MyFitnessPal's 1200 calorie daily intake - too low?

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Natasha7t2
Natasha7t2 Posts: 129
in Health and Weight Loss
I believe 1200 calories is way too low and not great for long-term weight loss especially if you are working out 2-4 times a week.

You should consume 1200 calories for 2 weeks ONLY, and then increase to 1500 calories thereafter or your body thinks it's going into starvation mode and weight loss will not be efficient. You may lose a lot of weight quickly, but when you've achieved your goal weight and increase your calorific intake, you're likely to put the weight back on fast and your body and metabolism will be out of kilter.

Any thoughts about this?
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Replies

  • Lauren38570
    Lauren38570 Posts: 239
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    I shoot for 1200 but use my excercise calories to fall back on if I need to =)
  • SimplyDeLish
    SimplyDeLish Posts: 539
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    Most doctors and nutritionists that I have spoken with are happy with the 1200 calories a day at a minimum. However, like anything else, we all have to listen to our own bodies and do what is best for us.
  • jkcools
    jkcools Posts: 66
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    Mine also have me at 1200 a day; and Ima dude; but I'm older now too, so not sure what to think, Im going with it right now.
  • MissingMyOldSelf
    MissingMyOldSelf Posts: 689 Member
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    There's some days I'd totally agree, and those days are the hungry days, where I can't stop wanting to just eat and eat.... and then there's some days where I think 1200 is too much and I'm just not hungry. (I have a little bit of ice cream just to get my calories in, though...)

    But thanks for the post! I didn't know that you should up your intake! that's very interesting!
  • mikihainesy
    mikihainesy Posts: 98
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    maybe that depends on what weight you are to begin with ??? I don't know but it's working so far and I eat back my exercise cals, which works out quite a bit
  • Natasha7t2
    Natasha7t2 Posts: 129
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    Most doctors and nutritionists that I have spoken with are happy with the 1200 calories a day at a minimum. However, like anything else, we all have to listen to our own bodies and do what is best for us.

    I wonder if it depends how much you have to lose?
  • clrrrr
    clrrrr Posts: 261 Member
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    I kind of agree...I was at 1200 for the first six weeks or so of using MFP and it wasn't doing it for me. I was hungry if I didn't exercise to earn extra calories. Now I'm at 1440 and it's way better for me in terms of hunger/not being grumpy all the time and (so far, it's been less than a week) I actually feel like it's working better anyway. But yeah, I'd say this is a definite "listen to your body" situation.
  • leix
    leix Posts: 176
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    Pro/Cons to it.

    1200 works for limited times for me, but more intake with 6 days cardio works out even better.
  • Natasha7t2
    Natasha7t2 Posts: 129
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    There's some days I'd totally agree, and those days are the hungry days, where I can't stop wanting to just eat and eat.... and then there's some days where I think 1200 is too much and I'm just not hungry. (I have a little bit of ice cream just to get my calories in, though...)

    But thanks for the post! I didn't know that you should up your intake! that's very interesting!

    To be honest, I'm a bit confused about it! I don't think MFP would be stupid enough to recommend a calorie intake that was unsafe.
    I'm similar to you! about the hungry vs. not hungry days!

    3 years ago I lost 56 lbs by increasing my calories from 1000 calories for the first 2 weeks to 1500 thereafter. It was a very steady weight-loss of 2lbs per week (I was going to the gym 3-4 times a week).

    Thanks for sharing your pov :)
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    I think everyone's different and their body needs a different number of calories.

    i started at 1200, which i found ok. i am now at 1380 as i have reduced my loss to 1/2 a pound per week, which i do like better but i dont feel i was doing anything unhealthy or not getting enough calories at 1200.
  • charliebird
    charliebird Posts: 168 Member
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    I found 1200 a day too hard to stick to so I adjusted my goals. I now have 1390 a day and I am losing 2 pounds a week on average. I also eat a large percentage of my exercise calories back.

    I think it really depends on the individual - for some it works!
  • Brendasor1976
    Brendasor1976 Posts: 6
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    I discussed this very topic with my doctor on Wednesday and she agrees with you. Never stick to the 1200 kcal for longer than two weeks, then raise it to 1500kcal until you hit a plateau, then up them to 2000kcal for two weeks, dropping once again to 1200kcal repeating the process. This way your bodies metabolism gets a chance to recover and it will start burning Fat again.

    Ideally, you should exercise three times a week too. I've been having trouble losing weight which is why I discussed the topic with her.

    She pointed out that surviving on 1200 kcal a day was like trying to run a car on no petrol........You won't get very far before it stops!!!
  • Ahluvly
    Ahluvly Posts: 389 Member
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    I agree, 1200 is way too low. Yes, you will lose weight, how could you not...you're drastically cutting your calories no doubt!

    I entered all my info, goals and it spat out 1200 to me too. I told my trainer at the gym and he said to play about with it. So, I changed from sedentary to active and it then gave me 1410 cals a day. Again, I had a chat with the trainer and he worked out my daily calories himself and he said I should be aiming for around 2300 cals daily as I'm working out 3/4 times a week.

    It's been a massive jump in food to be honest but, a buddy on here suggested I use the following to work out my cals as I was still having a fit about it and whey hey....what do you know, it works out around the same SO, I'm sticking with around 2235 cals a day, I have a review tonight so gonna print out my food & exercise diary and see what the trainer says!

    Enter your details and see what comes out for you....sounds daft but you have to eat to lose weight! If you don't get your daily cals right then you'll just be in a constant state of starvation mode, weight wise and you'll not shif it! I realise that's what I've been going throught he past 2 years! Here's the link....http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/
  • msmith5251s
    msmith5251s Posts: 80
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    Mine has me a bit above 1300... sometimes I go over by 200 calories and I feel bad.
    But I am guessing that if I remain below 1700, I shall still notice weight loss.
  • Natasha7t2
    Natasha7t2 Posts: 129
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    I discussed this very topic with my doctor on Wednesday and she agrees with you. Never stick to the 1200 kcal for longer than two weeks, then raise it to 1500kcal until you hit a plateau, then up them to 2000kcal for two weeks, dropping once again to 1200kcal repeating the process. This way your bodies metabolism gets a chance to recover and it will start burning Fat again.

    Ideally, you should exercise three times a week too. I've been having trouble losing weight which is why I discussed the topic with her.

    She pointed out that surviving on 1200 kcal a day was like trying to run a car on no petrol........You won't get very far before it stops!!!

    I knew I wasn't going mad!!

    I think you should make this a title post!
  • helloburger
    helloburger Posts: 243 Member
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    For me my maintenance calories are around 1500, there fore to lose just half a pound a week I have to cut to 1200, however I am only 5ft 1 !
  • Natasha7t2
    Natasha7t2 Posts: 129
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    Also, the reason you should only consume 1000-1200 calories for 2 weeks is because it acts as a 'kick-start' to your motabolism.
  • Elleinnz
    Elleinnz Posts: 1,661 Member
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    I believe 1200 calories is way too low and not great for long-term weight loss especially if you are working out 2-4 times a week.


    Any thoughts about this?

    Just to clarify - the MFP premise is that you eat your 1200 calories - and then all the calories that you burn when you exercise, so if you work out 2-4 times a week and you burn 300 calories each time you will be eating 1500 calories on those days....
  • cass89
    cass89 Posts: 198 Member
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    i think it depends too on what foods you're eating. I aim for 1290 a day and i eat the same amount of food as before...just changing..like rather than BigM chocolate milk or hot chocolate i have hot chocolate you mix with water (47 cals) and yesterday i bought weight watchers two fruits and rather than it being in syrup it's in flavoured water...making the whole thing like 36 calories. I still manage you have cereal with milk, crumpet with jam and a juice for brekky, a yoghurt and nuts for morning tea, a salad sandwich for lunch and afternoon i had some rice crackers and two fruits and for dinner i'm having beef and vegetable pie. i dont get hungry. some days i do and I eat over but not huge amount. i guess everyone is different and what we were eating before we starting counting
  • MrsWibbly
    MrsWibbly Posts: 415 Member
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    1200 is the mimimum - not a maximum!! Your intake should depend on your height, current weight and how much you want to lose. If you do daily exercise then you will also have exercise calories to eat back. I am only 5'1" so my BMR given my sedentary 'day job' is only 1560 (thats my maintenance level!!) so 1200 is only 360 calories below that. The thing with calories is quality not quantity.

    If you want to know what is best for you calculate your BMR and go from there.

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