MFP now saying 1250 calories/day? Is this healthy?

tessmom
tessmom Posts: 2 Member
edited October 5 in Health and Weight Loss
I have lost more weight and MFP now has me down to 1250 calories a day. I was hungry at 1310! I am working in more veggies and fruits but I have to eat some protein and carbs sometime! I am exercising and getting more calories but I still worry I am not eating enough. Does 1250 sound reasonable or is something wrong here?
I am a 43 yo woman with a desk job but I workout about 30 minutes 4-5 times a week. I weigh 241 lbs. and I am 5'9".

Replies

  • bjfmade
    bjfmade Posts: 543 Member
    Change you setting to lose 1 lb a week, that may help
  • fatboypup
    fatboypup Posts: 1,873 Member
    you could do ok on less than that probably but MFP wont put you below 1200 for safety
  • Babrao
    Babrao Posts: 152 Member
    And when you lose more weight, it will go down to 1200. My suggestion is either try to get in as much exercise as you can and eat back half or so of those calories or switch it to lose 1.5 pounds a week instead of 2 pounds a week.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    Change you setting to lose 1 lb a week, that may help

    Agreed, if you are set to lose 2lbs change to 1.5, if you are set at 1.5 then change it to 1lb to get more cals, if you are set at 1lb change to 0.5lbs/week.
  • luvinlaurakate
    luvinlaurakate Posts: 145 Member
    It has never alotted me more than 1200, but I started at a lower weight. I am not sure how it comes up with the numbers, but it is perfectly healthy. Just maybe try out some different foods and try to find some that are healthy and filling, so that you don't get as hungry.
  • Pollywog39
    Pollywog39 Posts: 1,730 Member
    Sounds like you're trying to lose too much too fast. What do you have your lb per week set at? Did you check sedentary, lightly active, or what?

    Those settings make a big difference. Good luck to you :flowerforyou:
  • kimcat73
    kimcat73 Posts: 687 Member
    Yup, you can do this. If you find it hard then try changing your goals to 1lb a week. I find that I end up working out more and longer because I want those extra calories. It's very hard for me to eat only 1200 so I'll work out more so I can eat more:)
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
    I am a 43 yo woman with a desk job but I workout about 30 minutes 4-5 times a week. I weigh 241 lbs. and I am 5'9".
    The workouts don't affect your net calories, since the site intends for you to eat all those calories back.

    How fast are you trying to lose? Maybe you're being too aggressive. I am at 1290 calories for 1 pound a week, but then again I weigh almost 100 pounds less than you so it does seem kinda low.
  • castadiva
    castadiva Posts: 2,016 Member
    I am similarly struggling with a drop from 1310 to 1250 - I almost always came in just under my net calorie goal at 1310, but 1250 is a real struggle, especially now I've reverted to full-fat dairy at the insistence of my medical-scientist mother and med student sister. Not so much hungry as finding it very difficult to achieve a blance between what I need to eat to meet the calorie limit and what I need to eat to remain sane! At 1310 that wasn't a problem, and working the odd treat into the day was manageable. At 1250 it just isn't, and I am a bit worried I'll fall off the wagon completely without my small indulgences to stave off the big ones!

    9371113.png
    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter
  • killerqueen17
    killerqueen17 Posts: 536 Member
    They have me at 1200 no matter how I set my weight loss and activity levels...
  • auntiebabs
    auntiebabs Posts: 1,754 Member
    I couldn't cut it on what MFP gave me even for the lose 1 lb /wk option.
    I was feeling like a failure and almost gave up...

    1 could do 2-3 days in the 1200-1300 calorie range, but then I'd just have to eat.

    So I gave myself a range
    1200 cal as the low-end rock bottom of my range
    I used the 1250 cals. MFP gave me for lose 1 lb /wk as my TARGET
    And I figured out the my maintenance calories for my GOAL WEIGHT and used that as the high end of my range.

    Turns out I'd do 2-4 around my target then a day at the high-end of my range.

    As long as I kept it below maintenance for my GOAL WEIGHT I'd keep losing, even if I wasn't losing my 1 lb/wk.
    But I was still losing and that was better than giving up altogether.

    I also kept hearing about Zig zagging calories, which it seems is my natural tendency.

    Now that I'm switching over to maintain, I've really got to figure out a new range for myself.
    Because I'm not the type who'll be able to hit the same number on the head day after day.
  • auntiebabs
    auntiebabs Posts: 1,754 Member
    They have me at 1200 no matter how I set my weight loss and activity levels...

    I bet you are starting out in the healthy BMI range.
  • Alexabarocas
    Alexabarocas Posts: 41
    1250 isn't a bad caloric diet to be on. I'd say if you were still hungry, go the Jenny Craig route: we're allowed to eat unlimited veggies with every meal. They don't get counted into the calorie count as you burn them off quickly and takes little energy to do so.

    So if you find yourself hungry, add a cup of veg with lunch and dinner, should help :)
  • TONYAGOOCH
    TONYAGOOCH Posts: 470 Member
    Hmmmm.....I wish I understood this better. I weigh 169 and am 5'6 and MFP has me at 1340 calories. Sorry, wish I was of some help but I don't understand how I could have more calories than you.
  • rissuhbissuh
    rissuhbissuh Posts: 125
    They have me set at 1230, so no worries dear
  • killerqueen17
    killerqueen17 Posts: 536 Member
    They have me at 1200 no matter how I set my weight loss and activity levels...

    I bet you are starting out in the healthy BMI range.

    I started at 24.7 BMI and climbing... which was "healthy," but not for much longer... lol
  • BlueLikeJazz
    BlueLikeJazz Posts: 219 Member
    I think it's important to set your calories in a range that you're going to be able to stick to long-term. If you're struggling at 1250, you're more like to end up feeling deprived and then overeat as a result. You may lose weight slightly slower if you up your intake, but it's more likely that you're going to keep it off and be able to adapt your eating as a lifestyle.
  • luvinlaurakate
    luvinlaurakate Posts: 145 Member
    They have me at 1200 no matter how I set my weight loss and activity levels...

    I bet you are starting out in the healthy BMI range.

    I was a good 75 pounds overweight when I started and it has always had me at 1200 calories. So it might be the same for her.
  • jfcarlson713
    jfcarlson713 Posts: 108 Member
    I started at 197 (5'4") and it's always had me at 1200 cal/day. I usually stay at 1000 - exercise 400cal/day 5-6 times a week ( I don't eat back my exercise calories and I DO use a HRM) and am very satisfied. I log my food every day in detail. I have lost 38 lbs as of today with 14 more to go. I am losing between 1 - 1.5 lbs per week with a couple of no loss weeks.

    It's different for everybody. I know people say I'm not eating enough. I eat mostly unprocessed foods - fresh chicken, fish, fruits & vegies. I'm not going to eat just to get calories in.
  • tessmom
    tessmom Posts: 2 Member
    Thanks, this has been helpful. I adjusted my weekly weight loss goal to 1.5 lbs (down from 2 lbs). I think I was just being too aggressive. Now I get 1500 cal/day and that should be plenty.
    Thanks for your advice everyone!
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    I started at 197 (5'4") and it's always had me at 1200 cal/day. I usually stay at 1000 - exercise 400cal/day 5-6 times a week ( I don't eat back my exercise calories and I DO use a HRM) and am very satisfied. I log my food every day in detail. I have lost 38 lbs as of today with 14 more to go. I am losing between 1 - 1.5 lbs per week with a couple of no loss weeks.

    It's different for everybody. I know people say I'm not eating enough. I eat mostly unprocessed foods - fresh chicken, fish, fruits & vegies. I'm not going to eat just to get calories in.

    Extremely unhealthy way to lose weight. I would suggest upping your calories. You may be losing 1-1.5/week but your deficit would suggest that you should be losing 2-2.5. since you are not this tells me your metabolism has already begun to slow down. Try following MFPs guidelines for 3-4 weeks then re-evaluate. What you are doing is going to cause your body to burn a large % of lean muscle, not just the fat you are looking at losing.

    with only 15ish lbs to lose your goal should be to lose no more than 1lb/week otherwise like I stated above a large % will be lean muscle:
    If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal,
    If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal,
    If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal,
    If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal, and
    If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal.


    MFP is about healthy weight loss and a diet that has you at 600 Net calories (1000-400) is not safe or healthy.
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