Am I destined to eat 1,200 calories per day forever?

sugarbomb83
sugarbomb83 Posts: 67 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have never seen MFP tell me that I can eat more than 1,200 calories per day EXCEPT when I log exercise. Does anyone else find it very difficult to stick to 1,200 calories per day? I am finding it very difficult to eat out in restaurants on weekends while sticking to 1,200 calories or have the occasional sweet.

Any tips from others who are stuck with only 1,200 calories per day?

Replies

  • petechiae
    petechiae Posts: 147 Member
    You are probably not eating enough calories. Learn about Helloitsdan's way of finding out how many calories you should consume every day. I went from 1,200 to 2,00 calories each day. At first I was certain I would gain weight but nope, in fact I find this method helps me drop the pounds faster.

    Here is the link to the thread : http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    EDIT : I'm sorry about that! Wrong link! :(
  • jcpmoore
    jcpmoore Posts: 796 Member
    MFP makes recommendations based on your preferences. If you have set that you want to lose 2 lbs per week, you will always have 1200 calories recommended. That is because MFP will never recommend below 1200. If select 1.5 lbs per week, it'll usually recommend a bit higher- say around 1270. If you go with something less extreme, like wanting to lose 1 lb per week, then MFP will recommend something based more on reality, between 13-1600 based on your actual needs.
  • Onaughmae
    Onaughmae Posts: 873 Member
    Not at all....increase it a bit. You can do it manually. I found that increasing my calorie intake a little broke my stall and I have been losing steadily since then. I upped my protein intake to increase my calories and increased my water intake. I am not hungry and feel completely satisfied.
  • jooonesy
    jooonesy Posts: 86 Member
    MFP recommends that I eat 1290 a day and that seems to work for me. I agree that I would check your settings and see if it is set to lose 2+ lbs a week.
  • FlaxMilk
    FlaxMilk Posts: 3,452 Member
    Some of us are that unlucky--even by the EMWL calculations, I am still in the 1200 calorie range. But yes, check your settings. I would say even if 1200 is "right" for you, you may want to increase a bit anyway. You won't stick to it if you are miserable and feeling like you aren't getting what you need. Did you set your activity level accurately? I'd consider trying a couple of weeks of 1500-1600 and see if you lose. If not, decrease a little bit from there.
  • sugarbomb83
    sugarbomb83 Posts: 67 Member
    Thanks for all the feedback! MFP is saying that exercising 3 times a week, the max I can lose is 1.1 lb per week while eating 1,200 calories. For now, I might eat in the 1,300-1,400 range and reevaluate once I hit my goal! :bigsmile:
  • McLifterPants
    McLifterPants Posts: 457 Member
    Thanks for all the feedback! MFP is saying that exercising 3 times a week, the max I can lose is 1.1 lb per week while eating 1,200 calories. For now, I might eat in the 1,300-1,400 range and reevaluate once I hit my goal! :bigsmile:

    Here is your problem: you have less than 15 lbs to lose and you're still trying to lose it as quickly as possible! This is posted all over the forums, but it bears repeating:

    If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal,
    If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal,
    If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal,
    If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal, and
    If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal.

    Set your goal to lose half a pound a week, and I guarantee you will be happier with the calorie goal you get.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    Thanks for all the feedback! MFP is saying that exercising 3 times a week, the max I can lose is 1.1 lb per week while eating 1,200 calories. For now, I might eat in the 1,300-1,400 range and reevaluate once I hit my goal! :bigsmile:

    With only a few lbs left to lose, you should be aiming to lose 1/2 lb per week. Reduces the chance of losing muscle. Also, if you exercise, you will be able to consistently eat more. To make you feel better, i have developed calorie plans for well over 200 women and the lowest calories would be 1500 (a non active person). Most active women I see eat around 1700+ to lose weight, 2000 + to maintain it.
  • ashlielinn
    ashlielinn Posts: 920
    Sure! There's an easy way to be able to eat more than 1200 a day - EXERCISE!!!

    Eat less, move more. That's the only way you're going to lose!

    And it's not that hard to do. Friend me and take a look at my diary. I eat a lot of yummy, healthy foods. Basically never feel like I'm starving myself, and go out to eat ALL the time. Many restaurants have their nutritional info online now. I look up everything before I go eat, so I can make sure it fits into my daily calories (or weekly, since I tend to go more by a weekly goal). Once you do the research, it's easy to know which options are healthier when you're on the go and things come up spur of the moment. I know if I'm pressed for time and my boyfriend insists we grab fast food, I'm already aware of the healthier things on their menus and don't have to freak out about it. This is a lifestyle change, and it's going to involve you not eating as much as you used to eat, and being smart about your choices!
  • sugarbomb83
    sugarbomb83 Posts: 67 Member
    Thanks again, everyone! I guess it might be more realistic for me to aim to lose less per week and be able to eat more. I'm not currently overweight (I weigh 130 lb), I am just trying to get back to the weight I was a couple years ago. Thanks for all the support! :flowerforyou:
  • cmccorma
    cmccorma Posts: 203 Member
    Not forever, once you reach goal you'll up your calories to find maintenance. That, and also exercise.
  • JLD81
    JLD81 Posts: 133 Member
    I usually take one day off a week from working out to let my body rest. I also allow myself to have one meal per week (not a whole day because you can do A LOT of harm to your diet in one day if you completely eat unclean) to eat "a little dirty". Don't over splurge (i.e. guys who want pizza and can eat a whole large pizza by themselves on their one meal), but allow yourself to enjoy things in life as well. Remember that it is your overall calories, we don't ACTUALLY have a magical restart clock each day for our calorie amounts. If overall you eat within your limits but have one day here that is over or a day here that is under, your body is going to average. Everyone will have something in their diet that they don't want to totally give up even if it is not "healthy". My thing is Dr. Pepper. I allow myself one can of Dr. Pepper per day. I don't drink coffee so it is my breakfast "welcome to morning, this sucks, so have something you enjoy to get yourself going" lol. Over restricting yourself will cause you to over indulge when given the chance. Allow yourself to live and enjoy life, but remember that you are making a lifestyle change not "dieting" for the rest of your life :)
  • HeidiHoMom
    HeidiHoMom Posts: 1,393 Member
    MFP told me I need to eat 1200 calories to lose 1.5 lbs per week.

    I eat 1900 calories a day and I lost 1.5 lbs this week.

    Go to a site like fat2fitradio or scooby's workshop and figure out your calories that way, then manually change your goals on MFP.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    Why would you be? I never eat 1200 calories a day. Please consider figuring out your BMR and your TDEE (google) and figure out what the best calorie level is for you (and don't think in terms of "eating back" your exercise calories). I like fat2fit and the scooby workshop for easy to use calculations. and yes, DANS stuff is the best!
  • linc86
    linc86 Posts: 9
    so to actually maintain your weight after u hit ur weight loss goals, u have to eat the estimated recommended calories per day, for the rest of ur life... thats kinda sad... haha i love food....
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    Thanks again, everyone! I guess it might be more realistic for me to aim to lose less per week and be able to eat more. I'm not currently overweight (I weigh 130 lb), I am just trying to get back to the weight I was a couple years ago. Thanks for all the support! :flowerforyou:

    At this point you should concentrate on fat loss and not worry about weight so much. Cutting fat is what makes a body define. This requires eating 20% below tdee and heavy weight training.
  • sugarbomb83
    sugarbomb83 Posts: 67 Member
    :bigsmile: Great idea about weekends! I am going to do that
  • Rubie81
    Rubie81 Posts: 720 Member
    I'm losing weight on a 1500-1600 calorie basis. Granted, not as much as on a 1200 deficit but at least I don't feel like I am stariving to death or exhausted 100% of the time.
  • LLEB92
    LLEB92 Posts: 21
    I tried to stick to 1200 cals a day for a month and I just couldn't do it, I felt ill, more tired and moody so now i eat 1450 cals a day and I feel much better.
  • Miss_dannii
    Miss_dannii Posts: 1,351 Member
    No - when you've lost the weight that you want to, you switch to 'maintain' and you get more calories..
  • MsMuniz
    MsMuniz Posts: 399 Member
    Thanks for all the feedback! MFP is saying that exercising 3 times a week, the max I can lose is 1.1 lb per week while eating 1,200 calories. For now, I might eat in the 1,300-1,400 range and reevaluate once I hit my goal! :bigsmile:

    Here is your problem: you have less than 15 lbs to lose and you're still trying to lose it as quickly as possible! This is posted all over the forums, but it bears repeating:

    If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal,
    If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal,
    If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal,
    If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal, and
    If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal.

    Set your goal to lose half a pound a week, and I guarantee you will be happier with the calorie goal you get.

    I have mine set at half a pound a week and it still gives me 1200 calories :(
  • RealWomenLovePitbulls
    RealWomenLovePitbulls Posts: 729 Member
    don't drink your calories, if you drink soda that takes away from a lot of your daily calories, just drink water. and exercise to get more calories. and make good quality food choices
  • knwitall
    knwitall Posts: 420 Member
    You are probably not eating enough calories. Learn about Helloitsdan's way of finding out how many calories you should consume every day. I went from 1,200 to 2,00 calories each day. At first I was certain I would gain weight but nope, in fact I find this method helps me drop the pounds faster.

    Here is the link to the thread : http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    EDIT : I'm sorry about that! Wrong link! :(

    Thank you for sharing!! Very informative

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