1,200 Calories

sheenades0804
sheenades0804 Posts: 52 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I had a question is 1,200 calories maybe too low for me right now? I am starting fresh with myfitnesspal and when I aim for 1,200 calories I still feel really hungry after. I want to lose weight but I don't want to deprive myself either. What is the best calorie amount I should take in. I am about 5'4 and weight about 173 pounds....

Replies

  • foleyshirley
    foleyshirley Posts: 1,043 Member
    You should set MFP to a weight loss of only 1 pound per week; that will give you a more reasonable number of calories. Then you also eat back your exercise calories (just make sure they are pretty accurate). Or, you can learn about BMR and TDEE, and use it to set a calorie amount. Try the link below. It is long, but it has a lot of great info on how to determine your own numbers and how to use them.

    Try this link: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12
  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
    You should set MFP to a weight loss of only 1 pound per week; that will give you a more reasonable number of calories.

    This.

    I made the mistake of starting too aggressive wanting to lose weight NOW NOW NOW! I was eating 1200 calories and starving (I am 5'7" and started at 175 lbs.). Once I upped it to 1400, I felt human again.
  • LE193
    LE193 Posts: 23
    What the others said! If you make the diet to hard on yourself chances are it won't stick.

    Although one thing to check, your weight is from fat and not muscle? Because MFP doesn't check this (as far as I know but Im new) and obviously if it is muscle you dont want to cut back because the muscles need more calorie fuel to keep them alive; fat doesnt! Hope that makes sense
  • sheenades0804
    sheenades0804 Posts: 52 Member
    Thanks for the tips. I went ahead and just set it at 1,400 for now even though it would be nice to stay at 1,200 to lose weight faster. I will check out the link and calculate my measurements.
  • Angie_Fritts
    Angie_Fritts Posts: 263 Member
    I eat back my exercise calories also. It helps. The more I work out the more I get to eat. I usually eat around 1400 to 1500 a day. I am currently 5'8 and 195lbs.
  • MelissaM528
    MelissaM528 Posts: 31 Member
    Slow and steady wins the race... Faster is not always better.
  • LE193
    LE193 Posts: 23
    Slow and steady wins the race... Faster is not always better.

    Very true! I've cut back excessively (it worked) BUT can say I put every single pound of it back on (plus a bit extra, grr!)

    now back for a second time to do the slow and steady approach and hope it sticks. glad to see you've upped the cals to something you feel more comfortable at because personally i think it'll be better long run, even if you dont see results as fast as you'd like
  • __RANDY__
    __RANDY__ Posts: 1,036 Member
    ... 1,200 calories is too low.

    fixed
  • lacurandera1
    lacurandera1 Posts: 8,083 Member
    You should set MFP to a weight loss of only 1 pound per week; that will give you a more reasonable number of calories. Then you also eat back your exercise calories (just make sure they are pretty accurate).

    MFP should not even offer 2 lbs a week as an option.
  • legallyill
    legallyill Posts: 5
    Fruits and vegetables are super low in calories, and you should be eating a lot of them to lose weight. I notice when I eat the right things, I have trouble even reaching 1200 some days, and I am eating all day long. I am following Dr. Fuhrman's plan right now and it doesn't require calorie counting but I end up under most days anyway.

    http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/oz-approved-7-day-crash-diet
  • vnovit
    vnovit Posts: 101
    I had a question is 1,200 calories maybe too low for me right now? I am starting fresh with myfitnesspal and when I aim for 1,200 calories I still feel really hungry after. I want to lose weight but I don't want to deprive myself either. What is the best calorie amount I should take in. I am about 5'4 and weight about 173 pounds....

    Use this:


    http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/#results
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Thanks for the tips. I went ahead and just set it at 1,400 for now even though it would be nice to stay at 1,200 to lose weight faster. I will check out the link and calculate my measurements.

    As others have said, slow and low. This is a marathon, not a sprint. The slower it comes off, the more likely it is that you will make lasting changes to maintain weight when you reach your goal.

    I have to say that one issue I have with MFP is the 2 Lb per week option; in most cases it is below BMR. Almost any other calculator I've ever used gives you a big WARNING...EATING BELOW XXX CAN BE DANGEROUS, PLEASE CONSULT WITH YOUR PHYSICIAN BEFORE PROCEEDING. I just eat between my BMR and TDEE...I'm usually right around 20% of my TDEE. Yes, it is slow...but it is safe and I'm not miserable while eating at a deficit.
  • NyimaR
    NyimaR Posts: 108 Member


    MFP should not even offer 2 lbs a week as an option.

    It's okay for the really heavy but for anyone who is less than obese it's far too fast.
  • haroon_awan
    haroon_awan Posts: 1,208 Member
    Sorry, but at your weight and height you are potentially going to screw your leptin (a key hormone is our body) levels by only eating 1200 calories.

    There are two great ways to cut fat: Create a calorie deficit by:
    eating less, or
    working out harder

    The second method is almost always better. By not eating enough, yes you'll lose weight, but that'll be because you are burning both muscle and fat, which is something you DO NOT want. You are also likely to rebound much worse than to begin with.

    My advice? Eat more and train harder, it's much better in the long (and short) run.

    This might help: http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/
  • sugarlips1980
    sugarlips1980 Posts: 361 Member
    Hi, lots of people will explain how you figure out your BMR and TDEE which can be helpful, but at the end of the day it's about trial and error. Testing out 1400 and giving that a shot for 2 weeks to see if you're losing and at a steady pace sounds a good plan. You're right it's very important to not be starving and feel deprived, especially if you've a fair amount to lose. I'm 5ft8, wight 207 pounds and I'm set at 1200 but I mainly eat back cals and so even if I've just walked the dog each day I eat about 1400 and that seems the right balance for me to lose 2 Ib a week and I'm a bit hungry at times but not starving. Good luck!
  • avakathryn
    avakathryn Posts: 22
    I find I'm eating alot of protein and am not hungry if I'm steady with my meals, eating every 2 - 3 hours between the hours of 8am and 6pm. I don't find the 1200 calories difficult, although I'm really eating closer to 1300 or 1400 every day with the extra being burnt off with exercise so it levels out to be just at or slightly below my 1200 calorie goal for the day. But the protein is SO important. I make sure to have a little lean protein in every meal and snack and it's incredible what a difference it makes in your hunger/blood sugar levels.

    I don't think there's anything wrong with having a 2lb/week weight loss if that's what works for you! Although I do wish that MFP had some kind of function where you could factor in cheat meals (I have one or two cheat meals per week) kind of like Weight Watchers does...
  • Firefox7275
    Firefox7275 Posts: 2,040 Member
    Thanks for the tips. I went ahead and just set it at 1,400 for now even though it would be nice to stay at 1,200 to lose weight faster. I will check out the link and calculate my measurements.

    Don't have net calorie intake below your BMR, I suspect 1400 is too low if you are exercising (profile photo). If you are hungry look at what you are eating and the combinations not just how much - foods that confer satiety tend to be rich in protein, fibre, water and to a lesser extent fat.
  • alexdrost
    alexdrost Posts: 3
    I had a question is 1,200 calories maybe too low for me right now? I am starting fresh with myfitnesspal and when I aim for 1,200 calories I still feel really hungry after. I want to lose weight but I don't want to deprive myself either. What is the best calorie amount I should take in. I am about 5'4 and weight about 173 pounds....

    Remember that these are NET KCAL. Eat 1400-1600 and go for a run. You will not only feel better physically, you will not have hunger pains.

    Hope this helps

    Good luck!
  • lisitabonita
    lisitabonita Posts: 81 Member
    Bumping up your protein and adding more green veggies can help satisfy you. If you are hungry after you have reached your daily goal, eat some chicken or shrimp.
  • AyaKara
    AyaKara Posts: 220
    Do strength training 3x a week in addition to around 30 minutes of daily cardio. Eat 1600 or so a day (unless you get your TDEE/ BMI numbers; then eat slightly below your TDEE & always above BMI), you'll be exactly where you want to be sooner than you think. :smile:
  • evileen99
    evileen99 Posts: 1,564 Member
    I don't know how you folks can eat 1200-1400 calories a day and not be starving all the time. I'm hungry eating 1800 (and no, it's not junk) and would probably want to gnaw my arm off if I were eating that little.
  • CJ_Holmes
    CJ_Holmes Posts: 759 Member
    I find I'm eating alot of protein and am not hungry if I'm steady with my meals, eating every 2 - 3 hours between the hours of 8am and 6pm. I don't find the 1200 calories difficult, although I'm really eating closer to 1300 or 1400 every day with the extra being burnt off with exercise so it levels out to be just at or slightly below my 1200 calorie goal for the day. But the protein is SO important. I make sure to have a little lean protein in every meal and snack and it's incredible what a difference it makes in your hunger/blood sugar levels.

    I don't think there's anything wrong with having a 2lb/week weight loss if that's what works for you! Although I do wish that MFP had some kind of function where you could factor in cheat meals (I have one or two cheat meals per week) kind of like Weight Watchers does...

    If you log in on your phone, you can look at your weekly average, and focus more on that instead of the daily net cals. That way you can see how your high and low days balance out.
  • SassySueKS
    SassySueKS Posts: 2
    I can do 1,400 but 1,200 makes me weak and hungry. It doesn't seem like it should be that big of a difference but it is. And this without adding exercise. If I start working out heavily I have to eat more.

    I also have to eat enough to trick my body from going into starvation mode. My mom put me on liquid diets as a teen (Optifast when I was only 30 pounds overweight - 500 calories/day) that screwed up my system so if I eat too little my body just starts to shutdown and I don't lose an ounce.

    If you are miserable you won't stay on the plan so eat more fruits and veggies (assuming you are eating enough grains and lean proteins) and you should start feeling great.
  • firstsip
    firstsip Posts: 8,399 Member
    Thanks for the tips. I went ahead and just set it at 1,400 for now even though it would be nice to stay at 1,200 to lose weight faster. I will check out the link and calculate my measurements.

    Everyone's given you great advice (your personal BMR and TDEE are much more important than "set" numbers generally), but I want to make sure you gain the confidence in this new calorie plan. 1200 calories does NOT mean you're lose weight faster; you would eventually peter out, at your height and closer to a healthy weight, and lose 0 pounds one week, .2 another... the difference being that you'd be more tired, less likely to maintain, etc. at 1200 than at higher calories.

    Weight loss isn't linear, regardless of calories, and I think the "In 5 weeks, you'd weigh this _" on MFP isn't doing anyone any favors :P
  • ClementineGeorg
    ClementineGeorg Posts: 505 Member
    Thanks for the tips. I went ahead and just set it at 1,400 for now even though it would be nice to stay at 1,200 to lose weight faster. I will check out the link and calculate my measurements.
    Losing weight faster is not neccesarally best. Losing slower helps your skin recover better (you would not want loose skin), helps your body accomodate better with your weight changes (fast lost can affect your body) and it is proven that slower loss is better for keeping the weight off forever (lee chance of yo-yo-ing).

    Also, higher calories sometimes prevents binges and failure.

    Have pacience. Sometimes pacience is gold.
  • grammysboy
    grammysboy Posts: 151 Member
    I'm fortunate. MFP allows me around 1700 calories a day. I'm 6'1" and started at 255. I said I wanted to lose 1.5 pounds a week and that should put me at my goal in about 7 months. I had to get my head around the fact that it had taken about 10 years to get from my goal weight to where I was when I started. Seven months to get back there is practically nothing! I rarely go over my 1700 and I don't eat back the calories I burn exercising. I don't worry about it too much when I do, but just start all over again the next day.

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