Another 1200 calorie question

startheory
startheory Posts: 63
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi

I'm fairly new to this board.. I started using it again religiously a few weeks ago. I found success with the 1200 calorie diet. Nothing else worked.. the 1300, 1800, 2000, etc. I've been on it for almost 3 weeks now and have dropped 4 lbs (yay!)

My question is for those with success on this type of diet. If you reach your goal, what amount of calories should you consume? I've tried looking up the BMR and TDEE to get an estimate and am getting about 1800 a day. Does that sound reasonable? I have a sedentary job but I do exercise 3 to 4 times a week. I'm scared once I reach my goal that I'll be right back where I started. Ugh and I don't want that.

Any insight would be nice :)

Replies

  • rachelabdy
    rachelabdy Posts: 52 Member
    Sorry, I don't know about the BMR and TDEE stuff - I just go on the MFP settings and have found that has worked for me, so I don't want to muck with it. Am 1/2 way there so have dropped my weekly goal from 2 to 1 pound and have enjoyed the increase in calories, but still losing, just not as much per week as I was before.
  • Crochetluvr
    Crochetluvr Posts: 3,278 Member
    I plan on just increasing a little at a time until I find my maintenance point. I don't use the BMR/TDEE calculations, either.
  • ajhugz
    ajhugz Posts: 452 Member
    I would slowly raise my calories every couple weeks after I reach my goal weight.
  • startheory
    startheory Posts: 63
    Thanks for the replies! I think I will slowly raise them. 1800 just sounds too high for someone who is on the petite side and has a desk job =/
  • kortmar1
    kortmar1 Posts: 3
    Michelle Bridges is an advocate of 1200 to maintain but feel free to eat the extra calories if you exercise.

    I have dropped about 12kg and am currently doing the juggle act to find the balance - the only "problem" (if you can can call it that) is that I am now quite fit and enjoying the exercise and in fact, as it gets easier am increasing the distances and intensity so the calorie count used in exercise is going up!

    One thing I am conscious of is still making a treat just that, a treat - and if you are eating a bit more to make up for the exercise, make sure its good food, dont make up the difference with crap!
    :bigsmile:
  • startheory
    startheory Posts: 63
    I had no idea she supported it. Great to know, thank you!

    Yes and maintaining is hardly a problem haha. But I totally get where you're coming from :)
  • violinkeri
    violinkeri Posts: 212
    The problem with using 1200 as a 'maintenance' amount is that everybody is different, so its the very specific person that maintains at 1200.

    If you dont want to use the BMR/TDEE, this formual is a little less confusing:

    Take your goal weight and convert to kg (multiply by 2.2). Then multiply by any number 25-30, and thats the maintenance calories for the goal weight.

    This is the formula that dietitians use in hospitals to maintain the weight of patients. there is a range to multiply because every person is a little different and you may have to experiment to find your sweet spot.

    That said, I find that my results are very similar to the TDEE/BMR results, with a much less complicated formula. I am losing weight at about 1600 calories a day.

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