1200 cals per day is not working for me!

Hollie_downunder

Hi Everyone,

My MFP has been set to 1200cals for a very long time! Its not working for me!

So i've made the step today to bump up the cals, has anyone else made this switch?

I'm just hoping that by changing it i wont gain too much weight, do i expect to see a gain and then a loss when my body adjusts? How long should i review it?

(experience from anyone else who has increased theres is much appreciated!)

Thanks!

BerryH

First find what calories MFP puts you on for a 1lb a week weight loss and gradually step up your calories from 1200 by 100 a day a week at a time until you find what suits your body. That should avoid any sudden weight gain and loss.

As you get closer to your goal, say the last 5kg, look at changing MFP to lose 0.5lb a week.

Don't forget to eat your exercise calories!

Good luck!

Hollie_downunder

Thats a great suggestion, thanks!

I adjusted it before and it went up about 400cals, i don't think i could even eat that much on a normal day now!

will work my way up and see how that goes

MelanieAG05

Hi

1250 was my goal to lose 1lb per week and it didn't work for me at all. I was losing nothing. I got advice on here to increase my goal to 1500 per day (which is 0.5lbs loss per week) so I'm waiting to see what happens. I am not eating all my exercise calories on this amount though so my net is about 1300 per day. I was also give advice about calorie zig-zagging where you eat say 1300 per day for 6 days and then 2600 for 1 day and not eat exercise calories.

Mel x

SusanMcAvoy

When I started out last March I set my goals to 1350. 1200 wasn't enough for me at the time. Now my goal is set for 1300. I don't however eat most of my exercise calories. I think it's counterproductive but that's just me. I have never heard of anyone eating their exercise calories until I came to MFP. All my life I was taught to diet and exercise but never to eat more just because I exercise. That seems crazy to me. I wish you the best of luck! :flowerforyou:

richx83

I got to ask, is MFP actually setting your calories to 1200 or have you set that amount yourself?

lulabellewoowoo

My advice (and I'm trying to myself this month), is that whatever change you make, make a dedication to it for three weeks to really be able to see if it works. If the scale goes up, ignore it for 3 weeks (hard for the addicts). Your body always needs an adjustment period. I just started eating more calories and adding weight lift, and the scale went up 2 lb almost immediately. But it has stayed at the same 2 lb and since I have mentally told myself to expect a 5 lb weight gain til my body gets comfortable, it hasn't really bothered me and to the gym I keep going and the food I keep eating. I'll be interested to hear how your experience works for you too

LucianaMilk

Actually, I kind of ignore the calories suggested by MFP 1340 cal. I think it is nothing for me since I enjoy eating.

I try hard to eat less than 2000 cal a day. Then I go to the gyn everyday, except sundays, and I burn at least 400 calories per training. It is really working for me in a slow process, which I prefer. All the fast lose comes back fast as well.

So the average of lose weight is 1 kg (aproximatly 2 pounds) a month. My plan is to be fit within a year. it is like a new style life.

Another thing I do is I to make safe counts. I usually log a little more calories' food and a little less burned calories, even though is it not true. It gives me a safe zone.

Anyone, would like to comment my strategies that wrote above. Opinions are welcome.

snowpony

1200 calories is fine for me. some days i crash because I have friends over and we eat sweets/cake and then I get sick which in turn helps me to stay on 1200 calorie mark.

BobbyClerici

1200 calories works GREAT the first few weeks, then the metabolism crashes and lean body mass is cannibalized.

No, you're doing the right thing.

curiositycat

I was in your same situation as I got close to my goal weight. I switched my settings to .5 lbs. per week and ate back most of my exercise calories. At the same time I started eating 40% of my cals from carbs, 30% from protein, and 30% from healthy fats--and it worked! The scale started moving again within about a week and a half, and I have officially met my goal weight. The 40/30/30 eating also ended my cravings for starches and sugar, which has been fantastic!

Sabineslims

I was eating 1350 for 2 months and losing 1-1.5 a week. I got greedy and wanted to lose more weight so I bumped it down to 1200 to lose 1.5-2 pounds a week and I didn't lose ONE OUNCE! I tried this for 2 weeks without any movement.
I then reverted back to eating 1350 PLUS my exercise calories and I am losing again.
Sometimes you have to eat more to lose more. Your body can go in to a 'starvation' mode if 1200 is not enough to fuel it and it will hold on to everything resulting in a plateau or even a gain.
I eat 1350-1600 a day depending on my exercise. I am 5'4 and 156 pounds. If I don't have any activity, I always eat AT LEAST 1300 and it works for me.
Hope that helps. You're not alone trying to figure out the confusing world of calories.

SheilaSisco

When I started out last March I set my goals to 1350. 1200 wasn't enough for me at the time. Now my goal is set for 1300. I don't however eat most of my exercise calories. I think it's counterproductive but that's just me. I have never heard of anyone eating their exercise calories until I came to MFP. All my life I was taught to diet and exercise but never to eat more just because I exercise. That seems crazy to me. I wish you the best of luck! :flowerforyou:

That's because most plans don't figure the calorie deficit in for you to lose. They mostly just tell you to eat better (healthier) and exercise. On MFP it gives you a deficit for you to lose weight WI|THOUT exercise, so if you DO exercise it wants you to eat those calories back so you aren't at too much of a deficit. Having too large of a deficit is detrimental to your weight loss AND your health.

To answer the original question, I reset my calories from MFP's suggestion of 1200 to around 1350 because I was barely losing on 1200... once I adjusted to that the weight started dropping off like crazy. Some people do experience a slight gain when they bump calories up initially, but most start losing again within the first week. I'd say bump it up to 1300 or 1350 and give it 2 weeks to see what happens just in case your body has a longer adjustment period (some do). I was lucky and I didn't really gain when I went up... I just started dropping pretty immediately, so that's not out of the question either.

engineman312

i think sometimes ppl get into "diet mode" and think all they can eat is egg whites and vegetables. you can still eat all your regular foods, and be healthy.

Faintgreeneyes

i think sometimes ppl get into "diet mode" and think all they can eat is egg whites and vegetables. you can still eat all your regular foods, and be healthy.

^^^ I totally agree with this. I do not limit myself in what I eat- just make sure to watch portion sizes and make sure that it fits into my cals for the day.

Mom2M_and_O

MFP set me at 1200 and that was just too few for comfort. I figured my BMR is at roughly 1400 calories, so I manually changed mine to 1500 and have been fine. My average weight loss since the end of August has been .86 lb/wk. If I exercised more during the week, I could easily get the deficit I need for 1 lb/wk. But I'm not in any rush. The weight came on over the course of a few years, so I can take a few extra months to lose it. Building in exercise each week is my next goal to achieve.

Most of the time I eat all 1500 calories. There are days here and there where I'm at 1300-1400. Overall it was a smart adjustment for me to make. Scary at first because that sounded so high! But I have had steady loss.

Melissa

stephiehampshire

MFP set me at 1200 and that was just too few for comfort. I figured my BMR is at roughly 1400 calories, so I manually changed mine to 1500 and have been fine. My average weight loss since the end of August has been .86 lb/wk. If I exercised more during the week, I could easily get the deficit I need for 1 lb/wk. But I'm not in any rush. The weight came on over the course of a few years, so I can take a few extra months to lose it. Building in exercise each week is my next goal to achieve.

Most of the time I eat all 1500 calories. There are days here and there where I'm at 1300-1400. Overall it was a smart adjustment for me to make. Scary at first because that sounded so high! But I have had steady loss.

Melissa

I had the same issue,

1200 was set for me to lose 1lb a week, I lost 11lbs over 8 weeks but then I started to gain weigh and I am now back up to where I started! I just dont think 1200 is sustainable,

I upped mine to 1400 a day and I eat back exercise calories, I am going to wait until after Christmas before I take it too seriously and just focus on not gaining weight,

I think the only advice I give to anyone is everyone is different so listen to your own body

jovz10

1200cals when i just started but averaging 900cals/week net because i didn't eat my exercise back.... i lost 10lbs within three weeks then PLATEAU! someone suggested to set to maintain weight which give me 1790cals net / week. then, started loosing, not big but it moved the scale.... so, i never changed my goal again.... i just make sure don't eat all my exercise back and 1400net/week... i look at it in per week, not per day... it's working! lost 1.7 lbs 2 weeks ago and 1lbs last week weigh in....

jennajava

You need to eat your BMR in cals.

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

The first time I bumped up my calories I gained weight for a few days then started losing again. The second time when I went up to 1470 I saw no change at all. Give it at least a couple of weeks to work, and don't worry if you gain a pound or two.

djdelano

Hi,

What this shows is how different people are.

I'm at 1870 Calories per day. I'm 6'2 and now 201 lbs.

I workout at least 4 times a week, and often burn 500-800 calories per day. I'm losing very slowly.

I'm actually stunned that some of your are losing weight at 1300/1400/1500 calories without vigorous workouts.

As I've mentioned before I often don't officially track sat/sun but I consiously add up the calories to about 200-400 excess cals.

If you are able to eat that much food and maintain, or lose, be HAPPY, because there are many of us who are very jealous!

I predict my next weigh in when I finally get to 195 MFP will reduce me under 1800. Goal is 190 by end of February (going on a cruise)

-D

fakeplastictree

I did 1200 net for about a year. I was always hungry, grumpy and extremely tired. A friend of mine (engineman312) suggested I up to 1400 calories net. I was freaked out because I have been doing 1200 for so long. But I don't feel so horrible all the time. Granted I did lose weight on the 1200 calories but I stopped losing for a few months and have finally started to see it come off again. So I suggest upping you calories about 200 per day for the net and you'll notice a difference in about a week or two. I didn't gain weight initially or anything either.

SOOZIE429

You need to eat your BMR in cals.

Why is that? I've never read that before and I'm curious. Maybe that's what I'm doing wrong. I can't imagine eating 1500 calories and losing weight.

Helloitsdan

1200 calories usually wont work for anyone!
Have your numbers run or goto fat to fit radio and do the military calculator and BMR tool!
When you see numbers like 1600-2000 dont be surprised!

Add me for support if you need it!

kfins911

Ok here is my experience:
For four weeks I was eating 1200-1300 cals a day with a couple cheat days but I was also working out everyday one day off. I did not loose 1lb in that 4 weeks but rather I felt bloated and larger than I normally felt. On top of that TOM was not showing for 2.5 weeks he was late. I have never been late like that so I was concerned called doc and they said it was my body not getting enough fuel I needed to eat more. So last Thursday I did not workout and I ate 2100 cals Friday morning 1lb loss. Friday I did not workout and I ate 1800 cals, Saturday morning 0.5lb loss. Saturday no workout ate 1700 did not weigh in Sunday but Sunday I ate 1600 cals and Monday TOM shows up (usually I gain 5lb when TOM visits) but this time it showed only a 2lb gain so I am excited to see what I weigh after TOMs visit. So for me eating more was a must.
I think I will do the zig zag method and eat between 1600-2000.

tiabirdie56

1200 calories works for me, but I have to do it the way I understand. I had stalled on losing weight because I was burning more calories than I could eat back to reach the 1200. I have recently set my calories to 1600. That is 500 calories below my total daily energy expenditure. I only want to burn 1750 to 3500 calories more per week, so I had to dial back the exercise. I've dropped 2 lbs since changing my approach a week ago. MFP really does this for me, but my old school way of not thinking about net calories works better for me.

SOOZIE429

1200 calories usually wont work for anyone!
Have your numbers run or goto fat to fit radio and do the military calculator and BMR tool!
When you see numbers like 1600-2000 dont be surprised!

Add me for support if you need it!

Thanks for the tip on fat to fit radio. Great site. Although you were right. It's tells me to eat 1700 calories to reach my goal weight. I don't understand how that is possible. And it really doesn't explain why. 1700 is a lot and I'd be nervous to eat that much.

havalinaaa

MFP settings had me eating less than my BMR (1350 is what it had for 1 lb a week weight loss, my BMR is 1360). I recently bumped it up to just below maintenance (1800) and plan on eating at that level every day, regardless of exercise (if I do a crazy amount of activity in one day, I will let myself eat more if I feel like it, otherwise I'm trying to stay within 100 of that 1800 goal). I've been doing it for nearly two weeks now and never saw a weight gain, I'm actually down half a pound from when I started. I'm switching gears entirely and starting to focus mostly on strength training, getting over my fears of the weight room. It helps that I sort of despise most cardio.

I didn't slowly work up to the new number, I did it all at once. I was expecting a bump in weight but happily I never saw one. I am SO much happier eating more, it was difficult the first few days to eat that much but I quickly got into the swing of things. I stress so much less about eating now, and I find it much easier to meet my macros. Things were just too complicated for me, so I ultra-simplified. I'm giving it two months before I declare it good or bad.

tiggerdug

ive just joined and my goal is meant to be 1200 a day, tho i took it that I should eat more but excercise to meet this goal, and if I had a day where I did not excercise at all if aim for 1200.
Am I right? I lost weight at first but now it seems to be going back on and im hungry.

Hollie_downunder

Thanks so much for your advice everyone, i think i have gone on far too long with the scales only slowly going down, then a touch up, then down again! ARGH!

For those who asked, 1200cals is what MFP set for me as i had it on the maximum weightloss with sedentary lifestyle as i have a desk job (but then again no car so i walk pretty much EVERYWHERE!)

So it seems i have been way off the mark for so long, time to mix it up and hope for results!

WilliamsPeggy

Yes. I bumped mine to 1300. It's working.