Is it bad that my net calories are under 1200?

Options
2»

Replies

  • twinketta
    twinketta Posts: 2,130 Member
    Options
    So MFP has me eating about 1390 calories as my default deficit. When I add my exercise, it's about 1600 - 1700 calories. Right now i'm at about 1400 calories, but my net calories are still under 1200. Only by less than 100 though. Is this bad?
    My exercise isn't very intense, just weight lifting for 30 minutes and walking for about 45 minutes. Any opinions?

    I looked back a little over your diary for the past week and you have only logged yesterdays cals? So how do you know for sure that you are eating under a net value of 1200 cals?

    But to answer your question, now and again is OK but you really need to net 1200 cals as otherwise long term you will find that your body doesn`t react too good to so little food. Nails, hair, skin to start and then organ function can go down if you are not feeding them properly?

    IMO just add an extra bit of food to reach your net, good luck x

    I hadn't been able to get online to log my calories lately, but I eat the same things every day. Almost literally. I keep track of my calories on a notebook when I'm not tracking here.
    But if I eat over 1200 calories, with or without exercise, what's the problem?

    It is your life and you have asked question :smile:

    If you want to take on board the answer that I have given you, then it is entirely up to you. I am not an expert, and I would imagine many of the people on MFP are not experts!

    But what I have learned is that eating too little or under estimating/over estimating food/exercise can be a problem in the long run.

    You must do, what you want to do, if it suits you then go with it. What I am suggesting is that long term if you eat too little (netting less than 1200 cals) then you may find your nails get brittle, your skin isn`t as good as it could be, your hair loses its shine.

    Ultimately, these little parts of your body need to be fed, to be the best they can be. Your brain,liver,heart etc need a certain amount of sustenance to work int he best way possible. This is why we have a BMR which is usually the 1200 cals that we are given.
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    Options
    So MFP has me eating about 1390 calories as my default deficit. When I add my exercise, it's about 1600 - 1700 calories. Right now i'm at about 1400 calories, but my net calories are still under 1200. Only by less than 100 though. Is this bad?
    My exercise isn't very intense, just weight lifting for 30 minutes and walking for about 45 minutes. Any opinions?

    I looked back a little over your diary for the past week and you have only logged yesterdays cals? So how do you know for sure that you are eating under a net value of 1200 cals?

    But to answer your question, now and again is OK but you really need to net 1200 cals as otherwise long term you will find that your body doesn`t react too good to so little food. Nails, hair, skin to start and then organ function can go down if you are not feeding them properly?

    IMO just add an extra bit of food to reach your net, good luck x

    I hadn't been able to get online to log my calories lately, but I eat the same things every day. Almost literally. I keep track of my calories on a notebook when I'm not tracking here.
    But if I eat over 1200 calories, with or without exercise, what's the problem?

    1200 isn't some magical number - you should avoid eating below a certain deficit of your TDEE simply because you will be much hungrier and likely to go bonkers and you are asking you body to significantly adjust your metabolism by reducing muscle mass along with the fat focused weight loss. Less muscle, less metabolism. Try to eat at about TDEE - 20%. Search for new road map here for excellent instructions on this....
  • adelitas_star
    adelitas_star Posts: 91
    Options
    I have my net at 1,000 - 1,200 almost every day . It means I could be eating 1,500 - 1,600 and still be netting 1,000 ... I don't worry about it. I'm not starving. I don't even feel hungry once I get up to 1,600. If I am netting at 400, thats when I know it isn't doing me good. HECK, I've seen girls netting at negative numbers, now that is scary!!

    It's fine if your net varies from day to day. If it's 1,400 one day, and 1,100 the next.... don't stress over it. Just don't aim to create the lowest net that you can, either!

    Good luck!

    Well have you been losing weight this way?? All in all I eat around my BMR per day. Which is between 1400 - 1500 calories. I never aim to make a low net :)

    Yes, I have been losing this way. Even when I occasionally binge a few times during the month... I still manage to shed weight. (I only weigh in once a month... though... lol.)

    My RMR is about 1,430 calories. But, it's always just an estimate. Mine could really be 1,390 or 1,500. Depending on muscle mass and such.

    Really, the exercise on here is only an estimate at calories burned. While some exercises tell me I burn 300 I could really only be burning 200 , or I could be burning 400 ... All these tools on MFP are only guidelines... =)

    So, when it shows you net 1,000 ... for all you know it could really be 1,100.

    (If none of that is too confusing!! )

    If you want, I have some forum links on my profile and they might explain it better. Just make an effort to eat some exercise calories back... like, atleast half! And if you feel extremely hungry... eat something. Drink enough water, and all that healthy stuff...You don't sound like you are starving. Youre doing good!

    =P

    I know that it isn't really that accurate. I guess it's probably 50 - 100 calories off, just depending. Glad to know you're losing weight. I'll try to eat about 1600 calories a day since my TDEE is about 2000 - 2100 and do my exercise and all like I have been.
  • adelitas_star
    adelitas_star Posts: 91
    Options
    So MFP has me eating about 1390 calories as my default deficit. When I add my exercise, it's about 1600 - 1700 calories. Right now i'm at about 1400 calories, but my net calories are still under 1200. Only by less than 100 though. Is this bad?
    My exercise isn't very intense, just weight lifting for 30 minutes and walking for about 45 minutes. Any opinions?

    I looked back a little over your diary for the past week and you have only logged yesterdays cals? So how do you know for sure that you are eating under a net value of 1200 cals?

    But to answer your question, now and again is OK but you really need to net 1200 cals as otherwise long term you will find that your body doesn`t react too good to so little food. Nails, hair, skin to start and then organ function can go down if you are not feeding them properly?

    IMO just add an extra bit of food to reach your net, good luck x

    I hadn't been able to get online to log my calories lately, but I eat the same things every day. Almost literally. I keep track of my calories on a notebook when I'm not tracking here.
    But if I eat over 1200 calories, with or without exercise, what's the problem?

    1200 isn't some magical number - you should avoid eating below a certain deficit of your TDEE simply because you will be much hungrier and likely to go bonkers and you are asking you body to significantly adjust your metabolism by reducing muscle mass along with the fat focused weight loss. Less muscle, less metabolism. Try to eat at about TDEE - 20%. Search for new road map here for excellent instructions on this....

    I'm not saying 1200 is a magical number, lol. I don't believe that, but I was worried I'd be causing my body damage if I netted under 1200. My TDEE is roughly 2000 - 2100 so I try to keep my calories at 1650.
  • jasmine101010
    jasmine101010 Posts: 24
    Options
    The thing is I am not hungry at all and if i eat something then I will feel sick :(

    I will prob have an apple or something like that
  • the_fat_monkey
    the_fat_monkey Posts: 106
    Options
    bump
  • twinketta
    twinketta Posts: 2,130 Member
    Options
    The thing is I am not hungry at all and if i eat something then I will feel sick :(

    I will prob have an apple or something like that

    Oh my days! eat some more, I know you want to lose weight fast, we all do! but your diary is seriously lacking in food...but it is your life x
  • ObtainingBalance
    ObtainingBalance Posts: 1,446 Member
    Options
    So MFP has me eating about 1390 calories as my default deficit. When I add my exercise, it's about 1600 - 1700 calories. Right now i'm at about 1400 calories, but my net calories are still under 1200. Only by less than 100 though. Is this bad?
    My exercise isn't very intense, just weight lifting for 30 minutes and walking for about 45 minutes. Any opinions?

    I looked back a little over your diary for the past week and you have only logged yesterdays cals? So how do you know for sure that you are eating under a net value of 1200 cals?

    But to answer your question, now and again is OK but you really need to net 1200 cals as otherwise long term you will find that your body doesn`t react too good to so little food. Nails, hair, skin to start and then organ function can go down if you are not feeding them properly?

    IMO just add an extra bit of food to reach your net, good luck x

    I hadn't been able to get online to log my calories lately, but I eat the same things every day. Almost literally. I keep track of my calories on a notebook when I'm not tracking here.
    But if I eat over 1200 calories, with or without exercise, what's the problem?

    1200 isn't some magical number - you should avoid eating below a certain deficit of your TDEE simply because you will be much hungrier and likely to go bonkers and you are asking you body to significantly adjust your metabolism by reducing muscle mass along with the fat focused weight loss. Less muscle, less metabolism. Try to eat at about TDEE - 20%. Search for new road map here for excellent instructions on this....

    I'm not saying 1200 is a magical number, lol. I don't believe that, but I was worried I'd be causing my body damage if I netted under 1200. My TDEE is roughly 2000 - 2100 so I try to keep my calories at 1650.

    good. Just keep a deficit. You know where your TDEE is and you know what you're eating; If you have a deficit from 300-800 you will be fine!

Categories