1200 or less calories

Hey everyone,
just new to MFP and want to know do most people eat a min of 1200 calories or if i can do with less, eat less?

Replies

  • drmerc
    drmerc Posts: 2,603 Member
    Eat more than 1200 calories, you'll thank me later
  • maqsmj
    maqsmj Posts: 697
    guys tend not to eat as less as girls, i eat 2000 on a diet, while i know some girls who eats 1800-2000 on a diet too , 1200 is aplicable according to your body, so that mentioned this is a post i had in another thread please look at it so you will be doing things the right way, because if u eat way too less you can basicly hurt ur self

    if you dont know how to get your BF% ( Body Fat % ) please let me know and i will telling you how to calculate it

    BTW if u are a lady or not i do not know but eat your fats cuz it will effect your hormons
    """""""""""""""""""""""""""""
    i personally use

    http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm

    i go to advance options and choose Katch-McCardle equation which requires BF%

    this is the most accurate thing

    test your calories out for 2 weeks if the scale go down u r on the right track, if it goes up then reduce it by 10%-20%

    the scale and experience is the only accurate way and all calculators is just a baseline to start from
  • drmerc
    drmerc Posts: 2,603 Member
    guys tend not to eat as less as girls, i eat 2000 on a diet, while i know some girls who eats 1800-2000 on a diet too , 1200 is aplicable according to your body, so that mentioned this is a post i had in another thread please look at it so you will be doing things the right way, because if u eat way too less you can basicly hurt ur self

    if you dont know how to get your BF% ( Body Fat % ) please let me know and i will telling you how to calculate it

    BTW if u are a lady or not i do not know but eat your fats cuz it will effect your hormons
    """""""""""""""""""""""""""""
    i personally use

    http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm

    i go to advance options and choose Katch-McCardle equation which requires BF%

    this is the most accurate thing

    test your calories out for 2 weeks if the scale go down u r on the right track, if it goes up then reduce it by 10%-20%

    the scale and experience is the only accurate way and all calculators is just a baseline to start from

    1332573085106.jpg
  • maqsmj
    maqsmj Posts: 697
    Layla, i read your about me section and i will suggest IIFYM " Flexible dieting " you can eat whatever you want but be under your calori needs and you will be fine, but im guessing u r a lady so keep in mind that u need to have ur fats in as not eating fact will effect ur hormons badly
  • rose313
    rose313 Posts: 1,146 Member
    I eat 1200 and I do fine, although I'm not afraid to go up to 1500 if I exercise a lot and feel like I need more food. 1200 is right for some and not for others. I'm short and don't have a ton to lose, so I handle 1200 just fine.
  • islandnutshel
    islandnutshel Posts: 1,143 Member
    This depends on your size and physical activity. 1200 is very low, and is only advisable if you are a tiny seditary person. If so, exercise to eat more so that you can fuel the body, and make it a fat burning machine.


    If you want long term success, don't starve your body.
  • _granola
    _granola Posts: 326
    Please don't eat less. Please eat more. Set reasonable goals, like losing 1 lb per week instead of 2 lbs, and choosing an appropriate activity level on MFP.
  • drmerc
    drmerc Posts: 2,603 Member
    Please don't eat less. Please eat more. Set reasonable goals, like losing 1 lb per week instead of 2 lbs, and choosing an appropriate activity level on MFP.

    Listen to her, she's really smart
  • layla51
    layla51 Posts: 7 Member
    Thanks everyone great to get others opinions :)
  • gabriellejayde
    gabriellejayde Posts: 607 Member
    Please don't eat less. Please eat more. Set reasonable goals, like losing 1 lb per week instead of 2 lbs, and choosing an appropriate activity level on MFP.

    without knowing the OP's health, height, or current weight, why would you suggest that a 1lb per week loss is more reasonable than a 2lb per week loss?

    If she was 300lbs, are you suggesting that it take her 2 years to get under 200? that doesn't sound reasonable.

    not attacking, just asking about your reasoning.
  • BACONJOKESRSOFUNNY
    BACONJOKESRSOFUNNY Posts: 666 Member
    BTW if u are a lady or not i do not know but eat your fats cuz it will effect your hormons
    The hormons knocked on my door yesterday, offering me their Book of Hormon.
  • _granola
    _granola Posts: 326
    Please don't eat less. Please eat more. Set reasonable goals, like losing 1 lb per week instead of 2 lbs, and choosing an appropriate activity level on MFP.

    without knowing the OP's health, height, or current weight, why would you suggest that a 1lb per week loss is more reasonable than a 2lb per week loss?

    If she was 300lbs, are you suggesting that it take her 2 years to get under 200? that doesn't sound reasonable.

    not attacking, just asking about your reasoning.

    She has 47 lbs to lose, not hundreds. She is 23, not post-menopausal (older women can often do better on less calories than younger women). I will gladly help folks determine reasonable calorie goals if they give me their stats. But 1200 calories or less for a young woman for a long period of time will not help maintain her lean body mass, will likely mess up her hormones if she does it for long enough, and who knows how long someone can maintain their sanity and health (since adequate nutrition is hard to get on 1200 calories or less).

    This kind of restriction sets most women up for failure. I know, because I spent 2 years eating and thinking like this. The answer is not always to eat less.
  • Hadunka
    Hadunka Posts: 59 Member
    It depends on your current weight and physical activity. If I want to loose 1,5 lbs weekly I should eat without any activity these 1200 kcal. I do every day some workout I eat about 1800-2200 daily. And I´m losing - still about 2 pounds weekly.
  • Hey everyone,
    just new to MFP and want to know do most people eat a min of 1200 calories or if i can do with less, eat less?

    I'd die. I don't recommend it. That. Is. All.
  • layla51
    layla51 Posts: 7 Member
    i'm a female aged 23 weight 175 at present at my height is 5foot 7 inches hope this helps
  • _granola
    _granola Posts: 326
    i'm a female aged 23 weight 175 at present at my height is 5foot 7 inches hope this helps

    How often do you exercise per week?
  • maqsmj
    maqsmj Posts: 697
    i'm a female aged 23 weight 175 at present at my height is 5foot 7 inches hope this helps

    read my post before and i wish you will read it, try it and maybe understand it, thats the only way to get some real numbers
  • layla51
    layla51 Posts: 7 Member
    walk at a slow to moderate pace 7 nights a week for 30 mins then zumba on a sat 4 45 mins then maybe a swim on a tuesday for 30 mins
  • _granola
    _granola Posts: 326
    1r7o8m.png

    The first number circled at the bottom is your BMR. Try not to eat less than that total per day.

    The second number is about what you should eat total per day. So you would set up your diary manually with this number and then not add calories for exercise, or add it as 1 calorie like many others do. That way, it does not add extra calories for you to eat.

    If this is confusing, go here: http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator
    And enter in the numbers yourself, choosing a lower activity level. The you can add exercise here and eat your exercise calories.

    Pay no attention to the meals per day or macronutrient ratios in this calculator. They mean very little, if anything.
  • layla51
    layla51 Posts: 7 Member
    Thanks for doing that out gives me a much better idea of the amount of calories I should aim for :smile:
  • kirlia
    kirlia Posts: 81 Member
    MFP recommends I eat 1200 calories per day (with the goal of losing 1 lb per week) excluding exercise. But most days I do at least SOMETHING active, so I'm usually eating 1300-1500. I don't think eating less than 1200 is healthy under any circumstances.
  • _granola
    _granola Posts: 326
    Thanks for doing that out gives me a much better idea of the amount of calories I should aim for :smile:

    You're welcome. It is better to start this way, be consistent with the calorie goal (and be accurate with measuring food) for a couple of months at least before changing (decreasing) your calorie goal. In other words, much easier to scale back calories than eat very little and go through the process, both physically and mentally, of increasing calories drastically once going with a low calorie diet doesn't work.