Minimum calories that are enough regardless of exercise

Doberdawn

MFP usually gives me a warning when my net calories are too low after exercise. This happens even if I'm just short 100 calories. But, I've noticed something lately. On days when I've had big calorie burns, I can be short net 500+ calories and get no warning. I'm wondering I'd there is a certain minimum amount that once you eat it, it's considered enough regardless of your activity? Anyone else noticed this or been able to figure out the pattern of when and why it does not warn you even though your net calories are low? (P.s. computer or MFP messed up and didn't post all of my original post so I just had to edit it & redo it. Weird.)

daggoneit

I'm not sure what you mean? MFP gives me a warning when I ate less than 1200 cals so maybe that's the problem?

Doberdawn

I get that warning too and that is what I'm talking about. Normally if I don't eat all my MFP calorie goal net after exercise, I get the warning . But lately, there have been days when I burned 900+ calories exercising. I ate a lot, but just did not eat all those calories back. I was short a few hundred calories net and did NOT get the usual warning that I'm eating too little. I'm wondering if it is because I was over 2000 actual calories ingested for the day even though my net was only like 1000. This has happened a few times now & it's making me wonder.

Spokez70

I usually eat 2800-3200 calories. I do a lot of bike riding and even eating some extra snacks on big weekends I've seen my 'net' below 1200 plenty of times...even below zero a few times. Not positive but I really don't remember MFP ever telling me I didn't eat enough.

daggoneit

You only get the warning if you EAT less than 1200 cals. If you eat more than 1200 but burn a lot so your Net is under 1200 you won't get the warning because you ate more than 1200.

bathsheba_c

Worth adding that MFP sets the 1200 as the minimum for legal reasons, not because that is the healthy minimum for you. You should be eating a minimum of your BMR daily, since those are the calories your body uses to stay alive.

daggoneit

For legal reasons? Could you explain?lol

bathsheba_c

So, you know how the US government basically assumes everyone needs 2,000 calories a day and bases % of RDA on nutritional labels based on that? The US government also suggests not eating under 1,200 calories a day for women in order to avoid malnutrition due to vitamin and mineral deficiencies, in addition to all sorts of lovely side effects related to hormones and metabolism.

A lot of people start diets and think that they should be eating as few calories as humanly possible. MFP wants to discourage that, so they send you cranky messages if you eat under 1,200 calories. However, 1,200 is actually too low for a lot of people, especially those who are larger (whether from being tall or from being overweight).