I am 310lbs. How many calories should I take in per day?

Question

I know the average caloric intake is 2000 but I feel that is too much for me. I have a very inactive 9-5pm job. Any workout suggestions?

I'm 5'6ft tall.

Answer 1

How about 1600 calories a day with about 10% from fat, 25% from protein and 65% from complex carbs such as fresh fruit, pasta, grains, raw and cooked vegetables, baked potatoes, rice, oatmeal. Stay away from fried foods, cheese, process foods, fast foods, desserts, candy, salt, soda pop, high fat salad dressings, and empty calorie type snacks.

Drink 8 large glasses of water each day and get at least 8 hours of deep sleep.

Start your exercise by walking at your own pace for 20 minutes three times a week and increase your pace and duration every few days as you feel comfortable. You should stop and rest as you feel necessary. Don't push yourself too much. Measure your progress at first just by how you feel and how your clothes start to feel a bit loose. Don't worry about your weight loss for a few weeks then you will start to see results on the scales.

Good luck.

Answer 2

When I want to lose weight, I cut my calorie intake to about 1300 per day, and add an hour of exercise 5 days a week.

Basically, cut back to where you feel comfy but not TOO far back because you need to eat and you don't want your metabolism to slow down because it thinks you're starving...then add some physical activity daily (walking is great)..shoot for 30 minutes a day (or build up to that by starting at 10 or 15 mins and adding 5 mins every few days)...

Good luck!

Answer 3

At 310 pounds you would probably be losing weight if you really stuck to 2000 calories. You feel it's too much for you? Do you really count your calories? To maintain your weight at 310 I'd need to know how tall you are too. Most dieters are told to eat 1500 a day, but I'm talking about people who weigh less than you. I feel a professional person told you 2000 calories and you don't want to listen 'cause you want to lose weight fast. Listen to that person; you've done things the wrong way long enough. I think you will later be told to reduce calories to 1500, but not at this point. Sorry, if I'm wrong.
For your weight and height you would need 2800 calories to maintain your weight on bedrest or 3070 to maintain your weight on a sedentary life which is what you say you have. You would need 3200 if you have an active lifestyle which is what you say you want ie exercise. At 2000 calories you would be missing 7000 calories a week which is 2 pounds a week. At this rate it would take you 9 months to move from morbidly obese to obese. I can understand why you want to speed things up and how your patience is being driven. If you want to maintain your weightlossthough go slow. Permanent weightloss comes from a change in lifestyle. Going slow would kind of habituate you to a slimmer lifestyle. You also don't want to go to quick and destroy your metabolism. I don't know anything about your health to recommend specific exercises for you.
Something very simple which I imagine you could do is get 1 pound weights and "walk" your hands whenever you aren't using them. ie while your talking or visiting with friends, watching tv...when you are more fit I would say start walking at a leisurely stroll for 10 minutes and gradually build up to 30 then increase your speed and walk for 15 minutes and gradually build up to 1/2 an hour. Work like this till you can safely speed walk for an hour ie build yourself up real slow. You don't want to strain your heart. Ask your doctor if he/she thinks you can go faster or do more or not, but I wouldn't recommend it before you're fit.

Answer 4

Youre pretty heavy, Id say increase it to 2000 calories atleast until you cut like 50-75 pounds. I am 24 6'0 175 and 1500 calories and as a male this is the cut off for starvation. Your body will retain weight if you go into starvation mode.

Answer 5

Whoa, whoa, slow down! You probably need way more than 2000 calories per day at 310 lbs, especially if you're looking at losing weight. I had to INCREASE my calories significantly to lose weight.

Have a look at the calorie calculator at http://www.fitday.com
And check out the books Nourishing Traditions (there's also a yahoo group called discussing NT) and Eat Fat Lose Fat by Sally Fallon.

Answer 6

well the lowest that a person whould go in calories is 1500 but they have to be of the right things to eat or you can end up hurting yourself by trying to lower your calorie intake so quickly. so if i were u i would go and get a pyrimid with all the proper helpings on it and then make my luches to take to work instead of trying to buy my luch of snacks from other places who will not watch what they feed u.

so um take this into condisration also beingf that you are so heavy...when was the last time that you receieved a health check up to make sure that your heart was good and that your blood pressure was okay, i asked becuase you will need to exercise but you will not be able to do some exercises that most ppl due. like myself i havent exercised in almost 6 months and so when i began my heart would beat faster thatn usual and i would ge4t dizzy
and i had to find a routine that would suit me and make sure that i was getting all of what i needed out of my exercise

Answer 7

well is very simple actually.
The body burns 12 calories a day for every pound.
So since you weigh 310 lbs you multiply that by 12 and thats your answer

310 lbs x 12= 3720 calories

Answer 8

For your weight a 2000 calorie would actually be a deficit (meaning it would help in weight loss if that is your goal). Try walking a mile or 2 everyday. Don't sit in front of a tv or a computer.

Answer 9

Hi there...I have never been one to count calories, what I would suggest is portion control and exercise if you are wanting to lose weight. Diets do NOT work!!! The rule is that your portions should be the size of your palm...for example, a piece of chicken the size of your palm, a baked potato the size of your palm and vegetable the size of your palm although you can have a second helping of veggies. If you are a milk drinker and drink 2% milk, try switching over to 1% and then eventually to skim...that cuts a lot of calories right there. If you are a treat person, ( like most of us!! ) you can try the light ice-creams and ice-cream sandwiches. They have half the calories and fat as regular ice-cream and taste great. My kids really like it. If you like chips, baked lays are quite good. As far as exercise, walking is always good...stationary biking, swimming. And by the way, you are gorgeous...from one BBW to another....=) Oh, also....the crystal light indivdual packets that you dump into bottled water is really good...they have lemonade, iced teas, etc.

Answer 10

Well I am currently trying to lose weight, but since you have a long job, when you get home while watching tv or on the computer, lift 10-15 lb. weights. What I do is while watching tv I do sit ups and crunches, in the morning I go out and do yoga. Find and activity that fits your schedule and stick to it.
Try eating more fruits and veggies, so instead of pizza it a chicken ceasar salad, or go to a nearby sushi bar. Lay of fried foods and try eat more boiled food. I hope this helps, you can contact me at [e-mail].