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Calorie-counting

Discuss calorie counting, including tips, challenges and real-life experiences. Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. You may wish to speak to a medical professional before starting any diet.

Original poster

I need to understand...

11 replies

lozza8256 · 17/04/2025 11:53

.... how the calorie deficit thing really works.

So, I'm 61 years young, a mini 4'10", sitting at 9st (lost 8.5lbs) and am trying to get back into a healthier BMI of around 8st7 ... but I'm stuck.

TDEE calculator says I should have 1200 for maintenance. So minus 500 to lose 1lb per week takes me to 800! I'm using NutraCheck to track every calorie (it tells me to have 1200 to lose 1-2lbs per week) but have been stuck for three weeks.

So, what's right? 1200? 800? Or just some old fashioned patience?!

OP posts:
SnacklessWonder · 17/04/2025 12:00

You do need less calories as you get older. What sort of exercise are you doing? Building in some regular moderate exercise would increase your maintenance calories to about 1500-1600, and then losing at 1200 would be realistic BUT it's obscenely hard to lose those lbs as we get older, and even harder when you've only got a few to drop.

Angrymum22 · 17/04/2025 12:32

Are you sure that 1200 calls is maintenance and not BMR? Try calculating BMR, there are lots of calculators online ( Diabetes one is good) it will give a BMR and also a range of calorie values for various levels of activity. With a BMR of 1200 even with a very sedentary life your daily calorie intake for maintenance will be 1450 calories.
You also have to be very accurate with calorie counting. Weigh everything and not pick at food. Recording it with an app helps. Drink plenty and walk.

I have lost over a stone since Christmas on calorie deficit.
I have lost about a lb a week, I try and avoid rapid weight loss because it causes all of side effects. So I have reduced my calorie intake by 200 a day. It was my birthday last weekend so had a break to eat cake.

I’ve not been active over the last few months but now spring is here I will be back to dog walking daily. We don’t neglect the dog, she had a serious accident last year that left her temporarily paralysed. It’s been a long recovery and because she hasn’t got a lot of feeling in her back feet I have avoided cold weather walks. Interestingly she hasn’t put any weight on, but her chief snack provider has been at uni so her maintenance diet it obviously just right.

We have also cut out bread. We limit carbs and I don’t drink alcohol. We are not big pudding eaters but on the whole our diet hasn’t changed. We have been using Hello Fresh since DS left for uni. For two of us it is ideal and the portion size and calories are easy to monitor. It also makes things a little more interesting. With DS away we rarely have takeaways.

We often have a late lunch so then have a light supper. We are pretty much retired so eating is no longer as structured as it used to be. DH had a stroke 4 yrs ago and had dysphasia in the early stages of recovery so he started to avoid eating some foods that he found difficult to swallow. His taste changed and having been very much a meat and two veg fan before he now prefers more spicy foods. I cook a lot of Asian and Mediterranean food now. We mainly eat chicken and fish, and now we are heading into summer it’s salads all the way.
Tonight is Shawarma chicken with couscous or rice. The chicken has been marinating since last night.

Vroomfondleswaistcoat · 17/04/2025 12:36

I am similarly puzzled. My TDEE is 1600, but I run five miles a day, spin for one hour three times a week, do Pilates 3 times a week and work in a physical job three times a week. I'm 5'6 and while I'm 64, I can't believe that I have to eat so few calories to lose weight! At no point did the TDEE calculator ask me if I worked or what my job was, it was 'are you sedentary, medium or extremely active'. I couldn't put 'extremely' because I don't know how they calculate these things, so I put medium.

Original poster
lozza8256 · 17/04/2025 13:14

@SnacklessWonder you are quite right, it IS "obscenely difficult" to lose weight as I age 😂
I am going to focus on some brisk walks to start as my job is mostly sedentary.
It's just SOOOO hard, isn't it?

OP posts:
Original poster
lozza8256 · 17/04/2025 13:19

@Angrymum22 I didn't know about BMR, thank you. Did an online calculator and it says 1,026 which is presumably what I need if I don't move all day!
I'm going to increase my exercise and, like you, focus on healthy eating. I live alone so it's not an issue to weigh everything and chose foods I want to eat

I'm guessing it is really down to old fashioned patience and consistency.

OP posts:
Original poster
lozza8256 · 17/04/2025 13:21

Vroomfondleswaistcoat · 17/04/2025 12:36

I am similarly puzzled. My TDEE is 1600, but I run five miles a day, spin for one hour three times a week, do Pilates 3 times a week and work in a physical job three times a week. I'm 5'6 and while I'm 64, I can't believe that I have to eat so few calories to lose weight! At no point did the TDEE calculator ask me if I worked or what my job was, it was 'are you sedentary, medium or extremely active'. I couldn't put 'extremely' because I don't know how they calculate these things, so I put medium.

Wow, you are one active and motivated woman ...I applaud you 💪 I would suggest that definitely puts you in the 'extremely active' category. Although it doesn't seem to matter as the older we get, the more the weight wants to jist hang around and spend time with us 😂

OP posts:
NoctuaAthene · 17/04/2025 14:24

I just plugged OP's details into a calculator and she's absolutely right that at that height/weight her BMR is roughly 1000 calories and her maintenance cals for a sedentary lifestyle are 1200. People do often refuse to believe people can have a BMR that low but as a fellow short person it is possible!

I think a few things OP, it's going to be mainly patience now I think, well done on the weight loss so far, but I don't think losing 1 lb a week average is realistic now, you're already very near to being into the healthy weight category so I'd be aiming for more like 0.5lb a week weight loss and accept some peaks and plateaus. For that you do can eat closer to 1000 cals a day which is more sustainable than 800 I think. If you can I'd also look at your activity levels, any way you can increase your exercise to more like lightly active with some walking and/or some strength or body conditioning exercise, this is so important as we age and will help tone you up even if those last few pounds are stubborn to shift. Also then you could probably eat 1200 a day and still lose a little/steadily. Do you do any form of intermittent fasting at the moment as this is often very helpful for people with a low TDEE to be able to eat satisfying meals within a calorie deficit?

Original poster
lozza8256 · 17/04/2025 20:36

NoctuaAthene · 17/04/2025 14:24

I just plugged OP's details into a calculator and she's absolutely right that at that height/weight her BMR is roughly 1000 calories and her maintenance cals for a sedentary lifestyle are 1200. People do often refuse to believe people can have a BMR that low but as a fellow short person it is possible!

I think a few things OP, it's going to be mainly patience now I think, well done on the weight loss so far, but I don't think losing 1 lb a week average is realistic now, you're already very near to being into the healthy weight category so I'd be aiming for more like 0.5lb a week weight loss and accept some peaks and plateaus. For that you do can eat closer to 1000 cals a day which is more sustainable than 800 I think. If you can I'd also look at your activity levels, any way you can increase your exercise to more like lightly active with some walking and/or some strength or body conditioning exercise, this is so important as we age and will help tone you up even if those last few pounds are stubborn to shift. Also then you could probably eat 1200 a day and still lose a little/steadily. Do you do any form of intermittent fasting at the moment as this is often very helpful for people with a low TDEE to be able to eat satisfying meals within a calorie deficit?

Thank you @NoctuaAthene ... That's really helpful to know I'm not reading it all wrong. Clearly I'm not overweight, I'm just too damned short! Sadly I can't see growing any taller is an option (I've not grown since I was 12🙄) so I'll be patient, add some more exercise in and simply enjoy life in the meantime.

Thank you everyone 😊

OP posts:
todaya · 18/04/2025 05:52

teddy

Rocknrollstar · 18/04/2025 06:36

I am 5ft and put on weight if I eat 1200 calories a day. You need to eat under 1000 to lose weight.

Original poster
lozza8256 · 18/04/2025 09:54

Rocknrollstar · 18/04/2025 06:36

I am 5ft and put on weight if I eat 1200 calories a day. You need to eat under 1000 to lose weight.

Ugh .... that's just stupid, isn't it?!
Everyone says less than 1,000 is dangerously low, but it seems not if you're a shorty. This whole height/TDEE thing seems all wonky.

Or we just have to grow!

OP posts:
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