Are 1,200 calories enough!?

leanlindajean

Hi everyone... I just jointed this website and am looking forward to this weight loss journey... However I was a bit confused by the amount of calories it allows me....1,200. Other websites say I should eat at least 1,600. I'm 53 years old, 5'3" and currently weigh 141 lbs. My goal is 125. But, 1,200 sure doesn't seem like much?! Any thoughts? Thanks for your help! Linda

SparkleShine

That's what mine says also. Honestly I think it's too low. I aim for 1,200 to 1,450. Usually I'm at the higher end and I'm still losing!

heebiejeebie

I can get by on my allotted 1290, but only just! However, I tend to do exercise so I can eat a more comfortable quantity.

sjcply

mfp set me at 1200 originally too and I lost a little at first but then stalled, I increased it to 1400 and starting losing again. If you are exercising you definately need more!

jeweljade

Hi! My goal is 125 as well and my calorie limit is 1,200. It really doesn't seem like that much, however when you exercise, it raises your calorie allowance to whatever you burned off from exercising plus the 1,200 cal. Good luck!!

AnnieeR

It was too low for me. It was demoralising because I just could NOT do it. I re-set mine to lose just one pound a week rather than two and I've been losing a lot more steadily, if slightly more slowly. I also eat my exercise calories.

panther87

it depends on what your BMR is. there is a way to calculate it in the tools. and if you do intentional exercise( walking, eliptical, cycling) whatever you burn doing these you can then 'eat' those calories too. Also if you go back in and reset your weight loss goal to 1 lb per week it will also give back more calories to use. I usually try to eat between 1400 and 1700 calories a day. my weight loss is slow but I'd rather have it slow and steady than to go too quickly and gain it back by not learning how to lose/maintain and enjoy food also along the way. Best wishes to you.

4lafz

1200 plus some of the exercise calories is working for me!

LifesPilgrim

MFP told me 1200 as well. I went to the tools section and looked up my BMR, which is about 1400, or the minimum number of calories I need if I just sit on the sofa all day (literally). If I work out, then I make sure that I stay just under that calorie count. You want to make sure that you do eat the exercise calories.

If you calorie intake is too low, your body goes into starvation mode and you will actually gain weight.

You might want to try that also.

Good Luck!

heebiejeebie

it depends on what your BMR is. there is a way to calculate it in the tools. and if you do intentional exercise( walking, eliptical, cycling) whatever you burn doing these you can then 'eat' those calories too. Also if you go back in and reset your weight loss goal to 1 lb per week it will also give back more calories to use. I usually try to eat between 1400 and 1700 calories a day. my weight loss is slow but I'd rather have it slow and steady than to go too quickly and gain it back by not learning how to lose/maintain and enjoy food also along the way. Best wishes to you.

My projected weight loss is only 1lb per week and I'm allowed 1290 unless I exercise :noway:

HeatherMN

MFP tells just about everyone to go with 1200 calories. My gyno told me to never go below 1500 as a woman because we need more calories for our "womanly parts" to function.

Personally, I use the calorie calculators dailyburn.com and mayoclinic.org. They come up with about the same estimate as each other and then I manually adjust MFP.

blbeane

After reading everyone's reponses, I too was told my MFP to eat 1,200. I have a feeling that is a default calorie number from MFP. I went on numerous other websites to find what my average calorie intake should be to lose 1-2 pounds per week. I am 5'7, 160 and I finally came up with 1,500. That seams to make more sense to me. Anything to low and your body goes into starvation and slows your metabolism. Losing weight is not about starving yourself, but about healthy, portioned controlled meals.

barbiecat

:flowerforyou: 1200 calories plus exercise calories worked for me.......it's important that your calories come from lean meat and fish, complex carbs, fruit, and veggies.........avoid "empty calories" and make sure that everything you eat is nutrition dense so it does your body some good.

RedneckWmn

I've been on 1200 calories and I eat most of my exercise calories. My weigh loss has been very slow and gradual. I'm okay with that. Just listen to your body, it will tell you what it needs

LotusF1ower

Hi everyone... I just jointed this website and am looking forward to this weight loss journey... However I was a bit confused by the amount of calories it allows me....1,200. Other websites say I should eat at least 1,600. I'm 53 years old, 5'3" and currently weigh 141 lbs. My goal is 125. But, 1,200 sure doesn't seem like much?! Any thoughts? Thanks for your help! Linda

I've been on MFP for eight weeks now and 1200 calories since I started, I've lost weight so far with that amount and not been hungry either.

Put it this way, if I were to be on 1600 calories per day, I would put on weight lol

APerry71

I read this morning that we need a minimum of 1,400 calories. It sounds like we are in the same boat. I'm just under 5'3" and weight 143. My goal is to lose 20 lbs. Good luck!

LotusF1ower

I read this morning that we need a minimum of 1,400 calories. It sounds like we are in the same boat. I'm just under 5'3" and weight 143. My goal is to lose 20 lbs. Good luck!

My BMR is lower than 1400 calories, that would mean I would put on weight, not good for a weight loss programme.

This is getting ridiculous, first 1000 calories per day is taboo now 1200 calories is getting to be "not too good" - what the hell???

Who is it who is professing that these amounts of calories are bad I wonder.

Amandac6772

I exercise to eat more. Probaly should learn to eat at that level but I'm a big eater so doubt that will ever happen.

leanlindajean

THANK YOU EVERYONE!!! WOW!!! YOU ARE ALL AWESOME!!!! ... I had no idea I'd get so much input and I REALLY appreciate it... I'll give it a go and see how I do... it's amazing how quickly the calories add up!!! WOW! I'm a bit confused about the Kashi GoLean I entered this morning though... the box says it's 140 calories for a cup and this site said it's 200! 60 calories is a big difference!!! I am going to double check I entered the right cereal. It was definitely Kashi GoLean (and not "crunch" or anything fancy)... ANYway, I'm looking forward to this journey... sounds like a wonderful group on here!!! Thanks again! - Linda

wendywasj

MFP told me 1350 cals. for 2 lbs. per week without exercise. That is about what I calculated with the calorie counter tool I got out of a popular diet plan...your current weight x 7 will give you a generally good guess. If this number comes up to less than 1,200 then you are instructed to not go below 1,200. If your current weight is 141 x 7 = 987 so that's why they put you on 1,200. I have not found the formula for maintaining but I will post it when I find it Hope this helps.

LotusF1ower

THANK YOU EVERYONE!!! WOW!!! YOU ARE ALL AWESOME!!!! ... I had no idea I'd get so much input and I REALLY appreciate it... I'll give it a go and see how I do... it's amazing how quickly the calories add up!!! WOW! I'm a bit confused about the Kashi GoLean I entered this morning though... the box says it's 140 calories for a cup and this site said it's 200! 60 calories is a big difference!!! I am going to double check I entered the right cereal. It was definitely Kashi GoLean (and not "crunch" or anything fancy)... ANYway, I'm looking forward to this journey... sounds like a wonderful group on here!!! Thanks again! - Linda

Ahh watch that, sometimes stuff is in the database that has been put there by other members, they will have input the calories, carbs, protein etc. However, if you have the box there and all the info on it, go by that as you know that will be accurate.

You can also input your own grub on the database and set it to allow others to use that food info

ainslieglen

I think 1200 calories a day as a baseline is realistic. Exercising to earn more calories is a great idea, because exercise is such an important part of overall fitness. My philosophy is I can go over 1200 a day as long as I put in the exercise!:bigsmile: It's a win/win situation. I've lost 25 pounds since Feb. and never felt better:smokin: Good luck!!

dogdaze

MFP put me at 1200 Calories too and I was dubious about whether it was enough. I regularly exceed 10,000 steps per day on the pedometer and since May, I have been tracking my exercise on MFP too. I try to aim for a negative balance between my my calorie intake minus calorie consumption (1200 + calories burned by exercise) but the size of the negative does not worry me too much. I have heard 1600 is about what the average female body needs for a fairly sedentary lifestyle.

One thing though, my weight loss has never been particularly steady but as long as the trend is down and I don't start to see my weight consistently climbing, I don't worry. This is a long term project! Have not figured out why there is fluctuation in the rate because my exercise and intake are fairly constant but the prime suspects are water/hormonal, I guess.

I strongly suspect I will have to watch what I eat for the rest of my life but Paul McKenna's plan (discussed elsewhere on the boards - I just use the book and CD) has been a great help in helping me take control and establishing patterns of eating and exercise that I can continue indefinitely.

tiggertoo57

I am 5'7" and med-large bone structure and MFP told me 1200...but I didn't lose anything the first week and I was STARVING. I shopped around on various sites with BMR calculators to find what a sedentary woman of my height and current weight needs and then subtracted from there to create my daily deficit of at LEAST 500. I settled on 1500 per day and I eat my exercise calories. I also try to shoot for a negative at the end of the day and I've done pretty well. If you're a smaller woman then you will need less calories in general. Take time to figure out what works for you. If you are famished at all, then something is wrong with your diet. If you are putting on weight then there's something wrong as well. Everyone is different.

Shawna_831

I asked the same thing and after many responses I moved mine up to 1480. 1200 is what it told me if I wanted to lose 2lbs a week so I changed it to 1lb a week. Check your BMR and see what that says your calorie intake should be. I shoot for 1200-1400.

DeeJayTJ

im 5'7 and a guy... im also on a 1200 calorie diet, but i burn 400 to 700 calories a day at the gym.

so i eat about 1500-1900 calories a day unless i dont make it to the gym for whatever reason then i eat 1200 calories.

i went from 205 to 173. since easter of this year.

keith0373

In a few months you will find that you have to work to get to 1200 calories. The stuff you buy will be better for you and you will not eat as much of it. Don't get discouraged in the first few days or weeks. If this were easy, we would all be skinny! Your body will adjust.