Being told 1200 cal a day= starvation mode

mscote12

Hello! So I was sharing w/ coworkers that I have recently started using MFP and that it gave me a daily calorie intake of 1200 (with the information of me wanting to lose 2lbs a week, & working 4x a week 1hr workouts) and a few of them said that is not healthy, that I am putting my body into starvation mode and will not lose any weight that way.
On the days that I am not working out at all...1200 shouldnt be "too low" right? On the days that I do workout, obviously I will be eating more than 1200 calories based on calories burned....so are they just basing their opinions on lack of information...or could they possibly be onto something...?

P.S I am still trying to figure this calorie intake vs. calories burned thing out....

drmerc

You wont go into starvation mode

You probably are not eating enough

gramanana

It has been my experience in the last few weeks that I need to eat a minimum of 1200 calories/day in order for my body to function properly. I tried to eat less because I don't exercise a lot, but my body just shut down and gained weight. Everything I've heard or read said that depending on your size and weight, a minimum of 1200 calories is enough. Eating back exercise calories is good, too, however, I try not to eat all the exercise calories back. My goal is to eat a minimum of 1200 and half of the exercise calories. It takes me a long time to lose weight (I have 8 lbs left after losing approx. 15 in the last 7 months), but I've found that my body doesn't eliminate anything if I don't eat the minimum and that defeats the purpose.

Good luck to you.

Britt2Fitjrny

Thats how I lost my weight. and I've kept it off for 2 years now.

mscote12

Well, if MFP says I should eat 1200 calories as my daily intake and I am eating 1200 a day (on days I DONT workout) then I should be eating enough...right? Isn't that the point of finding out how many calories you should be eating a day....so you can follow those guidelines??...lol
I just joined MFP, and just started the whole food journal thing yesterday...but I guess my coworkers just got me freaked out like 1200 just isnt enough and I wont lose any weight that way--but I want to loose 2lbs a week and MFP says in order to reach that goal, I should eat 1200 a day....

gingerveg

This is a contentious subject here so you will get a lot of different opinions. I did this for a couple of months and I lost weight. But it made me a little nervous because according to online calculators my BMR (what it takes my body to function every day without exercise) is around 1200, so I recently upped my calories to 1400. We shall see.

The only way to really know your BMR is to get a series of extensive tests done. So it is sort of a guessing game. I don't think it is horrible to try 1200 for a bit (since calories consumed, calories burned, BMR and TDEE are all estimates) and see how you feel. If you feel horrible up your calories a bit (100 or so calories) until things feel good and you are still losing weight. Or change your weight loss goals to 1 or .5 lb a week and MFP will give you more calories.

nikilis

Well, if MFP says I should eat 1200 calories as my daily intake and I am eating 1200 a day (on days I DONT workout) then I should be eating enough...right? Isn't that the point of finding out how many calories you should be eating a day....so you can follow those guidelines??...lol
I just joined MFP, and just started the whole food journal thing yesterday...but I guess my coworkers just got me freaked out like 1200 just isnt enough and I wont lose any weight that way--but I want to loose 2lbs a week and MFP says in order to reach that goal, I should eat 1200 a day....

this question is asked a lot, and usually it ends in a blood bath.

there is an 80% chance statistically that 1200 or below is too low. if you are 5'1 its more likely.

gingerveg gives some good advice. its experimentation in the end. it would be better to lose slowly, but thats up to you.

starvation mode is a bit of a joke around here.

you may not get enough nutrients on a low intake, so take vitamins, and try to eat as healthy as possible.

I sent the most accurate BMR calc to your inbox, its worth a try.


in the end its pretty simple, calculate your bmr just to see what it says, and track your weightloss, see how you feel on that intake, and if you are finding it hard, increase your intake.


a dietary change for life at a slower rate is more effective than a temporary strict diet.

piggydog

If you eat good quality wholesome foods you'll be fine

I'm losing weight and building muscle. I don't feel hungry and I take a daily viatmin because I was having trouble getting enough from what I was eating which I honestly think is because allot of the foods entered in the data base aren't entered properly.

Your body will tell you when you are hungry. Listen to it and feed it if that is what it needs

sarahisme18

FYI, I think MFP gives 1200 with less pounds per week....

But 1200 is not enough for MOST people. You should use an online calculator to estimate your BMR and Total Daily Energy Expenditure, then eat at 15% - 20% less than TDEE to lose weight.

If you calculate it and find you're not losing OR gaining after 3-4 weeks, then you should modify it by a couple hundred calories.

Personally, I'm 5'4", workout 5-6 days a week moderately, and eat 1800 calories. That is a deficit for me and I have lost. Everybody is different, but you PROBABLY should be eating more than 1200. If you stay at 1200 or less for too long, you'll run the risk of messing up your metabolism and stalling your weight loss, even if you're losing at first.

How do I know this? Because me and plenty of other people have tried it. Check out eatmore2weighless.com for some helpful info.

TinaBean007

Check this out, it's very helpful:http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

(MFP assumes a NET for 1200 calories, which means you're eating your workout calories-which is why the site adds them into your calories for the day.)

cathmcq

From what I understand, 1200 calories is the minimum you should eat to keep from going in to starvation mode. I have gone under that myself a few times but I had more than 100 lbs. to lose so it wasn't a problem. Twelve hundred should be okay for you.

mscote12

Well, even with the fact that I entered "2lbs a week" in my settings, MFP still set me up loosing 1.5 lbs a week...at 1200. I guess what I will do is stick with the 1200 for a week or two, see how it goes...then if I need to, adjust.

Thanks for all the input guys, I appreciate it and find it all very interesting

ravenchick

Starvation mode is only a myth and doesn't exist. If it did, you wouldn't see people in third world countries that are skin and bones from lack of calories.

Everyone is different. You have to figure out what works for you. I've lost 100 pounds in 8 months eating 1200 calories. It works for me but it may not work for others.

If you feel 1200 isn't enough, try to up it by 100 calories for a week and see how it goes. What works for one person, wont always work for the other.

Good luck!

sugarlips1980

Many say starvation mode where your metabolism is slowed down is a myth - it does exist but at much lower than 1200 cals over a long period. That's what I've read anyway. Too low cals will make you miserable though; if it feels like deprivation you're unlikely to stick at it and make a permanent lifestyle change. I've set mine to 1200 and I tend to eat some of my exercise cals back. This has worked for me. I don't really have a day of just 1200 because I always walk my dogs at least, so generally 1400-1700, but I think I'd find myself a bit too hungry with just 1200. You can do all your calculations (BMR, TDDE) but at the end of the day they're estimates - try a number and adjust based on whether you're happy that you're not too sluggish and hungry and you're losing weight at the speed you want.

psuLemon

If you eat good quality wholesome foods you'll be fine

I'm losing weight and building muscle. I don't feel hungry and I take a daily viatmin because I was having trouble getting enough from what I was eating which I honestly think is because allot of the foods entered in the data base aren't entered properly.

Your body will tell you when you are hungry. Listen to it and feed it if that is what it needs

hear hear, its done me no harm. my diarys open

Did you track your lean body mass? Or did you get RMR test before after loss? If not, you are making pure assumptions that nothing was adversely affected. Also, as someone mentioned even an active 65 yr old woman will need less than an active 23 yr old. An average 23 year old has a lot more muscle mass, additionally, it's not uncommon that a metabolism will slow down post menopause or other life events that alter the metabolism.

maryjay52

i dont use this thing as if it were etched in stone. ive figured out what works and what doesnt.. you have to find what works for you..for me i eat six meals a day and avg 1300-1500 calories a day but then again im active and i do workout but good ...i should eat more according to mfp but the six meals i eat are filling and healthy ..if i feel i need more i adjust my meal plan for the day and stay within the suggested calorie intake

sunraew

Oh! so that is what RMR is:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

crickette0435

Hello! So I was sharing w/ coworkers that I have recently started using MFP and that it gave me a daily calorie intake of 1200 (with the information of me wanting to lose 2lbs a week, & working 4x a week 1hr workouts) and a few of them said that is not healthy, that I am putting my body into starvation mode and will not lose any weight that way.
On the days that I am not working out at all...1200 shouldnt be "too low" right? On the days that I do workout, obviously I will be eating more than 1200 calories based on calories burned....so are they just basing their opinions on lack of information...or could they possibly be onto something...?

P.S I am still trying to figure this calorie intake vs. calories burned thing out....

My surgeon has me at 1200 calories a day and he is pretty famous out here in AZ. MFP's calculations are exactly right. I try not to eat back the calories I gain from working out but well truth be told that can be hard to avoid.

therealangd

If you have 44 lbs to lose and 1200 calories is a 1.5 lb loss per week, and you plan on eating more on the days that you workout, then you will be fine.

As you get closer to your goal weight, you are going to want to change that to 1lb and then .5 lb.

liltenji

I think it all depends on what works for you and what you eat and how you exercise. Don't rely too much on MFP. if you're hungry, eat. if you're not, don't eat.
As someone who has spent a good few years going back and forth from over 2000 calories a day to as little as 500 calories a day, 1200calories is enough to keep me full [sometimes more on the days i gym] and level headed and also keeps me on track to a steady, healthy weightloss.

sarahmcp3

I'm 5'1 and MFP projected me at 1300 for a believe 1lb lost per week. I feel hungry and weak all the time and I have problems sticking with it for more then a few weeks without going on a binge because I feel so dizzy and sick. I work in a heath food store and try to eat fruits and vegetables every day and they are all organic. I stuck with the 1300 thing for a solid month before going off for a week and I just maintained that whole time. Point of the story is everybody is different with a different metabolism. You have to play with it and find out what works for you.