To ask your maintenance calories as a 30-something woman?

[PaddleBoardingMomma]

I know I know, I'm sure it varies by height and weight etc, but I can't help thinking the 2000 calories advised is a little on the high side for the average person? I'm desperately trying to know my own body better and at 2000 calories a day I'd certainly gain weight, and I'm not particularly inactive, I get in my 10-15,000 steps a day and have two kids to run around after.

Does the 2000 guideline suit you? Do you need more / less to maintain a weight you're happy with?

Thanks in advance!

I track my calories (for macros). I guarantee you I go consistantly above 1200 for weeks I am not training I put on weight. I'm 5'3 though so short but I am stocky and have a high muscle mass.

As many others have said, the best thing to do is learn your own body and do whata best for you. I'm sick of being accused of undereating by people who don't know me.

5ft 8 and maintenance calories sit around1500-1600 calories.

5ft 7 and 12-1400 for me, depending on time of the month, season, all sorts.

I do a moderate amount of exercise.

Calorie guidelines are why we are all so fat, we don't need as much as we age.

5ft9, 40, 2500ish. Moderately active, currently breastfeeding. Need to lose about half a stone but experience suggests it'll drop off once I'm not breastfeeding / am sleeping. Constantly ravenous at the moment!

I’ve seen a lot of people on tiktok who say they have lost weight on 1500 calories and it’s pretty much ALL processed stuff with junk food. When you are really trying you have to be super creative with your calories and eat more foods of volume not density

Bollocks.

@Carpy88999

"Anyone saying 1100 to 1300 isn't counting what they eat properly or is playing into the mumsnet competitive under eating."

I bloody wish it wasn't true, I ate (and there was no mistake in my counting) 1200 for ages, it was ready portioned to avoid the "perhaps it is your portions" as in "perhaps you are too greedy and stupid to know what you are eating" comments when you testify to Dr's or hcps as to what your diet is. I am on 800 now (meal replacement) and only losing 1.4lb a week, others on the same lose much much more.

However - you can see the variances on here, some down to luck/genetics, some down to health conditions (pcos and hashimoto for me) so why can you believe that some can maintain much higher but some hit that at a much lower value? Personally it is similar to the people that like to "say it like it is" on the subject of obesity - they don't like to admit that it isn't as easy for everyone.

Calories are not equal for all people, weighloss journeys are not equal, it is harder for some than others and just because it is not your experience does not make it a lie.

Thing is, you can lose on 1500 cals of junk. You might not be the healthiest but you'll lose.

I'm eating around 1600 calories a day to cut excess fat. I would say my maintenance is about 1800 calories, or around 2000 if it's a gym day (4x a week). I'm 5'6 and around 9.7 stone.

You can but I meant really that their mindset hasn’t changed at all. Still a diet full of sugar choices, just less sugar than before