1200 calories a day.
Replies
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Eating below your BMR is very unhealthy and setting yourself up for failure.
Her BMR is probably around 1,200 because shes in her 40's.
Not necessarily. I am well into my 40's and my BMR is a decent amount higher than that. Age does decrease BMR however - about 100 calories for every 10 years, give or take.
My BMR is somewhere around/just over 2000, but I just hit my 40s. Maybe I should drop my calories to 1200 now.0 -
Eating below your BMR is very unhealthy and setting yourself up for failure.
Her BMR is probably around 1,200 because shes in her 40's.
I'm 40. According to MFP's BMR, mine's barely over 1200. According to more accurate methods involving BF%, it's closer to 1400.
I'm maintaining at about 2300 and lose eating 1800-2000. And I don't live in the gym or exercise constantly. I exercise maybe 3-5 hours a week, tops. I just exercise efficiently.
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Hi
I am also on 1200 calories a day . I manage to make this quite easily. The only problem is I have a social life and often out to dinner a couple of times a week and then it all goes very wrong. !! I am also 66 I play badminton x2 a week and am always active. I certainly dont feel my age I am only about 1 stone overweight but with a combination of my age metabolism I am finding it very hard. I fill in my diary after every meal I think that helps.
I am eating around 1000 a day and hoping that my sinning in the week makes up for the calories I havent used.
Weight loss very slow0 -
One of my MFP role models right here, and her posts, photos and success are part of what helped me decide to get off that 1200 calorie train wreck and eat more - enough to fuel my body through my workouts and all my daily activities. Thank you Lorina and Dan for your inspiration and guidance in resetting my goals, calories and macros. And it's working, the fat is coming off, and I'm in better shape now at the age 44 (and eating 1800 calories, or more, per day, exercising an average of 5 hours a week) than I was all through my 30's, and probably even in my late 20's.Eating below your BMR is very unhealthy and setting yourself up for failure.
Her BMR is probably around 1,200 because shes in her 40's.
I'm 40. According to MFP's BMR, mine's barely over 1200. According to more accurate methods involving BF%, it's closer to 1400.
I'm maintaining at about 2300 and lose eating 1800-2000. And I don't live in the gym or exercise constantly. I exercise maybe 3-5 hours a week, tops. I just exercise efficiently.
Going the 1200 route, I lost weight, sure, but ended up stalling before my "goal weight" with a slimmer version of my squishy body - not the flat, strong abs, the nicely "toned" (many don't like that word, but I use it for those of you who are afraid of the term "muscles" :bigsmile: - not bulky, just beautiful muscles!) arms, nice legs, etc that I was hoping for. I'm still not at that magic "goal weight", but scale be damned - the inches are coming off, and I'm tossing out clothes left and right because they're all too big for me.
Stick with 1200 if you want, but don't dismiss those of us who are eating much higher calories than that, and achieving strong, healthy fit bodies in the process. We're not trying to be bossy, but heck, I wish I'd discovered this route sooner - I wouldn't have struggled so long with low calories - we just want to let others know that you don't have to eat the bare minimum to achieve your goals (and in many cases, you won't achieve your goals by that route). This is a new, sustainable lifestyle for me - I'm not going back to where I was.0 -
Perfect example of the struggle I used to have!Hi
I am also on 1200 calories a day . I manage to make this quite easily. The only problem is I have a social life and often out to dinner a couple of times a week and then it all goes very wrong. !! I am also 66 I play badminton x2 a week and am always active. I certainly dont feel my age I am only about 1 stone overweight but with a combination of my age metabolism I am finding it very hard. I fill in my diary after every meal I think that helps.
I am eating around 1000 a day and hoping that my sinning in the week makes up for the calories I havent used.
Weight loss very slow
Last night I went out to a very nice dinner to celebrate hubby's b-day. I had steak, calamari, bread, salad, red wine, rice pilaf, veggies - pretty much cleaned my plate, and still came in under my calorie goal. Even if I'd gone over, I'd have been below my TDEE, so no fear of gaining. And you know what? My scale this morning didn't show that I'd gained 5 pounds, nor will it tomorrow. What my diary shows is that I got an awesome amount of protein yesterday, along with all my other macros, and that I enjoyed a dinner out with no worries of "breaking my diet". I'm not on a diet. I can't do that forever, so why try to live that way for a short time, and feel bad if I blow it, or worse, gain all the weight back when I decide that the "diet" isn't sustainable and give up.0 -
For me not so much anymore since I've reached my goal and I am in maintenance now.
This works for some short people, not tall people. It all depends on your RMR. Taller people have a higher RMR so this would be too low for them.
1200 is such a stupid number to get stuck on. What you need to eat for a deficit is relative to your RMR. Your RMR could be lower than the calorie calculators say. The only way to know for sure is to test out the amount of calories and if you don't lose over time then you probably need to notch down by 100 until you find what works.
If you plug in all your info (typically age, gender, height and weight) into one of those calculators what you get is the average metabolic rate of a group of people who share your age, sex, height and weight. What you DON’T get is YOUR EXACT calorie needs.
To tell everyone eat more is wrong.
To tell everyone to eat less is wrong.
To find the exact amount of calories for you to be in a sustainable calorie deficit is correct. Some people can handle a deeper calorie deficit than others. Some people have emotional eating disorders and it comes into play. Even a small deficit puts your body in a state of flux and everyone is different.
I was able to handle a pretty deep calorie deficit because I'm very disciplined and eat healthy (good fuel for the body so I can perform well at the gym) and I do not have emotional eating issues. I have a very low RMR so my doctor said I could go lower than 1200. Everyone is different, I got scientific proof for myself during my 60 lb weight loss journey from obese down to 10% body fat. My doctor checked my hormone levels throughout the process. I have a low RMR, am short, older, and had to eat under 1200 calories to lose the 60 lbs. The DXA scan showed that I did not go into starvation mode or lose lean body mass. In fact in the end it shows I have higher lean body mass than most females my height. I am 5'1" and my lean body mass is 104 lbs. That is still pretty tiny because I'm petite, but it's high for my height and gender. Also the technician said my bone density is that of a super fit 30 year old and I'm almost 52. If that is not scientific proof that lifting weights keeps you younger I don't know what else is.
Too many changes at once can be hard on some people. I've always eaten healthy so it easy for me to simply eat less. Eating at a calorie deficit is hard on people; even a small deficit puts your body in a state of flux with hormones and such. Everyone is different. Some people can handle a deeper calorie deficit than others, this is not right or wrong, it just is. Stress in your life affects your hunger hormones; lack of sleep, fatigue, job stress, family stress, financial stress, etc. Add in emotional eating issues and it gets even more complicated. Most people can only handle so much change/stress at once, they try to do too much and fail. Sometimes it might be a better strategy to eat at maintenance and make some small changes first, it really depends on how much stress you are taking in at the moment.0 -
I am on 1250 per day and have been for 3 weeks exactly.. If you exercise though, you can eat more and you should. I also drink half my body weight in ounces of water. I am down 11.2 lbs in 21 days. Feel free to add me! I love meeting new friends on here!0
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I just started the 1200 calories a day program. Some days are easier than others. Its hard to get motivated and actually exercise. You can check out my diary if you want but i'm a very unhealthy eater. yesterday i was maxed out on calories before lunch. lol. I eat so much more when im at work guess its because of stress. plus everyone is always ordering fast food and take out which is so tempting. I have been trying to pack my lunch so i can turn down pizza or whatever everyone else is eating but it is difficult.0
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Damn I'm at 1390 calories per day....I feel like a fatty lol0
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I've lost 60 lbs eating 1200 calories a day.
It's fine to eat that much- you just have to find foods that are worth the calories (fill you up without being too high in calories).0 -
What if you are not hungry? do you have to eat the full 1200??? :noway:
im noticing the healthier you eat, IE; fish, veggies, fruit, the less you eat- vs fast food
and you actually get fuller than you would had you eaten fastfood which tends to make you more hungry-
Naturally you will eat less because healthy food has less cals than fast food- this being the case-
your stomach SHRINKS- is that bad??? ur just not hungry!0 -
i eat more when im at work too i think it has to do with your peers eating around you , you smell the food mmmmm and automatically
your "hungry" lol0 -
What if you are not hungry? do you have to eat the full 1200??? :noway:
im noticing the healthier you eat, IE; fish, veggies, fruit, the less you eat- vs fast food
and you actually get fuller than you would had you eaten fastfood which tends to make you more hungry-
Naturally you will eat less because healthy food has less cals than fast food- this being the case-
your stomach SHRINKS- is that bad??? ur just not hungry!
The full 1200? lol. You make it sound like a lot.0 -
Add me if you want to see what I eat. Some days are better than others!0
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Actually, your stomach tends to shrink a bit if you're living in junk, because it's low-bulk but high-calorie. And you tend to be hungry again sooner, because the starch and sugar tend to cause big blood-sugar swings.What if you are not hungry? do you have to eat the full 1200??? :noway:
im noticing the healthier you eat, IE; fish, veggies, fruit, the less you eat- vs fast food
and you actually get fuller than you would had you eaten fastfood which tends to make you more hungry-
Naturally you will eat less because healthy food has less cals than fast food- this being the case-
your stomach SHRINKS- is that bad??? ur just not hungry!
For most people, if you're eating real food, eating when you're hungry is a great guide. Not everyone needs 1,200 calories per day. But if you don't eat much one day, and you're hungry the next -- eat!0 -
im thesame way!!0
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awesome feed back, thanks- no im not eating junk, like i said im eating pretty healthy stuff.
that gree yogurt stuff is pretty filling, coffee, cereal, chicken, brown rice, veggies etc.
but sometimes im not very hungry and because im eating a lot of low cal stuff im not meeting that 1200 sometimes, or
im meeting just under.
ill just do as you said and basically "listen " to my body.
thank you :drinker:0 -
Calories are not equal! 1200 cals of high quality protien, fruit/veg and healthy carbs are NOT the same as a Big Mac Value Meal! with quality you get VOLUME! Last Week I had an insulated Lunch Bag Packed with food and it was less than 600 cals.
This!!!!!0 -
My daily goal is set at 1100 calories, and it is doable but with a very limited menu. Adding exercise to my daily routine helps a lot, getting anywhere from 200-400 calories a day back from working out suddenly makes that eating goal a lot more realistic, plus helps to keep me motivated to work out daily.
So what you are saying is you tend to eat about 1400-1600 daily?
Why not just set the diary to 1500 and eat that daily instead of 1100+whatever you burn?
TDEE is probably about 2000-2500 if you are 5'3" and up while being active daily.0 -
I aim for 1200 calories a day but I do have at least a couple of days a week I "cheat" but nothing too bad. 0
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Im currently eating 1200 calories a day. I dont log all my foods "breakfast, lunch, and dinner." Sometimes i'll add them all under breakfast, or all under lunch, what ever is easiest for me at the moment. i break all my meals down by their ingredients, i feel i get a better calorie count that way. This is the second time i've used this site/app and have lost a total of 86 lbs. i try to eat most of my carbs in the morning, my meats for lunch, and veggies closer to bed. I have a treadmill at home, when im hungry and dont have enough calories to eat, i run. i run till i burn enough calories to eat what i want. Feel free to add me. I'll be glad to help any way i can.0
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I have mine set to 1200. Feel free to add me. 0
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Im currently eating 1200 calories a day. I dont log all my foods "breakfast, lunch, and dinner." Sometimes i'll add them all under breakfast, or all under lunch, what ever is easiest for me at the moment. i break all my meals down by their ingredients, i feel i get a better calorie count that way. This is the second time i've used this site/app and have lost a total of 86 lbs. i try to eat most of my carbs in the morning, my meats for lunch, and veggies closer to bed. I have a treadmill at home, when im hungry and dont have enough calories to eat, i run. i run till i burn enough calories to eat what i want. Feel free to add me. I'll be glad to help any way i can.
Personally I dont think a guy should be eating 1200 ever.
More like 1600-2100 daily for fat loss.0 -
I have gone to the gym every single day (Literally) for almost 2 years !! I do the Life Fitness 95 Si stepper for 3.6 hours.
It says I burn 1600 calories top level per hour. All together this is 4133 calories I burn per day. I eat 350-580 calories a day
I know this is very unhealthy but I'm trying to get better. My life has been this way for almost a year ( eating so little)
I weigh 123 pounds, I'm 17 and I'm 5"5 .
My questions are :
Are my calories burned accurate ?
Why is my body acting this way and weighing this given the circumstances ?
How can I overcome this ?0 -
I am also doing 1200 calories anyone can feel free to add me 0
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Eating below your BMR is very unhealthy and setting yourself up for failure.
Her BMR is probably around 1,200 because shes in her 40's.
Not necessarily. I am well into my 40's and my BMR is a decent amount higher than that. Age does decrease BMR however - about 100 calories for every 10 years, give or take.
Hmmm, mine is just a little over 1200 (1280 I believe) and I'm 39 years old (5'4"). So I guess this depends on body fat % and height too right?0 -
I have gone to the gym every single day (Literally) for almost 2 years !! I do the Life Fitness 95 Si stepper for 3.6 hours.
It says I burn 1600 calories top level per hour. All together this is 4133 calories I burn per day. I eat 350-580 calories a day
I know this is very unhealthy but I'm trying to get better. My life has been this way for almost a year ( eating so little)
I weigh 123 pounds, I'm 17 and I'm 5"5 .
My questions are :
Are my calories burned accurate ?
Why is my body acting this way and weighing this given the circumstances ?
How can I overcome this ?
You are at ideal weight for women 5'5".
Cals burned don't look accurate but its hard to say without data from an HRM.0 -
Feel free to add me, I've just started 1200 calories today and could do with some support because I think i'm going to struggle but nothing else has worked so trying this now!0
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Is this real?I have gone to the gym every single day (Literally) for almost 2 years !! I do the Life Fitness 95 Si stepper for 3.6 hours.
It says I burn 1600 calories top level per hour. All together this is 4133 calories I burn per day. I eat 350-580 calories a day
I know this is very unhealthy but I'm trying to get better. My life has been this way for almost a year ( eating so little)
I weigh 123 pounds, I'm 17 and I'm 5"5 .
My questions are :
Are my calories burned accurate ?
Why is my body acting this way and weighing this given the circumstances ?
How can I overcome this ?
You are at ideal weight for women 5'5".
Cals burned don't look accurate but its hard to say without data from an HRM.
How have you not passed out by now, Im twice your size and I cannot burn 1600 cal an hr.....
When does your body rest and recover?0 -
Feel free to check mine out, I'm about 1200, only by accident though, I just don't eat much!0
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