How many calories should I be eating ?

[navypaintd]

I'm currently 10 stone 6 at 5ft 7
I've lost over a stone since I started 7 weeks ago.
I'm just so confused on my calories
I was told that my maintenance was around 1,656 sedentary
My only exercise is 10,000 steps a day as I do a daily walk.
I was told that isn't enough for light exercise
I've been eating 1400 calories a day
I'm loosing 1-2 lbs a week
Last week I lost 2lbs
I don't know how tho as I thought it would be less than 1/2 pound a week not 1-2lbs
I'm not complaining obviously but I'm just confused
What should I be eating calorie wise ?

Who told you 10k steps puts you at sedentary? Who ever said that is an idiot.

@Vegetus it was actually a thread on here who said to not count steps as exercise and if that was my only form of exercise I was sedentary

The problem is that none of these guidelines are applicable to everyone, bodies are not machines so things vary.

Best bet is to adjust based on your personal results. So if you feel like that’s bit much to lose in a week try eating a bit more for a couple of weeks and see what happens. I’d try 1600 and adjust accordingly up or down depending on how you like the results.

There is no one and no calculation that can tell you how many calories you need to eat to gain/maintain or lose. Anyone who tells you there is is clueless.

They're flat out wrong, most of the advice on here is awful so it doesn't surprise me though!

If you're purposefully going out and walking 10k steps it's most definitely exercise.

I think the best way to work out how many calories you need is to work it out for yourself rather than entirely rely on the calculations, which it seems you are doing – pick a number, see whether you lose weight or gain weight over the week, then adjust accordingly. If you prefer to lose less weight per week than you currently are, try adding a couple of hundred calories per day for a week and see how that affects your weight loss.

Your exercise is much the same from week to week, it sounds like, so it ought to make the process more straightforward.

I hope that helps you.

I think people say not to count exercise because diet is the key determining factor in weight loss. Although exercise tones you and helps you burn calories more efficiently.
10,000 steps ever day isn't sedentary though and will be helping your fitness, even if it isn't targeting specific muscles, like weight training would do.