Sorry but HOW many calories per day to maintain bmi at 25??

[LoveYouTimMinchin]

My bmi is above 25 at the moment and the sunny weather has motivated me to shed some pounds, like millions of us at this time of year.

I'm below average height so having a bmi of 25 would still make me pretty chubby - I would wear a size 12 at that weight, for context. But I need to be realistic. I've only had a bmi of lower than 25 for about 10 of my adult years and that time I smoked 20 cigarettes a day and didn't eat healthily.

So bmi 25 is my target and I looked up my calorie requirements to MAINTAIN that weight, not reach it.

The daily figure is 1405 . I feel kind of defeated before I start. And no wonder people find it really hard to keep weight off after they've lost it.

If had a target of bmi 23, the maintenance figure would be 1345.

So people who say it's easy to lose weight, you can stick that in your pipe and smoke it.

Where are you getting these figures from?

I am 5'2", 55 years old and sedentary.

I haven't pulled the figures in my op out of the air, I put them in a calorie requirements calculator.

And, yes, of course I know that height is included in the bmi calculation. I'm just saying that at 25 I would look probably look fatter than someone of 5'10" with a bmi of 25 and I wouldn't be slim. Bmi of 25 for someone of my height is 9 stone 11.

"and a bit of housework" wtf?

Interesting, isn't it, that some people point blank refuse to acknowledge that shorter, lighter, older people need so many fewer calories than the average. And an indication of the "average of 2000 per day for a woman" being so unhelpful.

To correct my earlier post, I just checked NHS calculator. My bmi is 21.5. I'm 51, 5ft 2in, 8st 5lb and very active. I'm losing half a pound a month on 1450 cals a day and hope to maintain when I up that to around 1800 next month.

Not that anyone cares but it may interest someone!

I'm five foot and that sounds about right for my stats if I don't get any exercise. I'm not sure how I would maintain that without just skipping meals. But I guess I have just got too use to eating more than I need.

I sometimes wonder if these very low TDEE are correct. Could it be that they are a bit off for short women. I know we need less than taller people and I do gain weight easily myself, but 1400 a day seems very low doesn't it.

First off - congratulations for taking the steps to work on yourself!

You can absolutely do this. When you're looking at the calories allowed, it can immediatly seem impossible, but that is only because you've gotten used to eating more than you need. You'll feel hungry for a couple of weeks, but then you'll adjust. So if you go into this prepared for a couple of weeks of feeling funny, then you will manage.

Get yourself a fitness tracker; they aren't exact but it really does make it easier.

If you want to eat a bit more, then (if possible) get up an hour earlier than normal and go for a walk, or walk in the evening after dinner. Something gentle to start out with.

I eat around 1600 calories a day, but i do an hour everyday in my home gym. Without that exercise, I eat about 1200 calories a day. and I don't feel hungry. It's about smart meals and choices to fill you up and still taste good. I'm 161cm and weigh 7st9lbs.it can be done, it just takes work.

Look up some 400 calories meals; that will then allow you to still have a couple of snacks. If you're a regular snacker, get yourself a fidget toy or stress ball or something to keep your hands busy until the craving passes.

You can totally do it; just plan your meals and try to up your activity.

Do you never load the dishwasher, or put the bin out or hoover up?

Anyway I just typed a detailed calculation & because I’m on my phone it lost it all ARGH!

I’ll try again

Resting Metabolic Rate = weight in kg X 14.7 + 496.

So for 9 st 11 it’s
62 x 14.7 + 496 = 1407

Then add on estimated Daily Energy Expenditure (basic day to day activities)

DEE = RMR x 1.4

= 1969 calories.

For anyone who is injured or disabled or unable to get up for whatever reason x by 1.2 instead.

Then add on any actual excercise eg 1 hr Pilates 210. Moderate intensity 1hr excercise 300 calories, 1 hr high intensity 480 calories.

That’s Loads of food.

I've a bmi of about 23 and it used to be 24.5, for decades it was that.
I got it down by not eating until I was hungry. Get up, and have tea, coffee, and just put off eating until you're actually hungry. That way your calories go further.

loveyouminchin I hear you. I would put on weight if I took some people's advice to eat what their diet calories are. Also the ''not eating enough'' chesnut. Ha ha.

One suggestion I have OP is to zig zag your calories throughout the week. ie, instead of 1300 every day, 800 one day and 1500 the next day. It works better. Psychologically it is much easier. And I can keep that up longer when I'm trying to lose weight.

I never had any weight issues until my office moved away from a small parade of very shops with a co-op, deli etc & onto an industrial unit next door to a sandwich shop selling chips.

Whereas previously I’d nip out at lunchtime for a fresh baguette & a some ready cooked chicken or ham etc with maybe just 1/2 small biscuits I started having corned beef baps with a portion of chips & a cake.

The weight piled on.

I found I have to plan. If I take food with me to work & also meal plan at home I’m less likely to think stuff it let’s have chips/McDonald’s etc.

I don’t eat butter on sandwiches, cut down on butter on toast & I don’t fry anything. I also started halving cake portions & made them a once a week treat.

ANOther biggie is I switched to skimmed milk & I only drink tea & water. I avoid sugar free drinks as they make your body crave sugar.

Yep, it’s really crap if you’re a short arse like me.

I’m nearly 50 and between 4 and 5 stone overweight. I eat no more than 1700 calories a day and I never have. But these extra 100-200 calories have obviously added up massively over the last 30 years.

I have given up dieting as I just can’t eat 1000 calories a day forever to lose the 1lb a week - I’ve stuck to that for literally months and lost a couple of stone. But there are no words to explain how utterly miserable I’ve been on those various diets. I must have done that about 8 times over the last 30 years.

So I’ve decided to exercise it off - I’ve upped my output by an extra 200-300 calories a day in order to eat the same amount. (And I’m tracking as I know that the more exercise you do the hungrier people get).

And it’s working. Lost 2 pounds in 5 weeks.

There is no way I’m going back to dieting - if eating 1700 calories and exercising doesn’t work I’m going to just choose to be fat.

I’m a little taller than you at 5ft 4 & I do virtually no excercise (I need to start doing some really). I’ve slways been a size 12 & didn’t like how things were starting not to fit & how I was starting to look.

I aim for around 1,800 calories per day.

I totally get what you are saying and I think it is really tough as you get older, especially if you aren’t very tall.

Laurie has a good plan with increasing the exercise. For me it’s been all about the exercise after the initial first few stone off, it makes a huge difference to my calories allowance . On sedentary days I’d be on 1250 cals to lose a pound a week and I’m fairly average height, not up for that at all. I’ve found I wake up early these days and use the mornings to get 10k steps in plus and try and be as active as possible during the day which gives me loads more calories and I have a much better chance of keeping the weight off long term.