What is the female obsession with a 1200 calorie diet?
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I don't get it either. I prefer to EAT! Who cares if you lose more slowly? If you eat enough to maintain your metabolism, that is what is going to assure you KEEP it off!0
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I think mfp sets the intake at 1200 calories for any female who chooses to lose 2 pounds per week. Isn't that correct? If so, I would think that's why so many people come in to the forums asking about 1200 calorie diets.
This! A lot of people who are eating 1200 calories are NEW here and this is what MFP gives them... Why wouldn't they go with it at first?0 -
i prove this to myself once a month, without fail.Eating 1000 extra calories per day will not send a body into shock.0 -
Some women, shorter and older, or both, need less calories and 1200 or less may be their perfect number. However, in general many women see this the standard required calories for weight loss, because it's a number often used in marketed diets. Resulting in failure and starvation that sets them up for another vicious cycle.
I'm 5'7 and currently eating between 1800-2200 cals a day, when I'm at goal and maintaining I plan to still eat no less than 1700 excluding exercise cals.0 -
Here are my stats:
127 pounds, 5'3. I want to lose about 5 pounds. I have a desk job. MFP gives me 1200 calories to lose .7 pounds per week (net, not gross). That is just how it is for some people who may not have too much weight to lose.
I personally use TDEE -20, however, it is not that far off.
I do Stronglifts, so I eat more on my lifting days, and if I am hungry, I eat. But if my goal is to lose weight I have to have a deficit.
If you are doing Stronglifts, why is your goal to lose weight? isn't it more accurate to say your goal is to lose fat and add muscle?
At this point my goal is to lose fat and maintain muscle. This is not unusual..
Not at all. But you say above you wanted to lose 5 lbs. This is not at all the same as losing fat and gaining muscle. What if Stronglifts gets you up to 130lbs and a lower bodyfat. Do you stop lifting to get back down to 122?
In most cases I believe targeting a specific weight is counterproductive, is what I'm saying.0 -
I eat 1800-2100 a day and workout 5x a week. I use the TDEE method and I lost almost a pound and a half last week. the 1200 cal a day diet is BS in my opinion. I did that diet and gained back 20 pounds because my body couldn't adjust to eating more once I tried to eat more than 1200 a day again.
Do you wonder if you might gain if someday you stop working out 5x a week? Seems a similar risk to me.
1200 a day is not BS for *me* because I'm not working out/lifting very much (my daily exercise is usually a brisk walk with my dog
).
Nope I don't worry because I know my TDEE right now at my current weight is 2600 calories, so I need to eat that much every day to MAINTAIN my weight. so I bump off 500 calories to lose one pound a week and it works for me. and it's easier to switch to maintenence without your body going into shock
without your body going into shock. :huh:
Yes, shock. You know, when your body is not used to so much calories and all of a sudden you switch to maintenance and dump like 1000 extra a day into yourself after being on a 1200 calorie diet for six months? you're supposed to gradually up your calories and with the TDEE method there is less transition when I eat 2000 calories a day and switch to 2500 to maintenance as opposed to eating 1200 a day and then eating 2500 a day for maintenance.
Eating 1000 extra calories per day will not send a body into shock.
that's your own opinion. But It makes sense that when something or someone has a drastic change all of a sudden there is shock. if your body is usedto eating 1200 and then all of a sudden you are eating almost double it will have a TON of extra energy and the body won't be used to burning it properly. Also, eating so little for MOST people slows down their metabolism a LOT so when they start eating extra calories their body doesn't burn it quick enough.0 -
Ok, I am 5 feet tall and weight 118. I eat less than 1200 per day BUT that is what works for me and my body. I normally run for at least an hour every day. I have tried many times to lose weight and I finally found what works for me. What I do does not work for everyone. My weight loss numbers speak for themselves.0
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I eat 1800-2100 a day and workout 5x a week. I use the TDEE method and I lost almost a pound and a half last week. the 1200 cal a day diet is BS in my opinion. I did that diet and gained back 20 pounds because my body couldn't adjust to eating more once I tried to eat more than 1200 a day again.
Do you wonder if you might gain if someday you stop working out 5x a week? Seems a similar risk to me.
1200 a day is not BS for *me* because I'm not working out/lifting very much (my daily exercise is usually a brisk walk with my dog ).
Nope I don't worry because I know my TDEE right now at my current weight is 2600 calories, so I need to eat that much every day to MAINTAIN my weight. so I bump off 500 calories to lose one pound a week and it works for me. and it's easier to switch to maintenence without your body going into shock
without your body going into shock. :huh:
Yes, shock. You know, when your body is not used to so much calories and all of a sudden you switch to maintenance and dump like 1000 extra a day into yourself after being on a 1200 calorie diet for six months? you're supposed to gradually up your calories and with the TDEE method there is less transition when I eat 2000 calories a day and switch to 2500 to maintenance as opposed to eating 1200 a day and then eating 2500 a day for maintenance.
Eating 1000 extra calories per day will not send a body into shock.
that's your own opinion. But It makes sense that when something or someone has a drastic change all of a sudden there is shock. if your body is usedto eating 1200 and then all of a sudden you are eating almost double it will have a TON of extra energy and the body won't be used to burning it properly. Also, eating so little for MOST people slows down their metabolism a LOT so when they start eating extra calories their body doesn't burn it quick enough.
http://www.livestrong.com/article/464739-will-i-slow-my-metabolism-by-consuming-1-200-to-1-400-calories-per-day/
Like I said, metabolism slows down. Read that article.0 -
I eat 1800-2100 a day and workout 5x a week. I use the TDEE method and I lost almost a pound and a half last week. the 1200 cal a day diet is BS in my opinion. I did that diet and gained back 20 pounds because my body couldn't adjust to eating more once I tried to eat more than 1200 a day again.
Do you wonder if you might gain if someday you stop working out 5x a week? Seems a similar risk to me.
1200 a day is not BS for *me* because I'm not working out/lifting very much (my daily exercise is usually a brisk walk with my dog ).
Nope I don't worry because I know my TDEE right now at my current weight is 2600 calories, so I need to eat that much every day to MAINTAIN my weight. so I bump off 500 calories to lose one pound a week and it works for me. and it's easier to switch to maintenence without your body going into shock
without your body going into shock. :huh:
Yes, shock. You know, when your body is not used to so much calories and all of a sudden you switch to maintenance and dump like 1000 extra a day into yourself after being on a 1200 calorie diet for six months? you're supposed to gradually up your calories and with the TDEE method there is less transition when I eat 2000 calories a day and switch to 2500 to maintenance as opposed to eating 1200 a day and then eating 2500 a day for maintenance.
Eating 1000 extra calories per day will not send a body into shock.
that's your own opinion. But It makes sense that when something or someone has a drastic change all of a sudden there is shock. if your body is usedto eating 1200 and then all of a sudden you are eating almost double it will have a TON of extra energy and the body won't be used to burning it properly. Also, eating so little for MOST people slows down their metabolism a LOT so when they start eating extra calories their body doesn't burn it quick enough.
http://www.livestrong.com/article/464739-will-i-slow-my-metabolism-by-consuming-1-200-to-1-400-calories-per-day/
Like I said, metabolism slows down. Read that article.
The Dangers of Slowing Your Metabolism
When you're trying to lose weight, you want those extra pounds to come off as quickly as possible. You may be tempted to cut calories too much, which will slow your metabolism and stop your weight loss -- causing a plateau. Many dieters get frustrated at their lack of progress and stop dieting. Because your metabolism is slower, if you go back to your previous way of eating you will gain weight faster than you did before. You might gain back all the wight you lost, and then some!
Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/464739-will-i-slow-my-metabolism-by-consuming-1-200-to-1-400-calories-per-day/#ixzz2VvGR6jcy0 -
I am set to 1200 I eat back most if not all my workout calories. I use a HRM so hopefully I am in the correct ballpark with what I burn. I am only 5ft tall so for me that is the right amount to lose weight. I have to be honest what I have learned about all this working out losing weight...is it is NOT one size fits all. No two bodies work the same. It is trial and error to see what fits you best.
I too am only 5ft tall and I don't have my settings set to lose 2lbs a week and it is still recommended for me to consume 1200 calories a day. Rarely am I under 1200 calories and I eat when I'm hungry which is usually 3 meals a day and several snacks. On most days I am sedentary or considered a light workout. I have a desk job and usually my workout is a brisk walk or keeping up with my two children. I chose to cut out the bad foods and try and eat healthy to lose weight. I am in no way depriving myself of food, If I have a craving for something I eat it. This is what works for me, each person has a goal and to achieve that goal has to do what works for them. If you cant "function" on 1200 calories eat more, but this is what works for me!0 -
I can't tell you definitively... but a celebrity model said something along the lines of, "If you want to weigh 120, you eat 1200... 140, you eat 1400 calories etc." And being depressed and insecure at the time, that made a lot of sense to me... now I know it's a major over simplification and can lead to very dangerous lifestyle if the 'rule' is taken seriously.0
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WELP. OP- what you fail to realize is that BMR is a number in which you use to calculate your TDEE; NOT your baseline for calorie consumption.
For some reason on MFP many people have this assumption that you ABSOLUTELY CANNOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES eat below your BMR.
This is untrue; especially for those who are morbidly obese.
MFP does not recommend anyone eat below 1200 calories as this is what nutritionists, physician, etc. deem a healthy amount of calories for the AVERAGE woman to lose weight. This is based on an average. There is no exact science to it other than the fact that this is based on the average woman in the UNITED STATES. For men the lowest they will recommend is 1400 calories per day.
Now why does it suggest 1200 for SO many people? Because SO many people have unrealistic expectations as to how much weight they can and should lose safely. Surely you remember signing up for MFP and it giving you an option on how much you want to lose per week....
now who DIDN'T select 2 pounds per week? Anyone?
For a woman like myself when I first started (i'll use this as an example) I am 5'4 (average height), weighed 136 (average-ish weight), wanted to lose 2 pounds per week.
My BMR was 1,362
My TDEE was 1634
I selected 2 pounds per week or a deficit of 1000 calories.
Thank GOD MFP did not recommend 634 calories.
I lost about a pound a week on 1200 calories. Even now (especially now that I am MUCH smaller) I require less calories overall if I want to be in a deficit. On non-lifting days I burn about 1700 calories and on lifting days about 2100 calories.
Try making a deficit off of that and tell me how many calories you would need to eat....
go on... i'm waiting....
Is 1,200 calories safe for EVERYONE? Hell no, especially MEN, women who are taller, women who have less to lose, women who are much more active throughout the day. For the AVERAGE woman this number is usually close to their BMR and allows them to (should they eat nutritionally dense food) get enough protein, carbs, calories for brain function, and hit their RDA of vitamins. But as you probably also know, RDA of protein is 15% of your diet, and nutritional goals are very very low.
This is why it's so damn important you set up your activity level correctly and you don't go crazy overboard with expectations that you're going to lose weight at the rate that someone 100+lbs your size would.
just sayin... if you have a low amount of weight to lose, you should aim for losing .5 lbs a week.0 -
I thought it was because 1200 cals is MFP's minimum allowed.
^^THIS! There are many women who are older, shorter, etc that eat below 1200 as well, you just can't say it on MFP or you will get reported. 1200 is the safe number to claim. While 1200 is certainly not an appropriate amount for everyone, there are quite a few people that it works for while they are losing weight. You just need to be more careful with HOW you spend those calories, to make sure you get enough protein and other nutrients.
Some people also shoot for 1200, but don't measure everything 100% accurately, so maybe they are actually eating 1300-1400 cals. Aiming for a lower goal gives more flexibility and room for error.
BTW, 20+ years ago, 1000 calories a day was the standard amount to lose weight for most women, so 1200 is more than it used to be.
What I question is why so many people freak out when others choose to eat at that level because it works for them? If it is too few calories for them, they will soon figure it out for themselves.
All of which means you are doing no accounting for the individual and their needs when the tools are readily available to do so and saying "eat this because I say so."
Sorry, but I could not disagree more with this post. 1000 calories was dead wrong 20 years ago, just as wrong as 1200 calories is for 95% of the population today.
Did you miss the bolded words of my post? For me personally, my maintenance is around 1600 cals. I am 49, 5'6", I don't go to the gym 5 days a week. I am the average middle aged woman today. And I say AVERAGE because yes, there are many women on here who lift heavy and are very active, but they are well above average.
1200 gives me less than 1 pound a week. I have lost about 45 of my pounds since the end of Aug 2012. Since I am down to the last 30 pounds, I have bumped up to 1250-1300 a day and am only losing about a half pound per week. So I am looking at another year to get to goal weight.
I DO take in account the individual needs of the user on here. I have never told anyone that they SHOULD be eating 1200 a day. Everyone has to figure out what is best for themselves.
Perhaps I give more credit to people to have the brains to figure out what works for them, rather than assuming that everyone who eats less than you think they should, is an idiot.
I believe there are more than 5% of the people on here that HAVE done their homework and considered their own body's needs and their own situation and found that a lower calorie diet is what is right for themselves. And it is very inappropriate for a group of people on here to say that they are wrong for doing what they deem best for their own self.
Many people have also tried the 1200 cal level, figured out it didn't work for them, and tried something different. But just because it didn't work for them, doesn't mean it wont work for anyone.0 -
Please, I ask for some enlightenment on this issue.
I am older....don't have as efficient a metabolism as a 25 year old and don't have a need (or desire) to eat as much as a younger person. I am not nearly as active as a younger person... I don't have kids to run around after, either. My muscle mass is less because I am losing some to age.
I honestly believe that 1200 should be the minimum. I now have my calories set to 1300 so I stay over 1200 and frequently go slightly over 1300. Before I started here, most of my calories were junk... I wasn't eating a lot of food, just high calorie /carb. So I eat about the same physical amount of food.....just fewer and more nutritious calories.0 -
Here are my stats:
127 pounds, 5'3. I want to lose about 5 pounds. I have a desk job. MFP gives me 1200 calories to lose .7 pounds per week (net, not gross). That is just how it is for some people who may not have too much weight to lose.
I personally use TDEE -20, however, it is not that far off.
I do Stronglifts, so I eat more on my lifting days, and if I am hungry, I eat. But if my goal is to lose weight I have to have a deficit.
If you are doing Stronglifts, why is your goal to lose weight? isn't it more accurate to say your goal is to lose fat and add muscle?
At this point my goal is to lose fat and maintain muscle. This is not unusual..
Not at all. But you say above you wanted to lose 5 lbs. This is not at all the same as losing fat and gaining muscle. What if Stronglifts gets you up to 130lbs and a lower bodyfat. Do you stop lifting to get back down to 122?
In most cases I believe targeting a specific weight is counterproductive, is what I'm saying.
No, my goal at this point is not to gain muscle. You can't gain muscle while eating at a deficit, but you can help to maintain your muscle mass by heaving lifting while you lose. You are right in the sense that if I am happy with my body's appearance and it doesn't match a number I think I want to see on my scale- I will stop cutting and start maintaining, but I do need to lose body fat at this point and you can't just magically lose body fat and make it turn into muscle.
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When I signed on to MFP and entered my goals...it was the magic number that was given to me..1250. I nearly passed out at the thought! I haven't been able to keep it under 1500 on most days and I've lost 48 pounds total so I guess weight can be lost if you eat more! imagine that!
Sounds like you are eating some of your exercise calories then? That is how the site it set up to be used. Congrats on your success.0 -
...I prefer to EAT! Who cares if you lose more slowly? If you eat enough to maintain your metabolism, that is what is going to assure you KEEP it off!
Me too, I very much prefer to EAT! And so I do, I eat my fill on approx. 1300 calories a day. I am not deprived in the least. If I was, I'd up my intake.
And me too, I'm totally okay with losing weight more slowly. My 1300/day works out to me losing about a pound every a week or ten days. (my ticker says joined in April, but I began to lose in February).
I'm hopeful I'll keep it off when I maintain too. I lost weight 20 years ago and kept it off until the last few years, so I'm pretty experienced with maintenance.
I hope you'll keep your weight off too ~ but are you any more certain than the next person? You used the word "assure" and I am not convinced you're absolutely correct.0 -
1200 Calories worked for me!0
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I read somewhere, and I wish I could remember where it was, that you should eat the calories allotted for your goal weight. I haven't tried that, myself, but it does make sense. 0
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I usually avoid all the 1200 Calorie/Low Calorie/Eat More/Starvation Mode debates but ....
The 1200 Calorie originally gained it's foothold because a bunch of "experts" came to a consensus opinion that 1200 calories was the minimum needed in a daily eating plan to provide the basic levels of all the macro/micro nutrients. The number was repeated over and over and pretty much became fact.
It is in many ways true. In the US (and other similar food available nations) if a person maintains a 1200 calorie eating plan they are very likely providing their bodies with the basic adequate nutrition. It is possible to go below 1200 calories and still meet all the vitamin and nutritional needs. There are a few medical and expert supervised (food provided) diet plans that will take the patient down to 900 or 1000 calories a day for a short period of time. It really isn't recommended that most people eat that way on a long term and/or unsupervised basis.
Whether or not 1200 calories is enough energy to sustain a person through their day is another question and that is why you see people saying here that they HAVE to eat more than 1200 to have enough energy to exercise and "lift heavy" and all the other things that active people like to do. That sort of exercise based non-sedentary lifestyle takes more energy than sitting at a desk all day to drive home and sit and front of the tv all evening. The big thing here is how a person feels eating 1200. If they are lethargic, constantly hungry, irritable, showing memory lapses or whatever ... then the answer is likely no 1200calories is not enough and they need to eat more.
However, if they feel good and their weight loss is progressing at a stable pace and they have enough energy to make it through their day at an above slug-like manner - then there is really no reason for them to eat above 1200calories.0
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