How much can I lower my calorie intake?

kathrinnbauer

I lost quite well for a time, but now my weight is just bouncing up and down. Exercise makes my body nicer, but I am not losing weight. I guess to create a significant deficit I have to lower my calories.
MFP (and many sources I read) told me to not go below 1200 cal. However I changed my goals to 1000 net calories a day. Is this to low or could I go even lower. I plan on eating my exercise calories back. Or would it be better to stay with 1200 but without eating exercise calories back?

SezxyStef

your diary isn't open so I can only guess that you don't weigh your food.

If you are not losing weight and you are not eating 1200 calories....you are eating more than you think

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/872212-you-re-probably-eating-more-than-you-think

Going below 1200 calories is not a good idea esp if you are exercising.

Buy a food scale start weighing your portions for accuracy eat back 50-75% of your exercise calories...

Ainar

If once a week you add a day where you go like 600 or more cals ABOVE your maintenance it might speed your metabolism so you would again start losing without decreasing calories even more. Not works for everybody but who knows it might for you, it does for me. Try it. Make sure you ate those extra calories from carbs or protein tho (preferably carbs), not fat. In worst case it won't work, but it won't make you gain fat for sure, might bloat you up but that's nothing to worry about cos it's just water. Try it for few weeks see if it works. ^^

MeanderingMammal

Exercise makes my body nicer, but I am not losing weight.

Which f those is more important to you? Subject to your current weight you may want to focus on more intangible outcomes such as exercise performance and visual/ clothes fit outcomes.

Taking your nutrient intake too low will have adverse side effects, with increased recovery time, loss of lean body mass, and potentially degradation of other organs over time. 1200 calories appears to be a widly acknowledge lower limit.

If anything, with that in mind, I'd say that 1200 doesn't give you any flexibility.

Notwithstanding all of that the first response might have a bearing, how accurately are you assessing your intae and output, and what's changed?