Advice needed re: calorie intake.

Carol_s

Hi All,

I hope you've all had good weekends. I have a questions regarding my calorie intake. At the moment, I have my goals set to losing 2 pounds a week, which MFP has given my a daily calorie allowance of 1200 per day.

I've got atleast 50lbs to lose, and am at the moment losing around one pound a week. Do you think 1200 is too close to starvation mode, especially as I usually stay under this amount?

Would it be best for me to change my goal to 1lb per week and see how I get on?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance
Carol

Airbear3

don't ever go below 1200! when i hit a point where i stop losing i eat my exercise calories, but only then.

sharonuk10

When I started here a year ago I set mine to 1pound a week and it worked for me. I am one of those people who would never survive on 1200 a day. I don't know how others do it at that level. My advice give it a try and see how it goes.

poedunk65

It all depends on your height and weight. Also is your work giving you any exercise?

I am 5'10" and about 295lbs. It has me at around 1900 calls, but because I do alot of work for my job, plus working out alot i try to stay around 2200-2500. You might be to lw, try around 1500 for a couple of weeks to see.

Carol_s

Thanks for the replies.

I'm 5"5 220lbs and I'm desk bound at my job.

I really think 1200 is too low for me, I'm just not sure what to do.

jonniemarie1

It depends on your body type now... I am a small girl, and therefore my body doesn't need more than 1600 calories to sustain energy, so to lose a pound a week, I am on a 1200 calorie diet. Still, I rarely go under 12001 In fact, I actually go over most of the time because when I stay at 1200 I dont lose any weight!... so going under 1200 is a definite no, especially if you are of a bigger size.

jonniemarie1

are you hungry often?

MidniteDayDream

This was a problem for me as well. MFP had me at 1250 calories and I started to slow down on my weight loss. I increased my calories to 1350 manually and I've gone back to losing 2 lbs a week. But that's just me and my body.

mmaggio80

If you exercise daily also I'd up it. It had me set at 1600 to lose 1/2 a lb a week but I was normally still hungry after I ate. I upped my daily intake to 1800 and have been dropping weight to the tune of 2-3 lbs a week because of working out/running. If you need to, park further away, take the steps yada yada. Those extra calories you burn will still give you weight loss even if you do upp your caloric intake daily.

mizfrankie

Not sure if anyone's said this - BUT - you could set it to 1lb per week (very normal weight loss) and then as you lose MFP will adjust how many calories you need.
1200 for someone just starting is not enough.
If it gives you 1600 to start with, it is also factoring in your weight. AS you lose weight the amount of calories your body will need will go down....does that make sense?
I would go with more calories. 1200 is the MINIMUM and only when you're very close to your goal weight would I recommend it.

louell33

It's a tough one because you don't want to undo the work you have put in so far, yet, you want keep the loss up. I eat 1420 and any exercise I do I nearly always eat my exercise cals back. My exercise cals are vital everyday for me - Do you eat your exercise cals? If so can you fit some more exercise in to gain some more cals? I still have a way to go nearly 40 lbs.

MontanaB

I'm the same height and around the same weight as you - I followed mfp and was on 1240 cals for a good 8weeks or so and struggled, I gained a few lbs and found that I was really grouchy and hungry all the time... I upped it to around 1500 and things started getting better and the weight started dropping off again - albeit slowly but it was still happening!!

personally I'd rejiggle your settings and make sure you eat at 1200

Carol_s

Thank you all so much for the replies, I really appreciate them. I have re-set my goals to lose one pound per week, and MFP have given me a dialy allowance of 1670cals.

Does this seem better? Seems quite high now lol

itstartswithken

1200's gonna be tough. At your given weight, I echo what some have been saying in the thread, up your intake to around 1500. When you're playing with the critical minimum of what your body needs, it's really easy for the body to go to starvation mode. Since you didn't mention any exercise in your post, I'd also recommend adding that your repertoire. It does the body a million good things, not the least speeding up your metabolism.

louell33

haha just don't use the extra calories for cake!!!

Carol_s

haha just don't use the extra calories for cake!!!

LOL

marianne_s

Hi All,

I hope you've all had good weekends. I have a questions regarding my calorie intake. At the moment, I have my goals set to losing 2 pounds a week, which MFP has given my a daily calorie allowance of 1200 per day.

I've got atleast 50lbs to lose, and am at the moment losing around one pound a week. Do you think 1200 is too close to starvation mode, especially as I usually stay under this amount?

Would it be best for me to change my goal to 1lb per week and see how I get on?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance
Carol

Have a read of the link (some mfp basics) in my signature, which help you.

I've still got 50 lbs to lose and I'm 5'7" and I've got my goals set 1.5 lbs a week AND I eat my exercise calories back. As stated in my signature.... I exercise so I can eat MORE..... :bigsmile:

marielw

I started off last year with 1200 calories, but i just found it too hard to keep to - most days i was going over and it really de-motivated me. I changed it to 1300 and it just gave me a bit more to play with. I am now on 1350 x

Carol_s

Thanks guys