Unsure newbie!

kerrilholden

Hi all,
This is my second day using mfp & so far it has been fantastic! However I am concerned I may not be eating enough & if I'm not will I still lose weight? The recommended calorie intake for me is 1880 per day, however I haven't met the full 1880 I have only used around 1200. Do I need to meet the 1880 requirement every day in order for this to work for me, or is it ok to be under? Any information would be much appreciated :-)

refinedredbird

Really the minimum you should be eating is 1200, if you go below that you are not eating enough for your body to work properly. Every day my calorie intake fluctuates between 1200-1600 generally. As long as you are eating a deficit of calories every day, you will lose weight.

MinnieInMaine

The above poster is right, 1200 is the bare minimum. Plus, as someone with more to lose, your body can handle a larger deficit better than someone with only say 20 pounds to lose. However you do need to make sure you're fueling your body correctly so that everything is working right and so that you lose correctly (lose fat, not muscle). If you're active, make sure you're eating a bit more so your NET calories (consumed minus burned through exercise) are never lower than 1200.

If you have a hard time meeting the 1200 on a regular basis...I'm not sure exactly what you're eating but I'll assume at least some of it is "diet" (low fat, low cal, light, etc) food...swap some of those products out for the real versions. The real versions tend to be better for you anyway as diet versions are more processed and/or have higher sodium or sugar content in order to make them taste better. Also, snack on healthy calorie dense foods like nuts, seeds, nut butters, eggs, lean protein, etc.

Good luck!

kerrilholden

Thank you!