1200 calorie diet and exercise

khelmann
khelmann Posts: 14 Member
edited November 14 in Health and Weight Loss
I am limiting myself to the minimum 1200 calories a day for an upcoming trip I have planned. If I am exercising (cardiovascular 30 minutes 3-4 times a week) would it be healthier to increase calorie intake? 5'6" female 150lbs

Replies

  • khelmann
    khelmann Posts: 14 Member
    I'll delve a little deeper and say that I've read in some other forums strong opinions about not eating enough calories to meet the allowance, but what would the difference between if I ate 1000 calories instead of eating 1200 calories and burning 200 doing cardiovascular (just examples) that is why I'm wondering if I need to up my calorie allowance if exercise is added :)
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
    1200 is supposed to be your net calories so I would try to eat at least a portion of your exercise calories back
  • khelmann
    khelmann Posts: 14 Member
    edited January 2017
    singingflutelady wrote: »
    1200 is supposed to be your net calories so I would try to eat at least a portion of your exercise calories back

    Thanks! That's what I was wondering, but MFP doesn't alert when I go under due to exercise like it does when you aren't eating enough so I wasn't sure.
  • _Justinian_
    _Justinian_ Posts: 232 Member
    khelmann wrote: »
    ...but what would the difference between if I ate 1000 calories instead of eating 1200 calories and burning 200 doing cardiovascular (just examples) that is why I'm wondering if I need to up my calorie allowance if exercise is added :)

    Try to do some cardiovascular exercise on a day of eating only 1200 calories and you'll find out. :smile:

    On a serious note, if your body is not used to it, you will feel light-headed or dizzy and may even pass out. 1200 calories is the minimum required to keep your body functioning normally.
  • sarko15
    sarko15 Posts: 330 Member
    Just wondering, why limit yourself before a trip? When is the trip? If it's soon, restricting won't do much good unless you're calorie banking. Why not stick to something you can commit to long term?
  • TanyaHooton
    TanyaHooton Posts: 249 Member
    I am 5'6' and 157 lbs. I find 1200 to be a ridiculously low amount of calories even on a low energy day. You may find yourself pretty grumpy, cold, fatigued, and hungry. Def eat back some of those exercise cals.

    Fwiw, when I looked up my BMR, or what i needed just to keep me alive if I were in a coma, it came out at like 1420 cals a day. Eating less than you need is ok for a day or two I guess, but any longer than that, if you are not sick, is crash dieting.
  • khelmann
    khelmann Posts: 14 Member
    sarko15 wrote: »
    Just wondering, why limit yourself before a trip? When is the trip? If it's soon, restricting won't do much good unless you're calorie banking. Why not stick to something you can commit to long term?

    I've lost 25 lbs since July! In the final stretch as the trip is January 25th so Just trying to boost the weight loss loss a little bit if possible, but understand miracles don't happen overnight
  • khelmann
    khelmann Posts: 14 Member
    TanyaHooton wrote: »
    I am 5'6' and 157 lbs. I find 1200 to be a ridiculously low amount of calories even on a low energy day. You may find yourself pretty grumpy, cold, fatigued, and hungry. Def eat back some of those exercise cals.

    Fwiw, when I looked up my BMR, or what i needed just to keep me alive if I were in a coma, it came out at like 1420 cals a day. Eating less than you need is ok for a day or two I guess, but any longer than that, if you are not sick, is crash dieting.

    Greatly appreciate your time and opinion!! In your opinion should MFP be raising the minimum calories allowance then? I selected the goal of 2 pounds a week hoping to rev up the diet a bit before my trip and so it calculated 1200. Today I have lost 25 lbs since July, which I feel has been a safe rate of weight loss. My trip is January 25th and am hoping to lose as much as I can SAFELY of course :)
  • sarko15
    sarko15 Posts: 330 Member
    khelmann wrote: »
    sarko15 wrote: »
    Just wondering, why limit yourself before a trip? When is the trip? If it's soon, restricting won't do much good unless you're calorie banking. Why not stick to something you can commit to long term?

    I've lost 25 lbs since July! In the final stretch as the trip is January 25th so Just trying to boost the weight loss loss a little bit if possible, but understand miracles don't happen overnight

    Congrats on the weight loss, that's awesome! And I totally understand wanting to get through that final push and be done with it already. Do you plan on logging during your trip? If I were you, my thought would be, while it would be great to lose that final few pounds, I'd probably gain them back (at least in water weight) during the trip anyway, so it wouldn't really feel like hitting my goal if I gained immediately after instead of maintained. Whatever you would lose by the 25th (1 pound? maybe 2?) could easily be gained back. That's totally my perspective though, and the way I travel which means no holds barred when it comes to food. :)
  • khelmann
    khelmann Posts: 14 Member
    sarko15 wrote: »
    khelmann wrote: »
    sarko15 wrote: »
    Just wondering, why limit yourself before a trip? When is the trip? If it's soon, restricting won't do much good unless you're calorie banking. Why not stick to something you can commit to long term?

    I've lost 25 lbs since July! In the final stretch as the trip is January 25th so Just trying to boost the weight loss loss a little bit if possible, but understand miracles don't happen overnight

    Congrats on the weight loss, that's awesome! And I totally understand wanting to get through that final push and be done with it already. Do you plan on logging during your trip? If I were you, my thought would be, while it would be great to lose that final few pounds, I'd probably gain them back (at least in water weight) during the trip anyway, so it wouldn't really feel like hitting my goal if I gained immediately after instead of maintained. Whatever you would lose by the 25th (1 pound? maybe 2?) could easily be gained back. That's totally my perspective though, and the way I travel which means no holds barred when it comes to food. :)

    I don't think I am going to log during my trip, I think I would just feel guilty! However I live in the great state of beer and cheese and am headed to Los Angeles and anticipate a lot of great tasting healthier food options there than we have here. Thankfully I have another event in March, so if I do get off track during my trip I am confident I will be able to get back on track when I get home!
  • khelmann
    khelmann Posts: 14 Member
    sarko15 wrote: »
    khelmann wrote: »
    sarko15 wrote: »
    Just wondering, why limit yourself before a trip? When is the trip? If it's soon, restricting won't do much good unless you're calorie banking. Why not stick to something you can commit to long term?

    I've lost 25 lbs since July! In the final stretch as the trip is January 25th so Just trying to boost the weight loss loss a little bit if possible, but understand miracles don't happen overnight

    Congrats on the weight loss, that's awesome! And I totally understand wanting to get through that final push and be done with it already. Do you plan on logging during your trip? If I were you, my thought would be, while it would be great to lose that final few pounds, I'd probably gain them back (at least in water weight) during the trip anyway, so it wouldn't really feel like hitting my goal if I gained immediately after instead of maintained. Whatever you would lose by the 25th (1 pound? maybe 2?) could easily be gained back. That's totally my perspective though, and the way I travel which means no holds barred when it comes to food. :)

    Also thank you!!!!!
  • khelmann
    khelmann Posts: 14 Member
    _Justinian_ wrote: »
    khelmann wrote: »
    ...but what would the difference between if I ate 1000 calories instead of eating 1200 calories and burning 200 doing cardiovascular (just examples) that is why I'm wondering if I need to up my calorie allowance if exercise is added :)

    Try to do some cardiovascular exercise on a day of eating only 1200 calories and you'll find out. :smile:

    On a serious note, if your body is not used to it, you will feel light-headed or dizzy and may even pass out. 1200 calories is the minimum required to keep your body functioning normally.

    My problem with that is that I do take a prescribed low dose stimulant and have for years for other reasons (no weight loss effect on me obviously-bummer!) so I just worry that I may not feel tired/fatgued due to that. I suppose on days I exercise I should just up my calorie intake to play it safe.
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