Under 1200 calories?

thatfitgaal
thatfitgaal Posts: 66
in Health and Weight Loss
Well I've been at this a few weeks and I'm not really seeing any changes at all which is frustrating.

I decided to calculate my BMR etc and see how many calories I really should be eating. Turns out my BMR is 1297 (as I am only 5'0). And MFP's suggestion of 1200 calories a day (creating a 97 deficit), will mean it will take me over a month just to lose 1 pound!!

SO obviously I'm going to reduce my intake. However what level should I change it to? At what point does it become dangerous?
I was thinking somewhere between 800 - 1000 ?

Replies

  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    No. BMR is the number of calories you need to eat to stay alive - why would you want to eat under that?! Figure out your TDEE and reduce from that.
  • seena511
    seena511 Posts: 685 Member
    No. BMR is the number of calories you need to eat to stay alive - why would you want to eat under that?! Figure out your TDEE and reduce from that.

    this
  • rebelate
    rebelate Posts: 218 Member
    Just looking at your previous community posts, from earlier today you said you were 5'0" and 99lb. Your goal is to gain muscle and to be 115lb. So...I'm already confused.

    800 calories is NOT going to do you any favors. It's a temporary, dangerous fix.
  • thatfitgaal
    thatfitgaal Posts: 66
    Oh okay I'd got that completely wrong then haha! I'd been told that was your weight maintenance level, and to lose weight you have to go below that...

    So thank you for setting me straight :)

    @rebelate Yes but I need to get my body fat percentage down to the appropriate level, and then it's easier to gain the muscle
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    What they already said. Your BMR is the amount of calories your body burns just handling basic bodily functions. The second you wake up and roll out of bed and stumble off to the bathroom (maybe that's just my morning routine...) you're burning more calories than that. Nevermind once you start adding on exercise.

    By MFP's calculator, my BMR is only a little over 1200 (5'5, 40 years old, 135 pounds), but my TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) to maintain my current weight is about 2300. I lose on 1800-2000 calories.

    And if your goal is to gain muscle, you're going to want to eat more than your TDEE.
  • thatfitgaal
    thatfitgaal Posts: 66
    Okay, thanks for the explanation. It's making more sense to me now aha - I did think it wasn't a lot of calories
  • MightyDomo
    MightyDomo Posts: 1,265 Member
    You can gain muscle and lose weight at the same time and I'd assume all you need is to be at 14% BF to have very visible definition so I think losing more might be unnecessary, try lifting heavy and eating heavy. Bet you will get what you want doing it that way.
  • Arexxx
    Arexxx Posts: 486 Member
    Judging by your pictures you don't need to/shouldn't lose a single pound anyway. Eat your BMR and focus on being healthy :smile:
  • thatfitgaal
    thatfitgaal Posts: 66
    I know it seems like I'm skinny considering my weight but I'm a fat skinny.

    I've calculated my body fat and it's actually 24% - so I do need to lose some fat to get muscular

    And it's not necessarily for aesthetic reasons - although thank you :) - as I need to be strong as a dancer so it's important that I have a low bf percentage and have muscle tone
  • mikeschratz
    mikeschratz Posts: 253 Member
    I ran your number using 1.5 as your activity level and here are your numbers:

    "Mifflin-St Jeor
    (FOR WOMEN)" BMR 1,152 (if you were in a coma, this is how many calories you would be fed to keep you alive)
    Maintenance 1,727 (this is what you need to eat to not gain or lose weight)
    Cut (@ 15%) 1,468 (calories you would eat to lose 1 lb a week)
    Cut (@ 20%) 1,382 (calories you would eat to lose 1.5 lbs a week)
    Build (@ 15%) 1,986 (calories you would eat to gain weight)
  • thatfitgaal
    thatfitgaal Posts: 66
    Thank you - that's really kind and will be very helpful! :)
  • hollietkac
    hollietkac Posts: 38 Member
    24% is actually considered a healthy body fat for a woman. Due to our reproductive systems, etc, you should not really go much below 21%. If you do you may have issues with missed periods, etc. Also it's pretty hard to accurately measure body fat on your own.

    TDEE method is explained in this message board post: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    Another article I like this this one which accounts for body frame size.
    http://health101.org/art_calories

    In your case because of your size, the MFP method of using BMR+Exercise puts you at too low of a number.
  • CorvusCorax77
    CorvusCorax77 Posts: 2,536 Member
    jNFqw.gif

    like mal here, i've decided to just keep my big mouth shut.
  • Bakerchk
    Bakerchk Posts: 424 Member
    You're not losing weight because you are not eating enough. It's as simple as that. A hard concept to understand, but once you get there, you'll ask yourself why you ever ate so little?

    I've lost 25 pounds and I eat 1700 calories a day. I'm 5'2''. Not to say that is what YOU should eat, but it works for me.
    Of course you also need to take everything into consideration, NOT just calories. Watch out for sodium (lunch meats, frozen meals), fats, sugars, protein. All of those things need to be considered.
  • legnarevocrednu
    legnarevocrednu Posts: 467 Member
    This is a joke though right?
  • jdaley90
    jdaley90 Posts: 259 Member
    you actually can't gain muscle/lose fat at the same time.

    http://stronglifts.com/can-you-build-muscle-lose-fat-at-the-same-time/
  • thatfitgaal
    thatfitgaal Posts: 66
    Okay thank you, I read the TDEE thread and that was actually really good thank you :)

    In terms of the body fat... essentially I'm training to be a dancer, and the body fat percentage for atheletes is 14-20% so I'd like to try and be at least in the top area of that range. Fit is 20-24% so at the moment I'm barely in that.

    But it's useful to know that MFP's calculations aren't quite right - I guess I'll have to do some difficult calculations to personalize it myself haha



    Edit: okay didn't realise so many people had posted since then! This was for @hollietkac
  • jlapey
    jlapey Posts: 1,850 Member
    Where you are, eating at a deficit is not going to help you. What you need is strength training. This will also require you to eat MORE. You need to build muscle which will in turn burn fat and shape your body. I recommend "The New Rules of Lifting for Women" by Lou Schuler. I just started this program myself this week and (also at 5'0" tall) I have much more fat than you to lose. I hope you figure it out and follow a healthy plan. Good luck to you.
  • CorvusCorax77
    CorvusCorax77 Posts: 2,536 Member
    I know it seems like I'm skinny considering my weight but I'm a fat skinny.

    I've calculated my body fat and it's actually 24% - so I do need to lose some fat to get muscular

    And it's not necessarily for aesthetic reasons - although thank you :) - as I need to be strong as a dancer so it's important that I have a low bf percentage and have muscle tone

    ok.

    i can't keep my mouth shut.

    If you tested your body fat using an online calculator or a body fat scale, you wasted your time. The only accurate ways are dexa scan, hydrostatic test, or calipers in the hands of a well experienced person.
  • Bakerchk
    Bakerchk Posts: 424 Member
    I know it seems like I'm skinny considering my weight but I'm a fat skinny.

    I've calculated my body fat and it's actually 24% - so I do need to lose some fat to get muscular

    And it's not necessarily for aesthetic reasons - although thank you :) - as I need to be strong as a dancer so it's important that I have a low bf percentage and have muscle tone

    have you considered weight lifting? I'm built similar and once I started lifting, not only did I continue to lose weight, I noticed my problem areas were getting leaner and tighter. If you are ever interested the book "The New Rules of Lifting for Women" changed my life, no joke.
  • thatfitgaal
    thatfitgaal Posts: 66
    @jdaley90 I know - that's why I'm trying to lose the fat first. So when I do I can build the muscle

    @jlapey okay thanks, I'll check it out!

    @CorvusCorax77 haha no go ahead honestly, that's why I posted this as I'm totally clueless about all this. All the information I've got is from internet research which is obviously unreliable. So that's good to konw thanks :)

    @Bakerchk I've been doing it a little but only about once or week or so, the bulk of my exercise is cardio. But thank you that's really useful, I'll try find it so I can read it
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
    @Bakerchk I've been doing it a little but only about once or week or so, the bulk of my exercise is cardio. But thank you that's really useful, I'll try find it so I can read it

    Her point was that the bulk of your exercise shouldn't be cardio. Read this, Staci's my hero:

    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/
  • thatfitgaal
    thatfitgaal Posts: 66
    @auddii That was really interesting to read, thanks for showing it to me. Although by being on MFP it's kind of a contradiction ;))
    I do want to start lifting weights more but I have none at home, and my family aren't exactly supportive of me going to the gym..

    Have you got any suggestions as to what I could do?
    Because obviously weight training seems to be very beneficial
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
    You'd be surprised, a fair number of people use MFP to bulk as well. You might be limited in the gains you can make without progressive weights, but bodyweight exercises can be very helpful. Here are several from the same blog:

    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/workouts/

    You can also find them all over youtube. Just search for body weight workout.
  • SlickFootAnna
    SlickFootAnna Posts: 611 Member
    Here we go again....

    tumblr_m262t0SF3U1r58u5d.gif
  • CorvusCorax77
    CorvusCorax77 Posts: 2,536 Member
    @jdaley90 I know - that's why I'm trying to lose the fat first. So when I do I can build the muscle

    @jlapey okay thanks, I'll check it out!

    @CorvusCorax77 haha no go ahead honestly, that's why I posted this as I'm totally clueless about all this. All the information I've got is from internet research which is obviously unreliable. So that's good to konw thanks :)

    @Bakerchk I've been doing it a little but only about once or week or so, the bulk of my exercise is cardio. But thank you that's really useful, I'll try find it so I can read it

    Yeah no way your BF is over 20!

    You are more like 16/17/18 is my guess based on your pic. Look at this:

    http://www.leighpeele.com/body-fat-pictures-and-percentages

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