Will I lose weight on a 1600 calorie a day diet?

Question

I am a 27 year old female, 5'2 and weigh 150 lbs. I want to lose 30 pounds and keep it off. I am ridding an excersize bike for 30 minutes every morning which is about 12 miles a day. To help lose weight I want to watch my calories so I started a 1000 calories a day diet but then heard if you only eat 1000 calories or less a day it wont burn fat it will burn lean muscle so they suggested to go on a 1600 calorie a day diet. On my excersize bike it says im burning approx 500 calories on my 30 minute workout. Will I lose weight this weigh or should I lower my calories?

Answer 1

I ride a stationary recumbent bike and try to get 11 miles in 30 minutes, so I commend you. Actually, you need to eat no fewer than 1,200 calories a day. 1,600 will be great for you. The site at the bottom will help you calculate your resting metabolic rate and determine how many calories you naturally burn in a regular day (not including exercise). Taking in 500 fewer calories a day will help you lose 1 pound a week.

Resting (basal) metabolic rate: 1463 calories per day
Typical daily activities: 713 calories per day
*Consider 8 hours sleep, 10 hours sitting/resting/desk job, and 6 hours light physical activity.

Total calories burned: 2177 per day
Note: 3500 calories = 1 pound weight loss

Answer 2

I think that 1600 calories is great. Research says that it is very difficult for a woman to get all the nutrients in less than 1800 calories but it can be done. If you go too low (1000) you will go into deprivation mode and the metabolism will slow way down. If you continue your plan you will lose weight slowly. Two advantages to this. Its easier to continue in the long run (lose weight for a longer time and don't fall off a diet and gain everything back) and It will stay off. If you reach a plateau and stop losing weight for a few weeks, it helps to change up your exercise. Your body get used to the same old exercise and gets more efficient . It will use burn fewer calories for the same exercise after a while. You're doing great. Keep up the good work.

Answer 3

Because of your active lifestyle, you're most likely burning over 2000 calories a day, I'd say even close to 2200. So taking in 1600 will definitely help you lose weight, because you're creating a calorie deficit of about 400-600. I'd suggest staying between the 1300-1600 zone regarding calorie intake (this will keep your energy up), spread your meals over 5 or 6 meals a day and drink lots of water. This will speed up the process even more. Going any lower than 1300 (some may say that even this is too low) is unhealthy and can be detrimental to your metabolism, as you've mentioned.

Answer 4

http://www.caloriecontrol.org/calcalcs.html
Check out this link to find out how many calories you need a day in order to maintain your weight. Then cut that by about 500 calories. Try cutting 250 from your diet, and then burning 250 through exercise (I know your bike says 500, but don't always trust what the bike says...however, if you're doing a half-hour workout, you will be burning at least 250).
Make sure to check back at this link periodically...as you lose weight, you will need less calories..if you don't adjust your diet and exercise plan accordingly, you will just plateau.
Congratulations on losing weight the right way, though...I'm glad to see you are doing this the sensible way!

Answer 5

No. To determine your approximate caloric needs, you can easily compute your basal metabolic rate. This is the number of calories your body needs to maintain its basic functions and your current weight. You can determine your BMR by multiplying your current weight by 10. For example, if you weigh 180 pounds, then eating 1,800 calories a day would be your BMR. However, this computation doesn't take into account exercise or your activity level. For example, since someone who exercises regularly can bring in more calories and still be at their maintenance weight, their BMR would be higher. Other issues like genetics, age and the amount of body fat/muscle you have can also affect your caloric needs. So, based on your weight your BMR would be 1160 calorie intake. Excercising regularly...though. Try to pick up walking or bicycling every other day.

Answer 6

You don't want to go to 1000 cal. a day or when you go off of the diet you will gain the weight back. Remember it is a lifestyle change, just include exercise into your diet and eat healthier leaner proportions and you will be fine. 1600 cal. is a good cal. intake.

Answer 7

Yes you will lose weight. But only a pound or two a week, but don't let this deter you, the reason so many people don't lose is that they want the weight off NOW and give up when it doesn't happen.

Anything below 1200 will slow your metabolism.

Answer 8

You aren't riding twelve miles in thirty minutes. If you are then you should be very slim by now. Don't count exactly how many calories you have. Just watch out for unhealthy foods.

Answer 9

I've lost 5 kilos in my first week. It's my 10th day and I have included salad with some protein (eg. egg/ lean chicken) as you suggested. After 4 years of trying, the fat is finally coming off. It truly feels like magic!

Get started today!

Answer 10

You will but very slowly. I'm 5'4" 110lbs and I eat about 1600 calories every day to maintain my weight. I'm not even on a diet. You should reduce it to 1000cal.