Being told 1200 cal a day= starvation mode

heybales

Your metabolism doesn't slow to any noticable degree until about 72 hours after you last ate. It doesn't need kick starting. If it ever stopped, you would die.

The key is to keep the metabolism active. By eating regularly, you are more likely to keep your metabolism working at an even rate. Skipping meals can trigger your body into thinking it needs to store the food rather than use it for fuel, now.

Your metabolic burn for processing food doesn't change if you eat that food all at once or scattered thru the day. And your base metabolism will be high or low depending on if you are feeding yourself enough.

For skipping meals idea, You should respond to the peer reviewed research papers on intermittent fasting that shows the opposite, because they must have gotten something horribly wrong.

ironanimal

Your metabolism doesn't slow to any noticable degree until about 72 hours after you last ate. It doesn't need kick starting. If it ever stopped, you would die.

The key is to keep the metabolism active. By eating regularly, you are more likely to keep your metabolism working at an even rate. Skipping meals can trigger your body into thinking it needs to store the food rather than use it for fuel, now.

It doesn't- never mind.

myjavajane

The more you exercise the more calories they give you so you can eat more on the days you exercise.

carolstartingover

First off, you will lose on that many calories and your body won't go in some mode of not losing. Last year at WW's they told us that was found to be false. So, you decide if you are getting too hungry from working out and maybe add 200 calories for the hour. Just an idea.

aliencheesecake

You know, I didn't think of that. Are their calories recommendations the on days you exercise as on days you don't? I just assumed they balanced it out that way.

heybales

You know, I didn't think of that. Are their calories recommendations the on days you exercise as on days you don't? I just assumed they balanced it out that way.

They do no balancing between days. You are given daily goal that has a deficit from calculated daily maintenance, ie what you burn all day.

You add exercise actually done, you just increased the daily maintenance, what you burned for that day.

So now the same deficit on that exercise day means you get to eat more.

♡MyCurves

I think it depends on what works for you. You could zig zag your calories 1200 one day 1500 the next..combined with working out and see where that gets you. I've noticed I do better with at least 1600 calories combined with working out for an hour, but not using up the extra calories that the workout gave me. GL! (:

Matt_Wild

didn't claim i know more than you any more than you claimed to know more than me. actually, you claimed it way more than i did. the arrogance on this site is annoying.

i merely disagreed with you. is that not allowed? are you god?

I have no time to argue any more with people here on MFP, hence my reply. I've wasted hours battling it out with people who have dieted for a few months, read a bit and then believe they understand the metabolism, nutrition and how the human body reacts. 1200 calorie diets being good, supposed muscle gains when dieting etc - I hear it all and have battled it out, wasting my time.

Hence my post.

I coach people for comps and come on here to help people and then get told by people with little nutritional background that I am wrong. Would that not frustrate you?

Helloitsdan

As long as you're eating "clean" you should be fine. By "clean" I'm talking about non-processed foods; fresh fruits & vegies and lean cuts of meat. You'll be amazed at how much food 1200 calories can be if you're eating the right way.

Even if the person doesnt make their macronutrient goal per body type? (height, weight, activity factor)
1g protein per LBM pound.
.40-.75g Essential fats per LBM pound.

So lets say you are a woman 21 years old 5'2" 200lbs with 45% body fat.
BMR is about 1450....
Protein for the day is about 500calories
Fats for the day is about 675calories

Thats essential macronutrients.
Thats 1175 and we havent even looked at any carbs for fuel.
And we still need to fill to BMR.

Another thing, start off your day with breakfast; even if it's a piece of fruit or a protein shake. You'll need that to kick start your metabolism.

False.
Our ancestors didnt eat daily till about 4pm. They were leaner, stronger and were way more active than we are today.

My ideal day consists of 5 small meals; I set up my mfp daily diary as follows: Breakfast, AM snack, Lunch, PM snack, Dinner. This helps even out the caloric intake throughout the day and keeps my metabolism on key.

you can eat 2 large meals and keep your metabolism on key and possibly burn more fat during the day.

It might take some time for your body to realize it doesn't have to store the food but once it does it should start using it as fuel. Just remember, consistency is the key to living a healthier lifestyle.

Eating too little for YOUR body type (age, height, weight, activity) can actually hinder fat loss due to hormonal fluctuations with drops in leptin and elevated cortisol in the evenings.

Good luck on your journey!

Good luck with YOUR journey!
You are spreading a lot of false info and havent a clue what you are talking about.

P.S. Don't forget to drink lots of water too, a minimum of at least 8 glasses a day.

This is the only right thing posted!
Awesome work!
=D

Not trying to be a douche but YIKES!

lisamarie2181

As long as you're eating "clean" you should be fine. By "clean" I'm talking about non-processed foods; fresh fruits & vegies and lean cuts of meat. You'll be amazed at how much food 1200 calories can be if you're eating the right way.

Even if the person doesnt make their macronutrient goal per body type? (height, weight, activity factor)
1g protein per LBM pound.
.40-.75g Essential fats per LBM pound.

So lets say you are a woman 21 years old 5'2" 200lbs with 45% body fat.
BMR is about 1450....
Protein for the day is about 500calories
Fats for the day is about 675calories

Thats essential macronutrients.
Thats 1175 and we havent even looked at any carbs for fuel.
And we still need to fill to BMR.

Another thing, start off your day with breakfast; even if it's a piece of fruit or a protein shake. You'll need that to kick start your metabolism.

False.
Our ancestors didnt eat daily till about 4pm. They were leaner, stronger and were way more active than we are today.

My ideal day consists of 5 small meals; I set up my mfp daily diary as follows: Breakfast, AM snack, Lunch, PM snack, Dinner. This helps even out the caloric intake throughout the day and keeps my metabolism on key.

you can eat 2 large meals and keep your metabolism on key and possibly burn more fat during the day.

It might take some time for your body to realize it doesn't have to store the food but once it does it should start using it as fuel. Just remember, consistency is the key to living a healthier lifestyle.

Eating too little for YOUR body type (age, height, weight, activity) can actually hinder fat loss due to hormonal fluctuations with drops in leptin and elevated cortisol in the evenings.

Good luck on your journey!

Good luck with YOUR journey!
You are spreading a lot of false info and havent a clue what you are talking about.

P.S. Don't forget to drink lots of water too, a minimum of at least 8 glasses a day.

This is the only right thing posted!
Awesome work!
=D

Not trying to be a douche but YIKES!

This is a very smart man, you should listen to him lol Check out the road map thread, it explains everything you need to know and you will then understand why not eating the right amount of cals for YOU can be causing more damage then good.

1200 cals is just a guideline and a generic start point. There are people that calorie amount is good for, but the majority it is not. Especially if you are over 200 lbs.

Take the time to educate yourself and then decide what will be best for you. There are alot of people that just follow others without taking the time to figure things out. This IMO, is doing no good for your body, and if you want to be healthy that should be the most important thing, not how quick the weight on the scale goes down.

i can tell you from personal experience, I lost 42lbs in 4 months working out 2 hours a day and only eating 1400 cals, pretty much burning off all the food I ate. I had huge deficits, I was tired, I didn't have energy and I was hungry. I have not lost a lb since July. I started the road map in August, and since then I have not lost a pound, but I have lost a bunch of inches and went down a pant size. IT WORKS. I just did a diet break last week and settling in at 2000 cals for my cut from TDEE. If after a month I still am not losing, then I will adjust. I know others have said that the calculators are just estimates, but that is better than just guessing that you should be at 1200 because you put in you want to lose 2lbs a week. Like I said I haven't lost any weight on the scale recently, but the inches speak way higher volumes then the lbs. I have gotten more compliments the past month in a half then when losing the actual pounds.

I highly suggest checking out the road map and see what cal range is best for you. Why eat so little if you really don't have to? :happy:

Adrenaline_Junky

Wow! Well I guess when "someone" has too much time on their hands, they can pretty much pick apart and twist just about anything.

I still, and will alllllllllllways, advise:

~ Eating "clean"
~ Not skipping breakfast
~ Spreading caloric intake throughout the day
~ Being consistent
~ & drinking plenty of water

If anyone EVER has any negative side effects from that advice... please PM me, I'd love to hear your story!

Sarauk2sf

Wow! Well I guess when "someone" has too much time on their hands, they can pretty much pick apart and twist just about anything.

I still, and will alllllllllllways, advise:

~ Eating "clean"
~ Not skipping breakfast
~ Spreading caloric intake throughout the day
~ Being consistent
~ & drinking plenty of water

If anyone EVER has any negative side effects from that advice... please PM me, I'd love to hear your story!

I actually would have negative side effects from that advice in that I would be hungry for most of the day if I ate breakfast. There would also be the negative side effect of me not being able to eat ice-cream

People are not picking apart what you say, they are calling out a myth that breakfast 'kickstarts your metabolism' - it's just not true.

Adrenaline_Junky

I actually would have negative side effects from that advice in that I would be hungry for most of the day if I ate breakfast.

You'd be hungry, most of the day, from eating breakfast?

Sarauk2sf

I actually would have negative side effects from that advice in that I would be hungry for most of the day if I ate breakfast.

You'd be hungry, all day, from eating breakfast?

For most of the day, yes

To clarify, as obviously you do not believe me. I am not hungry in the morning. I do not get hungry until about noon. So I have more calories left for lunch and dinner. However, if I eat in the morning I get hungrier, even after I eat lunch plus I would have less calories for the rest of the day. Hence, yes I would be.

Adrenaline_Junky

I actually would have negative side effects from that advice in that I would be hungry for most of the day if I ate breakfast.

You'd be hungry, all day, from eating breakfast?

For most of the day, yes

Interesting...

Sarauk2sf

I actually would have negative side effects from that advice in that I would be hungry for most of the day if I ate breakfast.

You'd be hungry, all day, from eating breakfast?

For most of the day, yes

Interesting...

Not really, it's pretty common.

ibadkitteh

1200 calories per day is okay for me...i made it to 1000 calories to make my diet fast. I also exercise and do gardening everyday. I don't feel hungry at all. I lost 6lbs in one month already. Yay thanks MFP

truddy6647

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

My doctor told me this is what a woman should be eating in order to lose weight without exercise (with exercise for at least 40 mins an increase to 1800 calories and 90 g of protein) but in the same aspect that each time one does eat there should be protein and 5 to 6 small meals a day with at least 70 g of protein thus if you eat five small meals at each meal have 14 g of protein

Sarauk2sf

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

My doctor told me this is what a woman should be eating in order to lose weight without exercise (with exercise for at least 40 mins an increase to 1800 calories and 90 g of protein) but in the same aspect that each time one does eat there should be protein and 5 to 6 small meals a day with at least 70 g of protein thus if you eat five small meals at each meal have 14 g of protein

I would ask your doctor why he thinks meal timing and macro timing is important as study after study have shown them not to be from a weight loss perspective.

hrbonner

load of rubbish. many proven studies that starvation mode does not exist.
End of the day, your body processes the energy that you put into it, balanced against the energy that it uses.
More energy in than you use, gain weight as the body stores it as fat.
Less energy in than you use, lose weight because your body has to use fat stores instead.
You do need to eat a balanced diet and not drop too low but ultimately the logic is the same as above.

Embrace the 1200 and dont forget to exercise! After being a size 24 for the last 11 years and very overweight I actually find it hard to hit 1200 sometimes. Foods like oat so simple porridge for breakfast (approx 200 cals) fills me up and I dont feel the need to snack before lunch. Not so hard.

MichelleLaree13

Find out how many calories you need to maintain your weight. A 3500 calorie deficit will equal a 1 lb weight loss. I am sure you have heard plenty of times it is perfectly healthy to lose 2 lbs a week. A 7000 calorie deficit will equal a 2 lb weight loss. If you want to lose 2 lbs a week, the 7000 calorie deficit will need to be over a span of 1 wk. If you need 2000 calories a day to maintain your weight and you are trying to lose 2 lbs a week, you will need to create a 1000 calorie deficit per day. That deficit can be achieved by burning extra calories at the gym or by eating less. For example: 1) eat only 1000 calories a day to create a 7000 calorie deficit over a week 2) eat 1500 calories a day AND burn 500 calories at the gym a day to create a 7000 calorie deficit over a week

psuLemon

"Your metabolism doesn't slow to any noticable degree until about 72 hours after you last ate. It doesn't need kick starting. If it ever stopped, you would die."

The key is to keep the metabolism active. By eating regularly, you are more likely to keep your metabolism working at an even rate. Skipping meals can trigger your body into thinking it needs to store the food rather than use it for fuel, now.

Wrong on so many levels. Meal timing & meal frequency has zero effect on your body. Also, if your metabolism isn't break down food, it's running the functions of your body. When you eat, your body will then work on breaking down the food while maintaining your functions. When it's done that, then it will work on something else.



http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19943985

psuLemon

1200 calories per day is okay for me...i made it to 1000 calories to make my diet fast. I also exercise and do gardening everyday. I don't feel hungry at all. I lost 6lbs in one month already. Yay thanks MFP

it's actually pretty common when you just start diet and exercise. You lose weight water, not fat. Eating 1000-1200 calories a day, will just lead to your fat stores depleting quickly and then your body then catabolizing your lean body mass (aka muscle). The weight loss will slow down (probably quickly) as your metabolism will adapt. LCD's are really only designed for those obese or with medical conditions. In fact, if you set a moderate deficit, you will have greater success because those with lcd tend to gain back more easily because your metabolism adapts and you lose muscle mass during your weight loss. Also, you will require more weight loss to "be skinny" because you have less muscle to fill your skin. Below is a good thread of what I mean. If you stop concentrating on weight loss and concentrate on fat loss, you will get a tighter body and have more noticeable gains doing so.


http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/392784-skinny-fat-vs-fit-photo?hl=skinny+fat

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

soulfulsally

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....

Do you know how many calories a day you were eating before to maintain your current weight? Then you could subtract from there to find a good weight loss intake for yourself. Most likely it'll be more than 1,200 a day.