Is 1,200 calories a day too much?

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backwoods_beauty
backwoods_beauty Posts: 3
in Motivation and Support
Hello. I'm new to MFP, and I really need motivation.
I was wondering if 1,200 calories a day was too much? Because my mom told me that you start to lose a lot at 1,000...
So I'm not sure what to think. Should i change my calories to 1,000? or leave them the same?
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Replies

  • Saaaam42
    Saaaam42 Posts: 154 Member
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    1,200 is the MINIMUM. You don't want to starve yourself.
  • Healthydiner65
    Healthydiner65 Posts: 1,579 Member
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    Stay at or above 1200 unless you exercise then you can eat some of your exercise calories if you get hungry. Go for quality and volume.Say instead of a 500 calorie burger have a small one with a salad and vegetables and fruit. That is increasing your volume and keeps you satisfied longer. I am not suggesting you eat this all the time rather try to incorporate foods such as chicken, fish etc! Unless your vegan of course!!! Good Luck!
  • Frog4Food
    Frog4Food Posts: 1
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    God, I hope not! My goal according to this website is 1,333 calories per day and I'm WAY over every day so far.
  • helenta77
    helenta77 Posts: 45 Member
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    Hello. I'm new to MFP, and I really need motivation.
    I was wondering if 1,200 calories a day was too much? Because my mom told me that you start to lose a lot at 1,000...
    So I'm not sure what to think. Should i change my calories to 1,000? or leave them the same?
  • helenta77
    helenta77 Posts: 45 Member
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    Im on 1800 a day and i never reach it, i usualy dont go ove 1300 even if ive exercised.
  • DamnImASexyBitch
    DamnImASexyBitch Posts: 740 Member
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    It depends on your current height, weight, activity level, ect. I'm supposed to consume 1400 calories a day according to mfp, more if I've had a really great workout.
  • MrsScheidt
    MrsScheidt Posts: 207 Member
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    It really depends on your current height and weight. Also what type of lifestyle you have. If you're really active and you have over 50 lbs to lose, 1,200 is WAY too low!
  • irisheyez718
    irisheyez718 Posts: 677 Member
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    My Mom used to tell me 1,000 calories a day too, which is why I've never succeeded in the past. With my exercise, I usually eat around 2,000 a day and I'm losing just fine.
  • tobnrn
    tobnrn Posts: 477 Member
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    1200 is the bare minimum mfp will go. Its too low in my opinion. Figure out your TDEE & eat at 15-20% below that. Lots of calculators or search for dans roadmap.
  • lilmisfit
    lilmisfit Posts: 860 Member
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    Is your mom a dietician? If not, don't listen to her. Depending on your height/weight, you need AT LEAST 1200 calories to fuel your body!
  • needamulligan
    needamulligan Posts: 558 Member
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    1200 is the bare minimum mfp will go. Its too low in my opinion. Figure out your TDEE & eat at 15-20% below that. Lots of calculators or search for dans roadmap.

    Well, there you go! Enough said!
  • crystalflame
    crystalflame Posts: 1,049 Member
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    You can go down to 1000 to lose quickly, but it's just not a smart idea. It will be difficult to get all the nutrition you need, and when you finally lose all the weight and return to eating at normal levels your body will adjust poorly and you'll likely pile the weight back on. Depending on your weight and height, you should be eating somewhere between 1200 and 1800 calories.
  • tlrobson
    tlrobson Posts: 3 Member
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    OK. i started to take meal replacement protein drinks 3times a day and lost 27 pounds in 2.5 months after that i got so tired of the chocolate protein drinks i wanted FOOD, So i went to see i Dietician. she said in order to kept losing weight at the same pace, i should at a minimun consume 1200 max 1600 calories. So i have and lost 2-4 pounds per week. Do not eat less than 1200 your body will store fat. Good Luck with the lifestyle change:)
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    For the vast majority of folks it's way too few.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
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    Hello. I'm new to MFP, and I really need motivation.
    I was wondering if 1,200 calories a day was too much? Because my mom told me that you start to lose a lot at 1,000...
    So I'm not sure what to think. Should i change my calories to 1,000? or leave them the same?

    You're young and have NINE pounds to lose. You should be eating a helluva lot more than 1200 calories, let alone 1000 calories.

    Set your goal to a half pound a week, eat most of your exercise calories, and track your progress through how clothes fit, measurements and photos, not the scale.
  • daveyboy_685
    daveyboy_685 Posts: 19 Member
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    I am 6 feet and started at 322lbs a couple of weeks ago and am attending a weight management clinic.

    I was tested using a machine called a caloriemeter that help to measure your metabollic rate to help determine how many calories you burn while at rest. There are many factors in determining this information though.
    I was told the calorie intake needed to maintain my weight was 2764 calories a day. I thought that was alot untin I came to MFP and recognized how much all the sh*& added up to in calories and carbs. Taking 500 calories off that 2764 would mean I would lose 1 to 2 pounds a week! It works! After three weeks I am down 13 and counting as I have not weighed myself in 8 days.

    I started with this clinic as I am Diabetic, Hypertension, High Cholesterol and have Multiple Sclerosis so I am a walking time bomb and it was time....time to change that.

    I am told you can not deprive your body of anything but rather have everything in moderation and I also eat 8 times a day with two of them being just 50 calories 15 minutes before lunch and supper.

    Seek some professional advice from your Doctor and a nutitionalist.

    Here is the clinic I attend here in Burlington, Ontario, Canada and it is funded by the Government!

    http://www.whartonmedicalclinic.com/

    I am sure you can find such a place where you live.

    I hope this helps and best of luck to you.
  • cutiepieinchi
    cutiepieinchi Posts: 158
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    I would not survive on 1000 calories a day. It really depends on how active you are a day. I have 1470 and I eat some of my exercise calories.
  • kmmagik
    kmmagik Posts: 25
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    I was determined to eat less, had myself eating 700 - 900 calories a day but after a few days I ended up starving and then I splurged, it backfired on me. I did this 3 weeks in a row and while I lost a few pounds temporarily I ended up right back where I started at. A friend tried to convince me that I needed to eat at least 1200 calories a day then I joined this site and it told me the same thing so I've given in. The goal is to be healthy and sustain a weight loss so I swore I would keep my calories at 1200 a day. So, you're not alone in questioning this but give it a try...I am! :)
  • emilygh1974
    emilygh1974 Posts: 65 Member
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    I'm new and got this advice and I believe it's the best!

    "I would suggest, and I know this sounds insane, increasing your calories. There are many many people on here that believe "eat more to weight less" or "EMTWL", and I used to laugh at them, till I stopped losing at 1200 and tried it. I would suggest you figure out your BMR and TDEE, use this link or do an internet search, http://thefitgirls.com/tdee-calculator.aspx For the exercise, I usually exercise 6-7 days, but I use 5-6 on the calculator. When you have both numbers multiply the higher (TDEE) by .80, 80%. Compare that to your BMR, and eat around there. Custom set your goal on MFP to be that number, and DO NOT eat any exercise calories back. Give it 2 weeks and see what happens. If it does not work for you then try something else, but most people seem to do great this way."
  • gemstone29
    gemstone29 Posts: 16
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    1200 is pretty much the aboluste minimum your body needs to function. Everyones Base metabolic rate (BMR) is different and you can find a calculator for it in the tools section on this website. Basicaly that will tell you approximatley how many calories your body burns a day with no extra effort on your part.
    These calculations are just a good guess at best as there are lots of factors they don't take into consideration. I would suggest using the calculator and use that as a starting point. From there take an amount off that relates to our weight loss goals
    (there are 3500 calories in a pound of fat, so if you are trying to loose a pound a week you want a calorie defficency of approximatley 500 a day).
    If after a few days of this you feel tired and lethargic you may actually not be getting enough calories (remember the BMR is just a good guess) or you may be getting the wrong preportion of Maco and Micro nutrients for your body.
    Weight loss and health is such a personal thing and you will have to listen to your body for your personal best results. Its a bit of trial and error, but the most important thing to remeber is if you start starving yourself (i.e. going below 1200 calories a day) your body will go into starvation mode and eventually store fat rather then burning it like you want.

    And I am going to stop writing before this turns into an essay :laugh:

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