1280 cals a day doesn't seem healthy...

VirginiaWoof
VirginiaWoof Posts: 147
in Health and Weight Loss
So MFP tells me that I should aim to eat 1280 a day if I want to lose 1lb a week. I have to eat so little to lose only a lb?!
I'm 18 years old and kinda thought I'd have an awesome metabolism?! My food diary is open if people have any advice :-)
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Replies

  • mrau719
    mrau719 Posts: 288 Member
    I guess it depends how tall you are and what your goal weight is. I'm 5'7 and MFP has me at 1320...but I eat more than that. I NEED more than that. I could also depend what kind of exercise you're doing.
  • VirginiaWoof
    VirginiaWoof Posts: 147
    I'm 5'6 and my goal weight is 120lbs :)
  • adamb83
    adamb83 Posts: 719 Member
    Are you exercising?

    MFP is set up to assume that you will eat back your exercise calories as well... so if you go to the gym and burn 300 calories, you'll really be eating 1580 calories that day.
  • SergeantSunshine_reused
    SergeantSunshine_reused Posts: 5,382 Member
    Sounds low to me. I eat around 1700-2000 to lose weight xD pretty active though
  • karenwill2
    karenwill2 Posts: 604 Member
    that goal probably isn't the best. Seems a little low anyways. So long as you exercise you can eat those calories too. So the number is only as low as you let it be. Do not go by exercise calories on this sight though. I did 2 hrs on the elliptical and it was astronomical. It was actually on 1300. So be careful
  • Fay84Vegan
    Fay84Vegan Posts: 225 Member
    I think your body tells you if you're eating too few calories.

    Losing 1 lb a week is alot is you're not looking to lose a large amount of weight. If you set it to half a pound a week you will get a more realistic calorie allowance and if you go over you can always make it up with exercise.

    I'm 5 11 and mine is set at 1630 which is just right for me :)
  • VirginiaWoof
    VirginiaWoof Posts: 147
    I run once a week and do 25 minutes of circuit training every day at the moment :) i eat my calories back when possible
  • DsAdvocate
    DsAdvocate Posts: 93 Member
    Mine's at 1260 :( There isn't even room for a bad meal in there. It's difficult to find foods that will fill me up that fit.
  • adamb83
    adamb83 Posts: 719 Member

    Losing 1 lb a week is alot is you're not looking to lose a large amount of weight.

    ^^^Agreed - if you're near goal weight, 1 lb per week is a lot. Might want to set it for 0.5 and be sure your activity level is set correctly as well.
  • Rebel73
    Rebel73 Posts: 12
    I thought mine was rather low as well. Go by your BMR and Harris Benedict formula. It makes more sense.

    http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/
  • DianaJaneD
    DianaJaneD Posts: 157 Member
    You could change your activity setting to "lightly active". Changes are you are not really sedentary. This setting would give you more calories.
  • chantell7
    chantell7 Posts: 167 Member
    I dont think that too low, you look small so you base metabolism rate wouldn't probe be much higher than that. You can either eat a little higher than that and workout lots to get your surplus through that , but you wouldn't eat back your excersise calories burned in that case . Or Just eat 1280. Also by doing home cooking and eating good basic healthy foods ,1280 will stretch a long way. =)
  • Gwenski
    Gwenski Posts: 348 Member
    Hello.. I personally think your diary for the past few days is full of excellent choices and nice balance. You may want to watch your sugars and carbs a bit if you want to reduce your calories a bit. For example, orange juice is pretty high in calories -you'd be better eating a whole orange instead. I'm not you, and will never be.. but if I were I'd simply go with what you are doing and add just a bit of exercise to get you to the 1240. I doubt it would take much more than 1/2 hour walk per day.
  • VirginiaWoof
    VirginiaWoof Posts: 147
    thanks for the help guys :-) I'm about 18lbs away from my goal weight...sounds like I could do with a bit more patience.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    I run once a week and do 25 minutes of circuit training every day at the moment :) i eat my calories back when possible

    With eating your calories back that should put you in the right ballpark. Also, I'd suggest putting your activity level on at least lightly active if not active or higher. Sedentary just doesn't seem to cut it, even if you're legitimately sedentary most of the time.
  • mrau719
    mrau719 Posts: 288 Member
    eh it is a little low then. I'd say definitely eat back your exercise cals. You'll the lose the weight at 1280 but it could be hard to maintain once you hit your goal weight. My first time through that's what happened with me so now I'm eating a little more and losing a little slower, but hey it's a marathon not a sprint :)

    just make sure to listen to your body closely! If you start feeling weak in your workouts or more fatigued then normal than eat a little more.
  • Oretexan
    Oretexan Posts: 108
    There is a group on here called "eat more to weight less". I would definitely up my calorie goal if I were you. If you can lose weight eating say, 1800 calories, why starve yourself eating so few? Besides, I think your metabolism will suffer if you eat so little...
  • cynthiaj777
    cynthiaj777 Posts: 787 Member
    I'll give you what I just posted on someone's question about eating exercise calories. Since you are 5'6" and near goal, I would recommend a high calorie diet to get there with healthy amounts of exercise.

    "I realized I was highly undereating because my basic calorie burn for a normal day was around 2300 BEFORE exercise. I had been eating 1200. That's an 1100 deficit plus any more deficit gained from exercise, and I wasn't losing anymore. My body had entered a pseudo starvation mode, and I was holding onto fat.

    I upped my calories slowly after using my HRM to find out my REAL average daily calorie expenditure. On a normal day, app. 2300. On days that I sit on my couch for 9 hours then go right back to sleep, 1300 (I do this on Saturday and Sunday). So, I set my calories to 1450 per day for maintenance. And if I exercise for the day, which I do Monday through Friday, and depending on the exercise, I burn between 400-1000 calories a work out. So, on a normal day I'm BMR burning 2300ish plus an additional 400-1000, which is 2700-3300 calories a day I'm burning.

    Because of this, I eat from 1800-2200 calories a day. And guess what? I haven't gained any weight almost doubling my calories, and I've lost body fat percentage. If you take my lowest NORMAL burn of 2700 minus what I'm eating at my highest 2200, I still have a deficit of 500 calories AT LEAST a day. I'm 5'2" and 122 lbs. with 20% BF.

    None of this possible without a HRM.

    Buy one."
  • marycmeadows
    marycmeadows Posts: 1,691 Member
    I typically eat 1800-2000 calories and have lost 110lbs since 1/1/11. :)

    **I exercise daily, and am 5'6'' -- 30 years old.
  • Gwenski
    Gwenski Posts: 348 Member
    Hello.. I personally think your diary for the past few days is full of excellent choices and nice balance. You may want to watch your sugars and carbs a bit if you want to reduce your calories a bit. For example, orange juice is pretty high in calories -you'd be better eating a whole orange instead. I'm not you, and will never be.. but if I were I'd simply go with what you are doing and add just a bit of exercise to get you to the 1240. I doubt it would take much more than 1/2 hour walk per day.
  • EchoOfYourPast
    EchoOfYourPast Posts: 459 Member
    Mine is set at 1200...i am 5 ft tall....i do eat back my exercise calories....so far it hasn't been too bad...i've been doing this a couple of weeks...hoping to drop some soon...as soon as i reach my goal i'll up it to a healthier amt.
    San :)
  • 2April
    2April Posts: 285 Member
    I wouldn't limit food intake too much especially if you have suffered from eating disorders.
  • faithstephenson
    faithstephenson Posts: 280 Member
    If you aren't comfortable with that number, I would suggest playing around with it. Your loss may end up being slower than you'd like, but the slower you go, the more likely you are to really make long term changes. Basically, if you aren't comfortable with that level, change it. But I do highly recommend eating back most of your exercise calories.
  • VirginiaWoof
    VirginiaWoof Posts: 147
    Hello.. I personally think your diary for the past few days is full of excellent choices and nice balance. You may want to watch your sugars and carbs a bit if you want to reduce your calories a bit. For example, orange juice is pretty high in calories -you'd be better eating a whole orange instead. I'm not you, and will never be.. but if I were I'd simply go with what you are doing and add just a bit of exercise to get you to the 1240. I doubt it would take much more than 1/2 hour walk per day.

    thank you for taking the time to look at my diary! I think i shall start taking a short walk each day- we've just moved to the Peak District so i should make the most of it!
  • Tourney3p0
    Tourney3p0 Posts: 290 Member
    Yes, that's way too low. But it's not MFP's fault. Your weight loss goal is way too aggressive for your build.

    You should drop it down to 0.5 lbs/week, or set your caloric goal to your BMR. That will give you approximately 250 more calories. Much more healthy.
  • robynrunco
    robynrunco Posts: 1 Member
    Just personalize your calorie count and increase it under Goals. Everyone is slightly different. As long as your are making wise food choices and exercising you should be fine.
  • VirginiaWoof
    VirginiaWoof Posts: 147
    I wouldn't limit food intake too much especially if you have suffered from eating disorders.

    This is what I thought! I wanted to do things healthily. When I had anorexia I actually resticted to 1000-1200 and got down to an unhealthy 80lbs in no time...so it seems odd that MFP is suggesting this..
  • VirginiaWoof
    VirginiaWoof Posts: 147
    Yes, that's way too low. But it's not MFP's fault. Your weight loss goal is way too aggressive for your build.

    You should drop it down to 0.5 lbs/week, or set your caloric goal to your BMR. That will give you approximately 250 more calories. Much more healthy.

    a few people have suggested dropping to 0.5lbs. I think i shall do this from now on. Thank you every one!
  • kimber0607
    kimber0607 Posts: 994 Member
    didnt for me
    I upped my cals to about 1800 and felt better and lost weight..

    good luck
  • strawberrie_milk
    strawberrie_milk Posts: 381 Member
    Depends on your height. I'm short (5'1"), so 1200 is perfectly acceptable for me. However, since you're taller, I'd say you should eat a bit more! Calculate your TDEE and subtract 500 calories from that :)

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