1200 CALORIES OK?

MAJINTA

When I started this 5 days ago, the system set my calories at 1200 a day. After reading all the post on here I am getting the impression that is not safe. Any suggestions?

Greenconcept

I have the same question. Jillian Michaels recommends to consume 1200 cal a day if you are a woman and want to loose weight, but the app says 1200 is a risk.

MAJINTA

I lost 3 pounds already. But I am concerned the calorie intake is not enough.

melissaeich20

There seems to be a lot of controversy to 1200cal/day on MFP. I think if you are eating back your exercise calories and have your activity level set to the proper setting it is ok. I generally eat 1200-1400 calories per day (more if I have a harder workout) and have been loosing about 1lb per week. I do not think it's too difficult, as long as I stick to healthy foods and portions.

MonicaT1972

I have been doing 1200 calories a day since I started in January and have been losing at a steady rate that my physician is happy with and I am of course thrilled with.

I am still in the obese range for BMI though so it is working. I am not going to worry about getting more in until I plateau.

Do what works for your body and eat healthy and exercise and don't sweat the science too much is my humble opinion!

JoniBologna

There are plenty of people on here who will tell you it is ok, and that it has worked for them. However, I eat way more than that, and I still lose weight. I eat about 1700 cals a day plus my exercise calories. It's up to you. Do you want to be hungry and lose? Or do you want to eat plenty, be full and lose?

MAJINTA

Thanks for the feedback. I will leave it as is for now and see how it goes. I do try and eat back what I burn off.

js370

Find out what your BMR and TDEE are and stay within those numbers.

chantels1

1200 plus exercise calories is ok, but difficult to maintain long term. I was still hungry when mine was set that low, and it was frustrating to keep the calories that low. So I changed my goals to 1/2 a pound a week, and now my calories are set at 1440 plus exercise calories. I can't always eat back my exercise calories, but I like the extra just in case I need it! So far in 3 weeks, I have lost 4.5 lbs and I am happy!

Misslynn

I usually get light headed with the 1200 calorie goal, so I keep it at about 1300. I still lose about 1 - 1 1/2 lbs a week, and it doesn't make me light headed. I feel like I'm eating plenty to eat. I guess it depends on your body. My Dr is fine with me on this calorie range so I am too.

bmqbonnie

1200 is just really hard to maintain. It's ok if you are small and pretty inactive, but otherwise you should probably bump it up. I eat over 2k/day and am losing weight, but I am very active. I think 1600 is probably more reasonable for your average woman trying to lose weight.

dinald444

Did you set a goal for weight loss (meaning a certain poundage lost BY a certain date)? If so, the system is figuring that in order to lose so many pounds by a certain time period, you can only have 1200 net calories a day. 1200 calories was MY determination too when I started. Not sure if you're considered to be starving yourself or not, since it's very close to the 1000-calorie "no-no land."

MAJINTA

Thanks so much for all the good tips. New to the site and happy with it so far. Quit smoking 9 weeks tomorrow and gained 10 pounds already. I already was about 25 over to start with. Gonna see how this goes. Sometimes you feel like the last man standing.

MAJINTA

Noticed I have been starving.......thought it was all in my head. lol Going to up the calorie intake!!!!!

MAJINTA

Well, I have been starving and that makes it harder to diet cause who wants to do that!!!!! So I am going to up my calories for now!

andrewsmommy13

I have a question and I hope I don't get flamed for this. I am new to this, thus ignorant about several matters. I don't understand why you would eat back your calories from working out? I thought the purpose of working out was to create a larger deficit to lose weight?

JENROMERO

This feedback is really helpful. So many times I've gone "over" to around 1,500 and I feel like such a failure that day. 1,200 is easy on some days when I do something big for exercise, but a struggle on other days. This makes me feel like I'm on track if I stay close to it. Thank you!

MAJINTA

I feel the same way. Some days I was under the 1200 and one day I went over by 71 calories and freaked out!!!! I know it is ok it go over sometimes and it is ok!!!!!