1200 calorie diets?

fernwehwanderlust

Because most people have BMRs that are higher than 1200 calories. Your BMR is how many calories your body needs to function without you doing anything but lying around and breathing. Eating below your BMR for an extended period can't be good.

There is no one who is overweight or obese who has a BMR of 1200, unless they are truly " little people ".

Thing is, I'm neither overweight or obese. I carry a lot of fat closer to my skin where its more noticeable, and I'd like to lose the extra fat around my thighs and stomach. Unfortunately, since I'm a pear, its supposedly harder to lose weight. Birthing fat or something?

deksgrl

I'm almost 100% positive your BMR is over 1200 calories.

Mine is around there, and I'm 5'1 110#, AKA you need to be either really short or really light for it to be that low.

So using the website someone suggested, I found out its 1450. I clicked on some of the weight loss plan options, and one said to eat 1300 calories. Would a 100-200 calorie defect be harmful in the long run? Or would it be negligible because its so small?

BMR means basal metabolic rate. This is what they would feed you if you were in a coma for your heart, breathing, brain, etc. It isn't a good idea to eat less than this. People who are very obese can eat below BMR for a time. Since you don't have a lot of weight to lose, then you shouldn't eat less than this. It isn't necessary, you can mess things up, and it is harder to get the proper nutrition eating less.

If you also figured out your TDEE, target to eat 20% less than TDEE.

OR set MFP to lose 1 pound per week and eat back exercise calories.

A properly set MFP + exercise calories goal should be about the same as a properly set TDEE - % goal. The difference is that with the TDEE method, your exercise is factored in already so you don't eat more for exercise.

smasher_m

I'm 5'1" and started off at 134 lbs before dieting. My goal is 1200 per day, but i stay away from calorie counting on the weekends.
This doesn't mean I eat whatever I want, but I allow myself to eat more than i would throughout the week. I've done well with this plan as long as I spread my calories out properly and stay away from sweets/junk/pasta etc. I'm a muscular girl and I haven't noticed muscle loss or weakness since I've started. If anything I feel more solid. I feel that saying "1200 calories is dangerous" is vague. As long as I feel good and I'm not feeling dizzy/faint then I must be doing something right. Good luck!



Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter

deksgrl

I'm 5'1" and started off at 134 lbs before dieting. My goal is 1200 per day, but i stay away from calorie counting on the weekends.
This doesn't mean I eat whatever I want, but I allow myself to eat more than i would throughout the week. I've done well with this plan as long as I spread my calories out properly and stay away from sweets/junk/pasta etc. I'm a muscular girl and I haven't noticed muscle loss or weakness since I've started. If anything I feel more solid. I feel that saying "1200 calories is dangerous" is vague. As long as I feel good and I'm not feeling dizzy/faint then I must be doing something right. Good luck!

If you are not logging weekends, then you do not know how much you are eating total for the week, that 1200 a day during the week averages out higher because of the higher weekend consumption, perhaps staving off the dizzy/faint feeling, i.e. eating more, doing something right.

5 days at 1200
2 days at 2000
Averages out to 1430 a day for example.

fernwehwanderlust

I'm almost 100% positive your BMR is over 1200 calories.

Mine is around there, and I'm 5'1 110#, AKA you need to be either really short or really light for it to be that low.

So using the website someone suggested, I found out its 1450. I clicked on some of the weight loss plan options, and one said to eat 1300 calories. Would a 100-200 calorie defect be harmful in the long run? Or would it be negligible because its so small?

BMR means basal metabolic rate. This is what they would feed you if you were in a coma for your heart, breathing, brain, etc. It isn't a good idea to eat less than this. People who are very obese can eat below BMR for a time. Since you don't have a lot of weight to lose, then you shouldn't eat less than this. It isn't necessary, you can mess things up, and it is harder to get the proper nutrition eating less.

If you also figured out your TDEE, target to eat 20% less than TDEE.

OR set MFP to lose 1 pound per week and eat back exercise calories.

A properly set MFP + exercise calories goal should be about the same as a properly set TDEE - % goal. The difference is that with the TDEE method, your exercise is factored in already so you don't eat more for exercise.

Thats what I have. But would the 100 calories matter? Or should I stick with what MFP suggested?

deksgrl

I'm almost 100% positive your BMR is over 1200 calories.

Mine is around there, and I'm 5'1 110#, AKA you need to be either really short or really light for it to be that low.

So using the website someone suggested, I found out its 1450. I clicked on some of the weight loss plan options, and one said to eat 1300 calories. Would a 100-200 calorie defect be harmful in the long run? Or would it be negligible because its so small?

BMR means basal metabolic rate. This is what they would feed you if you were in a coma for your heart, breathing, brain, etc. It isn't a good idea to eat less than this. People who are very obese can eat below BMR for a time. Since you don't have a lot of weight to lose, then you shouldn't eat less than this. It isn't necessary, you can mess things up, and it is harder to get the proper nutrition eating less.

If you also figured out your TDEE, target to eat 20% less than TDEE.

OR set MFP to lose 1 pound per week and eat back exercise calories.

A properly set MFP + exercise calories goal should be about the same as a properly set TDEE - % goal. The difference is that with the TDEE method, your exercise is factored in already so you don't eat more for exercise.

Thats what I have. But would the 100 calories matter? Or should I stick with what MFP suggested?

1450 is what, your BMR?

100 calories less than that could leave you shaky and weak, with not enough nutrition. It could result in causing extra stress hormones released which along with other stresses in your life prevent weight loss. It could result in loss of lean body mass (muscle) so that when you reach your goal weight you will still be proportionally about the same amount of fat and then be unhappy and think you have to lose 20 more pounds.

kyto7288

Alright so now that you have a healthy number, figure out what type of diet you want to follow. Each person is different and it is difficult to figure out what to do when everyone is shoving their own sucessful or unsucessful attempts your direction.

Decide on something that is healthy, and fits your decided caloric deficit without going too crazy. Once you have decided on your diet, you will have your grams per day of carbs, fat, and proetin. If you click on My Home at the top, then click Goals, and then Change Goals, you can click the second radio button to have custom goals. Once you are in this screen you can set the percentages fairly close to your exact number of grams per category. It will autocorrect itself to 100% overall so start from the top value and go down otherwise the numbers will keep changing on your. It is also important to get proper micronutrients such as vitimins and minerals in your diet. If you can't seem to come up with enough from the food that fits your macros 'carb,protein, fats' then look into a light multi vitimin to fill in the gaps.

One of the most important things when changing your diet like this is to make sure that you don't eat too little. Your metabolism will slow down and then if you have a cheat meal or cheat day your body will think it's been starved and you could ruin your weeks efforts. It does take some time for your body to adjust to new adjustments to food intake so give whichever diet you choose at least a week or two and then decide if it's right for you. The case may be that your body does better on low carb compared to low fat or vice versa. It is important to be patient and not give up hope too quickly. You will know what works for you if you stick it out and in the long run be better off.

I'm not a professional by any means but have done quite alot of research. I would always recommend seeking advice from a medical professional before taking drastic steps that could be harmful to your body.

kyto7288

http://imgur.com/2iOBata

To prevent any confusion I have created one of these profiles for myself.

As you can see my BMR is 1930 calories per day. Note that I have entered in that I workout 5 times per week. This setting is important and will change your calorie values. Since it has calculated that to maintain my weight at this point in time I need to eat 2823 calories per day and my weight souldn't fluxuate much.

Even at the most aggressive setting 25% caloric reduction my calories per day is still not below my BMR. This would sudgest that going below this could possibly be dangerous. If you set your exercise level to none, then if you were to exercise on any particular day, you sould calculate the calories that you burned, and eat them back within your macros.

In the case that you do have a routine workout and input this into the calculator, you would then refrain from inputting these workouts into my fitnesspal as caloric losses because they are already calculated in. If you do enter these workouts then it will tell you to eat more than you need to. It is all dependant on how you set things up and what calculators or workout plans your input.

fernwehwanderlust

Weird. When I tried "aggressive" it put me at 1300 calories. Maybe I'll just stick with the next one up and try to pick up running as a habit. Thanks:)

This actually really helped.

kyto7288

Weird. When I tried "aggressive" it put me at 1300 calories. Maybe I'll just stick with the next one up and try to pick up running as a habit. Thanks:)

This actually really helped.

I noticed this when I put in some numbers for people on the smaller side. I'm not sure the exact reasoning for it. Just keep in mind it is an equation and everyone isn't exactly the same. Make sure you are being safe and listen to your body and make adjustments along the way. Don't hesitate to ask more questions. The more you know the better off you will be!

deksgrl

Weird. When I tried "aggressive" it put me at 1300 calories. Maybe I'll just stick with the next one up and try to pick up running as a habit. Thanks:)

This actually really helped.

You are only 18 pounds from your goal weight, NOT 180 for god's sake. You should NOT be taking an aggressive 25% cut. Even 20% is probably too much for you. 15% would be appropriate.

WHY do people want to eat as little as possible? I just do not get it. Is it a punishment thing? Oh, I'm too fat, I must sacrifice and starve and work out 3 hours a day. This makes it harder to transition to maintenance and learning how you will manage the rest of your life.

marybowldseddington

I saw a few short people like myself 5 ft nothing...I am trying to understand the BMR.. being short does that mean my BMR is lower and that 1200 is appropriate for me but not as likely for someone 5'10?

How does this translate to morbidly obese people? do they need to eat more calories to move a larger body and does that go down the smaller they get?

As we get fitter do our caloric needs change? Does a fit 5 ft tall person need more calories than a non-fit 5ft tall person?

Help me to understand because the more I research I think I am confusing myself.

deksgrl

I saw a few short people like myself 5 ft nothing...I am trying to understand the BMR.. being short does that mean my BMR is lower and that 1200 is appropriate for me but not as likely for someone 5'10?

How does this translate to morbidly obese people? do they need to eat more calories to move a larger body and does that go down the smaller they get?

As we get fitter do our caloric needs change? Does a fit 5 ft tall person need more calories than a non-fit 5ft tall person?
understand
Help me to because the more I research I think I am confusing myself.

1200 calories could be appropriate for a short person to lose weight, but not an absolute. An obese person does require more energy to move their body and it does go down as they get smaller. However I do know plenty of shorter fit women who lose weight on 1800 calories, and maintain at 2000 (or more).

BMR is a calculation based on age, gender, height and weight, (what a body that size needs just for proper organ function) and it generally does not take into consideration "fitness". Except the Katch McCardle formula which does use body fat % in its calculation (but this is more accurate for low to average body fat, not the obese). The two other formulas commonly used are the Harris Benedict and the Mifflin St Jeor (that is the one this site uses).

Muscle is more metabolically active than fat, so a person who has a higher lean body mass will have a higher calorie need. Also research TDEE, Lean Body Mass and Body Fat %

deksgrl

Also, in addition to above, remember that MFP is not a TDEE calculator, it doesn't include exercise in it's calculation. Which adds confusion because you "eat more for exercise". This is unlike traditional weight loss methods which takes your TDEE and cuts from that.

People are allowed to choose an unhealthy weight loss amount "I want to lose 2 pounds per week, get set to the absolute minimum of 1200 and then they think this is what they have to do to lose weight, and then they think why am I eating more for exercise, doesn't that defeat the purpose? Not understanding that they are at the bare minimum already and that their body would function better if they ate to fuel their body instead of restricting it. The body adapts to restriction.

MissKim78

I'm kind of glad I came across this topic as I am still fairly new here and still trying to understand some things....I entered my age, height, weight & activity level (sedentary-desk job, little or no exercise) into MFP and said I want to lose 1lb a week. It gave me 1380 for a calorie goal, which I have been following since mid-February.

I went to the IIFYM site and entered the same data and got a BMR of 1505 and a TDEE of 1806.......So what should my calorie goal be to lose 1lb a week?? Am I eating too little?

Keliandra

Why are 1200 calorie diets considered to be so terrible and unhealthy?

...I'll love to lose my weight quicker, but I'd take losing pure fat over losing my muscle (which is something I already don't have much of).

"To think that if you eat 500 fewer calories the body will give up 500 calories of fat, to make up the difference, is the ultimate naivety in the world of dieting. The body is not a cash machine for fat.

Think about it – you lose your job – you don’t automatically dip into savings – you cut back on expenditure and the body does exactly the same.

The idea that a reduction of 500 calories leads to the body giving up 500 calories of fat assumes that neither the BMR requirement (1,500 calories) nor the additional requirement (500 calories) change. In reality both change. The person who eats less has less energy and they will likely do less additional activity that day – they will be too tired. The body will also cut back on its maintenance for the day – it can save cell repair, fighting infection and building bone density for another day – you haven’t eaten enough, so it can cut back.

BMR activities need fat, protein, vitamins and minerals. Carbohydrates can be useful for the vitamins and minerals they provide, but the macro nutrient, the carbohydrate itself, can only be used for energy – not cell repair and fighting infection."

"The myth “To lose one pound of fat you need to create a deficit of 3,500 calories” is actually worse than a myth – it is one of the cruelest lies we have told desperate dieters."

http://www.zoeharcombe.com

The only way you can lose one pound of pure fat is to have it cut off one cell at a time, while not bleeding at the same time. Otherwise, when you lose, you are losing fat, muscle and water, no matter what you may think otherwise.

Keliandra

How does this translate to morbidly obese people? do they need to eat more calories to move a larger body and does that go down the smaller they get?

The short answer is Yes. I am morbidly obese at 236 pounds and 5' 9" (175cm). I was even more so at 288 pounds. My BMR itself has gone down with my weight loss. Less blood volume to move, heart works less hard to move it, etc.

3laine75

I don't have a problem with it and have done it in the past. I actually find it easier to stick to, the less cals I have (at a surplus just now at 2150 and I'm constantly over )

I probably wouldn't do it again simply for the reason that if you stall there isn't really anywhere you can go and still feel healthy. I'll probably start at 1600 next time so I have 1400 and 1200 to go to if I get stuck, if you know what I mean.

TeaBea

Not true. My calculated BMR is 1266 and I'm 5'6".

Are you sure? Where did you come up with that number? I'm 5'2" and every bmr calculator I've used has set my bmr between 1400-1500.

That's what I was thinking......................younger people (especially) have bigger BMR's

eastcoastbbw

Mine is showing 1300 calories. I am 5'4 and 259. I thought that was normal for weight loss then a friend told me I am eating too little. Need help as well. Shouldn't the site tell me the real amount I should be aiming for?