To think that women don't actually need 2000kcal a day

[Croissantsfordinner]

I am barely losing weight eating 1600kcal a day and most of the people I know who are slim and fit definitely do not eat 2000kcal (I am referring to family, friends, colleagues, what I read here on MN and also celebrities diet, lol). So where does this guideline come from?
Unless you are almost an athlete, I don't think all those calories are actually needed, AIBU?

Same here.
I don’t need anywhere near 2000 calories and I’m fairly active. I am very short though, which makes a big difference…. alongside my age.

I think calorie calculation is often not accurate

I’m the same.

I think it depends how sedentary your lifestyle is, and of course other factors like height, metabolism etc.

Depends on the individual, obviously.

Although this thread is catnip to the people who love to use words like "guzzle" "scoff", "hoover up" or "no wonder there's an obesity crisis", while simultaneously telling us they are absolutely stuffed to bursting on a lettuce leaf and a cup of green tea,

The 2000 calories is based on an average sized female doing a sensible amount of exercise to stay a healthy size.

If you are shorter then clearly you need less. If you do more exercise then you need more etc...

I'm mid 40s, on my feet all day with work, kickboxing for 2 hours a week then go to the gym and always running round with my kids. I eat about 2500 calories a day to cover my activity level.

I love food so make sure I'm very active.

Everybody is different. I need 2100 calories roughly to maintain my weight. I walk, run and exercise everyday, I really wouldn't consider myself anywhere near an athlete. I'm 5'6" and my bmi is 19.

Someone 5' nothing who walks 3000 steps a day isn't going to need the same amount of calories as I do.

Maybe instead of the guidelines of 2000 calories it should be explained better that your calorie needs will depend on various factors and refer people to a calculator so they can work it out.

I absolutely did until the age of 42.

It has so many variables: height, actual weight, activity levels, and, it would appear, composition of the types of foods you eat and how much energy is required by your body to process the food.

Some do, some don't. Bodies are different shock.

It depends on height, weight and lifestyle. I'm 5'6 and currently dieting. MyFitnessPal pal tells me I need to eat 1400 calories a day to lose a pound a week and this seems pretty accurate. (I actually try to keep to under 1200 a day so that I can have a few beers on the weekend)

I think you're probably right and not that many people actually need 2000 calories everyday, maybe its a limit not a target. Who knows.

A WHOLE lettuce leaf? I just have to walk past it and sniff it and I am STUFFED

Hard disagree. I eat way over that amount and I’m a size 8 but running around after 2 pre schoolers. Also have fast metabolism. It’s different strokes for different folks

You don't know how many calories "women need". You're one person. You can't speak for others.

It’s probably about right for me. But, I am 5’9, quite a bit taller than the average woman. I am way more sedentary now as I work nearly full time in a desk job. Before being so sedentary it was more like 2,500. I’m 33 so metabolism slowing now too. I think that definitely plays a part.

I think it depends your activity level and height. I think most people underestimate how may calories they consume.

I'm 5 11 and active. Until I hit menopause, I needed around 2250 calories. Now, I need about 1800. Everyone is different and the calories you require to lose weight are less than those required to maintain a healthy weight.

I'm 5'6, run five miles five times a week, spin five times a week and do Pilates three times a week, plus an active job three days a week and a dog.

I have a BMI of 21 and can only eat 1600 calories a day. If I ate 2000 calories a day I would be the size of a bus. I'm post menopause though, but even pre meno I would have struggled. If I want to lose weight I have to cut right down to around the 1200 calorie mark just to get it shifted.

But people are different, there will be some whose metabolism is going like a furnace and others who struggle to lose weight on 1000 calories a day.

I do agree that 2000 is a fairly high number though.

I've never needed anywhere near as much as that. The number is misleading and massively problematic. It helps no one at all.

This is really interesting. I don't count calories properly but an estimated calorie intake is probably 1500 - 1800 with wine and chocolate at the weekend.
I have sedentary teens though who would be mortified if I tried to run around after them

I think a lot of women have ruined their metabolisms with low calorie diets, crash diets etc over the years and now gain weight easily. I also think there's other factors at play such as insulin resistance etc

I know for me I was one of those I can't lose weight unless I eat 1200 cal a day people but long term investment in my health, seeing a nutritionist, learning about insulin resistance, eliminating inflammatory foods for periods of time (e.g just coming to the end of 12 weeks without gluten) means I no longer calorie count and am still losing weight

Try this
https://tdeecalculator.net/

This is so true😆

I'm tall and even at 55 I can get away with 1900 Cal's. I'm not particularly active either, rarely make my 10k steps. I am however a bit hyper and twitchy, one of those annoying people who is always sat jiggling a foot and a bit anxious. Watched a Michael Mosely (I think?) programme where he talked about those types burning more energy.

Eh, don't forget to mention that we've lost sight of what a normal portion size is!! 😉