1400 Calories a day doesn't seem healthy...

kimbekaw

So, I'm a bit concerned that it is recommend for me to only have 1400 net calories a day. That number seems quite low for a person who isn't trying to starve oneself. On the Goals page, it lists 1900 cal/day burned from normal daily activity. So, why isn't that taken into account in regards to net calories?

amjmom

I personally think MFP sets the cal limits too low as well. What do you have set for your activity level and how much you want to lose? I have mine set to 1 lbs per week and it gives me 1600 cals about on a sedentary activity level and and have been losing about 3 lbs a week. You can calculate your Basic Metabolism Rate and adjust the cals how you want. http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/ figure 3500 cals is a pound so you would need to take away 500 a day to lose 1 lb a week.

Anne1882

You need to eat less calories than you burn during the day to lose weight. The lowest amount of calories you should consume in a day is 1,000. Anything less than that is unhealthy! I am 5'7" and 166 pounds and am on an 1,150 calorie per day meal plan right now and never feel hungry or starved. The biggest thing is to eat 5-6 small meals per day (eat every 2-3 hours) and make sure each one has lots of protein to help keep you full and cut sugar down, or out if you can

yarwell

So, I'm a bit concerned that it is recommend for me to only have 1400 net calories a day. That number seems quite low for a person who isn't trying to starve oneself. On the Goals page, it lists 1900 cal/day burned from normal daily activity. So, why isn't that taken into account in regards to net calories?

The calculations are that you burn 1900 calories a day and having asked for a 1 lb/week weight loss it subtracts 500 leaving 1400.

If you do 200 of exercise and log it then the 1400 becomes 1600, keeping the 500 deficit the same.

Nobody starved on 1400 calories, ever.

itsbasschick

i'm 5' 3 1/2" and am losing weight slowly and steadily at 1200 NET calories per day, and i feel better and healthier than i have in years. today is my rest day, so i'll actually have 1200 calories - most days i eat back part of my exercise calories.

most calculators that figure things like BMI, BMR, daily calories, etc are only approximate. i was very high body fat when i started, and burned less calories at rest than the average person my height and weight, so all the calculators figured i needed more calories than i did - at 1500 calories per day i didn't lose anything and at 1800 calories per day i very slowly gained weight.

kimbekaw

Thanks for the responses everyone! The calorie/day calculation makes more sense now - and less nerve-wracking!

veredit

1400 cals a day is perfectly reasonable. Besides, the more you exercise the more you can eat. Trust MFP, they are doing this for years now and they are doing it well. I never thought that I can loose so much weight so easily, and here I am, from 26 % BFI to 19 without pain and being healthier then ever.

MoosyGoosy

Nobody starved on 1400 calories, ever.

Well, not short term and starting off overweight :P

perseverance14

You need to eat less calories than you burn during the day to lose weight. The lowest amount of calories you should consume in a day is 1,000. Anything less than that is unhealthy! I am 5'7" and 166 pounds and am on an 1,150 calorie per day meal plan right now and never feel hungry or starved. The biggest thing is to eat 5-6 small meals per day (eat every 2-3 hours) and make sure each one has lots of protein to help keep you full and cut sugar down, or out if you can

1,000/day is only safe if you are in obese or morbidly obese range and even then for no more than a few months, at least 1200 for basic bodily functions.

hearthwood

I am set at 1250 per day. MFP has got you set to lose 1 pound a week, which equates to 3500 calories. It's set based on your current weight your activity level and your age.

It may seem low, but it works if weight loss is your goal.

curlygirl513

You need to eat less calories than you burn during the day to lose weight. The lowest amount of calories you should consume in a day is 1,000. Anything less than that is unhealthy! I am 5'7" and 166 pounds and am on an 1,150 calorie per day meal plan right now and never feel hungry or starved. The biggest thing is to eat 5-6 small meals per day (eat every 2-3 hours) and make sure each one has lots of protein to help keep you full and cut sugar down, or out if you can

I second this post. I went further than cutting out refined sugar. I also went whole foods vegan so I could eat more.

515513_May

It may be worth looking at the types of food that you eat - vegetables and salad are low in calories and added to your meal are filling and healthy.
I personally have 1600 calories per day. I am 5ft7 and 180lbs. I am losing on this however I go gym 5 times per week. Sometimes you have to tweek it to suit your lifestyle - I guess MFP is just a guide.

chadya07

i was given a goal of 1350 by MFP... and at my height and weight that was very very low. i had to work out more than i should just so i could eat enough to not be hungry.

i learned how to calculate my own goals and have been eating 1700-1800 a day and losing weight (based on my height and weight) better than i was when i was using the set goals. and i am not hungry. i was in a real rut and not losing ANYTHING When i was using what MFP gave me. as soon as i calculated my TDEE and subtracted 25% bam, started losing again. and i am eating more.

i suggest researching the highlighted threads on each topic, and seeing what you can find out about setting your own goals. or find a TDEE calculator (it will usually exlain what it means) and subtract 20-25%.

edited to add. 1800 is still low for me. i have it set at a sedentary lifestyle then eating back half of what i burn when i work out if i am still hungry. i could actually be eating more like 2200 if i wanted to say i was somewhat active.. .

SomeNights246

So, I'm a bit concerned that it is recommend for me to only have 1400 net calories a day. That number seems quite low for a person who isn't trying to starve oneself. On the Goals page, it lists 1900 cal/day burned from normal daily activity. So, why isn't that taken into account in regards to net calories?

The calculations are that you burn 1900 calories a day and having asked for a 1 lb/week weight loss it subtracts 500 leaving 1400.

If you do 200 of exercise and log it then the 1400 becomes 1600, keeping the 500 deficit the same.

Nobody starved on 1400 calories, ever.

I seem to recall a study where men were eating 1500 calories and starved on it.

Prolonged. . yeah, you could. Hypothetically. But it would have to be for a really, really long time I'd imagine.

antoniodean

I ride my bike maybe on average 20 miles per day for 5 days and burn close to 700 hundred calories or more per. You do the math in order to burn alot of calories you have to excercise yourself to death. Who wants that right? I would think this web site takes in consideration of idea body weight to average calorie intake which is unrealistic at best. First off who could afford that much food daily? Now if a person were excercising daily or just a few days a week with rest days it becomes realistic as you can not successfully excercise your life away without consuming food and water. Even water is retained without a way to get rid of it. This is why athletes have to drink so much despite the retention because they cant get rid of it through sweat and effort, but if you don't sweat or give effort what good is water in your body? It may help you eliminate but then again that is what is already present in your body through meals. No I seriously think this site assumes your actually going to burn 1,400 calories or more or less.

But if you look at certain health stats and recommendations you will find this is absolutely normal. But what is normal today when you can sit at your cubicle snacking on popcorn or eat what you think is healthy yet is causing weigh gain. Bottom line if a person is not going to excercise I suggest the uptmost fat burning foods and foods that leave the body quickly otherwise it's impossible to do so.

One has to eat to live. And the hardest thing to do is to go to bed hungry. I personally only take in about 700 to 1000 calories a day. That's it. I eat breakfast. A big one. I eat a lunch like it is dinner if I eat breakfast early enough. Dinner consist of mainly a protein and veggie then I'm done. Every blue moon if I had a good work out I will splurge. Bottom line is as much as we hate to count our food intake and the value of excercise along with we will always be having these discussions. Good balanced smart food intake is partially key to losing pounds along with excercise. It doesn't hurt to clean the sytem either although I find this to be a waste of time as people tend to their old habits.


Peace

Antoniodean

dbmata

wut did I just read?

geebusuk

I seem to recall a study where men were eating 1500 calories and starved on it.

Prolonged. . yeah, you could. Hypothetically. But it would have to be for a really, really long time I'd imagine.

Yep. They didn't need to lose weight, but kept losing weight because they were on less calories than their bodies needed.

Very simple solution if you don't want to eat so little - set your weight loss goal to be less per week.
It's a simple calculation, as per above - 500 calorie deficit is 1lb a week.
They are all approximations, but it's not MFP that's the issue - it's just this is how human bodies work.

Me, I can average 2000 calories a day and still lose 2lb a week (or could when I had a bit of weight to lose anyway.)

Rocket_Man44

This should cover you up - http://www.healthylivingheavylifting.com/how-to-calculate-macros-for-cutting/


MFP asked me to consume 1500 calories too and on the basis on my activity levels i'd prolly die of hunger after a couple of weeks :P

Erikljungdahl

then don't eat as litle as 1400 kcals a day..

sixtyinchesoffury

wut did I just read?

my thoughts exactly!

Jwildeboer

A lot of sites state that 1500 is the minimum for males, at least. That is in order to ensure they have all needed nutrients. Some sites will say 1400, but the goal like many say is to exercise daily. If you want to eat 15-1800 calories in a day, then just be sure to exercise enough to do so. Maybe some days you don't exercise, and eat say 1600 calories. Most likely you'll still be under your calories burned in a day so it isn't the end of the world. You could also grab a bottle of Ensure for the day if you did want to stick to 1400 calories with 0 exercise.

Also, many calories burned estimators are not 100% accurate and how accurately you do the exercise will dictate actual calories burned, so be careful there. If you are lifting, and you've been in the room for 30 minutes, but have only done 15 minutes of actual lifting, then calculate it at 15 minutes and maybe take 10% off of what the estimator told you was burned to make sure.

And like someone else said on here, if you are losing weight quicker, then go ahead and manually adjust the calorie count up a bit more to compensate.

stickersticker

What makes it seem unhealthy?

Pjames95

Each person needs their own requirements relative to their activity levels. I find I can eat 1400 or 1300, not feel deprived and get all my nutrients, I'm way over the RDAs on most things. Though whilst I exercise I work seated unfortunately, if I worked an active job I'd eat more. I eat a lot of vegetables and foods high in fibre. If I ate lots of calorie dense foods it would be really hard.

LivingtheLeanDream

all of you folks need to EAT more calories!

I'm only 5ft 3" and I eat 1800 and still lose 1/2lb a week (I am basically at goal too)
When I'm a few more pounds down I will be able to eat close to 2000/day.
I am very active though.

ANTlSOClAL

I'm doing fine on 1500 a day. Not starving.

snowflake930

General guidelines. Everyone is not the same. Many factors to take into consideration.
With your health care professionals advice, find what works for you, is maintainable and can be adapted to your individual needs.

If you want accurate advice, seek it from your health care professional, not an internet forum. Most of us are not qualified to give advice to others. We know what works for us, but it may not work for another person.

That is why MFP has the disclaimer at the bottom of the page.

cwolfman13

So, I'm a bit concerned that it is recommend for me to only have 1400 net calories a day. That number seems quite low for a person who isn't trying to starve oneself. On the Goals page, it lists 1900 cal/day burned from normal daily activity. So, why isn't that taken into account in regards to net calories?

It is taking that into account...it's saying that you would maintain your weight on 1900 calories...your cut to 1400 calories represents a roughly 1 Lb per week rate of loss. Also, exercise is unaccounted for until you do it and log it...then you get those calories to eat back. If you exercise regularly, your gross calories are going to be higher.

When I did MFP method, my net calorie goal to lose about 1 Lb per week was 1800ish...with regular exercise I was grossing around 2200 on most days. You just have to make sure you're making an allowance for estimation error.

beccadaniixox

You need to eat less calories than you burn during the day to lose weight. The lowest amount of calories you should consume in a day is 1,000. Anything less than that is unhealthy! I am 5'7" and 166 pounds and am on an 1,150 calorie per day meal plan right now and never feel hungry or starved. The biggest thing is to eat 5-6 small meals per day (eat every 2-3 hours) and make sure each one has lots of protein to help keep you full and cut sugar down, or out if you can

1,200 NET is the lowest you should be consuming a day.

newhealthykim

I originally had my calorie goal set somewhere around 1750. I thought that was a little low, but I tried to stick with it. It was hard some days. Not that I was starving, but I was really missing a few more calories. Then I read one of the threads that said that MFP says that a sedentary lifestyle is basically a desk job. I have a desk job, so I thought that's what I was. However, I pretty much go non stop before work and after work. I'm cleaning the house, cooking, or doing laundry, whatever. I never counted those as exercise calories. It didn't seem like enough. I upped my activity level to slightly active, and that gave me way more calories to work with. I'm still losing weight so far and at what I feel is a slower, healthier pace. I never feel deprived, and I'm actually struggling to eat all the way to that goal. That is fine with me. I would rather be under by 300 calories than see that I'm consistently over by 200 calories. That's just a bummer to look at for me.

tabicatinthehat

all of you folks need to EAT more calories!

I'm only 5ft 3" and I eat 1800 and still lose 1/2lb a week (I am basically at goal too)
When I'm a few more pounds down I will be able to eat close to 2000/day.
I am very active though.

Assuming every person is exactly like you...

antoniodean

1,127 calories is what I supposedly consumed today. But I am trying to lose weight. I don't feel starved. I had plenty of energy to do my workouts. I am 5"6 168 and want to get down to around 150 or even less. I will admit I always stayed at around the same weight for years. I don't believe however that the body is going in the shock mode if one does not eat a certain amount of calories. If you aren't hungry why eat??? to get to some calorie count. yes 1400 for me personally seems to much not too low.