Do CC calculators actually work?

I have been on 1200 cals for two months. I thought I would try entering 1400 cals to see how much slower that would make my weight loss. However, the expected target date remains unchanged whether I eat 1200 or 1400 cals. Is there an explanation for this? Because all things being the same, I would rather be eating 1400 cals!

Your curent weight of 54kgs (119lbs) and height of 168cm (5'6") gives you a BMI of 19.1 which is very, very low already.    You really shouldn't be trying to lose any weight at the moment.   Because you are already borderline for underweight that's why the 1200 or 1400 don't make a big difference to the outcome.

Given that you're 41 and 'lightly active'.... everyday activities rather than formal exercise.... a target of 1800-1900 cals a day would allow you to maintain your current weight and get adequate nutrition at the same time.  Maybe it would help resolve the anaemia issue if you were getting more to eat and a therefore a nutritionally better diet?

gi-jane, thanks very much for taking the trouble to answer my question so well.

I realize that I have developed a bit of an issue with my weight recently and I intend to address this properly very soon.

At the moment, I think I could (with some effort) manage to convince myself to maintain rather than lose. However, I absolutely fail to believe that 1800/1900 cals will allow me to maintain and not gain. It seems like a huge amount. How did you come up with the figure, and are you absolutely sure that I would not gain weight eating that much?

Thanks again for your help!

There's no mystery to how I got the 1800-1900 cals.  You could check out this link, for example....  Health Calculator   Use the 'Daily Recommendation' section. (119lbs is 8st 7lbs)   With a light level of activity a 41 year-old 5'6" woman gets a daily recommendation of 1805 cals per day.   Since you're at a very low weight I'd say that you should go with 1800-1900 to be on the safe side and not risk losing more weight.  I'm 44, 5'6" lightly active, 150lbs and I can maintain my weight on 1900-2100.... if that's any kind of guide.  The typical adult female, average size, averagely active can maintain on 2000.  That's quite a light diet.

If you've been on very low calories for a long time you almost certainly will regain a little weight short-term once you switch to a higher intake.  But what's the realistic alternative?.... A lifetime of eating next to nothing?  Continuing to be malnourished?   Falling prey to every little virus doing the rounds?  Depression?  In the meantime, you might want to ask yourself the following questions...

• Do you make yourself Sick because you feel uncomfortably full?
• Do you worry that you have lost Control over how much you eat?
• Have you recently lost more than One stone (14lbs or 6.5kgs) in a 3 month period?
• Do you believe yourself to be Fat when others say you are too thin?
• Would you say that Food dominates your life?

Answer 'yes' to two or more of those questions and you should probably think about talking to your doctor. 

I can say for myself that maintaining my weight of 141 for the past yr on a 2000 cal diet is very true. CC tells me to eat 1200 cals to lose weight on sedentary. I know thats not possible and thats if Im being lazy laying in bed. Usually I still dont accept it and  Iknow myself I can still lose weight at 1400 - 1500 which is usually my goal. That 2000 cal a day diet is right. To maintain weight you eat what your burn meter says. mine is about 1700 so I stay between 1700 and 2000. Gi-Jane is right, you will gain a few pounds once your eating properly but it will stop once your metabolism straightens out. I feel my metabolism is working properly since I can eat 2000 cals everyday and not gain anything. Right now I want to lose 10 lbs so Ive just upped my gym work outs. Im going for 4 days a week and trying to burn between 400-600 cals so I can have some kind of deficit. I refuse to let myself go hungry 1200 cals are just not possible.

Just a comment about the "target date" - unless I'm mistaken, it assumes you will lose a pound a week (because that's what most people shoot for) and calculates out how many pounds you have from your last logged in weight to your goal weight, and gives you that many weeks. So if you are 5lb away from your goal, your "target date" will say 5 weeks from now.

It does not take into consideration your calorie target, your actual deficit, or your actual rate of weight loss.

Thank you very much for your supportive responses. Lots of food for thought!

I actually used to be 150lbs, just like you, and very happy in myself, before a period of severe stress three years ago (for which I had to seek professional help) and during which I went down to 112lbs very rapidly and without trying. I did actually like my new weight and decided that I would try and stay there. But everything you say is absolutely true.

My GP expressed his concern to me regarding my weight recently. I think I am almost ready to start relaxing about my figure, and concentrate on all the more important and wonderful things in my life!

Thanks again and all the best!

Original Post by gem86:

 Gi-Jane is right, you will gain a few pounds once your eating properly but it will stop once your metabolism straightens out.

Sorry it's me again! I was wondering if there was any chance of avoiding gaining the few pounds in question by increasing my daily calories very gradually, i.e. 1300 for two months, 1400 for the next two months, 1500 after that etc. until 1800/1900.

My opinion - it's not worth dragging it out - and definitely not that long- it would take you forever!

Maybe do 1400 this week, then 1600 next week, then 1800 the week after? But 2 months/100 increase is way too slow and just leaves you eating too little for that much longer.

Thanks amethystgirl! And would that actually allow me not to gain any weight while upping my calorie intake?

You might gain a little - I'm not going to lie - some people do it and are completely fine, some see a small jump, which can just be from having a little extra food in their belly that they aren't used to.

But from what I saw in the past posts, I think it's more important to get your intake up to a healthier amount, and get your metabolism going again, than worry about a couple extra pounds (almost all of which will NOT be fat) on the scale. Think long term health, not short term weight.

Hi again and thanks again. It's actually a big relief for me to finally be able to talk about this whole weight issue to someone (even if only anonymously), and to get answers! And it's even a bigger relief to find out that I can begin to eat normally again and still remain at a fairly low weight!

Original Post by gi-jane:

There's no mystery to how I got the 1800-1900 cals.  You could check out this link, for example....  Health Calculator  

 I tried using that calculator and it told me to eat 1360 calories per day. And I'm not trying to lose weight.  Does it interpret "sedentary" as meaning "in coma"? And if so, how do they think someone in a coma would be able to use the internet?

hannah - it does seem like that calculator incorrectly has sedentary set to equal BMR.... but if you bump it up to light, it seems consistent with CC, at least for me.

Well, there was no risk of my going straight to 1800 cals anyway; I had 1400 yesterday and this morning I feel as if I had lead in the stomach! I was only able to have half of my usual breakfast at 7 (i.e. a slice of toast with butter and honey), and I am still completely full! I don't see how I am going to eat 1400 cals again today! Is it best to force the food down anyway, or to eat less today? Sorry to keep asking these inane questions but I am clueless (let's say I've lost the plot, temporarily) and you seem to know what you are talking about! Thanks!

Personally I think it is important that you get yourself used to eating enough. You could add some extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) to your cooking, a handful of nuts or some peanut butter are good ways to get calories up without adding lots of bulk.

A glass of milk or juice can also add calories - if I find I'm too low at the end of the day, I'll sometimes have some chocolate milk (yeah, hershey's syrup isn't great for you, but it's yummy, and I don't love plain milk) and that gets my calories up without feeling like I'm stuffing myself.

I don't know about that Phord calculator - it keeps telling me I need 1096 calories.... Even if I bump it up to moderately active.

Sorry not sure what the Phord calculator is! Perhaps someone else can help.

Amethystgirl, I'll get there, it's probably a matter of getting used to feeling really really full!

Original Post by nat1968:

Sorry not sure what the Phord calculator is! Perhaps someone else can help.

Sorry - it's www.phord.com/cc.

yogagirl, I'm not sure why it's telling you to eat so little. Are you tiny?

One of the problems I'm finding with the phord calculator is that while it prevents you from eating below your BMR, if you are very small, it lets you eat below 1200, which I don't think is good. Also it tried to maximize your deficit to be 1% of your body weight, which in general is faster than most people can lose.

Hello, I thought I would give you a little update as you have been so helpful with your answers. I ate 1400 cals/day for a whole week and lost 1.5lbs. Not exactly the huge weight increase I was expecting then! I shall now move to 1600 for the next seven days and see what happens. I have to say 1400 really is ample and I am fully satisfied! But I want to get back to a healthy level of nutrition so I will carry on increasing until I reach 1800/1900. The extra 200 today I think will come from a nice good pint of bitter once the kids are in bed! 

PS: Perhaps this thread should be moved to Health and Support, but I'm sure you Mods know best!