HELP!

Inpjs66

I was reading on how many gram of carbs for a 1200 calorie diet as that is what MFP set up for me a the totals they gave me are based on a 1500 calorie diet.

How many calories should I be eating per day?

We have 2 calorie levels depending on whether you're male or female and your starting weight. Your recommended calorie level will be 1200 or 1500 and can be found on your meal plan page.

We recommend you use this as a starting point by following the meal plan and monitoring your hunger, fullness and weight change. You can make adjustments as needed.

For example, if you're losing weight and feeling good on the meal plan, this calorie level is working well for you.

If you're very hungry on the meal plan and not doing well, you may need some extra calories. This would be a good reason to email us here in the coaching corner or to our registered dietitian Shauna in the "Rate My Plate" discussion board to get guidance.

If you're not losing weight, this calorie level may be too high for you and you may need to be eating fewer calories. This may be a situation where you want to get some help and direction from the diet.com team of experts.

Most experts agree on not going below 1200 calories a day. Going below 1200 calories a day puts you at risk of nutritional deficiencies.

2. I'm diabetic and do carb counting. How many carbs can I have in one day?

Diet.com meal plans average 45-55% calories from carbohydrates. This level is also recommended when planning your own meals.

If you are following a 1200 calorie diet, this is equal to 135-165 grams of carbohydrate per day.

If you are following a 1500 calories diet, this is equal to 188-206 grams of carbohydrate per day.

Remember to choose healthy carbs such as fruit, whole grains, beans and vegetables and space them throughout the day.

3. I'm really concerned about my fat intake. How much fat is allowed in my meal plan?

Diet.com meal plans average 25-30% calories from fat. This level is also recommended when planning your own meals.

If you are following a 1200 calorie diet, this is equal to 33-40 grams of fat per day.

If you are following a 1500 calories diet, this is equal to 42-50 grams of fat per day.

Remember to choose healthy fats such as olive oil, canola oil, nuts and nut butters, olives and avocado.

4. I want to make sure I'm getting enough protein. How much protein am I allowed in my plan?

Diet.com meal plans average 20-25% calories from protein. This level is also recommended when planning your own meals.

If you are following a 1200 calorie diet, this is equal to 60-75 grams of protein per day.

If you are following a 1500 calorie diet, this is equal to 75-94 grams of protein per day.

Remember to choose lean protein sources such as chicken breast, turkey, fish, extra lean beef, lean pork, non-fat or low-fat dairy, beans or soy products. Vary your protein sources and try to eat at least 2 vegetarian based meals per week.

HollyMac20

Your post is a little confusing, are you not sure whether to eat 1200 or 1500 calories in a day?

Many people eat 1200 and find success with it. I personally am very hungry at that level. Depending on your activity level, you may want to shoot for 1300 or 1400. See what works for you. But anywhere in there sounds like a good level.

Inpjs66

My calorie gola MFP has chosen for me is 1200 and i am ok with that. However, wheat I read online for the amount of carbs, fat, etc (posted above) is not the goals MFP set for me.

According to what I read online, the goals for a 1200 calorie diet should be as follows.


If you are following a 1200 calorie diet, this is equal to 135-165 grams of carbohydrate per day.
If you are following a 1200 calorie diet, this is equal to 33-40 grams of fat per day.


MFP has my goals for those two items set at Carbs-186 and Fat-42

bizco

You can adjust your protein/fat/carb percentages by going to My Home>>Goals>>Change Goals, select "Custom" and revise as you see fit, then save your changes. Your total net calories will remain at 1200. Also, I believe MFP's settings for cholesterol and sodium are way too high so I reduced them. MFP's fiber per day is way too low so I increased it. Same for potassium.