1,200 Calories. Too high or too low?

AlexandriaKathryn

My goal for the day is 1,200 calories. Should I eat less or more to lose weight faster? I work out for 90 or more minutes 5 times a week.

Arexxx

Well, how tall are you?
Whats your frame size?
How much do you weigh?


Those things are kind of important when answering this question. But 1,200 is too low for that amount of exercise.

Matt_Wild

IMO unless you are very short it is unlikely you will hold onto your LBM and shed this as well as fat. Therefore you will find once you eat in a manner that you are accustomed to in the past you will gain fat easier as your maintenance levels will be lower due to a lower LBM.

IMO much better to hold onto LBM and diet slower and thus have a higher basic maintenance level of calories.

LorinaLynn

MORE.

1200 is the minimum anyone should go without medical supervision, and that's for someone sedentary. If you're exercising 90 minutes a day, you're not sedentary.

Helloitsdan

The search button must be broken this week.
I think we had 12 of these threads yesterday alone.

OP looking at your jawline I can tell you 1200 isnt enough.

AlexandriaKathryn

I am 134.5 pounds and 5'1". And I am 19 years old.

ChitownFoodie

I can tell you that 1,200 is too low, but I suggest you search BMR and TDEE to understand why its too low.

nikilis

85% chance its too low. you should adjust your weekly loss it may be too extreme.

AlexandriaKathryn

What do you think my activity level would be? Moderate? Because I have it on sedentary right now.

myofibril

I am 134.5 pounds and 5'1". And I am 19 years old.

With your level of exercise it is too low.

You can either a) exercise much less or b) eat much more whilst maintaining the same level of exercise

will lead to the best body composition results no question.

Try a flat amount of 1,800 calories a day for a month. Your weight may spike initially but that will settle and you will end up looking and feeling a lot better.

AlexandriaKathryn

Thank you!

WendyTerry420

I am 134.5 pounds and 5'1". And I am 19 years old.

Ok. WOAH! 1200 is NOT for you.

/end thread


Seriously, you have very little to lose. You are NOT obese in any sense of the word. If you are looking to get leaner, then you should be eating just barely under maintenance. If you did absolutely nothing but lay in bed watching TV all day, then you would need at least 1400 calories. Add your normal daily activities, plus exercise, you probably need much closer to 1900 or 2000 calories each day.

AlexandriaKathryn

Thank you! I think I will start out at 1,400 and go up from there if needed.

nikilis

I can tell you that 1,200 is too low, but I suggest you search BMR and TDEE to understand why its too low.

do the below, make sure you measure as it says for the body fat part its important

this is the most accurate BMR you can get as it takes into account your BF%

Katch-McArdle BMR: Considered the most accurate formula for those who are relatively lean.

Use ONLY if you have a good estimate of your bodyfat %. <

---

if you don't measure your body fat its as inaccurate as the rest.

calculate your body fat here
http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/mbf/

KM BMR
http://www.calculatorpro.com/calculator/katch-mcardle-bmr-calculator/

BMR x 1.2 = TDEE (your daily maintenance intake for sedentry lifestyle)

TDEE x .8 = healthy deficit.

JenMull44

I think you should just be 19 and not be so concerned about your calories.
Sounds like you are doing just fine.

nikilis

Thank you! I think I will start out at 1,400 and go up from there if needed.

good plan, high 5

sherisse69

What is LBM? Sorry, not good with acronyms....

jdavis193

EAt a higher amount of calories. I did 1200 first go around of me losing I didn't have much muscle tone just same shape but smaller.

skittles1928

Try netting at least 1300-1400 a day. So eat 1300-1400, plus all of your exercise calories. I used to eat 1200 a day and not eat back my exercise calories. Using the suggestion I gave you, I have lost weight just as quickly but my body and brain are happier since I actually get food.

LorinaLynn

What is LBM? Sorry, not good with acronyms....

Lean Body Mass -- everything in your body that isn't body fat.

WendyTerry420

Thank you! I think I will start out at 1,400 and go up from there if needed.

Why start at the bare minimum? Why would you want to eat as little food as possible? Why not start with the high end of calories, then lower it only if needed?

PetulantOne

Thank you! I think I will start out at 1,400 and go up from there if needed.

Why start at the bare minimum? Why would you want to eat as little food as possible? Why not start with the high end of calories, then lower it only if needed?

This is what I was thinking. Especially at 19. You don't want to screw up your metabolism now, and be fighting it the rest of your life. trust me..

ladyvballcomet

Definitely more and everyone so far has pretty much touched on all the reasons. II currently am shooting for about 1500 calories (when I don't exercise) and I've found that the weeks that I lost the most were the ones where I ate back a significant portion of my exercise calories.

jenlipe

I always eat back my calories that I work off. I am at 1200. But I always have some exercise calories to add back in. So to me and my thinking 1200 isn't low as a base. Just work out some and eat back the calories. If this a wrong thought?

WendyTerry420

I always eat back my calories that I work off. I am at 1200. But I always have some exercise calories to add back in. So to me and my thinking 1200 isn't low as a base. Just work out some and eat back the calories. If this a wrong thought?

It seems wrong to me to try to eat as little as possible. Personally, I try to eat as much as I can while still losing fat. I am also doing my damnedest to maintain my lean body mass while in a calorie deficit.

I'm not trying to say that someone else's lifestyle is wrong, I'm just saying that it makes no sense to try to skate by on as little food as possible, especially if you have less than 50 pounds to lose.

Helloitsdan

I am 134.5 pounds and 5'1". And I am 19 years old.

1600 daily.
Easy.

Dont eat back calories.
Workout maybe 3-4x a week.

jenlipe

I am lucky that I like to work out and also have the time. It is not unusual for my average burn to be 500 calories a day. So I really don't have a problem with hunger or feeling like I can't eat well.

KilikiMom

it varies by person really...for me personally its too low....but you never know until you try it...if by the end of the day you have only eaten 1200 and you are starving then its not enough! if you eat that and you feel fine by the end of the day then its fine....the only way to know really is to try it....when i was eating 1200 a day i felt like i was starving by the end of the day and i ended up gaining weight over a couple of weeks....i bumped up my calories to 1400 and i felt fine by the end of the day and i dropped the weight again!

i think its all really trial and error find what works for you and go with it

lizziebeth1028

1200 to too low. And since you do not have a lot of weight to lose you want to lose it slowly....so ditch the 'lose it fast' attitude. It's healthier and more sustainable to go slow.

AlexandriaKathryn

Some days, with work included, I burn 1,500 calories.
So like I said before, I am going to start out with 1,400 calories and work my way up if needed.

rieann84

i don't want to thread steal or anything, but if 1200 is too low..why is that often what MFP selects for people?

with my parameters it put me at 1270, and i think i entered "lightly active", not even sedentary. Gosh..what would sedentary be? 1000??

i had mine up slightly..only to 1400 while i started the 30 day shred. i gained weight i don't know if it was from the calorie intake or the muscle soreness/water retention but i freaked and put it back down to 1270.

it's just so confusing.. i don't even know what to do anymore. MFP says one thing, you all say another.. *sigh*