1200 Calorie Diet???? Seriously???

WinoGelato

Claucescu wrote: »

My TDEE (I am in the normal BMI range, 22.5) is 1715 so if I want to lose weight, MFP gave me 1200/day. And I am tall: 5.9 (or 175cm).

Do you not do any exercise at all? It’s ok if you don’t, I’m just surprised that your TDEE is that low considering your height.

FWIW I’m 7 inches shorter and my TDEE is around 2100 at the moment, but much of that is because I’m moderately active (typically averaging 10-12k steps/day) even though I have a desk job. Also those calculators are just a starting point. I’ve not used the one you did but most calculators I used actually underestimated my numbers because I’m petite. Using your own results based on accurate logging will let you know if the numbers should be tweaked.

As others have said, if you’re already a normal BMI and have less than 25 lbs to lose you should be aiming for a 250 cal deficit or a loss of 0.5 lb/week.

netitheyeti

1200-1300 is just about right for me for a slow weight loss.. I'm 5'2 and not massively overweight (I'm about 10lbs over atm, tho I get the feeling my home scale might be a few lbs off) and if I'm (legit) sedentary I maintain on about 1600kcal a day... Even when I do exercise calculators/my personal observation shows me that I'm not managing to add more than about 200-300kcal a day to my daily allowance so at most, to have a 250something deficit, I can eat about 1200-1300kcal sedentary or about 1500kcal with exercise (which then evens out into a net 1200-1300kcal)

The most I ever managed to maintain on was about 1800 when I was around a BMI of 21 and it was with 45-60min of exercise (I was doing Insanity) 5-6 days a week + some yoga thrown in... which was not sustainable for me, long term

lemurcat2

I'm 5'3, and at 125 1800 is about my maintenance if I'm not doing extra exercise, but I live in a city and walk a lot in daily life. Adding in extra planned walking or my usual running schedule increases it further.

Clau_Ioana1202

lemurcat2 wrote: »

Claucescu wrote: »

paperpudding wrote: »

That seems strange claucescu - as I am 6 in shorter and probably older than you and it gave me 1460.

What rate of loss have you put in - given you already have a BMI right in middle of healthy range , you must only have very small amount you want to lose, so you should be setting it at 1/2 a week.

Look, I calculated here: https://tdeecalculator.net/. I am 38, 5,9 and 69 kg (152 lbs?) So my TDEE is 1,720 cals. That, for a weight loss the deficit should be of 500, I guess this is why MFP gave me 1,200 which is absolutely fine with me, I am not feeling hungry or something.

I got 1784 with sedentary -- are you really sedentary?

MFP assumes you will eat back exercise if you do its method, so its number would mean without exercise and would be higher if you exercise.

Also, if it gave you 1200, you must be asking for at least a half kg/week, and possibly 1 kg. If the latter, that's way too aggressive. Others will say 1 lb/week (around half a kg) is too aggressive too, I don't, but I'd say it's extremely important if you are going for such an aggressive rate that you do other things intended to bolster muscle, like eating sufficient protein (around .8 g per lb of weight at your current level) and strength training, and that you either eat back exercise or calculate TDEE with your actual activity level included. (I'll note that sites that use the TDEE calculator will usually recommend a percentage of calories to cut, no more than 20%, which at 1720 would be around 340, so well above 1200).

But your choice, obviously -- I just don't think your stats suggest the average person, even the average person seeking to lose vanity lbs, should be eating 1200. I'm only 5'3 and older than you, and am in the same situation, and lose weight on more calories than that, because I am active.

(I'm not anti 1200, I think it can be the right choice for people who aren't yet active and shorter/older people with lots to lose -- I started at 1200 + exercise and haven't regretted it.)

I am sedentary, yes. I actually drive to work, sit at my desk all day long, not even getting up ever hour or 2 as I should. At least I drink water. I don't know when 8 hours have passed. 🙁. And I don't walk either, I drive pretty much everywhere, logistically I cannot walk to get the kids, take them to activities and so on.

I bicycle with my husband and kids for many hours during the weekends but only when the weather is nice and now it's not the case.

I also use my indoor bike but I only add about 150-200 calories max.

When and if I will go to a gym and start working out regularly I will change the sedentary....right now my phone indicates soooo few steps, not even want to look at it.

kshama2001

Claucescu wrote: »

lemurcat2 wrote: »

Claucescu wrote: »

paperpudding wrote: »

That seems strange claucescu - as I am 6 in shorter and probably older than you and it gave me 1460.

What rate of loss have you put in - given you already have a BMI right in middle of healthy range , you must only have very small amount you want to lose, so you should be setting it at 1/2 a week.

Look, I calculated here: https://tdeecalculator.net/. I am 38, 5,9 and 69 kg (152 lbs?) So my TDEE is 1,720 cals. That, for a weight loss the deficit should be of 500, I guess this is why MFP gave me 1,200 which is absolutely fine with me, I am not feeling hungry or something.

I got 1784 with sedentary -- are you really sedentary?

MFP assumes you will eat back exercise if you do its method, so its number would mean without exercise and would be higher if you exercise.

Also, if it gave you 1200, you must be asking for at least a half kg/week, and possibly 1 kg. If the latter, that's way too aggressive. Others will say 1 lb/week (around half a kg) is too aggressive too, I don't, but I'd say it's extremely important if you are going for such an aggressive rate that you do other things intended to bolster muscle, like eating sufficient protein (around .8 g per lb of weight at your current level) and strength training, and that you either eat back exercise or calculate TDEE with your actual activity level included. (I'll note that sites that use the TDEE calculator will usually recommend a percentage of calories to cut, no more than 20%, which at 1720 would be around 340, so well above 1200).

But your choice, obviously -- I just don't think your stats suggest the average person, even the average person seeking to lose vanity lbs, should be eating 1200. I'm only 5'3 and older than you, and am in the same situation, and lose weight on more calories than that, because I am active.

(I'm not anti 1200, I think it can be the right choice for people who aren't yet active and shorter/older people with lots to lose -- I started at 1200 + exercise and haven't regretted it.)

I am sedentary, yes. I actually drive to work, sit at my desk all day long, not even getting up ever hour or 2 as I should. At least I drink water. I don't know when 8 hours have passed. 🙁. And I don't walk either, I drive pretty much everywhere, logistically I cannot walk to get the kids, take them to activities and so on.

I bicycle with my husband and kids for many hours during the weekends but only when the weather is nice and now it's not the case.

I also use my indoor bike but I only add about 150-200 calories max.

When and if I will go to a gym and start working out regularly I will change the sedentary....right now my phone indicates soooo few steps, not even want to look at it.

Drink more water and you will have to get up more often

Also, there are myriads threads here for how people with desk jobs can increase their activity during work hours.