1200 calories a day

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  • Richbelle1
    Richbelle1 Posts: 44 Member
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    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67USKg3w_E4
    With regards to eating your exercise calories.
  • Courtscan2
    Courtscan2 Posts: 498 Member
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    If you are aiming for 1200 calories, and not achieving it, which is causing you to overeat, why don't you plan to eat more? You may find you feel more satisfied if you are allowing yourself more food. I try to average 1500 per day day, and I am relatively small with only 6kg to lose to get to my goal weight. I exercise a fair bit as well, and I can't imagine being able to sustain the energy to do so on only 1200 a day.
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,036 Member
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    grogs1964 wrote: »
    Hi I am the above - 53 - weigh 175 pounds and 5 ft 3 inches. It has set me at 1200 calories and by reading the above if I start adding in excercise I can eat those calories too? I've started tracking today and have come in 70 under.

    I was about same age and almost same starting weight but you are taller than me.
    I set my activity as lightly active. I think most people, unless in very sedentary job and lifestyle, are at least lightly active.

    It gave me 1460.

    That was to lose 1/2 lb Per week which I did until I reached my goal.
    I suspect it would set you on more too, at this loss rate ... which is rate you probably should be on with a relatively small amount to lose.

    And yes you should eat back your exercise calories or at least most of them, that is how MFP is designed to work

  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
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    jross1211 wrote: »
    So maybe you can help me. I'm 5'7" 153 pounds and lightly active. I'm a nurse on a 10 room memory care unit, most of my residents are in the common area all day so i do not have to run up and down the hall way at all. MFP suggest 1220 calories per day, so are you all saying that is to low? I've never had to watch what i ate but since i'm getting older its harder not to gain weight. Until I was about 25 i weighed 115-120. I dont really want to get that thin again but maybe 130-135

    What rate of loss did you choose? With about 20 lbs to lose you should be aiming for 0.5-1lb/week. You are set at lightly active?

    How long have you been using MFP? What results are you seeing so far? Are you logging everything you consume, ideally using a food scale?
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,036 Member
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    speaktothequ, not sure how tall you are or how much you have to lose - 1200 may be appropriate for you or it may not.

    But you do not have to eat clean nor do chocolate bars etc all need to be gone - although of course portion sizes and frequency may need to change.

  • jazmalee
    jazmalee Posts: 3 Member
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    Hi I am only on 1220 that’s what mfp put me on, is that too little?
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,036 Member
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    Jazmalee - we have absolutely no way of knowing without any info - your age, gender,height, activity level, how much you weigh now.....
  • jazmalee
    jazmalee Posts: 3 Member
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    Sorry I'm 57 ,85 kgs,5 ft 6 female and am moderately active,walking daily,working full time with an active job
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,070 Member
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    How MFP calculates your calories, is based on the information you give it:

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  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
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    jazmalee wrote: »
    Sorry I'm 57 ,85 kgs,5 ft 6 female and am moderately active,walking daily,working full time with an active job

    1200 is too little for your height and weight unless you are also eating back all your exercise calories.
  • jazmalee
    jazmalee Posts: 3 Member
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    Well I have put in all the info and that is what it has given me ,do I do it again?
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
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    Yes try it again? also try to set it to lose 1.5lb a week and see what it gives you for that.
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,070 Member
    edited March 2018
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    jazmalee wrote: »
    Well I have put in all the info and that is what it has given me ,do I do it again?

    Have you added in the correct activity level for your home/work life and chosen an appropriate rate of loss for your current/goal weight, as well as logging your intentional exercise calories?

    At Lightly Active your Maintenance intake for your stats is around 2000 calories + exercise, to lose 1lb per week, which is a good rate for where you are, MFP will then take off a deficit of 500 calories per day, so your intake would be around 1500 + exercise to lose weight. You're at 1200 because you have chosen a higher rate of loss which is too aggressive for the amount you have to lose.
  • ehrenlynae7
    ehrenlynae7 Posts: 63 Member
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    I did things a little different but I put in my goal weight and the maintenance calories for that weight - I’m 5’6” CW 232 (from 245) GW 160. I aim to eat the maintenance calories of my goal weight.

    I feel like if I cut down to something too low the weight will come back on. I’m trying to eat this way for the rest of my life. Maybe that’s not the way to do it but it works for me. Some days I eat less but some days lll go over so it works. I’m also losing at a slower weight than I’d like but I’m also not trying to chew my arm from hunger.
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,036 Member
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    jazmalee wrote: »
    Well I have put in all the info and that is what it has given me ,do I do it again?

    Yes - because that surprises me. You are taller than me, weigh more than I did, are not much older and at least lightly active (as was I)

    and it gave me 1460.

    ( I think you should aim for 1lb per week)

  • gamerbabe14
    gamerbabe14 Posts: 876 Member
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    ehrenlynae7 wrote: »
    I did things a little different but I put in my goal weight and the maintenance calories for that weight - I’m 5’6” CW 232 (from 245) GW 160. I aim to eat the maintenance calories of my goal weight.

    I feel like if I cut down to something too low the weight will come back on. I’m trying to eat this way for the rest of my life. Maybe that’s not the way to do it but it works for me. Some days I eat less but some days lll go over so it works. I’m also losing at a slower weight than I’d like but I’m also not trying to chew my arm from hunger.

    I think this is a great strategy!
  • ceiswyn
    ceiswyn Posts: 2,256 Member
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    The big problem here seems to be that lots of people with little to use are going for a goal of 2lb per week, because they don’t know any better.

    Maybe MFP could give better guidance up-front about appropriate rates of loss?

    (Admittedly I’m set at 1 1/2 lb with only 20lb to lose... but at least I know I’m doing it wrong, and am eating back my exercise calories and preparing to adjust my allowance upwards if it all goes south!)
  • sytchequeen
    sytchequeen Posts: 526 Member
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    At my height, age, activity level I maintain at 1450-1500, so when I'm losing I go for 1200-1300. And that is setting MFP at half a pound a week. If you are not short, not middle aged, and very active than you need a lot more than that.
    If, like me, you are stuck with a low calorie allowance there is actually a lot of food if you make smart choices.
  • eminater
    eminater Posts: 2,477 Member
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    sra455 wrote: »
    i've been doing it for 11 days now! Trying to keep between 1000 and 1200. I tend not to be a breakfast person though cause i don't like to get up early. So i'll usually just eat a Quaker Chewy Granola Bar (smores flavor!) 150 calories or so to start the day. I'll have a Turkey Sandwich for Lunch (Turkey, Slice of Muenster, Whole Wheat bread, lettuce, tomato, light mayonaise, mustard) 420 calories. Then I had asian Bibipop for dinner (Rice Noodles, Teriyaki Sauce, Chicken, beat sprouts, daikon, cucumber, corn, and a little bit of cheese. It's like an aisan salad but with noodles instead of lettuce. super good), 558 calories, and a small thing of miso soup 60 calories. I might let myself have a cookie too, (1 nutter butter, 68 calories). I drink water which really keeps the calories down.

    Total 1188 calories

    I've lost 7 lbs in that time doing this! (Started at 332, so 1200 calories is a large decrease for me hence the results)

    When you put your stats into MFP it would for sure have suggested a high calorie goal than 1200 - for sure. I would not recommend eating below the MFP recommendations otherwise you will be loosing too much muscle. (You don't want that because it will damage your metabolism). Keep your target at the 2lbs per week goal and over time the cals you can eat per week will decrease as your body weight drops. Once you are at about, idk 240lbs (depends on your height etc) or so your intake will have by then dropped to about 1200cals. Just take it easy. 2lbs per week is a sensible and sustainable change.

    At the beginning, as you have a lot to loose - if you want to loose a little more than 2lbs per week, add in some extra exercise to help ensure your muscles are active.

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