why should not I eat less than 1,200 calories a day?

chubbygirl253

when you eat under 1200 cals you aren't just losing fat, you are losing muscle. and for anyone who is under the misconception that they'll worry about getting fit after they reach goal weight, keep in mind you don't get to choose WHERE you lose muscle. You could be losing heart muscle! 1200 is not enough for most people. Under 1200 isn't enough for your heart, lungs, and other organs. You should check your BMR in the tools tab and see what your body needs just resting.

majikkan

So now I am really confused, if my BMR is 1426 but my daily calories should be 1280 which one should I be hitting?

If your BMR is 1426, then you must be really small already...

People always dodge this question when it comes up. I've never seen anyone flat-out say that MFP seems to ignore BMR and happily suggest you eat below it, but that is what it seems to do.

jeleclekat

Hasn't this question been asked too many times already?

Probably but if a newbie doesn't want to read through the hundreds of past topics, who cares? No one HAS to answer.

briannadunn

I am seeing this alot lately...Let me put it to you this way. If you are eating nutrient rich foods than it shouldn't be a problem. I don't think you will plateau forever because physically it will eventually come off. Something that I never see brought up is all those people on MFP that have gotten weight loss surgery. Have you ever looked at their diaries and you want to tell me that someone that hasn't had surgery can't eat less than 1200 calories and still lose weight? I honestly think you are mistaken. Also, to back this up because I know there will be comments, not everyone is the same, there is no two people who are the same, do what works for your body and don't worry about what people say. IF you do plateau be honest with yourself, are you getting enough nutrients in your diet? Have you cut excess fat?...There are people who are eating less than 1200 for medical reasons also and also because their doctors said it is ok. I am still over 100 pounds over weight. DO you honestly think that my fat reserves aren't going to burn, also I lift weights and walk on a Elliptical. I regularly eat less than 1600 calories a day. I also eat very nutrient dense foods. It makes a difference what you are eating.

HeatherPH

OK , I'm 61, female, 5'2
TDEE 2170, RMR - 1792
BMR - 1720
to lose a pound a week, means 500 less calories a day/

Do I subtract that from what figure?

Your TDEE -20% is what's usually touted as a good weight loss goal, so if your TDEE is 2170 you'd aim for around 1750 or so (or a bit lower if you want to speed up the loss).

jennelinow

I'm not sure this counts for everyone, my BMR is 1410 and for years I exercised regularly and ate at around the 13-1500 calories a day rate and couldnt loose a pound or inch. A few weeks ago I dropped to 1,000 a day, and am now FINALLY loosing weight, after learning this had worked successfully for one of my siblings who has maintained it for about 2 yrs now. My family has a history of obesity and we're pretty small people as well, 5'2". So arent there some cases where the BMR isnt taking into account something biological we dont understand with some people? If not then why am I only now loosing weight? Also I dont feel like I have less energy, not starving, and sleeping fine!

seena511

I'm not sure this counts for everyone, my BMR is 1410 and for years I exercised regularly and ate at around the 13-1500 calories a day rate and couldnt loose a pound or inch. A few weeks ago I dropped to 1,000 a day, and am now FINALLY loosing weight, after learning this had worked successfully for one of my siblings who has maintained it for about 2 yrs now. My family has a history of obesity and we're pretty small people as well, 5'2". So arent there some cases where the BMR isnt taking into account something biological we dont understand with some people? If not then why am I only now loosing weight? Also I dont feel like I have less energy, not starving, and sleeping fine!

it could be that you have some sort of condition that prevents you from losing weight. for instance, women with PCOS are often recommended to eat lower than a "normal" person becuase the condition makes it difficult to lose weight.

often it's just that you weren't tracking properly. i too tried to eat at a deficit for a long time and never lost any weight - it's because i was lying to myself about how many calories i was eating and probably overestimating my calorie burn. this is where a website like MFP comes in handy; you put in EVERYTHING you eat (even that little bite you had off your friend's plate) and see how much you're REALLY eating.

quirkytizzy

So now I am really confused, if my BMR is 1426 but my daily calories should be 1280 which one should I be hitting?

If your BMR is 1426, then you must be really small already...

My BMR is about 1300, based on height, (5'1), weight (135) and activity level (not sedentary, but light.) I was eating at 1600 and was maintaining, so I just dropped it back to 1500. Smaller people have smaller calorie needs.

OP: The general consensus is to eat above BMR, as that's basic fuel. For a while I was eating at 1300 and felt sluggish. Bumped up to 1400 and felt better. 1500 was great. It doesn't always take much above your BMR, but you want to aim for at least a few hundred calories above it.

savithny

I'm not sure this counts for everyone, my BMR is 1410 and for years I exercised regularly and ate at around the 13-1500 calories a day rate and couldnt loose a pound or inch. A few weeks ago I dropped to 1,000 a day, and am now FINALLY loosing weight, after learning this had worked successfully for one of my siblings who has maintained it for about 2 yrs now. My family has a history of obesity and we're pretty small people as well, 5'2". So arent there some cases where the BMR isnt taking into account something biological we dont understand with some people? If not then why am I only now loosing weight? Also I dont feel like I have less energy, not starving, and sleeping fine!

It could be that your familiy does have a much lower metabolic rate naturally....

Or it could be that years eating below your BMR lowered your natural metabolism significantly, such that your "Dieting BMR" was below 1300. It could be that families with histories of obesity have metabolisms that are VERY good at becoming very efficient during times of famine. Some studies have found drops of as much as 40% in metabolism after long-term calorie deprivation. If your BMR was originally 1410, but long-term low-calorie dieting caused it to slow down to conserve energy and body mass, a 40% drop in metabolic rate would put your actual BMR at 846, and your TDEE would probably have been right around where you were eating when you thought you were eating at a deficit.

So it might be that because of your genetically efficient metabolism with its rigorous response to famine conditions, you lowered your metabolism to the point that it *could* maintain on only 1300 a day, and you had to drop it further. But if you'd never pushed your body into dropping your metabolism so much, you might have been able to eat more and lose the same amount of weight...