NEW to weight loss, and I'm confused on the amount of calories to eat a day!

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Freeman2

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Thanks in advance to any one that offers suggestions!

Im 20 years old, 6 feet 3 inches and weigh 320 pounds. Recently I have changed my diet drastically, cutting out all of the bad food I used to eat. Trying to stick to a chicken breast and vegetable diet (I'm not JUST eating chicken and vegetables, but it is the majority of my diet). I've been looking into how many calories I should eat to lose weight and realized I am eat way under my recommended calorie intake. Since I started I have been eating ~1228 calories a day. I didn't consider it being an issue until I looked into it. The internet says I need 3057 calories to maintain my weight, and that its not safe to go more than 1,000 calories under that. Im way more than 1000 calories under that. My concern is that Just eating ~1228 calories, I am getting full. I know its not good to over eat, but should I be forcing myself to eat the safe amount even if I am full?

Also, what can I eat to increase calories without compromising eating healthy?
 
You’re correct. If you’ve researched BMR calculators, based upon your age, weight and height, the figure produced (3057 Kcal), sounds pretty much exact, particularly if you happen to be largely sedentary.

Equally, your calorie restriction (1228 Kcal) may work in the immediate short term in allowing you to begin losing weight, as your body will be able to utilise the calories stored in the excess that you currently carry (hence why you may not feel hungry). However, due to your severe calorie restriction, it’ll not be long before your metabolism slows, as your body begins to hold on to the excess in order to maintain your existence.

The best way to demonstrate this is to consider what happens to a burning flame when its energy source (oxygen) is removed – the burning flame is extinguished. The same remains true for the human body when its energy source (calories) is removed.

Most importantly, you sense that such a severe calorie restriction isn’t good, hence why you’ve possibly felt compelled to seek advice on how best to manage/attain weight loss.

In order to ensure that your weight loss goals can be sustained, increase your calorie intake to around 2500 Kcal each day (thus, introducing a calorie deficit), aiming to obtain your calories from protein, wholegrains, legumes, veg and healthy fats, whilst continuing to avoid as many refined carbohydrates as possible.

By consuming slightly fewer calories than your resting BMR, your metabolism will continue to fire, as it can continue to call upon reserves (excess body fat) to ensure that your daily resting BMR is met.

As you’ve not mentioned whether you exercise, if you don’t already do so, I’d recommend introducing physical activity to both aid and accelerate your level of weight loss.

If you do introduce physical activity (recommended), keep your daily intake at around 2500Kcal, re-assessing your BMR in 2-3 months, based upon your level of weight loss and increase in fitness.

Moreover, I hope the above helps you to understand how your weight loss ambition can be achieved in a sensible and sustained manner, thus, allowing you to maintain your goal weight, once it’s achieved.
 
MrNiceGuy said:
You’re correct. If you’ve researched BMR calculators, based upon your age, weight and height, the figure produced (3057 Kcal), sounds pretty much exact, particularly if you happen to be largely sedentary.

Equally, your calorie restriction (1228 Kcal) may work in the immediate short term in allowing you to begin losing weight, as your body will be able to utilise the calories stored in the excess that you currently carry (hence why you may not feel hungry). However, due to your severe calorie restriction, it’ll not be long before your metabolism slows, as your body begins to hold on to the excess in order to maintain your existence.

The best way to demonstrate this is to consider what happens to a burning flame when its energy source (oxygen) is removed – the burning flame is extinguished. The same remains true for the human body when its energy source (calories) is removed.

Most importantly, you sense that such a severe calorie restriction isn’t good, hence why you’ve possibly felt compelled to seek advice on how best to manage/attain weight loss.

In order to ensure that your weight loss goals can be sustained, increase your calorie intake to around 2500 Kcal each day (thus, introducing a calorie deficit), aiming to obtain your calories from protein, wholegrains, legumes, veg and healthy fats, whilst continuing to avoid as many refined carbohydrates as possible.

By consuming slightly fewer calories than your resting BMR, your metabolism will continue to fire, as it can continue to call upon reserves (excess body fat) to ensure that your daily resting BMR is met.

As you’ve not mentioned whether you exercise, if you don’t already do so, I’d recommend introducing physical activity to both aid and accelerate your level of weight loss.

If you do introduce physical activity (recommended), keep your daily intake at around 2500Kcal, re-assessing your BMR in 2-3 months, based upon your level of weight loss and increase in fitness.

Moreover, I hope the above helps you to understand how your weight loss ambition can be achieved in a sensible and sustained manner, thus, allowing you to maintain your goal weight, once it’s achieved.
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Thanks alot! The information you gave was very helpful. More helpful than any information I got elsewhere on the internet.

I currently do not exercise, but that is just because I have only recently started on my goal to lose weight. I'll begin a work out regimen on Monday actually.

Thanks again for all of the awesome information!
 
I would recommend that you also approach your calories in a different fashion as well. This is a general guideline that I use with my clients. To figure out on average how many calories each day (remember on average)......take your weight and multiply it by 10 and then add 300 to that number. For example 200X10=2,000+300=2,300. So if you are gaining weight you are on average eating more than that calculation.......if you are losing weight you are eating less (on average) and if you are close to maintaining then you are eating close to that number. Next look at your portions and snacking and look for ways to make reductions in those areas.......Good Luck......Kris :)
 
You're welcome, Freeman.

The most important thing is that you've already obtained your active BMR (based upon your level of activity). Once you know many calories you should be consuming in order to maintain your current measurements (3057 Kcal), it all becomes a little easier, in terms of introducing calorie deficits that will allow you to begin losing weight.

Remember, with each stone lost, your resting BMR will reduce. As such, re-calculate your BMR in order to ensure that you don't plateau.
 
Since you appear to swear by it, dmegas, I'd be grateful if you could enlighten us all as to how and why it's so effective.
 
How Many Calories Should I Eat Per Day To Lose Weight?

What this means is, whatever your daily calorie maintenance level is, you should be about 20% below it each day. Here’s an example…

Let’s say some person (male or female) had a daily calorie maintenance level of 2500 calories. They’d first figure out that 20% of 2500 is 500 (2500 x 0.20 = 500). This means they should create a caloric deficit of 500 calories each day. In this example, that would mean eating 2000 calories per day.

So, take the estimated calorie maintenance level you got in the previous step and create your 20% deficit. Did you do it? Good. That’s how many calories you should eat per day to lose weight.
 
MrNiceGuy said:
You're welcome, Freeman.

The most important thing is that you've already obtained your active BMR (based upon your level of activity). Once you know many calories you should be consuming in order to maintain your current measurements (3057 Kcal), it all becomes a little easier, in terms of introducing calorie deficits that will allow you to begin losing weight.

Remember, with each stone lost, your resting BMR will reduce. As such, re-calculate your BMR in order to ensure that you don't plateau.
Click to expand...


So while starting this journey and learning about BMR and things similar, I've realized something that is kinda troubling to me.

Looking back on what I have been eating in the past 6 months or so, I haven't lost or really gained weight.

The thing that is troubling to me is that there is no way I have been eating my required 3,057 calories a day. I usually have skipped breakfast. For lunch I never really ate anything that combined with dinner would equal 3,057. Why is it that I haven't lost weight? I know that the food I was eating definitely wasn't healthy, but there is no way I was eating 3,057 regularly. One thing that I did that was really bad is eating late at night as my sleep schedule was horrendous.

So, saying that it is bad for me to eat way below my BMR because it will slow my metabolism is something I have been doing for awhile now. Would it be good for me to immediately jump up to 2500 calories? Or is there a way I should slowly increase calories as to not gain lots of weight.

Also, how could I speed up my metabolism.

I know it's a lot of information, I hope I presented it clearly. Thanks!
 
Start consuming around 2500Kcal straight away, Freeman. The sooner you do, the sooner you'll reignite your dampened metabolism, allowing you to kick-start your weight loss again.
 
MrNiceGuy said:
Start consuming around 2500Kcal straight away, Freeman. The sooner you do, the sooner you'll reignite your dampened metabolism, allowing you to kick-start your weight loss again.
Click to expand...


I'm having an issue eating enough calories. When I search for the internet for high calorie foods that are healthy I really can't find any. I feel like I'm eating a lot of food, and it's all pretty healthy, but adding the calories it's not high enough.

Here is what my average day of eating looks like:

Oatmeal- 160 Calories
Whole boiled egg- 78 Cal.
1 Boiled egg white- 17 Cal.

2 chicken breasts- 462 Cal.
3 tortillas- 120 Cal.
2 cups of frozen veg- 236 Cal.

Apple- 95 Cal.

2 chicken breasts- 462 Cal.
3 tortillas- 120 Cal.
2 cups of frozen veg- 236 Cal.
Salad- ~60 Cal.

2 tbsp- 45 Cal.

This all totals 2,091.
 
You could add consumption of nuts to your diet, Freeman. Although they're energy dense (a 50g portion of unsalted nuts will yield around 300Kcal), on a nutritional level, they provide a source of EFAs, protein and micronutrients, all of which are beneficial to maintaining a healthy and balanced lifestyle.
 
Freeman said:
Thanks in advance to any one that offers suggestions!

Im 20 years old, 6 feet 3 inches and weigh 320 pounds. Recently I have changed my diet drastically, cutting out all of the bad food I used to eat. Trying to stick to a chicken breast and vegetable diet (I'm not JUST eating chicken and vegetables, but it is the majority of my diet). I've been looking into how many calories I should eat to lose weight and realized I am eat way under my recommended calorie intake. Since I started I have been eating ~1228 calories a day. I didn't consider it being an issue until I looked into it. The internet says I need 3057 calories to maintain my weight, and that its not safe to go more than 1,000 calories under that. Im way more than 1000 calories under that. My concern is that Just eating ~1228 calories, I am getting full. I know its not good to over eat, but should I be forcing myself to eat the safe amount even if I am full?

Also, what can I eat to increase calories without compromising eating healthy?
Click to expand...


All the advice that everyone is giving here are awesome!
In addition to that, make sure you drink a lot of water daily. Your body is made up of 70-80% water so more water will help prevent water retention and also help you achieve your overall weight loss goal. I also have a special program that can help you lose a couple of pounds in addition to exercise and healthy eating.
 
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