confused about daily calorie limits

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jetsmaw
jetsmaw Posts: 16 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I was telling a relative of the 1200 calorie limit MFP gave me when I let the programme set my goal. She is a health and fitness lecturer and says that 1200 is far too low for anyone and that I should be on at least 1400 a day.

I've googled info on this and its all conflicting. Some reports saying I should be consuming more to lose weight and others saying I should stick with 1200. Scottish Slimmers would allow 50 checks which works out as 1250 cals so they're saying the same as MFP but other places say that if I stick to that I'd be starving myself.

I'm just really confused by it all.

Some days when I exercise I struggle to consume the appropriate number of calories (1200+exercsise cals) so wonder how I'm expected to eat more before exercise. I haven't changed my eating habits massively just been more structured about meals and not eating crisps and stopped drinking coke every day.

Can anyone shed any light on this for me?

Replies

  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
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    Do you have trouble staying on 1200? Are you hungry? Do you have no energy? If you said no to everything, I'd guess you're fine. This is pretty mainstream advice.

    I actually played with 3 different NIH models of weight loss the past few days and they were all within 100 calories of MFP. It is important you add in exercise calories (at least some) though.
  • jetsmaw
    jetsmaw Posts: 16 Member
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    I dont really have trouble staying on 1200 and only really get hungry one or two days a week but havent had any loss in 3 weeks ( i gained 2.5 kg although just finished steroid dose)

    I just get confused when I'm told different things by different places.
  • Tenar13
    Tenar13 Posts: 49 Member
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    If you post your stats ie age, weight, height and exercise you do then I will run your numbers and hopefully can help you shed some light on what you should ideally be eating. The key is to eat below the total energy (TDEE) you are burning whilst eating above your basal metabolic rate (BMR).

    What I have found is that it is vital to measure things where you can weighing to get exact calories this will ensure that you are accurately managing your intake.

    You will need to work out your activity level
    What do you do during the day (do you do lots of housework, cleaning, vaccuming etc)
    How much exercise are you doing (classes, walking, etc) and for how long in the week

    Dependin on whether you want to go the MPF route (set basic activity level and eat back exercise calories) or the EMTLW way of taking your TDEE cutting a percentage and not eating back then you will have the calories you should be eating. I have found the latter simpler as it gives you a single daily figure to eat and you do not have to worry about factoring the extra exercise calories on a daily basis.

    I understand that your thyroid may make loss more difficult but hopefully if we can shed some light on your numbers it might give you something to work with.

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