at all, but I dont see how that would happen.

[HairsprayBabe]

Because my metabolism is slower than yours?
Obviously I didn't track my exact calorie intake for 6 years, but in the three months prior to dieting I was using MFP and I gained even a few lbs then so it clearly isn't right for me as a guideline.

[VladmirsPoutine]

I think you've got a huge (excuse the pun) case of dietingitness. It tends to take over some people when they're on a weight loss mission of sorts. It tends to consume (excuse the pun) every fibre of their being.

[DuvetSofaTelly]

Thanks Hairspray, and well done!
I have to ask, how did you do it?

[HairsprayBabe]

Thanks Duvet I did the Blood Sugar Diet, there is a thread in weight loss, but I am not on it.

[WandaBack]

I have no idea how many calories are in things or how many calories I eat in a day.
No me neither. I've been 10 stone all my life and never dieted. I'm 59 and 5'8.
Actually I'd be quite interested to know how many calories I eat as I think I eat a lot but my weight never alters.
This is a typical day
All bran and skimmed milk ( because I don't really like milk)
Ham and salad and buttered bread roll.
Big bowl full fat Greek yogurt.
Beef curry, rice and nan
In the evening either tea and cake or wine and crisps.

[Increasinglymiddleaged]

yabu, 2000 is a normal amount to eat.

But I think that a lot of people underestimate calories in food. I used to sit next to a woman who used to record 600 cal for a chicken chow mein from the chinese takeaway.

[hmcAsWas]

I think you are a bit unfortunate HairsprayBabe to be saddled with a slow metabolism

[MaisyPops]

2000 is about right for me but then i also exercise.
Plua 2000 calories of healthy food is much better than 2000 calories of junk