1200 Calorie's per day... forever?

Options
shelbymckerrell
shelbymckerrell Posts: 7
in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
Hello!
Since I have started with MFP, I have lost a bit of weight. I am 5'3 and from what it looks like online, I am supposed to be eating 1600 + calories a day. From watching what I eat and controlling my portions, there is no way that I could ever go back to more than 1200 calories. I eat the right food and take tons of vitamins and am full and satisfied with the meals and periodic snacks I eat. Is this bad?? Should I shove food in my face to get the calories I should eat or am I fine staying around 1200 calories forever?

Thanks!

Shelby
«1

Replies

  • lisajsund
    lisajsund Posts: 366 Member
    Options
    1200 is usually too low for anyone. Depends on your basal metabolic rate. But, each person is different. My goal here started at 1720 cal and I've bumped it up a couple of times because my appetite was raging from 1/2 marathon training. I've transitioned to weight training again and bumped up slightly more.
    Also depends on your goals for total health and fitness.
  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
    Options
    This forum is "Goal: Gaining Weight". If you want to gain weight, you aren't fine staying at 1200 calories forever. That's a very bad plan for gaining weight.
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
    Options
    Hello!
    Since I have started with MFP, I have lost a bit of weight. I am 5'3 and from what it looks like online, I am supposed to be eating 1600 + calories a day. From watching what I eat and controlling my portions, there is no way that I could ever go back to more than 1200 calories. I eat the right food and take tons of vitamins and am full and satisfied with the meals and periodic snacks I eat. Is this bad?? Should I shove food in my face to get the calories I should eat or am I fine staying around 1200 calories forever?

    Thanks!

    Shelby

    Eat whatever calories you want as long as you are eating enough. But 1200 calories forever? Good luck trying to keep that up. That number is for weight loss only, not maintenance.

    Oh, and FYI, you posted in the Gaining Weight forum.
  • carolynregina
    carolynregina Posts: 1 Member
    Options
    Get a FitBit or a pedometer to sync with MyFitnessPal . It's a great way to give you perspective on how to eat more without gaining. I was sticking with 1200 calories a day and ALWAYS falling off the wagon and going WAY OVER due to faulty estimating. Or I was always starving. Now I'm able to make better choices and moving more, which is keeping my weight on a steady decline.
  • Yodifer
    Yodifer Posts: 87
    Options
    You already know that isn't healthy.

    If you can possibly eat more than 1200 (I have a very hard time believing that) up it by 50 calories every couple of days until you are at a TRUE maintenance calorie level....probably closer to 2000 calories per day depending on your activity level
  • __Di__
    __Di__ Posts: 1,630 Member
    Options
    Hello!
    Since I have started with MFP, I have lost a bit of weight. I am 5'3 and from what it looks like online, I am supposed to be eating 1600 + calories a day. From watching what I eat and controlling my portions, there is no way that I could ever go back to more than 1200 calories. I eat the right food and take tons of vitamins and am full and satisfied with the meals and periodic snacks I eat. Is this bad?? Should I shove food in my face to get the calories I should eat or am I fine staying around 1200 calories forever?

    Thanks!

    Shelby
    You cannot remain on 1200 forever, because once you have reached your goal, you will, continue to lose weight. This is why once you reach your goal, you increased your food intake in order to maintain your goal weight.
  • astronomicals
    astronomicals Posts: 1,537 Member
    Options
    try and stay under 1200 on a diet of bacon and ice cream... Your elitist food choices most likely limit what you think you can eat... Nobody in the world can eat 1200 calories of lettuce.

    When is the last time you ate pizza? Do you know what pizza is?
  • atb0821
    atb0821 Posts: 458 Member
    Options
    I definitely wouldn't call 1600 calories a day "shoving food in my face." It's really not that much. A couple big spoons of peanut butter and you'll hit it.
  • LiminalAscendance
    LiminalAscendance Posts: 489 Member
    Options
    Hello!
    Since I have started with MFP, I have lost a bit of weight. I am 5'3 and from what it looks like online, I am supposed to be eating 1600 + calories a day. From watching what I eat and controlling my portions, there is no way that I could ever go back to more than 1200 calories. I eat the right food and take tons of vitamins and am full and satisfied with the meals and periodic snacks I eat. Is this bad?? Should I shove food in my face to get the calories I should eat or am I fine staying around 1200 calories forever?

    Thanks!

    Shelby

    Let's see...

    User handle has the appearance of a first and last name? Check
    Hot button topic which has been discussed recently (and to death)? Check
    Very recent account? Check
    Initial post? Check
    Wrong sub-forum? Check

    Troll?
  • DemoraFairy
    DemoraFairy Posts: 1,806 Member
    Options
    Just in case you're not a troll...

    You don't have to eat more to increase your calories. Just eat differently. Bangers & mash and lasagne are both about the same amount of food so both as filling as each other, but one is usually a few hundred calories more than the other. When I went on a diet, I didn't eat any less than before, I just ate differently. Drinks can add tonnes of calories, a glass of orange juice alone is 200 cals, and that won't fill you up any more than water.

    Don't eat more, eat differently.
  • mockchoc
    mockchoc Posts: 6,573 Member
    Options
    My guess is you are eating way too low in fats and fat is important for your hormones so eat more avocado, whole eggs, full fat dairy, nut butters, nuts and seeds healthy oils like extra virgin olive oil and coconut oil.
  • Lorix94
    Lorix94 Posts: 108 Member
    Options
    This will explain everything:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHHzie6XRGk
  • crlyxx
    crlyxx Posts: 186 Member
    Options
    Er....noooo. You'd just lose weight up until the point that 1200 calories eventually becomes your TDEE. For someone like me, at nearly 5'7", I'd have to be like...50 pounds or something.
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
    Options
    My BMR is lower than 1200 calories a day. My work is very sedentary, and that's why I exercise almost every day. If you're small, and sedentary, yes, you might have a TDEE of around 1200 calories. But you probably don't have to be sedentary.
  • Clairebear92w
    Clairebear92w Posts: 2
    Options
    I feel your pain! I'm 5'1 (small, I know) and I eat around the same amount- plus the fact that I burn off most of it working out too! I have a super slow metabolism as well, I always have. But, eating 1,200 calories a day, I'm perfectly satisfied and full. I'm not trying to really lose or gain any weight, I just want to be healthy and fit, you know? I'm comfortable where I am and it sounds like you are too. I'm no doctor, so I don't know your specific calorie needs or if you're under-eating. But DON'T stuff your face, that just always ends bad! Binging isn't the answer! I get what you're saying though, even though its not much, I'm also full on this amount of food. I wish you the best of luck in finding the perfect diet!!!
  • geekyjock76
    geekyjock76 Posts: 2,720 Member
    Options
    I hope you are aware that a lower total energy expenditure comes with an increased risk of fat gain as you age. So why would you want to intentionally sustain a deficit chronically until your TEE adapts which would require you to eat significantly less to maintain weight? You may not even be consuming 1200 calories at the present, either, considering most people underestimate caloric intake which implies an underestimation of their actual TDEE as well.
  • ThriceBlessed
    ThriceBlessed Posts: 499 Member
    Options
    Just in case you're not a troll...

    You don't have to eat more to increase your calories. Just eat differently. Bangers & mash and lasagne are both about the same amount of food so both as filling as each other, but one is usually a few hundred calories more than the other. When I went on a diet, I didn't eat any less than before, I just ate differently. Drinks can add tonnes of calories, a glass of orange juice alone is 200 cals, and that won't fill you up any more than water.

    Don't eat more, eat differently.

    Excuse my ignorance... but what exactly are "Bangers and mash???"
  • silverraiyne
    silverraiyne Posts: 683 Member
    Options
    British dish, mashed potatoes and sausage...sounds way better the way they say it :-)
  • jaz050465
    jaz050465 Posts: 3,508 Member
    Options
    Just in case you're not a troll...

    You don't have to eat more to increase your calories. Just eat differently. Bangers & mash and lasagne are both about the same amount of food so both as filling as each other, but one is usually a few hundred calories more than the other. When I went on a diet, I didn't eat any less than before, I just ate differently. Drinks can add tonnes of calories, a glass of orange juice alone is 200 cals, and that won't fill you up any more than water.

    Don't eat more, eat differently.

    Excuse my ignorance... but what exactly are "Bangers and mash???"
    I LOVE the fact that you learn so much culturally on this site. Made me giggle that someone doesn't know what bangers and mash is. It's like me as a Brit learning so much about thanksgiving. Better than learning about if from 'Everybody loves Raymond' ????
  • VoodooAborisha
    VoodooAborisha Posts: 147 Member
    Options
    Just in case you're not a troll...

    You don't have to eat more to increase your calories. Just eat differently. Bangers & mash and lasagne are both about the same amount of food so both as filling as each other, but one is usually a few hundred calories more than the other. When I went on a diet, I didn't eat any less than before, I just ate differently. Drinks can add tonnes of calories, a glass of orange juice alone is 200 cals, and that won't fill you up any more than water.

    Don't eat more, eat differently.

    Excuse my ignorance... but what exactly are "Bangers and mash???"
    I LOVE the fact that you learn so much culturally on this site. Made me giggle that someone doesn't know what bangers and mash is. It's like me as a Brit learning so much about thanksgiving. Better than learning about if from 'Everybody loves Raymond' ????

    The best post was the day somebody posted a topic called something like 'starting a diet and no more *kitten*!' and *kitten* of course means cigarettes, but some of the non-brits were up in arms before '*kitten*' got defined lol

Categories