Always under 1200 calories

moralestonia

Mfp has me at 1200 calories a day. I've been doing low carb and lots of veggies. Some days I'm at 800 calories. Should I really try to eat 1200 to stay healthy? Some days I do 1400 calories mainly sat.

inertiastrength

That seems really low. My 1400 is low and some days I save my calories for bedtime and don't end up eating much over 1200 (like today)
800 is far too low, tbh so is 1200 but truth be told I'm pretty lazy so I bank them where I can for days I'm over. Don't stress about a one off but consistently being under 1200 is no bueno

malibu927

-higher calorie deficits lead to a greater percentage of muscle loss, as you can only burn so much fat per day
-it's almost impossible to get enough nutrients in on that few calories, which can lead to serious health issues (hair loss, fatigue, hormonal imbalances, organ shutdown, etc.). And if someone is told by a doctor to eat that low, they're usually given supplements to help out with those nutrients (such as people who've had weight loss surgery). Otherwise, Very Low Calorie Diets are prohibited here.

So yes, OP, you should be aiming for 1200 every day.

DamieBird

. . . . I'm over here wondering how ANYONE manages to get through a day on 1200 calories, let alone less. I think I'd starve

Mouse816

I can eat 5 times a day and still be below 1200. Today I added in a half bag of microwave popcorn, just to bulk up calories!

MityMax96

800 is way to low for starters.
1200 is more or less a minimum base line, that may be too low for you.

You will do yourself good, if you take 2 weeks (at least) and stay on point with your calories and see how your body responds
Then you can adjust your calories up or down.

TeaBea

Calorie dense foods.....small portions lots of nutrition

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10142490/a-list-of-calorie-dense-foods/p1