1200 Calories too little??

jpatter21

I'm new to this. My calories are set at 1200 per day. Last night I read in a self magazine that if you're dieting you should have no less than 1600 calories per day. Am I starving myself? Some days I still feel hungry and others I am fine. If I only eat 1200 calories and exercise should I be eating my exercise calories back? I don't want to go into "starvation mode" and do all of this work for nothing!!

morganadk2_deleted

Are you eating to enough?

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficit


This is just a part of it! please read the link above


Generally someone with a BMI over 32 can do a 1000 calorie a day (2 lbs a week) deficit
With a BMI of 30 to 32 a deficit of 750 calories is generally correct (about 1.5 lbs a week)
With a BMI of 28 to 30 a deficit of 500 calories is about right (about 1 lb a week)
With a BMI of 26 to 28 a deficit of about 300 calories is perfect (about 1/2 lb a week)
and below 26... well this is where we get fuzzy. See now you're no longer talking about being overweight, so while it's still ok to have a small deficit, you really should shift your focus more towards muscle tone, and reducing fat. This means is EXTRA important to eat your exercise calories as your body needs to KNOW it's ok to burn fat stores, and the only way it will know is if you keep giving it the calories it needs to not enter the famine response (starvation mode)


Also this might be helpful http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/00trayn/view/how-to-bust-a-3-month-plateau-87677

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/153704-myth-or-fact-simple-math-3500-calories-one-pound-eat



Good luck on your journey

awiggins1090

I'm at the same calorie intake. And yes you should eat your calories back because this site already sets up a deficit! On the days I don't work out it's really hard for me to stay under because I really count on those extra calories lol

ketoallie70

I'm very new to this as well. My daily calories are set at 1240. If I log my exercise though, calories are added back. For example, I just went for an 18 min. walk, and my calories are now up to 1319. The more exercise you do, the more calories will be added back.

medoria

If you workout more then 3 times a week 1200 kcal is to little. For the days when I workout I try to eat at least 1400-1600.
It depends on how fast you want to loose weight, and how much. The biggest downside with eating only 1200 is that you
cant keep that kind of diet longer the for 2 weeks at the most, then you will probably go crazy and grumpy. Eat more and give
yourself more time, you want a lasting change right?

sweetiebelle

Your suppose to eat your exercise calories back. The more you burn the more you eat. That keeps your body from goo.g into starvation mode. Believe me I felt the same way. Make sure that the calories you burn are true. I mean use a hrm or pedometer. . I don't recommend to use fitness pal calories. They are wrong! They say you burn way more calories than you did. You then would be eating too many calories.

rw4hawks

Bump

Evy79

bump

rw4hawks

Bump

stephyy4632

please read this and Yes eat your exercise cal`s back

Are you eating to enough?

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficit


This is just a part of it! please read the link above


Generally someone with a BMI over 32 can do a 1000 calorie a day (2 lbs a week) deficit
With a BMI of 30 to 32 a deficit of 750 calories is generally correct (about 1.5 lbs a week)
With a BMI of 28 to 30 a deficit of 500 calories is about right (about 1 lb a week)
With a BMI of 26 to 28 a deficit of about 300 calories is perfect (about 1/2 lb a week)
and below 26... well this is where we get fuzzy. See now you're no longer talking about being overweight, so while it's still ok to have a small deficit, you really should shift your focus more towards muscle tone, and reducing fat. This means is EXTRA important to eat your exercise calories as your body needs to KNOW it's ok to burn fat stores, and the only way it will know is if you keep giving it the calories it needs to not enter the famine response (starvation mode)


Also this might be helpful http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/00trayn/view/how-to-bust-a-3-month-plateau-87677

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/153704-myth-or-fact-simple-math-3500-calories-one-pound-eat



Good luck on your journey

coatsie79

When you track your excercise you will see that your calorie goal goes up (I always record less minutes of excercise than I actually did because I find that fitness pal is over generous about how many calories you burn). 1200 calories is what you would need if you did no excerise at all, but still wanted to lose weight, but depending on your lifestyle that may be too little. It's important to log any excercise so that you know how many calories you can have.

Obviously the calorie goal is just a guide, you may need to adjust it to your own needs if you find it's not working for you.

LorinaLynn

A lot of people, myself included, have found that slightly more calories results in a much more enjoyable journey.

It isn't just a matter of calories in vs calories out. We all have a different "sweet spot" where we do best.

For me, that meant more energy and feeling more satisfied because I was eating more, as well as faster weight loss, at about 1350-1400 calories (plus exercise calories) vs 1200 calories. At 1200, I lost about a pound a week. At my size I couldn't lose 2# a week... the most I could lose was 1.3. So when I realized that, I thought, "I might as well aim for 1# and be able to eat a little more." And doing so, I typically lost 1.5# a week!

Not only that, but it's way way way better to have a smaller weight loss with a calorie goal you can stick with, vs trying to lose a lot at once, feeling burned out, getting frustrated by a lack of progress and quitting. (Which is how I approached weight loss every other time I tried! )

Think of it this way... Even if you're only losing a half pound a week, that's still 26 pounds a year. Or about 20 pounds down by swimsuit season next summer.

And it isn't a matter of "eating the extra calories back." They're not extra. They're your calories. You earned them. They're just added to your daily goal at a different time than other weight loss plans would add them. Other plans factor your exercise in when they give you your goal. MFP doesn't factor it in UNTIL you do it.

jpatter21

Thanks everyone! I changed my weight loss goal to 1lb/week which made my daily calorie goal go up a bit and I'm going to make sure I eat my exercise calories back. Thanks for all of the wonderful feedback

luvJOJO

bump

jpatter21

P.S. I'm new to this and I need some friends so feel free to add me if you don't mind an extra MFP-er on your friends list

Missy0104

P.S. I'm new to this and I need some friends so feel free to add me if you don't mind an extra MFP-er on your friends list

Me too! I added u!