calorie intake

Becky03026847
Becky03026847 Posts: 34 Member
in Getting Started
I have been trying to stay within 1200 calories a day but I seem to always go over some but not past 1500 calories on most days. Yesterday I went way over but with my exercise calculated in there, I was only over 1200 calories by alittle over 100 calories. Is this still good to lose weight? Or do I need to increase my calorie intake on this calculator to compensate? I'm not eating after 6pm.

Replies

  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    Most likely you'll still be in a deficit if your logging is accurate. Did you set your goal to losing 2 pounds a week? I would change it to a pound a week, which should give you a little more room. Also, unless you have sleeping problems by eating late, there's no need for a cutoff time to stop eating.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    if 1200 is a struggle go back round the Goal setting process and dial in a lower rate to get a target you can hit.
  • Becky03026847
    Becky03026847 Posts: 34 Member
    I really didn't set a goal on how much weight to lose a week. Just wanted to get the amount of calories good for me. Yesterday, I had 16 calories left over that I could eat and I entered my water intake and I still get the message of if you ate like this for 5 weeks you would weight 192.5 pounds. I just don't get it! Those kinds of messages are depressing to me, no encouragment at all.
  • Becky03026847
    Becky03026847 Posts: 34 Member
    so should I increase my calories for the day?
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    Becky03026847 wrote: »
    I still get the message of if you ate like this for 5 weeks you would weight 192.5 pounds. I just don't get it! Those kinds of messages are depressing to me, no encouragment at all.

    So don't push the complete button if you don't like to see those messages.

  • PaytraB
    PaytraB Posts: 2,360 Member
    Becky03026847 wrote: »
    so should I increase my calories for the day?

    You do seem to be making this harder than it needs to be (and therefore setting yourself up for possible disappointment). The idea here is to lose weight slowly, safely and sustainably.

    Set your goals to lose 1 lb a week. This will give you a daily calorie limit to reach and lose that one pound. Stick to that calorie limit instead of 1200 (which is awfully low for many people).
    The idea is to not go below the amount of calories that your body needs to survive in a healthy manner. It may be that 1200 is too low for you; it may mean that it isn't. It depends on height, weight, age, etc. Let MFP set your calorie limit and you will know that you are in a safe zone.

    If you don't like getting that message, don't push the "complete" button, as Ready2Rock suggests.

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