Why 1200?

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  • MrsCon40
    MrsCon40 Posts: 2,351 Member
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    http://www.acsm.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=ACSM_News_Releases&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=12541

    This article mentions both using the 10 calories per 1lb of bodyweight for women and 11 calories per 1lb of bodyweight as a minimum (an approach which I prefer) but also under the calorie restriction section that 1,200 is the minimum recommended.

    I will try and find the 1999 study by the WHO which I believe was where the original recommendation came from.

    Don't be silly and answer the question with exactly what the OP was looking for! They are having too much fun thinking someone just pulled it out of their *kitten*! :glasses:
  • Izable2011
    Izable2011 Posts: 755 Member
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    hahaha.. your funny! Good question though!
  • thedreamhazer
    thedreamhazer Posts: 1,156 Member
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    http://www.acsm.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=ACSM_News_Releases&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=12541

    This article mentions both using the 10 calories per 1lb of bodyweight for women and 11 calories per 1lb of bodyweight as a minimum (an approach which I prefer) but also under the calorie restriction section that 1,200 is the minimum recommended.

    I will try and find the 1999 study by the WHO which I believe was where the original recommendation came from.

    Don't be silly and answer the question with exactly what the OP was looking for! They are having too much fun thinking someone just pulled it out of their *kitten*! :glasses:

    This still doesn't explain why 1200 for everyone. It just throws out 1200 again, referencing it as a recommendation. I would be very interested to see the source study referenced. If anything,this just points out, again, that 1200 isn't appropriate for everyone. I'm about 160 lbs. Why 1200 for me? One of my friends is 95 lbs. Why 1200 for her?
  • BioQueen
    BioQueen Posts: 694 Member
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    Ahhhh such a good post! My net is usually under 1,200, my body actually only loses that way (for now).
  • myofibril
    myofibril Posts: 4,500 Member
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    This still doesn't explain why 1200 for everyone.

    The short answer is that it isn't. It's a generic but safe guideline based on averages. Will there always be outliers? Well yeah.

    Unfortunately, my pc is playing silly buggers so I can't access the WHO research but it seems they can be found here (2nd & 3rd PDFs)

    I can't be sure as I can't open them though. Doh!

    http://search.who.int/search?q=1200+calories&ie=utf8&site=default_collection&client=_en&proxystylesheet=_en&output=xml_no_dtd&oe=utf8
  • driventotheend
    driventotheend Posts: 20
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    I have no idea, I just know I would be hungry and cranky all day if I tried eating that little. I have tried 1600 before and I was hungry and cranky all day! I need 1800-2200 calories per day to feel remotely normal. I am 5'10" though so I get to eat a little bit more than some.
  • dc08d
    dc08d Posts: 5
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    I've been at this healthy lifestyle for a while and I've seen 1200 as the magic number everywhere too. The best fact I have come across to understand how many calories is necessary is that our bodies burn about 100 calories for every 10 pounds just by being alive. So for a "normal woman" (whatever that means!) who is about 120 pounds, she should eat a net (total after exercising is taken out) of 1200 calories for healthy organ function. If this reasoning really is true than a 200 pound male should eat 2000 calories (sounds about right).

    Of course since every body is different there is no magic number. Just eat healthy and try taking out certain types of foods that might be hindering your weight loss (complex carbs, processed foods). I just cut out dairy and it helped my get past a plateau and I lost 2 pounds last week.

    There is a lot of crazy info out there so its really important to find out the facts for yourself, don't trust just anything you read (even this! i might be wrong too!)
  • Bodhizephyr
    Bodhizephyr Posts: 48
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    who is this average person?

    the 3500 reduction per week = 1lb loss makes sense

    If I eat 1200 cals/day - and I take this as an weekly average not a gospel, I am supposed to lose 1.5lb per week.

    Eating reasonably I consume about 1350 cals/day and I'm losing 1lb per week atm.

    Its all chemistry at the end of the day. We're all made of the same stuff but some people's body's are better at chemistry than others.
  • myofibril
    myofibril Posts: 4,500 Member
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    It annoys me that so many people take that number and run with it. It's the BARE MINIMUM. Why would you eat the bare minimum when you could eat more?

    I don't get this either. I am sure that if it was set at 1,000 calories people would still argue the legitimacy of the number.

    I think that really, outside of metabolic disorders, the only classes of people who really need to eat at this level or below are morbidly obese people who are in immediate danger unless weight is reduced because of organ failure etc OR small and relatively light women who have very little room for maneouvre in terms of a workable calorie deficit.

    Apart from that I think pretty much everyone can lose with an ACTUAL intake in excess of 1,200 (as opposed to a REPORTED intake of 1,200) The problem is patience. Everyone wants to be lean now or as quickly as possible...
  • zeeeb
    zeeeb Posts: 805 Member
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    i thought that men were supposed to eat 1400 or 1500 on average and it was just a woman thing the 1200... oh well, whatever works?
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
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    But you don't UNDERSTAND! There's a wedding I've known about for a year that's now two weeks away and I need to drop 15 pounds before then!!!!!!!!! :sad: :sad: :sad:
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
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    Using a one third ratio for macros, 1,200 calories would give you 100 grams of protein per day, 100 grams of carbs per day, and 44 grams of fat for the day. It's got nothing to due with micronutrients, it's about macronutrients.

    And yes, the 1,200 and 1,500 are minimum recommendations. I usually eat about 1700 a day to lose 2 pounds a week right now.

    NOBODY has said everyone should eat 1200 calories. The actual recommendation for an average diet (in the US) is 2,000 calories. Getting below 1,200 is dangerous because there's a very good chance you won't be getting enough of your macronutrients to properly fuel your body. Like someone else said, it's simple body chemistry, the body needs a certain amount of carbs, proteins, and fats in order to function.
  • aj_rock
    aj_rock Posts: 390 Member
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    So it's agreed upon then? 1200 is a number that just so happens to have gained approval from a lot of reputable sources?

    On one level this is a good thing! After all, getting health experts to actually agree on ANYTHING is just shy of a miracle!

    My only point is, don't just trust 'common' knowledge! It used to be common knowledge that asbestos was a perfectly safe and awesome material to use in constructing your home! READ UP and decide for yourself what you think is safe!

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