Is 1230 cals/day too low?

lillinehan

Is 1230 cals/day too low for someone that runs 3/4 days a week? (Soccer practice two days a week, one or two games on the weekends. I am also going to start training for my next half marathon.) Ps. If I burn 800 calories, I'll consume half of those back by eating more, so my in take for a day like this would be 1630.

yarwell

1630 on exercise days doesn't sound bad.

matthewlamere

when i actually put in the food i eat throughout the day i rarely meet my 1300 calories. today i only reached about 1,000 and i'm rarely hungry.

_Alkaline

How tall are you? I ask cause that is my baseline as well. I try to always eat half my exercise calories back or keep it between 1400 and 1500 I find to have good work outs you need to eat the right amount, If you find yourself feeling ...not energetic at soccer practice or on a run, switch it up so that you can eat something about an hour before hand.

Bdn75

Doesn't sound too bad if you are trying to lose weight. If you feel good and are getting all your nutrients, stick to it.

Hopefully you are eating lots of fresh foods and not a lot of processed stuff - 1200 calories of junk and 1200 calories of clean eating are two totally different things!!!

LorinaLynn

You're young, very active (if you're running that much) and have less than 20 pounds to lose. You could eat more. Set your weekly goal to one pound a week, changing it to a half pound a week when you're 10-15 pounds from your goal.

Make sure you get way more protein than MFP suggests, add some resistance training, and track your progress through photos instead of just by the scale.

I'm more than twice your age (so I should have a slower metabolism) and lost most of my weight eating a total of 1800-2000 calories.

Yanicka1

You're young, very active (if you're running that much) and have less than 20 pounds to lose. You could eat more. Set your weekly goal to one pound a week, changing it to a half pound a week when you're 10-15 pounds from your goal.

Make sure you get way more protein than MFP suggests, add some resistance training, and track your progress through photos instead of just by the scale.

I'm more than twice your age (so I should have a slower metabolism) and lost most of my weight eating a total of 1800-2000 calories.

Great advice. I am short, 38 years old and eat 1500-1700 calories a day. I barely do cardio and do strength training 4 times a week. Since you are younger and more active I would suggest eating more than that.

lillinehan

I am 5'1"/5'2". That sounds great! Thank you!!!

lillinehan

How tall are you? I ask cause that is my baseline as well. I try to always eat half my exercise calories back or keep it between 1400 and 1500 I find to have good work outs you need to eat the right amount, If you find yourself feeling ...not energetic at soccer practice or on a run, switch it up so that you can eat something about an hour before hand.

I'm 5'1" or 5'2". That sound great, thanks!

lillinehan

Doesn't sound too bad if you are trying to lose weight. If you feel good and are getting all your nutrients, stick to it.

Hopefully you are eating lots of fresh foods and not a lot of processed stuff - 1200 calories of junk and 1200 calories of clean eating are two totally different things!!!

Healthy eating only.

*** I'd like to note that I feel full throughout the day. I only worry that that few of calories might trigger something in my body or slow down my metabolism.

lillinehan

You're young, very active (if you're running that much) and have less than 20 pounds to lose. You could eat more. Set your weekly goal to one pound a week, changing it to a half pound a week when you're 10-15 pounds from your goal.

Make sure you get way more protein than MFP suggests, add some resistance training, and track your progress through photos instead of just by the scale.

I'm more than twice your age (so I should have a slower metabolism) and lost most of my weight eating a total of 1800-2000 calories.

Great advice. I am short, 38 years old and eat 1500-1700 calories a day. I barely do cardio and do strength training 4 times a week. Since you are younger and more active I would suggest eating more than that.

Awesome! I'll take it into consideration. And I have been taking picture. I will take after photos when I get to -10lbs.


*** Thank you everyone for your responses!

purpleipod

Why would you only eat half of what you burn back?

lilawolf

Determine your BMR and eat at least that on average.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

FITNLUVINIT

You're young, very active (if you're running that much) and have less than 20 pounds to lose. You could eat more. Set your weekly goal to one pound a week, changing it to a half pound a week when you're 10-15 pounds from your goal.

Make sure you get way more protein than MFP suggests, add some resistance training, and track your progress through photos instead of just by the scale.

I'm more than twice your age (so I should have a slower metabolism) and lost most of my weight eating a total of 1800-2000 calories.

I was wondering am I eating to few calories? I am 48 and I work out 5 days a week and I noticed you ate more than calories so should I?

yarwell

Why would you only eat half of what you burn back?

If you were concerned about overestimates in the exercise calories.

geekyjock76

Do you know what your estimated body fat percentage is? With that you can use the Katch-McArlde equation to predict RMR and TDEE:

370 + (21.6 x lean body mass in kg) = RMR

RMR x Activity Factor = TDEE

Sedentary = RMR X 1.2 (little or no exercise, desk job)
Lightly active = RMR X 1.375 (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/wk)
Mod. active = RMR X 1.55 (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk)
Very active = RMR X 1.725 (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/wk)
Extr. active = RMR X 1.9 (hard daily exercise/sports & physical job or 2X day training, i.e marathon, contest etc.)

You could be between Moderate and Very Active due to the amount of exercise you engage in between soccer and training for a half marathon. With your TDEE, you can create a total deficit (calories under TDEE eaten and exercise calories) by multiplying it by 15-20%.

As a young athlete, who may not have reached peak bone mass density yet, you need to ensure you are consuming an adequate amount of calories. You also should be assuming a small to moderate deficit - no greater than 25% - or else it will affect training. Huge deficits added with lots of intense cardio is not the way to go as an athlete trying to reduce body fat while training.

sunnykt

You're young, very active (if you're running that much) and have less than 20 pounds to lose. You could eat more. Set your weekly goal to one pound a week, changing it to a half pound a week when you're 10-15 pounds from your goal.

Make sure you get way more protein than MFP suggests, add some resistance training, and track your progress through photos instead of just by the scale.

I'm more than twice your age (so I should have a slower metabolism) and lost most of my weight eating a total of 1800-2000 calories.

I was wondering am I eating to few calories? I am 48 and I work out 5 days a week and I noticed you ate more than calories so should I?

Depends on numerous factors.
As was noted, metabolism slows with age, and "starvation mode" at a certain cut off is a bit of a fallacy (it's more about the metabolism slowing because it knows it isn't getting enough food, so if you feel lethargic or hungry this might be warning signs). My BMR using Harris Benedict equation is 1'445 but I can eat less than that without too much harm, as long as I don't do it long term.
Your body is older, so is unfortunately less inclined to "bouncy back".

Just because other people are eating more or less than you, doesn't mean you should.
If I ate 1'800 calories (NET that is) I would stay exactly the same weight.
Just eat over 1'200 NET calories each day and you will probably be fine.

lillinehan

Do you know what your estimated body fat percentage is? With that you can use the Katch-McArlde equation to predict RMR and TDEE:

370 + (21.6 x lean body mass in kg) = RMR

RMR x Activity Factor = TDEE

Sedentary = RMR X 1.2 (little or no exercise, desk job)
Lightly active = RMR X 1.375 (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/wk)
Mod. active = RMR X 1.55 (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk)
Very active = RMR X 1.725 (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/wk)
Extr. active = RMR X 1.9 (hard daily exercise/sports & physical job or 2X day training, i.e marathon, contest etc.)

You could be between Moderate and Very Active due to the amount of exercise you engage in between soccer and training for a half marathon. With your TDEE, you can create a total deficit (calories under TDEE eaten and exercise calories) by multiplying it by 15-20%.

As a young athlete, who may not have reached peak bone mass density yet, you need to ensure you are consuming an adequate amount of calories. You also should be assuming a small to moderate deficit - no greater than 25% - or else it will affect training. Huge deficits added with lots of intense cardio is not the way to go as an athlete trying to reduce body fat while training.

If I did it correctly, I should eat about 1,447 cals/day. But is that to maintain my weight, or lose weight?

lillinehan

Why would you only eat half of what you burn back?

If you were concerned about overestimates in the exercise calories.

Yes. Incase I overestimate I suppose. I don't want to sabotage my diet by eating all of them back.