Can 1200 Calories Be Too Much?

angelinaz

Hi! I joined January 19, 2009, have been tracking my calories and exercise, exercising 5 times a week and haven't lost a pound or an inch! I am thinking that the program estimate of 1200 calories is too much. Has anyone had that happen to them? It's been really helpful to see what I eat and just the tracking has made me focus on good food choices yet I would love to see the lbs drop off. I am about 14 lbs overweight and my clothes do not fit. Any suggestions would be appreciated!

angelinaz

Hi! I joined January 19, 2009, have been tracking my calories and exercise, exercising 5 times a week and haven't lost a pound or an inch! I am thinking that the program estimate of 1200 calories is too much. Has anyone had that happen to them? It's been really helpful to see what I eat and just the tracking has made me focus on good food choices yet I would love to see the lbs drop off. I am about 14 lbs overweight and my clothes do not fit. Any suggestions would be appreciated!

fitchick99

don't go under 1200, you're inviting other problems to happen, you need to bump up the exercise not cut down the food

amymeenieminymo

1200 calories is the absolute minimum that you should be eating, so don't ever go below 1200. Are you eating your exercise calories? If not you should be, especially since you aren't seeing any results. Is 1200 what MFP came up with after entering all of your information, or did you decide on 1200 on your own? Because depending on your height, weight, age, activity level, etc you may actually need more than 1200.

Finally, 14 pounds is a relatively small amount to have to lose in comparison to 50 to 100 that many of us are here to lose. The less weight your body has to lose, the longer and slower the process. If you're doing everything right in accordance to mine and others suggestions, then I'd say just try to be patient and you will see results eventually. But in the meantime, remember that the scale isn't always everything...try taking your measurements and just pay attention to how you feel and how your clothes fit. The scale isn't the only way to measure success. Good luck!

mrsyac2

You need to change somethings up increase your exercise- It says your working out 5 times a week when your doing 5 times a week what are you doing and for how long? Are your strength training?

You also only have 12lbs to lose which is hard because your body is holding on to it. Its not like you have alot to lose so you have to work harder to get those last stubborn lbs off.

At the very least a woman should eat 1200 calories no less-

MFP is just a guide you may need to tweak it to your needs

Is your weight loss set to lose 1lb a week or 2lbs a week?

Remember that it takes 3500 calories to lose or gain a lb

fitchick99

1200 calories is the absolute minimum that you should be eating, so don't ever go below 1200. Are you eating your exercise calories? If not you should be, especially since you aren't seeing any results. Is 1200 what MFP came up with after entering all of your information, or did you decide on 1200 on your own? Because depending on your height, weight, age, activity level, etc you may actually need more than 1200.

Finally, 14 pounds is a relatively small amount to have to lose in comparison to 50 to 100 that many of us are here to lose. The less weight your body has to lose, the longer and slower the process. If you're doing everything right in accordance to mine and others suggestions, then I'd say just try to be patient and you will see results eventually. But in the meantime, remember that the scale isn't always everything...try taking your measurements and just pay attention to how you feel and how your clothes fit. The scale isn't the only way to measure success. Good luck!

ok, I don't agree with this, but you need to do what works for you, because your weight loss isn't huge, but none the less just as important to you as 100 pounds is to someone else...don't eat your exercise calories unless you are truly hungry....the whole point of eating healthy is to train our bodies to know when we are full and thus stop eating, sometimes 'i find people are eating their excercise calories as an excuse to eat and not because they are actually hungry...this thought process is just wrong. If you go under 1200 calories, you're actually going to make the process of losing weight longer, because your body starts storing fat, it thinks your starving it, it will eventually start losing the weight because your body will go through it reserves first, then start eating away at muscle and organs, you do yourself no favour here, by expending more energy then calories that you consume will make you lose weight, it's that simple, keep your fats down, eat healthy, it's hard to go over 1200 calories if you eat clean anyhow, I eat on average 1250 cal a day, today I burned 1408, i'm a fitness trainer and in the industry, i'll have a bowl of high fiber cereal because fibre keeps the metabolism going while you sleep and in the process helps to keep you full, I won't go to bed on an empty stomach....if you bump your exercise up and keep your cals on track, you can successfully lose a pound a week, you can also do a water fast, to kick start yourself...hope his helps

Mickie17

A~
I'm having a very similar problem...so I keep worrying about going into starvation mode. I try really hard to exercise as much as I can squeeze in...and, I know this against everybody and their brother's belief, but I don't eat my exercise calories (or at least I don't worry about eating them), because I'm just not hungry! So when I can get myself to eat around 1200-1300 I'm happy with that! Usually if I do eat more than that, then I know it's not healthy food that's been using up those calories...I'm also a shorty, and I only have 8-11 pounds left to lose...so I'm in a different boat. than some...I'm close to getting my bodtyto level off and find a maintenance weight.

Hang in there, I know it's frustrating trying to figure all this out. I keep thinking of it as science, so I'm studying what seems to work for my body and what doesn't. And I'm always game to try new tips that people give me.

iTim__

Make sure you offset and eat your calories. If you exercise, you're increasing your need for calories. You can track all of this in MFP, make sure you do. 1200 seems low, but then I'm a guy and the recommended weight loss calories for me is a few hundred higher. The goal setter on MFP works really well... I've noticed using that, I loose exactly what I'm supposed to or a little more than my goals.

Hope these tips help.

MyaPapaya75

don't go under 1200, you're inviting other problems to happen, you need to bump up the exercise not cut down the food

I totally agree.I noticed I have great success when I bump up my excercise and challenge myself

iTim__

don't go under 1200, you're inviting other problems to happen, you need to bump up the exercise not cut down the food

I totally agree.I noticed I have great success when I bump up my excercise and challenge myself

Also, take a look at this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing

MyaPapaya75

don't go under 1200, you're inviting other problems to happen, you need to bump up the exercise not cut down the food

I totally agree.I noticed I have great success when I bump up my excercise and challenge myself

Also, take a look at this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing

Not eating my excercise calories works well for me but I know that others eat them and have success....you have to do whats best for you ..try one thing for 2 months and then if no luck switch ...good luck

Hannah_Banana

1200 calories is the absolute minimum that you should be eating, so don't ever go below 1200. Are you eating your exercise calories? If not you should be, especially since you aren't seeing any results. Is 1200 what MFP came up with after entering all of your information, or did you decide on 1200 on your own? Because depending on your height, weight, age, activity level, etc you may actually need more than 1200.

Finally, 14 pounds is a relatively small amount to have to lose in comparison to 50 to 100 that many of us are here to lose. The less weight your body has to lose, the longer and slower the process. If you're doing everything right in accordance to mine and others suggestions, then I'd say just try to be patient and you will see results eventually. But in the meantime, remember that the scale isn't always everything...try taking your measurements and just pay attention to how you feel and how your clothes fit. The scale isn't the only way to measure success. Good luck!

ok, I don't agree with this, but you need to do what works for you, because your weight loss isn't huge, but none the less just as important to you as 100 pounds is to someone else...

Don't think she was saying 14 pounds was less important, just that it wouldn't come off as quickly.

dreamer58

i sure hope not that's what i;ve been taking in since last monday i weigh in tomorrow. i hope i've lost some weight, you know i have an idea that you're not taking enough in because you're exercising 5 times a week you need to take in more calories just an idea

whitlowjm

I may be the only one, but I don't agree that you have to consume 1200 calories each day. I needed to lose 20 lbs to get back into my normal clothes and also get back into shape. I started with MFP at the beginning of the year and generally consume about 800-1000 calories a day and exercise 3-4 times a week, mostly cardio. I'm also a vegetarian, so my calories tend to be healthy, low fat forms of protein. I've lost 13 lbs so far and am consistently seeing 2 lbs a week drop off. I'm 37, so I don't have the metabolism that I once did, but am on track to have the body I used to I should be at my goal weight well before bathing suit season comes along!

I think MFP provides a guide, but it's not a one size fits all solution, so you need to adjust based on what works best for you.


Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter

mrsyac2

I may be the only one, but I don't agree that you have to consume 1200 calories each day. I needed to lose 20 lbs to get back into my normal clothes and also get back into shape. I started with MFP at the beginning of the year and generally consume about 800-1000 calories a day and exercise 3-4 times a week, mostly cardio. I'm also a vegetarian, so my calories tend to be healthy, low fat forms of protein. I've lost 13 lbs so far and am consistently seeing 2 lbs a week drop off. I'm 37, so I don't have the metabolism that I once did, but am on track to have the body I used to I should be at my goal weight well before bathing suit season comes along!

I think MFP provides a guide, but it's not a one size fits all solution, so you need to adjust based on what works best for you.


Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter

If you eat less than 1200 you will lose weight-- It just not recommended because your not just losing fat your also just losing muscle because your body is feeding off itself- After so long the weight loss will slow down then stop because it will start holding onto food because it will go into starvation mode

Also you need to do more than just cardio you should add in strength training 3-4 days a week on top of your cardio-

I eat 1350-1490 calories a day + I burn a min of 3500 calories a week at the gym (this week I burned 5000+) I dropped 3lbs this week -- I don't eat my exercise calories though- but then again if im hungry I will eat but ONLY if I am hungry

age1389

Remember a sign of being in starvation mode is not feeling hungry.... So those of you who go under 1200 and don't eat your exercise calories more often then not please keep that in mind. It's the same thing as to when you feel hungry and they say drink water first cause you just might be dehydrated and not really hungry.

Now to the original question try upping your calories. We have to eat to loose weight.

arewethereyet

:happy:

arewethereyet

BTW very good on tracking all your food. Quite and eye opener, huh? I was shocked when I logged my first week without changing a thing and ate 3000 calories one day:noway: :noway:

arewethereyet

arewethereyet

:grumble:

amymeenieminymo

1200 calories is the absolute minimum that you should be eating, so don't ever go below 1200. Are you eating your exercise calories? If not you should be, especially since you aren't seeing any results. Is 1200 what MFP came up with after entering all of your information, or did you decide on 1200 on your own? Because depending on your height, weight, age, activity level, etc you may actually need more than 1200.

Finally, 14 pounds is a relatively small amount to have to lose in comparison to 50 to 100 that many of us are here to lose. The less weight your body has to lose, the longer and slower the process. If you're doing everything right in accordance to mine and others suggestions, then I'd say just try to be patient and you will see results eventually. But in the meantime, remember that the scale isn't always everything...try taking your measurements and just pay attention to how you feel and how your clothes fit. The scale isn't the only way to measure success. Good luck!

ok, I don't agree with this, but you need to do what works for you, because your weight loss isn't huge, but none the less just as important to you as 100 pounds is to someone else...don't eat your exercise calories unless you are truly hungry....the whole point of eating healthy is to train our bodies to know when we are full and thus stop eating, sometimes 'i find people are eating their excercise calories as an excuse to eat and not because they are actually hungry...this thought process is just wrong. If you go under 1200 calories, you're actually going to make the process of losing weight longer, because your body starts storing fat, it thinks your starving it, it will eventually start losing the weight because your body will go through it reserves first, then start eating away at muscle and organs, you do yourself no favour here, by expending more energy then calories that you consume will make you lose weight, it's that simple, keep your fats down, eat healthy, it's hard to go over 1200 calories if you eat clean anyhow, I eat on average 1250 cal a day, today I burned 1408, i'm a fitness trainer and in the industry, i'll have a bowl of high fiber cereal because fibre keeps the metabolism going while you sleep and in the process helps to keep you full, I won't go to bed on an empty stomach....if you bump your exercise up and keep your cals on track, you can successfully lose a pound a week, you can also do a water fast, to kick start yourself...hope his helps

I wasn't saying 14 pounds isn't as important as someone who needs to lose more, just that the less weight you have to lose, the slower it is. Someone with 100 or more pounds to lose will see much more rapid weight loss because they have more to lose.

To eat or not eat your exercise calories is widely debated....I eat mine and I think everyone should, but especially in this case, she is not seeing results so if she is not eating them, then I think she should.

I also don't think eating your exercise calories goes against teaching yourself not to eat when you're not hungry. You can eat calorie dense food like peanut butter or drink low fat milk to get the calories in, without really consuming that much food. Also I have heard that not being hungry can be a sign of actually not getting enough food, so not being hungry isn't always as cut and dry as "I'm not hungry, I shouldn't eat".