1200 cal is NOT enough
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Not enough for what? If you don't have fat to burn, it's not enough to live on. If you have fat to burn, you burn the fat to make up the difference. 1200 IS enough for basic nutrition needs.For most people 1200 is not enough but for some it is especially older women and those who can't or know they won't exercise
It might not be enough for many people mentally or emotionally but that's a compliance issue.
And it's not enough for people who don't have weight to lose, like you and the OP. I don't really understand how what level you eat at is even relevant to the discussion.0 -
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Why are people so damn worried about what others eat on here? I couldn't care less what anyone eats, or how many calories they take in! Everyone is different, what works for one person may not work for another. I keep my calories at or below 1200, and I have lost almost 30 lbs in 2 months. People need to worry about themselves. If I eat 1200, is that affecting you or your weight loss? NOPE! I don't see M.D. after anyone's name on here, and I feel fine everyday, not starved, they should change this sites name to My Fitness No It Alls SMH :noway:0
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I can't believe this thread is still going, lol.0
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What’s wrong with all these people? What the OP said is true for most people. Most people shouldn’t be eating around 1,200 calories a day. Yet all these people show up thinking what she said applies to them.
2 Of the biggest contributors to BMR are weight and age. So let’s look at the facts.
Global average age:
total: 29.7 years
male: 28.9 years
female: 30.4 years (2014 est.)
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2177.html
Average age is 29.7, yet all these older people show up, who don’t fit well in to the distribution curve show up, saying “hey you’re wrong.” She’s not wrong. You’re just not part of the statically average.
Also I noticed some younger people here standing by the 1,200 calories. The trend I noticed is they haven’t lost that much weight and they haven’t been on this site very long. They will learn in time the truth.
Fit me into your equation, master. Since you seem to know it all. Granted, I eat 1270, not exactly 1200, but close enough. I've lost about 40 pounds over the period of 5 months.
ETA: I started at about 1400 and gradually decreased as I lost weight.0 -
don't knowif it's enough but I just envy those who can stick to eat that amount and stay thin. I am bigger eater and can never lose weight...0
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Why are people so damn worried about what others eat on here? I couldn't care less what anyone eats, or how many calories they take in! Everyone is different, what works for one person may not work for another. I keep my calories at or below 1200, and I have lost almost 30 lbs in 2 months. People need to worry about themselves. If I eat 1200, is that affecting you or your weight loss? NOPE! SMH :noway:
^^^^^THIS! It is none of anyone's business what or how much I eat. I don't understand why it is such a huge concern to strangers online what others eat or don't eat.0 -
Why are people so damn worried about what others eat on here? I couldn't care less what anyone eats, or how many calories they take in! Everyone is different, what works for one person may not work for another. I keep my calories at or below 1200, and I have lost almost 30 lbs in 2 months. People need to worry about themselves. If I eat 1200, id that affecting you or your weight loss? NOPE! SMH :noway:
In 2 months, okay. How long you plan to keep it off? Anyone can starve themselves and lose weight. Some people actually do care and want others to be successful so the person isn’t wasting their time and spinning their wheels.
Also have you been keeping track of your lean body mass, how much of that have you lost and how much fat?
this is me...I was once up a time eating 1200 and lost 10 pounds then I lost control...became fat again0 -
My point is, why do others worry about what others take in? I couldn't care less what you or her take in, so why worry about mine? I see it constantly people all up in everyone's biz like my calorie intake is gonna affect theirs or something, to each his own is all I'm saying, what works for her, may not work for me, and vice versa.Why are people so damn worried about what others eat on here? I couldn't care less what anyone eats, or how many calories they take in! Everyone is different, what works for one person may not work for another. I keep my calories at or below 1200, and I have lost almost 30 lbs in 2 months. People need to worry about themselves. If I eat 1200, id that affecting you or your weight loss? NOPE! SMH :noway:
In 2 months, okay. How long you plan to keep it off? Anyone can starve themselves and lose weight. Some people actually do care and want others to be successful so the person isn’t wasting their time and spinning their wheels.
Also have you been keeping track of your lean body mass, how much of that have you lost and how much fat?0 -
Granted, I eat 1270, not exactly 1200, but close enough. I've lot about 40 pounds over the period of 5 months.
ETA: I started at about 1400 and gradually decreased as I lost weight.
Lemon, just a question, because you're in your 20s. Are you taking a supplement? We can't see your diary, so I can't know for sure. But for a lot of women under 50 it's tough to get all of the vitamins and minerals they need thru unfortified food alone in lower calorie ranges. In particular things like Vitamin D and iron and calcium (depends on how vigilant you are, really). I always am an advocate for nutrition thru food, but it's tough for some people. Anyway, just a thought. YMMV.
[Edit for stupid fingers.]0 -
Most evidence shows that lower calorie diets result in better long term maintenance rates. So some would call the people aiming for tiny deficits thinking they have maintenance licked 'spinning their wheels'.Why are people so damn worried about what others eat on here? I couldn't care less what anyone eats, or how many calories they take in! Everyone is different, what works for one person may not work for another. I keep my calories at or below 1200, and I have lost almost 30 lbs in 2 months. People need to worry about themselves. If I eat 1200, id that affecting you or your weight loss? NOPE! SMH :noway:
In 2 months, okay. How long you plan to keep it off? Anyone can starve themselves and lose weight. Some people actually do care and want others to be successful so the person isn’t wasting their time and spinning their wheels.
Also have you been keeping track of your lean body mass, how much of that have you lost and how much fat?
http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/74/5/579.abstract0 -
I'm set at 1200 calories, I exercise 6 days a week and eat half those back give or take. I have been losing steadily about 1.5lbs per week and I have increased my muscle mass. I'm getting fit/strong... not skinny.
Whenever I reach my fitness goal, I'll start maintenance and increase my caloric intake. As for now, the 1200 base + .5 exercise seems to be working for me. Weight down 23 lbs, inches lost, muscle mass increased, strength and stamina increased.
While I'm sure your intentions were good, it was a very poor post.
FYI, I'm 49, 5.6 and 186 lbs - my metabolism is not what it was at 19.0 -
Granted, I eat 1270, not exactly 1200, but close enough. I've lot about 40 pounds over the period of 5 months.
ETA: I started at about 1400 and gradually decreased as I lost weight.
Lemon, just a question, because you're in your 20s. Are you taking a supplement? We can't see your diary, so I can't know for sure. But for a lot of women under 50 it's tough to get all of the vitamins and minerals they eat thru unfortified food alone. In particular things like Vitamin D and iron and calcium (depends on how vigilant you are, really). I always am an advocate for nutrition thru food, but it's tough for some people. Anyway, just a thought. YMMV.
I track my macros and micros here and hit most of them most of the time (greater importance put on macros). I've been to my doctor lately and she said I'm in perfect health. I'll let you know when I start feeling shoddy, if that ever happens.0 -
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What’s wrong with all these people? What the OP said is true for most people. Most people shouldn’t be eating around 1,200 calories a day. Yet all these people show up thinking what she said applies to them.
2 Of the biggest contributors to BMR are weight and age. So let’s look at the facts.
Global average age:
total: 29.7 years
male: 28.9 years
female: 30.4 years (2014 est.)
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2177.html
Average age is 29.7, yet all these older people show up, who don’t fit well in to the distribution curve show up, saying “hey you’re wrong.” She’s not wrong. You’re just not part of the statically average.
Also I noticed some younger people here standing by the 1,200 calories. The trend I noticed is they haven’t lost that much weight and they haven’t been on this site very long. They will learn in time the truth.
Fit me into your equation, master. Since you seem to know it all. Granted, I eat 1270, not exactly 1200, but close enough. I've lost about 40 pounds over the period of 5 months.
ETA: I started at about 1400 and gradually decreased as I lost weight.
You fit in to the equation nicely. This is what will happen, assuming you hit maintenance. If you’re not close to your goal weight you’ll probably stall out before you hit maintenance. Lets just assume you do hit your goal weight. You have 2 options, maintain at 1,200 calories, or increase them to a more realistic caloric intake. Increasing calories with a slowed metabolic rate just leads to weight gain. Seen this pattern many many times before. Is it possible to increase calories and not gain weight? Yes, but it’s like a tight rope walk back up to maintenance. Really have to know what you’re doing, how to monitor your progress, and results.
Let me add that during my journey I've not once "stalled out" or had a plateau. I've passed two goal weights and continued to keep going to become even fitter. I will start lifting heavy again in the fall and will increase my calories then. Do I think I have a damaged metabolism? From a few months of eating not even that little? Not at all. It's silly. Don't act like you know what will happen when I switch to maintenance. The only person you can speak for is yourself.0 -
Congrats on the awesome weight loss! :-)))
My point is, why do others worry about what others take in? I couldn't care less what you or her take in, so why worry about mine? I see it constantly people all up in everyone's biz like my calorie intake is gonna affect theirs or something, to each his own is all I'm saying, what works for her, may not work for me, and vice versa.Why are people so damn worried about what others eat on here? I couldn't care less what anyone eats, or how many calories they take in! Everyone is different, what works for one person may not work for another. I keep my calories at or below 1200, and I have lost almost 30 lbs in 2 months. People need to worry about themselves. If I eat 1200, id that affecting you or your weight loss? NOPE! SMH :noway:
In 2 months, okay. How long you plan to keep it off? Anyone can starve themselves and lose weight. Some people actually do care and want others to be successful so the person isn’t wasting their time and spinning their wheels.
Also have you been keeping track of your lean body mass, how much of that have you lost and how much fat?
I do understand your point, I am asking you to understand mine now. She’s just trying to help people be successful in their weight loss… Even if her advice is unwanted, her intentions are well placed.
There has been many times where I have given unwanted advice. I see something not right, I bring it to the person attention. I have been on MFP for over 3yrs, lost over 200lbs. I understand unwanted advice can be annoying. But my intentions are well placed. You know all the people who I have given un wanted advice to… 98% of them have quit. They didn’t want to listen.0 -
1200 is enough for some and not enough for others depending on age, height, weight, lifestyle, and level of activity. 1200 is too little for me but my mom who is 5'1 and 110 lbs is lucky if she can manage 1200 cals a day...0
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I see a lot of people on here do not know how much to eat. 1200 is practically the amount for a small child. 1200 calories was my lunch yesterday, not a days worth of intake! I don't want to hear any excuses like "I'm never hungry" or that you cant find any high calorie foods that are healthy.
My diet is heavily plant based. Even if my foods are not high calorie, I eat frequently and that adds up!
Furthermore, if you can't meet a simple calorie goal you shouldn't even be exercising and causing further damage to you body.
1200 calories isnt like a universal number that is meant for everyone (or anyone really) if you want to know how much you should really be eating calculate your BMR and then add calories based on your activity level OR calculate your TDEE which I highly recommend.
It seems most of you want quick and instant results but under eating isnt the way to do it. Permanent and HEALTHY results that you can sustain are going to take time, effort, and certainly a hell of a lot more food.
Of course at your height and age, you can eat more. However, making general assumptions as you are is wrong.
You have no idea what a 50 year old woman who is 4'11" need.
You are young, and will learn eventually that people function very differently, hopefully you will learn that you really do not know it all at age 19. Don't judge people because they are not doing the same as you.
1200 calories IS ENOUGH for me.
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Did you read the link I posted about maintenance and low calorie diets? It is not true that if you lose using lower calories you are less likely to maintain. The opposite is true.As a person loses weight their metabolism also drops. They hit this equilibrium point at that low calorie limit, lets say 1,200. Results just stop.
You’re right I have no idea what will happen when you hit maintenance. Based off what I have seen, the general trend. I already said what would happen. You might be different, but more than likely not.
No one just stops losing at 1200 unless their TDEE goes that low, which it doesn't. Everyone who loses weight reduces their BMR as they go, regardless of deficit level.
The idea that at 1200+X calories you spare more lean tissue than at 1200 is grossly over-exaggerated here.0 -
What’s wrong with all these people? What the OP said is true for most people. Most people shouldn’t be eating around 1,200 calories a day. Yet all these people show up thinking what she said applies to them.
2 Of the biggest contributors to BMR are weight and age. So let’s look at the facts.
Global average age:
total: 29.7 years
male: 28.9 years
female: 30.4 years (2014 est.)
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2177.html
Average age is 29.7, yet all these older people show up, who don’t fit well in to the distribution curve show up, saying “hey you’re wrong.” She’s not wrong. You’re just not part of the statically average.
Also I noticed some younger people here standing by the 1,200 calories. The trend I noticed is they haven’t lost that much weight and they haven’t been on this site very long. They will learn in time the truth.
Fit me into your equation, master. Since you seem to know it all. Granted, I eat 1270, not exactly 1200, but close enough. I've lost about 40 pounds over the period of 5 months.
ETA: I started at about 1400 and gradually decreased as I lost weight.
You fit in to the equation nicely. This is what will happen, assuming you hit maintenance. If you’re not close to your goal weight you’ll probably stall out before you hit maintenance. Lets just assume you do hit your goal weight. You have 2 options, maintain at 1,200 calories, or increase them to a more realistic caloric intake. Increasing calories with a slowed metabolic rate just leads to weight gain. Seen this pattern many many times before. Is it possible to increase calories and not gain weight? Yes, but it’s like a tight rope walk back up to maintenance. Really have to know what you’re doing, how to monitor your progress, and results.
Let me add that during my journey I've not once "stalled out" or had a plateau. I've passed two goal weights and continued to keep going to become even fitter. I will start lifting heavy again in the fall and will increase my calories then. Do I think I have a damaged metabolism? From a few months of eating not even that little? Not at all. It's silly. Don't act like you know what will happen when I switch to maintenance. The only person you can speak for is yourself.
What do you mean you passed 2 goal weights? Most people set markers, for example someone wants to weigh 150lbs and they’re 200. They might say “my goal is to get down to 180” they meet it(hit one goal weight) now my goal is to hit 160(another goal weight). They hit 2 goal weights.
On a low calorie diet a person’s metabolism drops from 10-35%. Usually it’s about 15-20%. As a person loses weight their metabolism also drops. They hit this equilibrium point at that low calorie limit, lets say 1,200. Results just stop. What are they going to do? Drop down to 1000 calories? Exercise more?(exercise is an not the best option for weight loss, burns to little calories).
Also you mentioned nothing of your height. That is also a contributing factor to metabolic rate. If you’re short, you might be able to get away with 1,200 calories.
You’re right I have no idea what will happen when you hit maintenance. Based off what I have seen, the general trend. I already said what would happen. You might be different, but more than likely not.
Met, passed, whatever. I'm 5'1.0 -
I've been generally sceptical about many of the claims for 'metabolic damage' from a lack of evidence to the severity many claim from relatively short term weight loss and not TOO Ridiculous deficits.You fit in to the equation nicely. This is what will happen, assuming you hit maintenance. If you’re not close to your goal weight you’ll probably stall out before you hit maintenance. Lets just assume you do hit your goal weight. You have 2 options, maintain at 1,200 calories, or increase them to a more realistic caloric intake. Increasing calories with a slowed metabolic rate just leads to weight gain. Seen this pattern many many times before. Is it possible to increase calories and not gain weight? Yes, but it’s like a tight rope walk back up to maintenance. Really have to know what you’re doing, how to monitor your progress, and results.
At the start of the year I spent approximately 20 weeks losing 2lb a week average.
I would estimate I finished in the low teens for body fat - 6 pack visible, at least with light at the right angles, after a workout (I've put a bit of weight on since then as can be seen in my current profile pic).
I did have a sudden 'stall' - I went from a steady 2lb/week to pretty much stationary as far as weight goes. At the same time my weightlifting actually improved - presumably the body reduced calorie consumption in some areas, giving more calories free in total.
As I was about 2lb away from my intended goal and happy with my body consumption I transitioned to a bulk by increasing calories by 250 every 7 days until I was gaining weight. I found that for the first 4 weeks each week I lost about .5lb, so presumably my body was adapting to the higher calories at a similar rate to my change in them.
I didn't feel like I was "walking a tight rope". I used the Libra app to monitor weight with daily weigh ins (it averages them to provide an estimated deficit/surplus figure). I do have a fair bit more sophisticated tool to monitor various such things (new leaf metabolic tester), but did not use it. I did not do any particular research on this area.
Sure, it may be complicated/hard for some. It wasn't for me.0 -
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My TDEE based on my BMR is 1765 based on the calculator I used. From what I've read, and it may be wrong, I should subtract between 500 and 1000 calories per day from that number to effectively lose weight. That puts me at 765-1265. For weight loss based on my BMR.
Given that I'm more active than that, I do need more calories, but on a non-exercise and non-physical week, I'm burning around 2118 calories. Again, doing the 500-1000 subtraction method that leaves me with a range of 1118-1618 calories.
The biggest issue about going that low calories is proper nutrition, I suspect. You can cause cravings and eventually succumb, which may in turn cause binging. And as a result you may end up gaining back everything you lost. (I've gone through this cycle a few times, which is why I started bringing in cheat meals about every 3rd-4th day.)
I understand your point, but ANYONE just establishing an arbitrary number and then universalizing that number for everyone doesn't seem to understand the basics. So, depending on who you're talking to, you may be right or may be wrong.
I do have to admit, though, I do see a lot of people going for the 1200 number. And I can't help but wonder if that number fits them properly or if they just saw that number and thought it looked good.0 -
So--- what's the consensus ? Should I eat more than 1,200 calories?
(I average 1,250 calories over a period of time... Some days I eat like a pig, and other days I forget to eat.)
Should I eat more than 1200 calorie and exercise it off? (Hard to do because fat and lazy and sometimes too lazy to feed myself.
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Should I eat 1200 calories and exercise ? Should I eat 1200 calories and exercise so I am above net 1200 calories?
I'm confuzzled. Not sure what to do, haven't lost much weight
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Do you get a decent range of different types of food?
What is your average weekly weight loss?0
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