Anyone have to consume MORE than 1,200 calories a day?

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  • Aegelis
    Aegelis Posts: 237 Member
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    I'm 1,200 a day to lose weight, 1,500 to maintain, 1,600+ to gain, all like clockwork. I have to be careful because I have to increase when I get to the low end else it's very obvious I don't work out enough. I'm sure for others there are other considerations such as age, metabolism, height, etc. but the round about figures seem to be very close.
  • Graelwyn75
    Graelwyn75 Posts: 4,404 Member
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    I eat between 2200 and 3000 calories a day to maintain.
    Around 2000 to lose.
    I am very active.
  • AmyEm3
    AmyEm3 Posts: 784 Member
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    Yes, I have to eat more than 1200. I can't function well and running is just not fun if I only eat 1200.
  • ajbltn
    ajbltn Posts: 57
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    My initial goal was 1600 and that wasn't enough. I was tired all the same, hungry, lightheaded, felt gross. I upped my calories based in BMR and expenditure (I second the suggestion to read helloitsdan's article) and I've started losing again and feel SO much better!! You HAVE to eat in order to lose weight. 1200/day is low.
  • GenF32
    GenF32 Posts: 184 Member
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    you're looking at sedentary women dialling in a 2 lb/week weight loss aspiration. The recommended default 1 lb/week would be a better idea.

    Not necessarily. I stipulated a 1lb a week intended loss and MFP automatically set my daily limit as 1200. But I can never eat that little - most days I'll eat back at least half my exercise calories or I get too hungry.
  • Justjamie0418
    Justjamie0418 Posts: 1,065 Member
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    I consume 1700, 1200 worked for me when I was first starting out... but now that I am lifting heavy things all the time I need more. 1700 is probably a little too low as it is.
  • Sjenny5891
    Sjenny5891 Posts: 717 Member
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    I set it at sedentary. I weigh 115. Maintain has me at 1490 calories. ANY KIND OF WEIGHT LOSS GOAL DROPS ME DOWN TO 1200.
  • FlaxMilk
    FlaxMilk Posts: 3,452 Member
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    1200 calorie people post a lot because they have problems with losing weight. Eventually they stall or something happens/ hangry. This isn't to say some people should be eating only 1200 a day. Maybe they do, the ones who should eat more have the issues.
    I'm at 1980+ a day.

    Where did you get this idea from?

    Many people lose on 1200 calories per day and many do not stall.

    My read of his post was that people who eat 1200 calories but should not are the ones that post with problems, and that's why there are so many posts, and that those who should eat 1200 and don't struggle don't bother posting.
  • megsmom2
    megsmom2 Posts: 2,362 Member
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    I lost most of this weight eating over 1600. Its lower now since I'm so close to my goal. You normally only get assigned 1200 if you told the program you want to lose 2 lb a week....which is really too fast anyway.
  • Vailara
    Vailara Posts: 2,454 Member
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    I lost most of this weight eating over 1600. Its lower now since I'm so close to my goal. You normally only get assigned 1200 if you told the program you want to lose 2 lb a week....which is really too fast anyway.

    It depends on your stats. My sedentary TDEE is 1500 and something, so obviously MFP sets me at 1200 unless I set my weight loss to 1/2 pound a week. As I lose weight it will soon be setting me to 1200 no matter what I put in.

    MFP just works out your calorie burn without exercise and subtracts a set number of calories, allowing 3500 calories per pound. It recommends a pound a week loss, or a 500 calorie deficit. So if anybody burns 1700 or less BEFORE exercise, they'll be recommended 1200 calories net for a pound a week loss.

    I'm mentioning this because so often I see people saying that 1200 calories means a 2lb a week loss. A 2lb a week loss on MFP is a 1000 calorie deficit. For somebody to really get a 1000 calorie deficit, they'd have to be burning 2200 calories or more BEFORE exercise. If you burn, say, 2000 calories, or 1800 calories before exercise, you will not be able to lose 2lb a week on MFP because it won't give you a goal of 1000 calories or 800 calories. It will always give you 1200 minimum. That's sensible, but the trouble is that MFP doesn't tell you that. It lets "set" it for 2lb a week loss, then wonder why the weight isn't coming off at the expected rate.

    So the people doing 1200 are not all in the same situation. You'll get some people who really DO have a 1000 calorie deficit, but that will only be the people who burn over 2200 calories before exercise.

    You'll get some people who have a lower calorie burn (1700 or less) and so get recommended to eat 1200 if they put in 1lb a week weight loss or less.

    And you get in between people (calorie burn before exercise is between 1700 and 2200), who have set their weight loss to 2 lb a week but aren't being given a 1000 calorie deficit and are left trying to work out what they're doing wrong. Somebody who burns 1700 and has set to 2lb SHOULD only lose 1lb a week at 1200, but MFP doesn't tell them that. In fact, that's the same case for me, as MFP seems to tell me I should lose 1lb a week, but only gives me a 300 calorie deficit.

    TL:DR It seems to me that an awful lot of people who are on 1200 calories NET do not actually have a 1000 calorie deficit. This means it's not always as extreme as people think, and also that people are being misled about the expected rate of their weight loss.

    Also, many people will be recommended 1200 calories for a 1lb a week weight loss.
  • littlepinkhearts
    littlepinkhearts Posts: 1,055 Member
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    bumppp
  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
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    I'm dropping 1-2 lbs a week at 3,000 a day. It's all relative to your size and activity level (at the most base level).
  • littlepinkhearts
    littlepinkhearts Posts: 1,055 Member
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    I'm dropping 1-2 lbs a week at 3,000 a day. It's all relative to your size and activity level (at the most base level).

    now THAT'S a healthy calorie intake...wowww
  • alwaysgreen17
    alwaysgreen17 Posts: 85 Member
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    MFP says I should be at 1200 calories without exercise. I am really short, though (4'9") so not sure if that's going to work for everyone...
  • ctmom1204
    ctmom1204 Posts: 7
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    My daialy goal is 1,760 without exercising.
  • DearJuliaG
    DearJuliaG Posts: 20 Member
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    I just joined and I am having a hard time meeting the calorie goals. I am sure it'll take a couple weeks to get the balance right of calories vs. fat and protein, etc. My "goal" is 1400 if no exercise. I was taking in about 1200-1300. Now, I've relaized that I need to have more fresh veggies and fruits on hand to snack onwhen I am hungry, rather than not snacking because I only have chips or ice cream. So, now, on day 6, I am meeting the calorie intake, but I am high on fat mostly because I add almond butter to my smoothies and eat avocado and nuts/seeds. So I have o cut back on seeds, nuts and avocados. Its great that I can see howmuch I have logged vs.remaining throughout the day.

    Good luck!
  • Cese27
    Cese27 Posts: 626 Member
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    I cycle my cals so workout day is 3030 rest day is 2020
  • DearJuliaG
    DearJuliaG Posts: 20 Member
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    How much are you exercising, though? Must be a lot.:smile:
  • ecc312
    ecc312 Posts: 17
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    I'm pretty small and I'm eating 1500 net calories a day and losing slightly more than 1 lb per week. When I was eating 1200, I was always hungry and tired, and I'm pretty sure I was losing a ton of muscle. More is the way to go, everyone!!!
  • elyconstantin
    elyconstantin Posts: 2
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    mine is 1570... and very happy with that

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