How many calories do you eat a day?

[1secretjabber]

I have recently started MJ and I had high suppression very quickly. No other SEs so I feel fortunate for that. The issue is I am not motivated to eat at al really so I need to start calorie counting. If I was on a regular diet I would probably aim for about 1500cals a day; do you target your 'normal' diet daily calorie intake or do you go a bit lower because you can?

I eat around 1600. I get very little to no suppression, never have. But I have made good food choices and exercise choices for a year and have still lost over 4.5 stones in a year. I think a lot of people cut calories down to get faster losses, but I’m trying to set myself up to long term maintenance without having to stay on MJ. I’m also post menopause and want to fuel my body to help it stay well into old age. For the first time in decades I want to look after myself properly.

I took my TDEE as blunt tool for a starting point, initially subtracted around 750 calories for 1.5lb week loss.

I could do this as I started with a very high BMI / I am tall so that was planned to be around 1500 calories - but during the initial intense suppression period it was difficult to reach every day.

Then I refined calories to take into account my own metabolism, exercise levels ongoing based on weight loss 6 week average / current weight.

Reviewing regularly is important, my sedentary TDEE decreased by around 700 calories/day from start to reaching maintenance - meaning either deficit number needs to decrease or recognise weight loss rate decreases.

my sedentary TDEE decreased by around 700 calories/day from start to reaching maintenance

Wow - that is a big change? Sorry if this is a stupid question but is that just due to being lighter?

I think a lot of people cut calories down to get faster losses

Yeah, I can see that it's tempting. Sounds like your approach is working really well though

Currently 1750 and it takes quite a lot of willpower to stick at that, I could eat more.

I would aim to go no lower than 1300 with my frame. I have had the odd day of side effects where I can barely eat at all but not in recent times. I can usually get liquids down on those days so will take soup and juice.

Mostly yes, sedentary TDEE when I started was 2,397, now >9st lighter it is around 1,662. Maybe 10-15 calories a day because I am 2 years older too!

Last two columns show how it dropped in my first 5st loss (first picture). More recently (second picture) now I am maintaining I can see the difference exercise (light and moderate) can make to my daily calorie allowance.

The formula I use is -

BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) – (5 × age in years) – 161

Multiply by activity level to get TDEE.

Sedentary: 1.2
Lightly active: 1.375
Moderately active: 1.55
Very active: 1.725
Super active: 1.9

When I was losing weight, 1600. Now between 18-2000 on maintenance

I'm only 5' and almost at target. I eat between 1200 and 1400 calories a day.