Changing Calorie Intake, thoughts?

missmacsays
missmacsays Posts: 681 Member
edited January 1 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone.
I initially started this and had a calorie per day goal of 1200 to lose 2lbs a week. I've had some weeks where I have, but some weeks where I haven't. The weeks I lost the most I noticed were the weeks I was consequently eating higher than that and working off a lot of it too, so it made me think that maybe it was better to try to up my calories and see if that makes a difference.
I've read and heard from people that under 1200 calories is bad for you because it starves your body. If my goal is at 1200 and I'm going under my goal, isn't that then a bad thing?
So I redid my goals on here and said I wanted to lose 1lb a week and it moved me to a little over 1600 calories/day.
Any thoughts on this? I'm not sure if I'm not doing as great lately because my calorie intake fluctuates a lot and it would be better if I have a higher goal to stay under?

Replies

  • malicent
    malicent Posts: 127
    Yup.
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,423 Member
    Try 1600 or a little under for a few weeks (at least 3 or 4) and see how your body responds. This really isn't a high calorie intake, especially if you are also working out.
  • wcasie
    wcasie Posts: 299 Member
    I just changed mine so i would lose 1lb a week instead of 2. I have been told that the caloric intake is higher but the loss is about the same. I wouldn't go below 1500 ever if you are working out
  • KellyJoMorris
    KellyJoMorris Posts: 35 Member
    I found this really useful

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    xx
  • teamiconic
    teamiconic Posts: 141 Member
    1200 calories in the minimum amount of calories a woman should ever go. If you go any lower your body will not be able to get enough nutrients.

    As far as loosing one week and then not loosing weight the seconds week (keeping mind that your workouts and nutrition are spot in) there is nothing to worry about. If you want more information reed this article that I have provided below.

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/of-whooshes-and-squishy-fat.html

    A goal is a goal, if your goal Is 1600 then I would work to hit that goal not work to stay under it.

    If I were you those burned calories that myfitness pal says you can now eat. NEVER do that.

    as far as your calories i would do this

    1,400 calories
    50% protein
    30% carbs
    20% fat

    Let me leave you with this,

    "You don't set out to build a wall. You don't say 'I'm going to build the biggest, baddest, greatest wall that's ever been built.' You don't start there. You say, 'I'm going to lay this brick as perfectly as a brick can be laid. You do that every single day. And soon you have a wall." ~ Will Smith

    Dont focus on the one pound a week, focus on making everyday the best day you can. And you will reach your goal
  • firedupfriend
    firedupfriend Posts: 140 Member
    I found this really useful

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    xx

    This was a very useful thread. Do yourself a favour and read it.
  • missmacsays
    missmacsays Posts: 681 Member
    I found this really useful

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    xx

    This was a very useful thread. Do yourself a favour and read it.

    I read it and it's definitely interesting. But it feels like it's suggesting a large amount of calories. I did it at 30% and it's pretty much what MFP auto-suggested for me as well. Maybe that's what I need to do to lose the weight. There's so many mixed opinions out there on what's best, it gets confusing!
  • missmacsays
    missmacsays Posts: 681 Member
    1200 calories in the minimum amount of calories a woman should ever go. If you go any lower your body will not be able to get enough nutrients.

    As far as loosing one week and then not loosing weight the seconds week (keeping mind that your workouts and nutrition are spot in) there is nothing to worry about. If you want more information reed this article that I have provided below.

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/of-whooshes-and-squishy-fat.html

    A goal is a goal, if your goal Is 1600 then I would work to hit that goal not work to stay under it.

    If I were you those burned calories that myfitness pal says you can now eat. NEVER do that.

    as far as your calories i would do this

    1,400 calories
    50% protein
    30% carbs
    20% fat

    Let me leave you with this,

    "You don't set out to build a wall. You don't say 'I'm going to build the biggest, baddest, greatest wall that's ever been built.' You don't start there. You say, 'I'm going to lay this brick as perfectly as a brick can be laid. You do that every single day. And soon you have a wall." ~ Will Smith

    Dont focus on the one pound a week, focus on making everyday the best day you can. And you will reach your goal

    Thank you! That website is really helpful. I'll have to go back and re-read some of the others on there and see what other info I can gather. As far as going under my goal, I see it all the time on people's posts and it seems to be thought of as a good thing, which confuses me to no end. I suppose if I eat my 1600 calories a day and then end up only netting 1200 because of working out, that's a good thing though right? Because then I'm not depleting my body?
  • jhall1255
    jhall1255 Posts: 99 Member
    im 192 and 5'4 and it started me at 1300 and i got down to 1200 and started binging bad after losing 30 lbs and i was maintaining but not losing ive recently added strength training and cardio and i upped my intake to 1410 for a few weeks and i gained a lb or two so i downed it to 1340 and i have lost 2 lbs and feel good it feels like the right amount to eat to me.
  • missmacsays
    missmacsays Posts: 681 Member
    im 192 and 5'4 and it started me at 1300 and i got down to 1200 and started binging bad after losing 30 lbs and i was maintaining but not losing ive recently added strength training and cardio and i upped my intake to 1410 for a few weeks and i gained a lb or two so i downed it to 1340 and i have lost 2 lbs and feel good it feels like the right amount to eat to me.

    I feel like it's definitely a guessing game to figure out what's best. But congrats on your loss! That's awesome. I need a kickstart to my diet and I think 1200 is too low for me. Unless I'm eating very low amounts of carbs. I think that's how I had a -4lb week when I began. But cutting out carbs probably won't be a permanent thing. It doesn't seem healthy to do that.
  • AnnaVee84
    AnnaVee84 Posts: 345 Member
    I found this really useful

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    xx

    ^^ this was really helpful!!
  • jhall1255
    jhall1255 Posts: 99 Member
    im 192 and 5'4 and it started me at 1300 and i got down to 1200 and started binging bad after losing 30 lbs and i was maintaining but not losing ive recently added strength training and cardio and i upped my intake to 1410 for a few weeks and i gained a lb or two so i downed it to 1340 and i have lost 2 lbs and feel good it feels like the right amount to eat to me.

    I feel like it's definitely a guessing game to figure out what's best. But congrats on your loss! That's awesome. I need a kickstart to my diet and I think 1200 is too low for me. Unless I'm eating very low amounts of carbs. I think that's how I had a -4lb week when I began. But cutting out carbs probably won't be a permanent thing. It doesn't seem healthy to do that.

    yeah you need a certain amount of carbs just not a lot. but i feel MFP estimates way to low or way to high. 1200 is to low you should def up your intake i think and just find what comfortable for you
  • missmacsays
    missmacsays Posts: 681 Member
    im 192 and 5'4 and it started me at 1300 and i got down to 1200 and started binging bad after losing 30 lbs and i was maintaining but not losing ive recently added strength training and cardio and i upped my intake to 1410 for a few weeks and i gained a lb or two so i downed it to 1340 and i have lost 2 lbs and feel good it feels like the right amount to eat to me.

    I feel like it's definitely a guessing game to figure out what's best. But congrats on your loss! That's awesome. I need a kickstart to my diet and I think 1200 is too low for me. Unless I'm eating very low amounts of carbs. I think that's how I had a -4lb week when I began. But cutting out carbs probably won't be a permanent thing. It doesn't seem healthy to do that.

    yeah you need a certain amount of carbs just not a lot. but i feel MFP estimates way to low or way to high. 1200 is to low you should def up your intake i think and just find what comfortable for you

    Thanks! I'm going to try what was suggested in that link a few up about using your body fat and measurements to try and calculate how many calories you need to sustain and then doing 30% below it. It's basically the calorie amount MFP suggested for me at losing 1lb a week, but I just adjusted down the carbs to 40% and the fat/protein to 30% per that site. I'll try it out for a month and see where it gets me before I decide if I need more or less.
  • phildawson75
    phildawson75 Posts: 205 Member
    I suppose if I eat my 1600 calories a day and then end up only netting 1200 because of working out, that's a good thing though right?

    Yep this is how it should be, your net is exactly this your net. :D if you had been eating 1200 and netting 800 after exercise you weren't really fueling your body properly.

    Im M / 5.7 / 142lbs but I've found eating between 1400-1700 and exercising back down to 1200 has worked for me, around 2.5lbs a week loss.
  • missmacsays
    missmacsays Posts: 681 Member
    I suppose if I eat my 1600 calories a day and then end up only netting 1200 because of working out, that's a good thing though right?

    Yep this is how it should be, your net is exactly this your net. :D if you had been eating 1200 and netting 800 after exercise you weren't really fueling your body properly.

    Im M / 5.7 / 142lbs but I've found eating between 1400-1700 and exercising back down to 1200 has worked for me, around 2.5lbs a week loss.

    That makes more sense! I usually burn between 200-250 a day, so I'm thinking that trying more calories would be the best for me. I don't want to net below 1200 because it's not been very beneficial to me.
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