Get real with me; is 1,200 Cals ok?

veggieshark

I'm getting SOOO many mixed-messages on this. 1,200 Calories: it's a staple, go-to number. It's a blind number that we throw at every person regardless of age, height, weight, sex, etc...

For me personally
I'm 5'10"
124lbs
female
lightly active-active (I work in food, sort of a waitress in a very fast-paced job, plus I walk and shop a lot, sex, bike rides...)

My goal is to shed a few pounds of excess fat, replace with lean muscle, drop a pant-size, maintain...

I'm a vegetarian and I eat on average 1,200 Calories of very nutrient-rich food (guacamole, beans, rice, nut butters, vegetables, some fruit...). I want to know if eating a low number is going to hurt me badly when I want to maintain and go back up to 1,800 per day. Will 1,200 make me go into the dreaded "starvation mode"? I want permanent and healthy weight-loss, but it seems silly to make myself eat a lot of calories to make it happen. I'm under the impression that if I'm always full and happy and not eating 1,200 calories of processed junk, I'm fine.

What are your impressions of the big 1,200?

melaniecheeks

1200 is a minimum level, below which it's difficult to get adequate nutrition for your body.

But at your weight and height, losing pounds will be really difficult.

I'd focus on training for shape rather than the number on the scale.

jeccawest91

Have you tried plugging in your numbers to see what you should be eating? I try to NET around 1200 but I'm also trying to LOSE between 1.5 and 2 lbs a week. You may need to be getting more if youre just trying to maintain. They say that 1200 is that bare minimum a person should be eating before the body enters starvation mode (if i remember correctly) don't quote me though.

floatingnomad

I'm vegan and I can easily get all my macros at 1200 so I don't think it's too low. But the number should vary based on the individual.

jeccawest91

I'd focus on training for shape rather than the number on the scale.

I also agree with this. If you're looking to just drop a few and tone up, this should be really good advice.

GiveMeCoffee

I think you should discuss this with your dietitian and therapist as you are recovering from an eating disorder.

evileen99

You will never gain any muscle on 1200 calories a day

_HeartsOnFire_

I think you should discuss this with your dietitian and therapist as you are recovering from an eating disorder.

This!!!

Before anyone jumps on either of us for saying that, it's on the OP's profile.

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

I think you should discuss this with your dietitian and therapist as you are recovering from an eating disorder.

This!!!

Before anyone jumps on either of us for saying that, it's on the OP's profile.

My opinion is no based on your stats, but I suppose I should go with ^this

DanaDark

If you are recovering from an eating disorder, I definitely suggest consulting with a registered dietitian. Someone with an actual degree and registered with your state. Not some "Bro" at the gym pushing pills.

As for advice. Taking your height and weight into account, Id say your weekly weight loss goal is too ambitious and will not go well. Additionally, given your height and weight, you honestly shouldn't be losing any weight.

If you are not happy at your weight, it is NOT a "fat" problem. It is a muscle problem.

My suggestion: Go surplus, Lift HEAVY. Gain 10 pounds. Look awesome.

SunofaBeach14

At 5'10" and 124 pounds, I'd say absolutely not.

_HeartsOnFire_

At 5'10" and 124 pounds, I'd say absolutely not.

^^^This answers your question...

As for advice. Taking your height and weight into account, Id say your weekly weight loss goal is too ambitious and will not go well. Additionally, given your height and weight, you honestly shouldn't be losing any weight.

If you are not happy at your weight, it is NOT a "fat" problem. It is a muscle problem.

My suggestion: Go surplus, Lift HEAVY. Gain 10 pounds. Look awesome.

^^^This is also good advice.

deksgrl

1200 is rarely okay. Especially not at 5'10 and 124 pounds.

Mr_Knight

My goal is to shed a few pounds of excess fat, replace with lean muscle, drop a pant-size, maintain...

It doesn't sound like you should be on much of a caloric deficit at all. In which case, why are we even talking about 1200 calories? What you more likely need is a surplus of exercise.

Branstin

I think you should discuss this with your dietitian and therapist as you are recovering from an eating disorder.

This!!!

Before anyone jumps on either of us for saying that, it's on the OP's profile.

+1

This is the truth. Those with EDs should be in therapy and working with their doctors.

srslybritt

First of all, OP, congratulations on taking the first step in your recovery.

Second, I'm 5'10 and my BMR (minimum for bodily functions) is somewhere in the 1800 neighborhood. Now, granted, I weigh a lot more than you do but still.

Use this tool: http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/. Figure out what your TDEE/BMR are. At this point, you should be eating somewhere around your TDEE and exercising regularly, incorporating lifting or resistance training if you're looking to tone.

Best of luck to you, and feel free to shoot me a friend request.

:flowerforyou:

ETA: I'm assuming that you're already working with your doctor/therapist, OP, and that you've discussed that you're looking to tone up.

ahoy_m8

Here's another way of thinking about it. There's a metabolic limit to how much stored energy a body can draw from triglycerides in fat cells. More fat, more energy available. Less fat, less energy available. Search body fat calculators (if you don't know yours already) and determine how much of that 124lb is fat. The limit is 30kcal/lb fat/day. So if, for example, your BF is 16% the most fat energy you can burn in a day is 600kcal. If you eat a larger deficit, your body will draw the energy from muscle.

So if you want to keep the muscle you have, it's important to be realistic about your actual TDEE so you can keep the daily caloric deficit less than 600kcal. As others have said, gaining muscle is a lot harder. Vegetarians have to work especially hard to get the complete assortment of amino acids. In other words, vegetarians are at a higher risk of muscle loss even if they are not in a caloric deficit if they are missing amino acids the body needs.

Congratulations on your progress and good luck.