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?

It's true that calories are not all created equal. For example, 100 cals of processed carbs/sugar will raise blood sugar levels, causing insulin release and fat storage, whereas 100 cals of protein will not do this to the same extent, and will keep you fuller for longer.

I have no idea how many calories I eat but 2000 does sound like quite a lot, unless you are very, very active.

2000 is about right, I'm only 8stone and 5foot and don't exercise but 2000 maintains my weight and keeps me healthy.

I agree that 2000 is absolute masses.
MSG days I eat 1500-1800 and my weight is relatively stable. If I go under 1200 I lose weight and if I go over 2000 I gain it.
I am 36 yrs old, 53kg and 5'5". Am in a sedentary job

Msg = most

As a general rule, take your current weight, (in kgs) multiply it by 24 and that's the number of calories you need to maintain that weight. If you then want to lose or gain weight, increase or reduce calories as necessary

Looking at this TDEE calculator, for a woman with a height of 5 ft 6 if she weighs 60kg (based on the ideal body weight calculations, which are not fool proof by any means) and does moderate exercise 3-5 times a week, 2000 calories should (on average) maintain weight, so it doesn't look completely off base to me.

tdeecalculator.net/result.php?s=metric&g=female&age=36&kg=60&cm=168&act=1.55&f=1

OP, well done on loosing 4 stones! How did you manage to do that?

I agree that 2000 is absolute masses

Could people stop saying this, its not masses, its not too much, its what an awful lot of women eat and if you could stop endlessly repeating that they are eating too much, that would be good. It's fucking rude, as well as completely inaccurate.

I agree that 2000 is absolute masses

As I said upthread, I am 5ft 5, 9.5 stone and eat 2000 kcals a day to maintain my weight.
So how the fuck can it be 'masses'?

my calculator says a woman of 5ft 4 and 9 stone needs 1399 cals to maintain! confusing

Am in a sedentary job.
Do you do any exercise outside of or job? Maybe you should, then you wouldn't gain weight on 2000 kcals.

my calculator says a woman of 5ft 4 and 9 stone needs 1399 cals to maintain! confusing

I'm guessing that's a sedentary woman, and no one should be sedentary for health reasons.

my calculator says a woman of 5ft 4 and 9 stone needs 1399 cals to maintain!

Her age and exercise levels will also have a bearing.

If you find a calculator that also takes those into account, it will be more accurate.

I think sedentary also includes the housebound and wheelchair-bound.

Sadly, some people have sedentary forced upon them.

It's not synonymous with lazy.

Woman (guessed 35), 5ft4, 9 stone:

tdeecalculator.net/result.php?s=imperial&g=female&age=35&lbs=126&in=64&act=1.2&f=1

Moderate exercise (30 mins moderate/out of breath exercise 3-5 times a week) - 1940kcal to maintain

floraeasy, even people with health issues that do make things more challenging are encouraged to keep up with some physical activity to maintain flexibility, for cardiovascular health, for muscle strengthening etc.

www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Disability/Pages/fitness-for-wheelchair-users.aspx

I think the OP's issue - which she does actually understand- is that its not really 'the government recommends on average 2000 calories a day for women'. Its 'the government recommends 2000 calories per day for the average woman', which is a different thing.

Countess Absolutely, I agree. Everyone must do what they can. It's just that I think if you are wheelchair-bound, for the purposes of calorie guidance, you would have to tick yourself as sedentary. Unless you were an athlete (think special Olympics etc). I may be wrong, but I think that would be the case.

Calories to maintain will be widely dispersed hence 2000 is average. I'm 5,2 and very active so need 1600 to stay the same but this will differ greatly from person to person

*Sadly, some people have sedentary forced upon them.

It's not synonymous with lazy*

Didn't say it was. And yes, I'm sure it does include the housebound/wheelchair bound etc. What I mean is 'sedentary' shouldn't be considered 'normal'. It shouldn't be our normal state.

Right well I do quite a bit of walking on my commute every day and rarely sit down at home as I have a 2.5 year old.
On an average day I eat

• latte and croissant plus banana for brekkie
• muesli snack bar
• chicken, avocado and sundries tomato salad for lunch with creamy dressing and a bread roll
• steak or fish, loads of veg and sweet potatoes or quinoa and rice for dinner
• glass of red wine and couple squares dark chocolate.

That's a fair amount!

I had one of those assessments at the gym where you stand on the machine and it records all sorts of stuff like bone/muscle/fat mass etc. It calculated for me 50yr old female, 8'12, 5'4", that I would burn 1100 calories a day just existing.

floraeasy, "t's just that I think if you are wheelchair-bound, for the purposes of calorie guidance, you would have to tick yourself as sedentary. "

I think you are probably wrong. Using a wheelchair uses a massive amount of energy and physical exertion, and people using a wheelchair (see the NHS link I posted) can still do physical exercise.

I'm 52 so I guess that's why I no longer require food :(