Calorie consumption?

rochelleyy
rochelleyy Posts: 6
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone,

So when I first started up MFP app, I told it that I'm 5"9, 145 lbs and that I wanted to lose 15 pounds. It gave me a calorie budget of 1,200. My bmi is 21.4 which is a healthy weight but mainly what I want is a flatter yummy and thinner thighs; it may or may not take 15 pounds to trim those things, but that's what I'm going with.
So my question is, is 1,200 really okay? Is it healthy for my height and weight? If not, what do you suggest?
I have made changes to my diet and I've been keeping this up for 10 days(1,200 cals budget) and I don't feel bad or anything. I'm tired often, but that's really normal for me, considering I have crappy sleeping habits. I mean, it's 2:15 AM right now and I'm up writing a forum post. But yeah, I don't feel any worse really except for the fact that I sacrificed a lot of foods I like and honestly I'm never actually really full. I've always been this weight, if not 5 pounds heavier over the last 5 years but that's normal for me as I'm a growing teenage girl of 17.
I weighed myself after 7 days and I havnt lost a pound which is kind of discouraging but I guess it's normal?
Also, one more question. How would you balance out weight loss? I mean, some people say for example it's 80% diet and 20% excersize but I want some more opinions. I want to know because I try to burn at least 400 calories a day but I work 3 days a week so I can't get it in some days and then I feel guilty.

Thanks so much!

Replies

  • candiceh3
    candiceh3 Posts: 379 Member
    If I were you I wouldn't diet at all. I'd just add some weight training to tone up and leave it at that.
  • YouHadMyCuriosity
    YouHadMyCuriosity Posts: 218 Member
    If I were you I wouldn't diet at all. I'd just add some weight training to tone up and leave it at that.

    I agree. If you really want to lose a little weight, maybe eat at a 100-200 calorie deficit while weight training, but lifting some weight should get you there :)
  • haroon_awan
    haroon_awan Posts: 1,208 Member
    The 1200 calorie setting is generally not recommended unless you are 4 foot tall. What you should need to do is set your calorie goal to maintenance your weight, then eat below that if you want to lose weight or follow the guides below:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1071202-why-you-gain-weight-if-you-eat-more-than-your-cut

    Traditional weight loss is 1-2lbs a week, so you're fine there. Those are guidelines so a more accurate method is .5-1% of your bodyweight a week (so if you weigh 145lbs the most you should be losing would be around 1.45lbs/week)

    The whole 80/20% statement is just beyond silly. The truth is that it depends on the individual, how hard a person finds the tasks of dieting and training. I find training easy, but I find dieting hard because I am close to my goal weight. Others find dieting easy, but training hard. You need to find the right balance and there is an element of trial and error here.

    If there's anything you get out of this post it would be to visit those links and watch this guide below and the rest of the series:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAvW6xBZjSk

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