1200 cals too low :(

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Missbodyrocker
Missbodyrocker Posts: 47
in Getting Started
Hi,

I'm 5ft2 and weigh 122lbs and looking to lose 10lbs, small frame. I cannot for the life of me manage on 1200 calories per day.
I exercise 4 times per week for an hour each time and I eat those calories back on that day but I really struggle on the other days that sets me off on a binge. Do you think if I changed my calories to 1500 per day I could lose weight?

Replies

  • SharonNehring
    SharonNehring Posts: 535 Member
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    What do you have your goal loss set at? With a smaller amount to lose, you should be at 1 lb or even .5 lb a week. Try adjusting your goals and see what that gives you.
  • crsawinton
    crsawinton Posts: 96 Member
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    My weight and height is similar, try setting your goal to .5 lb per week, I think I have mine on 1lb per week. I stay under 1200 and don't feel hungry, you are welcome to check out my food diary if you think it might help, it's on public.
  • ladymiseryali
    ladymiseryali Posts: 2,555 Member
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    If you can't do 1200, then up it to 1500. For some reason MFP always puts it to 1200. It's really dumb.
  • ottermotorcycle
    ottermotorcycle Posts: 654 Member
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    Then do not eat 1200 calories a day.

    Up yourself to at least 1500. I'm sure you won't need to eat any less than that, even on a small frame, and you need the fuel for your workouts so keep eating those exercise calories.
  • nourishnotpunish
    nourishnotpunish Posts: 45
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    Go to iifym.com and calculate your BMR and your TDEE. As long as you eat more calories than your BMR and less than your TDEE you'll create a good deficit for losing :)
  • hill8570
    hill8570 Posts: 1,466 Member
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    You're pretty small to begin with, so I could see how the MFP calculator came up with 1200...your base rate is probably only in the 1900 calories range.

    If your pretty religously working out 60 minutes four times a week, I could see just going for the average of 1500 per day (basically, taking the TDEE approach).

    Give it a shot. Beats a starve-and-binge cycle. After a few weeks of 1500, your body should get used to a lower calorie intake. At that point, if you're not losing fast enough for your goals, you should be able to cut another 100 or so without nearly as much discomfort.

    Good luck!
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,583 Member
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    I've begged and pleaded for MFP to change their stupid signup procedure, because it allows folks to put in non-applicable information. This is exactly why these threads show up all the time.

    The 1200 calorie vertigo of suck.

    MFP is just a calculator, but it's flawed by design.
    My weight and height is similar, try setting your goal to .5 lb per week, I think I have mine on 1lb per week. I stay under 1200 and don't feel hungry, you are welcome to check out my food diary if you think it might help, it's on public.
    not good. won't last. fix it now before you're back asking why you aren't losing. staying under a net of 1200 calories is a particularly awful idea.
  • cheripugh1
    cheripugh1 Posts: 357 Member
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    Yes when you get that close to goal or in your case minimal of goad wt. for ht. you will need more calories to lose, try going up to 1400 or even 1500 and see how that goes. if you go into MFP and set to lose 0.5 a week it should up your calories to you can track them for a higher amount.
  • spyecats
    spyecats Posts: 4 Member
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    If you want to lose weight you might want to go up to 1600 calories, but you also need to make sure you burn 3500 calories a week to lose 1lb a week. adjust your calories depending on how many calories you burn working out.
  • JolieVivas
    JolieVivas Posts: 5 Member
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    MFP does 1200 calories thinking you're not going to exercise, that's why when you do exercise you get extra calories added to eat. At first I wasn't eating those calories, but wasn't losing any weight for the longest. So I did the opposite and started eating my "earned" calories from exercising and sure enough I finally started losing. I am eating about 1800 calories a day because of exercise. So try eating your earned calories. Hope it works out for you.
  • suzique33
    suzique33 Posts: 16 Member
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    then manually change it! you can do it your self.
  • suzique33
    suzique33 Posts: 16 Member
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    my friend and I go to a weight loss clinic that tells us NOT to eat more than 1200 per day even if you exercise, depending on your muscle mass,. I get 1400 per day and she is fine with 1200. lots of salad and high protein. Do NOT EAT YOUR EARNED CALORIES it will cancel out everything you did. Remember it is 80% what you put in your mouth and only 20% what you do at the gym!
  • RavenLibra
    RavenLibra Posts: 1,737 Member
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    I would concentrate on adding muscle as opposed to cutting calories... transform your body don't cannibalize it...alternatively ramp up your cardio and your calories EVER seen a muscled up or chubby marathon runner? ... also if you are on the weights and resistance training... lower the weight increase the reps...

    saw something that makes sense... when a body builder was asked what he did for exercise... he naturally replied... I lift weights... then he was asked about cardio.. to which he responded I lift weights faster...
  • radishing
    radishing Posts: 1
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    I suspect it will depend on how active you are on your off days. I am a similar age/height/weight, and getting a fibit has been enlightening, to say the least. On a day where I am mostly sitting at the computer with only a couple of hours of light activity (walking, general puttering), my daily total is around 1450, so if I ate 1500 I would be gaining on those kind of days. I do find it difficult to eat less though, so for me it works so much better if I keep my activity level higher, either by doing some kind of exercise daily, or spending more hours doing non-exercise but active things, so that I can eat at 1500+ and still lose (albeit slowly).

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