Is 1,200 calories a day too much?

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?
«1

Replies

  • Saaaam42
    Saaaam42 Posts: 154 Member
    1,200 is the MINIMUM. You don't want to starve yourself.
  • Healthydiner65
    Healthydiner65 Posts: 1,455 Member
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    For the vast majority of folks it's way too few.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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:
  • cmeade20
    cmeade20 Posts: 1,238 Member
    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.
    This^^^^^


    As a reference point I am 5'2 119 lbs (last I checked anyway I hardly ever weigh myself) and I eat 1390 + my exercise calories. And on days I work I eat more because I am a parttime waitress. That means anywhere from 1600-2000 calories a day. And I am in the best shape I have ever been in.
  • GeliPearl401
    GeliPearl401 Posts: 11
    In my situation, at first, 1200 was almost not enough. Being that I'm Asian (as if you can't tell by my picture lol), we LOVE rice. I had a difficult time decreasing my rice in take because we eat rice with EVERYTHING. A half cup of rice was literally just about 200 calories. Each time my remaining calories decreased, the more I panicked. Now, I'm still struggling ever so often because let's face it, I'll never cut rice out of my meals. I still have it at least once a day but I've learned to add more greens and fruits. I love apples so I have a minimum 3 a day, in between meals. At this point, 1200 is working ok for me. I will eventually start to challenge my calorie in take here and there but being aware of the types of food I put in my body helps a lot. So, I'm no expert, however maybe you should snack on fruits or veggies to make sure you eat the minimum of 1200. If this becomes too much for your stomach to handle, then MAYBE you should eat fewer calories but try not to eat too few.
  • Sarah_Wins
    Sarah_Wins Posts: 936 Member
    No offense, but your Mom is clearly no expert, to say the LEAST. There are quite a few people around MFP who've done the research, gone through the experiences, lost the weight and built the muscle. These are the people you should be listening to.

    And, for God's sake, EAT!
  • G__Force
    G__Force Posts: 280 Member
    It is going to depends on your body, everyone burns calories different. You may have a great metabolism that will burn everything you eat and then some or you may have to work your but off to burn everything you eat. It also depends on how active you are, if you’re a couch spud all day and then go work out for an hour and expect to burn off 1500 calories you may end up being disappointed but if your active and moving all day then got work out for an hour that 1500 calories may not feel like enough. I am a fairly active person mfp tell me I burn 2300 calories a day so if I only consume 1600 I will loose weight. On the weekends when I am a lot less active I only need about 1300 calories to maintain.
    Hope this helps
    Good luck,
  • gemstone29
    gemstone29 Posts: 16
    I know I'm going to get flamed for this but here goes.

    Yes, it can be. I had been told for years that 1200 was the absolute minimum the body needs before going into the so called "starvation mode" Which, quite honestly is pure BS. If that were the case the more you ate the more you would lose. That's clearly not true because then there would be no need to diet. If eating less caused you to stop losing weight then then no one would starve to death. I stuck to a 1200 calorie diet for years and and dropped from 208 to 162 with exercise but no matter what my diet consisted of or how much i exercised I simply could not drop below 162 which still left me with a BMI above 30 which is considered obese.

    I literally felt over full if I tried to stay at 1200 even if I broke it into 5 or 6 meals so about a month and a half ago I just decided to eat 200 calories or less per meal because I found that to be the magic number for me, I feel satisfied but not stuffed and bloated. I eat 3 times a day and occasionally I'll have a 50 calorie snack between meals and I seldom go over 600 per day and if I go over 800 I literally feel uncomfortably stuffed.

    I stay as far away from any kind of fat as I can and I don't do sugar at all. Not even fruit. Since then I've lost 9lbs and I feel fantastic.

    The research I've done indicates that the body needs a bare minimum of 500 calories a day to sustain bodily functions but that does not take in to account the fat stores already in the body already. If you're 300 lbs then doing a few weeks of 500 calories a day is not going to kill you. When your BMI drops too low, (below 8% I think it is but don't quote me on that) that's when the body starts eating muscle.

    Try eating a 200 to 300 calorie meal then give your stomach 20 minutes to get the message to your brain. You'll be surprised how full you feel on so little.

    At the risk of starting one of those never ending arguments on weight loss and nutrition. I have to ask if you have ever had you metabolisim checked?
    Everyone hits a platue at some point because your body gets used to functioning with a smaller energy intake however it does this by slowing down your metabolisim. If you start really low then you have nowhere left to go because you metabolisim can become non existant.
    BMI is also not really a full proof tool for measurment because it doesnt account for difference in leam muscel mass or bone structure. You could have a body fat percentage of 5% and still be in the obesity BMI range.
    I am not going to go into the nutritional issues with cutting out all fat and sugar (including fruit) as this post is asking about caloires but I personally think this approach is drastic.
    That said, there are all sorts of drastic dieting methods that work for people so there you go.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    It is going to depends on your body, everyone burns calories different. You may have a great metabolism that will burn everything you eat and then some or you may have to work your but off to burn everything you eat. It also depends on how active you are, if you’re a couch spud all day and then go work out for an hour and expect to burn off 1500 calories you may end up being disappointed but if your active and moving all day then got work out for an hour that 1500 calories may not feel like enough. I am a fairly active person mfp tell me I burn 2300 calories a day so if I only consume 1600 I will loose weight. On the weekends when I am a lot less active I only need about 1300 calories to maintain.
    Hope this helps
    Good luck,
    You're a 46 year old man who only needs 1300 calories to maintain? Wow.
    I'm a 47 year old woman who needs more than that.
  • miss_ally08
    miss_ally08 Posts: 167 Member
    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."

    I am going to try this after I weigh-in this week and see what happens. Thank you for sharing it!! :)
  • nanainkent
    nanainkent Posts: 350 Member
    When you eat too few calories the problem is that your body does go into starvation mode. This does not mean that you don't lose weight, you do in fact. But what happens is when you go off your diet your body thinks that if it doesn't store the fat then it will starve again so it is the" starvation mode" of hoarding fat. So if you have 9 pounds to lose now you will probably take them off. But as you begin to eat again (and you will) you will end up with that 9 pounds back and it brought some friends with it and they are stubborn. Another reason to eat at the level of your body is your nutrition. You would not only be losing fat but you would be losing nutrients as well. Causing such things as hair loss, dry skin, brittle nails, fatigue, lower imunity. There are many more. If you do decide to do this (I am for different reasons though) please be sure you take some hefty doses of vitamins and minerals. Try to pick high protien foods.
  • csheltra26
    csheltra26 Posts: 272 Member
    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!

    This!!
  • tryclyn
    tryclyn Posts: 2,414 Member
    I would start here.


    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/717565-in-place-of-a-road-map

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/3817-eat-more-to-weigh-less

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