the science behind eating a minimum of 1200 calories a day

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GretaGirl8
GretaGirl8 Posts: 274 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Just curious what is the rationale behind this advice. I read it everywhere--do not eat less than 1200 calories a day (for women). What happens physiologically if you do? Does it impact your metabolism, etc... It isn't my goal to eat less than 1200 calories per day...but somedays i do fall a bit short.
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  • yepimonfire
    yepimonfire Posts: 5
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    There isn't any science. Scientifically it's not a good idea to eat more then 1000 calories below you maintenance. If you're a woman and you burn 2200 calories a day 1200 makes sense. However maybe you burn 2500, maybe you burn 1800. So those people wouldn't want to go below 1500 and 800 respectively.
  • DrJenO
    DrJenO Posts: 404 Member
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    It would be difficult to get your body's basic nutrient requirements if you consistently ate less than 1200 for an extended period of time.
  • Iknowsaur
    Iknowsaur Posts: 777 Member
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    It would be difficult to get your body's basic nutrient requirements if you consistently ate less than 1200 for an extended period of time.

    I disagree.
    There wouldn't be much room for treats lacking nutritional value, but it wouldn't be impossible (or even super difficult) to meet your nutritional needs at 1200 or slightly below. If you are really diligent it's possible, but there would be little room for error and I personally wouldn't enjoy worrying about it so much.
    I am on a 1,000 calorie pre-surgery diet, and (at least according to my surgical team's nutritionists) all my needs are being met on the days I follow their plan.

    Edit - I would add that in terms of a CALORIE goal, 1,200 or below is way too low for most people. Unless you are very obese and under medical supervision, eating a very low calorie diet can be very damaging to your metabolism and general health.
  • Archerychickge
    Archerychickge Posts: 606 Member
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    I'm right there with you.. I rarely meet the 1200 calorie goal. I'm usually around 800 to 1000. But if I'm not hungry, why keep eating? I take a multivitamin and get LOTS of protien, vitamins, minerals etc from what I eat. I just don't reach the 1200 mark.

    Trust how you feel and if you feel good, don't force yourself to keep eating if you aren't hungry.
  • dmenchac
    dmenchac Posts: 447 Member
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    I'm right there with you.. I rarely meet the 1200 calorie goal. I'm usually around 800 to 1000. But if I'm not hungry, why keep eating? I take a multivitamin and get LOTS of protien, vitamins, minerals etc from what I eat. I just don't reach the 1200 mark.

    Trust how you feel and if you feel good, don't force yourself to keep eating if you aren't hungry.

    How do you get LOTS of protein on a 800-1000 diet?

    How many grams to you consume per day?

    I would love a breakdown of you macros if you have the time.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    I'm right there with you.. I rarely meet the 1200 calorie goal. I'm usually around 800 to 1000. But if I'm not hungry, why keep eating? I take a multivitamin and get LOTS of protien, vitamins, minerals etc from what I eat. I just don't reach the 1200 mark.

    Trust how you feel and if you feel good, don't force yourself to keep eating if you aren't hungry.

    I just want to point out that hunger shouldn't be the only cue you're using as to whether or not you're getting enough to eat. The hormones that control our hunger signals can be suppressed by too many things. You also have to take into account mood, concentration, gym performance, healthy skin, hair, and nails, and other physical cues to know that you're getting enough nutrition.
  • Iknowsaur
    Iknowsaur Posts: 777 Member
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    I'm right there with you.. I rarely meet the 1200 calorie goal. I'm usually around 800 to 1000. But if I'm not hungry, why keep eating? I take a multivitamin and get LOTS of protien, vitamins, minerals etc from what I eat. I just don't reach the 1200 mark.

    Trust how you feel and if you feel good, don't force yourself to keep eating if you aren't hungry.

    How do you get LOTS of protein on a 800-1000 diet?

    How many grams to you consume per day?

    I would love a breakdown of you macros if you have the time.

    I eat about 80 grams of protein at 1,000 (pre-surgery diet.)
    I'm not saying it's a good idea to get all your protein from shakes like I currently am, but it's possible to get a lot of protein without the calories.
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
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    You also have to take into account mood, concentration, gym performance, healthy skin, hair, and nails, and other physical cues to know that you're getting enough nutrition.

    ^^QFT
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    I'm right there with you.. I rarely meet the 1200 calorie goal. I'm usually around 800 to 1000. But if I'm not hungry, why keep eating? I take a multivitamin and get LOTS of protien, vitamins, minerals etc from what I eat. I just don't reach the 1200 mark.

    Trust how you feel and if you feel good, don't force yourself to keep eating if you aren't hungry.

    Hunger is not a good indicator. Seriously.....if you eat tons of fiber (drink lots of water) ...you're full. Hormones also play a role. Fiber and water do not help you retain lean muscle mass.

    OP - if you want the SCALE to look good......eat the bare minimum & lose weight quickly. If you want healthy weight loss....if you want to reduce your body fat percentage, then use a weekly goal that is tailored to YOU.....not just the minimum default MFP gives those with unrealistic expectations.

    Find your BMR - basal metabolic rate....eat at least that. This is what your body uses if you stayed in bed all day.....heart, lungs kidneys, eating less than this is like fueling workouts (and everything else) ....with muscle AND fat. Most women have higher BMRs than 1200.
  • Greenrun99
    Greenrun99 Posts: 2,065 Member
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    Use the Search feature.. seems this topic happens multiple times a day..
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
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    If you can do all this, function, and be under 1200 calories, please show me what you eat. (Remembering that supplements have calories in them.)

    -Take a multi vitamin (possibly one with iron, calcium, D, B12, iodine (unless you get it in salt))
    -Eat 75 calories of vegies
    -Eat 120 calories of fruit
    -Eat 2 servings of whole grains (whole wheat, brown rice, quinoa, barley, lentil, etc.)
    -lift weights 2x per week
    -walk at least 20 min. every day to maintain bones
    -eat at least ~100 g of protein (more is fine) -- this is 400 calories
    -eat at least 30 g of fat (more is fine) -- this is 270 calories
    -eat at least 25 g of fiber (more is fine) -- this is 100 calories
    -drink as much water as you can
    -sleep at least 7 hours

    Just the minimums of protein, fat and fiber comes to 770 calories per day. And that doesn't count the minimum carbs yet. So if you do all this ^^ every day, then I won't complain too much if you're below 1200 sometimes.
  • ren_ascent
    ren_ascent Posts: 432 Member
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    Good lord here we go again.
  • GretaGirl8
    GretaGirl8 Posts: 274 Member
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    Just curious what is the rationale behind this advice. I read it everywhere--do not eat less than 1200 calories a day (for women). What happens physiologically if you do? Does it impact your metabolism, etc... It isn't my goal to eat less than 1200 calories per day...but somedays i do fall a bit short.

    I just want to point out that I am NOT advocating eating 1200 calories or under. I am just curious where the number comes from as I hear it quite often. It seems to be a blanket statement considering how extremely different everyone's situation truly is. A woman who is 5'10'' and works out everyday has completely different needs than a woman who is 5'2'' and sedentary.
  • hitsnooze
    hitsnooze Posts: 79
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    oh ughhh.

    just because you can get all the nutrients eating >1200 a day doesn't mean you're able to absorb them jesus.

    and in answer to the original post, they say 1200 because that's what SOME bodies need in order (an average bmr when they worked this out i guess) to just survive, keep your organs functioning normally, etc, so to go below that is a slow suicide. so obviously health profesionals are not allowed to recommend anything below that. i'd say a lot of people have a bmr higher than this i think and eating at your bmr is not a sensible way to live imo, because of the whole bmr being what you need to do basic functions thing, and after your daily activity, you're not giving it enough calories to do it's stuff
  • maggiemae2191
    maggiemae2191 Posts: 2 Member
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    What is a good way to know How many calories you need to be eating a day? I tend to eat about 1500 a day give or take if i have been exercising that day. I eat a little more when I have been exercising. I am 5'8" and about 210.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    Just curious what is the rationale behind this advice. I read it everywhere--do not eat less than 1200 calories a day (for women). What happens physiologically if you do? Does it impact your metabolism, etc... It isn't my goal to eat less than 1200 calories per day...but somedays i do fall a bit short.

    I just want to point out that I am NOT advocating eating 1200 calories or under. I am just curious where the number comes from as I hear it quite often. It seems to be a blanket statement considering how extremely different everyone's situation truly is. A woman who is 5'10'' and works out everyday has completely different needs than a woman who is 5'2'' and sedentary.

    On MFP the number comes from "I want to lose XX pounds per week".... 1200 is just the lowest default. 1200 calorie diets have been around for ages, back when the average height was shorter than it is now, back when low fat was good (all fat was equal) .....silly when you think about it. Science has learned quite a bit since then. The whole 1 size fits all approach isn't healthy.
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
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    I am just curious where the number comes from as I hear it quite often.

    This is what I was trying to demonstrate. 1200 is approximately the minimum you need to meet the RDA of all of the nutrients you need in life. Craft a well rounded diet of real food for under 1200 calories. Try it. You can't do it. That's why 1200 is the minimum that most people recommend.

    Edit to add: I'm saying, I can't design a well-rounded diet in under 1200 without supplements (which should be prescribed by a doctor). Just in case anyone misunderstands the intent of my list of minimum RDAs. I'm suggesting you can't meet your minimum RDAs in under 1200.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    There isn't any science. Scientifically it's not a good idea to eat more then 1000 calories below you maintenance. If you're a woman and you burn 2200 calories a day 1200 makes sense. However maybe you burn 2500, maybe you burn 1800. So those people wouldn't want to go below 1500 and 800 respectively.

    What do you mean by "not a good idea"? And to what science do you refer?
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    If you can do all this, function, and be under 1200 calories, please show me what you eat. (Remembering that supplements have calories in them.)

    -Take a multi vitamin (possibly one with iron, calcium, D, B12, iodine (unless you get it in salt))
    -Eat 75 calories of vegies
    -Eat 120 calories of fruit
    -Eat 2 servings of whole grains (whole wheat, brown rice, quinoa, barley, lentil, etc.)
    -lift weights 2x per week
    -walk at least 20 min. every day to maintain bones
    -eat at least ~100 g of protein (more is fine) -- this is 400 calories
    -eat at least 30 g of fat (more is fine) -- this is 270 calories
    -eat at least 25 g of fiber (more is fine) -- this is 100 calories
    -drink as much water as you can
    -sleep at least 7 hours

    Just the minimums of protein, fat and fiber comes to 770 calories per day. And that doesn't count the minimum carbs yet. So if you do all this ^^ every day, then I won't complain too much if you're below 1200 sometimes.

    Everyone doesn't need 100 g of protein per day. And all fiber calories should not be counted, since a good deal of fiber passes through the GI tract unabsorbed.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    I am just curious where the number comes from as I hear it quite often.

    This is what I was trying to demonstrate. 1200 is approximately the minimum you need to meet the RDA of all of the nutrients you need in life. Craft a well rounded diet of real food for under 1200 calories. Try it. You can't do it. That's why 1200 is the minimum that most people recommend.

    Edit to add: I'm saying, I can't design a well-rounded diet in under 1200 without supplements (which should be prescribed by a doctor). Just in case anyone misunderstands the intent of my list of minimum RDAs. I'm suggesting you can't meet your minimum RDAs in under 1200.

    Most RDAs are general recommendations based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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