1200 calories a day seems low

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melm413
melm413 Posts: 31 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello, I am a 27yo 5'5" tall female who weighs 135. I run for 3mi three times a week, but otherwise I have a desk job, so am sitting a lot. MyFitnessPal calculated that I should only eat 1200 calories a day. That seems REALLY low considering my BMI is 1420.85 and my TDEE is 1954. Can anyone give any advice on how many calories I should be eating to lose around 15lbs?

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  • kaylalryan
    kaylalryan Posts: 136 Member
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    I assume that you have your settings to lose 2lbs a week based on that calculation?
  • melm413
    melm413 Posts: 31 Member
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    Yes, that's correct.
  • michellepeds
    michellepeds Posts: 1
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    when you exercise you'll see you can eat more and still lose weight based on the calculation. It may end up being a weekly average calculation.
  • kaylalryan
    kaylalryan Posts: 136 Member
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    Yes, that's correct.

    1200 cals in low...especially if you are running 3x a week (even with a desk job)... you are probably going to want to change it to more like 1 lb a week.
  • sandradev1
    sandradev1 Posts: 786 Member
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    You have probably put into MFP that you want to lose 2lb a week. That is far too steep, particularly for someone your weight as you cannot have that much to lose. Change it to 1lb a week and it will give you more calories.

    Yes you are right, it is far too little. You need to eat at least your BMR and ideally should eat no more than 20% less than your TDEE, giving you around 1600 cals. This would then give you enough fuel for your running.
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
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    Or since you know your TDEE, you can manually set your goals and have your total calories be your TDEE-10-15%.

    More info is here:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets
  • shrinkingsusie
    shrinkingsusie Posts: 40 Member
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    For some reason, MFP puts a lot of people at 1200 calories. Check this out. It has helped a lot of people.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/8017-in-place-of-a-road-map
  • melm413
    melm413 Posts: 31 Member
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    Yes you are right, it is far too little. You need to eat at least your BMR and ideally should eat no more than 20% less than your TDEE, giving you around 1600 cals. This would then give you enough fuel for your running.

    I feel like 1600 calories seems like a lot to try to lose 1lb/wk?
  • ubermensch13
    ubermensch13 Posts: 824 Member
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    Google "TDEE calculator" and figure it out for yourself. I wouldn't be surprised for it to be in the neighborhood of 1600 cals. Losing 1lb a week is only a 500 cal deficit. Maintenance for you is probably over 2000 cals.
  • 00sarah
    00sarah Posts: 621 Member
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    It is low! Mines 1430/day, but I run a lot... The days you exercise you can eat more. And change it to 1pm/week.

    1lb*
  • Shal1217
    Shal1217 Posts: 37
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    I'm 5'3", weigh 135lbs as well, work out 5 days a week (and run at least 4 out of the 5), and put that I want to lose 1lb/week and it still gives me 1200 calories... which is the bare minimum I can eat. Every time I come in under (not often), it warns me that I'm under eating and that it's not good. lol I can never win!
  • foleyshirley
    foleyshirley Posts: 1,043 Member
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    Yes you are right, it is far too little. You need to eat at least your BMR and ideally should eat no more than 20% less than your TDEE, giving you around 1600 cals. This would then give you enough fuel for your running.

    I feel like 1600 calories seems like a lot to try to lose 1lb/wk?

    It works for me, and I am 48 years old (and female). You can figure out your own numbers using the links provided by other posters. Then try it for 3 to 4 weeks and see how it goes. If you have been at 1200 calories or lower for a while, you may see an initial gain (pretty much water), but that should not last long.

    Or, you can set MFP to lose 1 pound per week, and also eat back your exercise calories.
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
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    Yes you are right, it is far too little. You need to eat at least your BMR and ideally should eat no more than 20% less than your TDEE, giving you around 1600 cals. This would then give you enough fuel for your running.

    I feel like 1600 calories seems like a lot to try to lose 1lb/wk?

    I lose weight eating 1850. It may seem high, but the numbers work. That said, calculators are estimates, so trial and error is required. Give a higher number (based on your TDEE you gave, 1600 would be good) a chance - and stick it out for six weeks before giving up. The point isn't to starve yourself until the weight comes off but to eat at a reasonable deficit that can be sustained for a long period and then slowly increase towards maintenance levels (at TDEE). Keep in mind that as you lose weight your TDEE will change, so you should recalculate every 5-10 pounds.
  • foleyshirley
    foleyshirley Posts: 1,043 Member
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    I'm 5'3", weigh 135lbs as well, work out 5 days a week (and run at least 4 out of the 5), and put that I want to lose 1lb/week and it still gives me 1200 calories... which is the bare minimum I can eat. Every time I come in under (not often), it warns me that I'm under eating and that it's not good. lol I can never win!

    That is probably because, at 135 pounds, you don't have much more to lose. So 1 pound per week may not be realistic. You may want to drop it to 0.5 pounds per week. Or work out your numbers (BMR and TDEE) using the links provided, and see where you should be.
  • Shal1217
    Shal1217 Posts: 37
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    Hmm ok, makes sense. Thanks!
  • bathsheba_c
    bathsheba_c Posts: 1,873 Member
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    1600 calories sounds exactly right. I'm 5'5" and 138 lbs. with a TDEE minus exercise of about 1700, and I am set at 1460 to lose 1/2 lb. a week.
  • VTSarah07
    VTSarah07 Posts: 35
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    Yes you are right, it is far too little. You need to eat at least your BMR and ideally should eat no more than 20% less than your TDEE, giving you around 1600 cals. This would then give you enough fuel for your running.

    I feel like 1600 calories seems like a lot to try to lose 1lb/wk?

    I know you feel like 1600 is a lot of calories to eat while trying to lose weight but try to think back to before you started this and remember every single thing you ate in 1 day and add it to your food diary and see what you come up with. You will probably see that without even realizing it you were consuming way more calories than necessary.

    Additionally, if you, on a normal day, for example, were used to taking in 2000 calories you dont want to just drop down to 1,200. You will be really hungry and hate it. If you are used to taking in 2000, then just lower it to 1800 (which would mean in 1 week you are taking in 1,400 less calories). Once you are comfortable with that, drop it down to 1600. That way you avoid feeling like you are starving because you stomach is shrinking. Does that make sense?

    Those are just 2 ideas. Like others have said, you have to work with the numbers, especially when you are running. If you dont eat enough you may feel faint or dizzy while running or may not have the energy to go on a run, which defeats the whole purpose.

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