AIBU to think that guideline ‘suggested calories per day’ should be reduce

[Crepid]

We all know that the NHS guidance is that adult women should eat 2,000 calories per day and men should eat 2,500.

I’ve also just seen that a 7 year old girl is suggested to eat over 1,500 calories a day - again, the source is the NHS.

I’m 5ft 6, and have a BMI are the upper end of normal (very close to overweight) and I would say that I am probably a little overweight (fat around my abdomen and generally not as slim as I’d like but I’m on track).

In the past year I’ve taken to the gym where, combined with eating less and healthier food, I’m happy to say I’ve managed to lose about 1.5 stone (9.5kg).

For motivation, every time I attend the gym I use a new body sensor device that gives me a detailed breakdown of my stats and it clearly states that to maintain my weight and physique I should eat no more than 1,350 calories per day.

Obesity is causing a huge strain on the NHS and robbing people of their mobility and broader health.

Why are they recommending that people eat 2,000 calories per day when myself - a woman of larger than average height and medium activity levels is being told on both the gym equipment and the GP surgery machine that 1,300 calories will suffice in keeping me at the upper region of ‘healthy’ if not close to overweight?

That’s less than a 7 year old child.

AIBU to think that the calorie suggestions should be lowered to combat it?

YABU - calorie guidance should stick at 2000/2500 calories

YANBU - calorie guidance should be reviewed and lowered

@shearwater2 well not that “poorly expressed and misleading” surely if you and everyone else understood it!

I think people are mostly talking about maintenance calories. My average is 1700 to lose 1lb a week too, maintenance is 2200. Well done on your loss.

They are averages and I think that should be made clearer. So for me, I cannot eat 2000 calories a day, my maintenance is around 1500 max. I’m short and don’t weigh a huge amount. I often hear people say they can eat 2000 a day and I look at them and think no they can’t. For some taller people it will be more. There’s plenty of calculators online to check

@Useruser1 yes, as you point out following the NHS guidelines, which for a man you were within, will mean for many people they end up significantly overweight. High time they were reviewed.

Agreed.

I’m short and can easily eat 2000 calories or more of ‘real’ food - eg chicken, fish, nuts, full fat Greek yogurt, vegetables - and not gain weight. In actual fact when I’m eating well I don’t need to track. If I tried to eat 2000 calories of cake, chocolate and crisps I’d be huge.

Calories are a useful metric but not the whole story. The quality of the food is far more important than the quantity.

Hate to bring up mayo with you again but that 500 cals is made up of 100 cal for the prawns and then 4 big dollops of the sauce (mayo)

I always understood that even if you didn't move, eg sat on the sofa all day, you'd still be burning some calories by just breathing, or sitting at a table eating a meal. Ok it will be a small amount but do fitbits etc add in anything for when you are sedentary or just when you are active?

Oh and meant to add you also burn calories while sleeping, not sure if fitbits count those too?

Yes of course thats your BMR, then your TDEE will be the amount you actually burn in day to day life

Mine is low, Im quite sedentary. I move from room to room in my house, get in the car on the drive, go to work and largely move around an office and then do the same back home

So I have to do a walk to get any steps in, and even then I can only manage an hour due to time so am only doing an hour each day where Im moving around.

Yes of course thats your BMR, then your TDEE will be the amount you actually burn in day to day life

@soupfiend just to clarify... is your 'yes of course' in response to whether Fitbits/apple watches etc count your non-active consumption? I was concerned that people saying 'my fit bit tells me I only use xxx calories a day' aren't adding in 'non-active' calorie usage.
Yes, there are a lot of overweight people these days, myself included, but equally people do need to understand that they are still burning calories while sleeping/eating/resting - not as an excuse to eat more but to ensure those who are already an ok weight aren't under eating.

You'd notice clothes getting tighter and adapt though surely? Such as add more exercise like taking the stairs or cut out a biscuit with a coffee so you lose that 2lb again.

I don't get how it's invisible though. I notice a couple of kilos easily in jeans or trousers. Unless people are living in activewear?

I somehow think there is possibly a correlation between people who wear stretchy clothing and who are overweight. I notice straight away if a waist band is feeling tight and cut back accordingly.

Sorry no, I dont know anything about fit bits, it was more that I was agreeing that you burn calories during sleep

Me too. If I'm in joggers I won't notice but if the jeans are snug, time to ease off the fattening food a bit.

Probably. People aren't very active these days.

I like to think I would notice an extra stone but I rarely wear jeans or trousers, I'm mostly in dresses/skirts & blouses and being hourglass shaped, the weight spreads out pretty evenly across my bum/thighs & chest, so a few pounds could definitely go unnoticed if I wasn't keeping an eye on my weight.
I know a lot of people who have been wanting to lose weight and have massively underestimated the calories in what they're eating/really thought an extra spoon of mayo or a couple of biscuits wouldn't make a difference but it really does.

My friend is trying to lose weight, she’ll tell me she’s only eaten XYZ that day but forgets to include the large latte she’s just ordered in her calculations.

People do this all the time. Another one is eating a salad and not counting the 600 calories added by sauces, bread roll and butter (a friend did this over lunch with me one time and completely refused to believe that it was an extra 600 calories until I showed her the math)

OP I would bet money that you’re not averaging 1300 calories a day.

Yes it does, but OP stated that they burn 1300 calories. That will just be their BMR not their total expenditure on a typical day xx