1200 calories - is that reasonable?

Betsiz17

I have been on MFP for 30 days - have set my daily calorie count at 1200 (not including exercise). At first I was all gung ho, but now I really feel hungry a lot of the day. I am eating veggies, fruits, protein, drinking water, etc, but I think I'm gonna have to up it to 1300 in order to keep going. Is that reasonable? I am 5'3" (on a good day) and have at least 80 pounds to lose. Advice? Suggestions? Encouragement? I'll take it all.

DixiedoesMFP

Heck, go to at least 1500. 1200 is really low. If you have that much to lose, you will still lose pretty quickly at 1500 or even 1800.

HauteP1nk

I am at 1310 calories and that is really hard to do! I would probably try to consume at least 200 calories more than 1200... Are you working out too? That really helps as well.

You can do it! :) Stay focused...drink lots of water...

CMmrsfloyd

Some people feel like 1200 works great for them and can barely manage to eat that many calories. Others feel like it's too little and not realistic for them long-term. If you feel like it's not realistic for you, consider changing your requested rate of weightloss in your profile to bump up your calories. If you're currently set to 2 lbs per week, bump it down to 1.5 or 1 lb per week. That should give you a little bit more calories and might feel more manageable for you in the longrun. This is all very trial-and-error, different people find that different things work best for them.

determined2lose89

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/471769-an-easier-way-to-setup-goal-calories-eating-for-who-you-wi

ieishab

I am doing pretty good at 1300 a day. Some day I increase this to 1500! 1200 is low and may set you up for failure.


Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter

TavistockToad

Is ur weight loss goal set to 2lbs per week? if it is then maybe you should change it to 1lb or 1 1/2 so you get more calories? I did 1200 for about 12 weeks, and yes i was hungry quite often, so it isnt for everyone and i wouldnt reccommend it for a long period of time.

joeylu

Did you set this or mfp???? YOu need more calories. People think that to lose weight they need to eat very little and thats not true. YOu need to eat the right foods to fuel your body to lose the weight

flabulous4

I'm 5'3" (also on a good day) and I think if I consistently ate 1200 a day I would starve!
How is your weight loss coming along? If you're not losing it could be that you're not eating enough.

cmriverside

It may be because of what you are eating. If you get sufficient protein, and keep your carbs in control, eat things with sufficient fat and fiber, you should be okay at 1,200.

Take a walk, earn a couple hundred extra. You need to have your goals set realistically, too. If you are working or going to school, don't set it at "Sedentary" unless you never leave your desk.

It's really important to your health to get rid of that excessive weight.

JazzBar9363

Yeah, I'd be pretty hungry on only 1200 calories too! Up it to at least 1500. I hardly every reach my 1590 calorie limit, but I'm never hungry and I'm losing weight. I usually get to 150 - 400 within my limit. At 1200 I'd be so hungry and it'd be so easy to go overboard.

duetwithjosh

I have less to lose and 1200 is next to impossible for me. I'd recommend closer to 1600. (When I was 220 and dropped to 140 my goal was at about 1600 per day.) If you can eat under 1600 and comfortable that's great, but if you try to go too low it's easy to get discouraged and give up.

carrieann1967

If you are exercising you can eat back the calories burned.

If not, change your settings to loose just 1 pound a week and you'll prob be able to have 1400 cals a day. I tend to try to keep my cals between 1200 and 1500, depending how hungry I am and I'm still loosing, slow but sure.

Hope this helps.

jenkinsjerry

MFP has a range of settings -- going from maintaining weight to losing up to 2LBS per week. 2LBS is aggressive and will call for the least amount of calories per day.

The fun part is the exercise calories that enable you to survive (with a smile/good attitude, etc.), while losing weight -- I've gone from 2LBS per week, now down to 1LB per week and know the differences. If you're not exercising, the reduced cals will be a burdon, plain and simple.

I did a very quick brisk walk earlier today (4 minutes) and burned 26 calories... I immediately added that to MFP for the day and will eat every last one of them... MFP has broad consensus on eating our exercise calories, so find some exercise that works for you and do it daily... You'll love the results.

Mkserpa

Over the years, I have found that 1200 is rough to start with. I kept track of what I ate for about a week just to get an average calorie count, so I could see what my tummy was used to consuming. I was taking in on average 2200 calories per day. Instead of cutting that almost in half right off the bat (and then scaring myself off my diet because it was 'WAY TOO HARD!' I started with 1600 calories. A deficit is a deficit. Eating anything less than what you normally do will jump start your weight loss. Then over time I lowered it to 1200, once I started feeling right about how much I was eating. I was also able to substitute foods with lesser calorie versions, helping the 1200 calories per day seem more reachable.

jame_104

I can't do 1200, I have tried. It isn't worth it to me to be that hungry and exhausted all the time. I changed my setting to lose 1/2 lb a week and exercise 5 - 6 days a week. Everyone is different, if you don't like it try a different setting for a week and see how you feel. Long term 1200 isn't healthy IMHO. Good luck

cranmuffin

In my experience, anything under 1500 calories/day is fine unless you have some kind of deadline you're trying to meet. Don't forget that you can add back in what ever you burn exercising. You might just need to up the exercise a little in order to be able to consume a few more calories to help avoid feeling hungry.

2012Wendy

I agree to up your calories! I wasn't happy at 1200 and feel so much better at 1350 - 1450. One day a week I go up to 1800. Be sure you're including healthy fats and fiber in your diet -- it does make a difference with feeling satisfied. For me, this is a lifestyle change, not a temporary one. If I'm hungry I know I won't stick with it!

vcaviola

I'm at 5'9 and it clocked me in at 1220cal. Yes its very hard, but it is managable! Vegetable campbells soup is only 160cal a can. I had two cans, and still had 800ish cal left for the day..and I was full. Most days I can go under 1220, but weekends I admit are rough..but thats ok. It'll be hard but belive me..the hard work pays off

reaolliemama

Some people feel like 1200 works great for them and can barely manage to eat that many calories. Others feel like it's too little and not realistic for them long-term. If you feel like it's not realistic for you, consider changing your requested rate of weightloss in your profile to bump up your calories. If you're currently set to 2 lbs per week, bump it down to 1.5 or 1 lb per week. That should give you a little bit more calories and might feel more manageable for you in the longrun. This is all very trial-and-error, different people find that different things work best for them.

^^^THIS^^^ I eat clean (most of the time) and have trouble getting 1200 calories most day, so it really depends on WHAT you're eating, how it's prepared and things like that. You have to do what works for you! I think you should at least try to eat your exercise calories back. You may find that's what works for you!

samkeen

Hi there.

Thanks for posting. I'm new to all of this...I got a FitBit on Tuesday and joined here because they share information. I am in the same predicament as you are in many ways...I am 6' and need to lose 80 lbs, and when I started watching calories, I would set targets that were too low, and would be SO HUNGRY throughout the day. This was pretty low...1000 calories or so. Too low for someone my size. My self-imposed target is now 1250 calories..very low and very ambitious, but I wanted to try it and so far it has worked. I'm still hungry sometimes, but it subsides. More importantly, I have energy to burn off at the gym, so in the end, the extra calories come off in that way.

I think in your case, you should consider moving your target to 1300 from 1200, if it means that you will have enough fuel to keep going. After all, a slightly slower loss is better than none, right? Just remember that your body is telling you something when you are hungry. I see that you are eating veggies and protein and drinking water to try to stay satisfied and full. I'm doing the same, and it works most of the time. I know from past failures that if I cut too much, it will backfire on me.

I guess I just wanted to encourage you, and tell you a little about my own experience since we seem to be struggling to find a reasonable, ambitious caloric goal. Don't be afraid to try 1300 - or some other number - and see how it works for you. If you aren't hungry all the time on it, and if that level gives you the energy to exercise and keep going throughout the day, then that's the level I would stick with! You can always cut it back once you've seen results. Just be mindful of your short-term and long-term goals.

You have a great smile, by the way! Keep smiling! My yoga instructor (yeah, I'm a big guy that does yoga) swears that smiling helps the body relax and helps the metabolism. Certainly doesn't hurt to try!

kjj292003

I am 5"2' and need to lose 90 puonds. I have been eating 1200 calories for the last 2 weeks. There are days that I would eat more if offered, but I need to drop this weight and there is only one way to achieve that goal. i just see it as having to create new habits for myself.

carolinacutee

At 1200 calories it is going to force you to excersize because it is hard to stay at that amount. You will be hungry for a while, until your body adjust to 1200 calories. I have lost about 25 pounds, that way. Good luck sweetheart!

astrampe

It may be because of what you are eating. If you get sufficient protein, and keep your carbs in control, eat things with sufficient fat and fiber, you should be okay at 1,200.

Take a walk, earn a couple hundred extra. You need to have your goals set realistically, too. If you are working or going to school, don't set it at "Sedentary" unless you never leave your desk.

It's really important to your health to get rid of that excessive weight.

NO!! You should not be OK at 1200...you won't be... You have a lot you want to lose, and the only way to do it and keep it off is slowly...1200 is not enough - put it up to at least 1500-1600 and if you do exercise, eat at least half of that too....

i got stuck on 1380 9and i run a lot and ate half of it to all of it...) So I upped my calories to 1540 (my BMR) and still eat some of my running calories...I'm not hungry anymore and I actually started losing weight again....

It's important to your health to lose the weight, and it's important to your weight loss effort to do it in a way you can sustain...It's a lifestyle, not a punishment....
good luck!

Betsiz17

Thank you all for your feedback. It is greatly appreciated and I will take it all under consideration. If I change my setting from sedentary (which I don't think I am) to moderately active, it goes up to 1300. If I change from 2lbs. week to 1.5, the future looks even brighter !!! You are all wonderful!!!

szqnva

I'm definitely not an expert, so I hesitate to give advice. I do want to congratulate you, however, on your 12 lb. weight loss! That is a huge loss in just 30 days! From what I've read on MFP, be sure you don't eat too little, or eventually your weight loss may stall, and you could end up burning lean muscle instead of fat. Since you have your food and exercise diary set to "private", it's hard to tell what you are doing on a day to day basis, but if you are exercising, you may want to up your calorie intake slightly. There is lots of great information on MFP, and lots of great support, so just keep educating yourself and I'm sure you'll eventually find the right balance for YOU! In the meantime...keep up the good work! You're doing great!

dbutorac

I am also 5'3", the 1200 calories doesn't seem to hard for me. Do you exercise, that way you can eat more.

kjj292003

Great advice

natalieg0307

I'm 5' 1/2" and mfp suggested 1200 for me. I almost always went over when i first joined mfp. Now i'm getting closer to 1200.....and ALWAYS eat my exercise calories.

workout4life

1200 is way too low on the caloric scale. Go to the tools section (BMI) and put in your stats ..... weight, height, age...you'll find out how many claories you should eat to maintain your weight and how many to lose weight. Remember that if you deprive yourself of too many calories your body will go into conservation mode and you will not lose what you'd like.

MaggieMay131

Try 1500-1600 and see how it goes. I consistenly eat around 1600 calories every day and that number "works" for me. See how you feel and if you are progressing! Good luck!