Why is it bad to eat 1200cal?

kbsd456
kbsd456 Posts: 20 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I am 5'4 and 160lb, hoping to lose 30. I was planning on eating 1200cal and exercising 300-400. Well after reading some threads on MFP, i learned tha some people say this slows our metabolism. So my question is, how many cals should i eat? and why do you need to eat back your exercise cals? doesn't that defeat the purpose of exercisin to create a calorie deficit?
«1

Replies

  • spamantha57
    spamantha57 Posts: 674 Member
    I'd look more into what you are eating than just focusing on a number.
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
    Some can do fine on it, some can't. Basically it comes down to not giving your body enough fuel for it's basic functions as well as much of a workout routine. It depends largely upon fat reserves as well.

    For example, I've seen some pretty hardcore cases of people being put on strict 300-600 calorie diets. However, these were the extreme, and were done under nearly constant medical supervision.

    Give it a try, and if you feel like ****, up the calories. It's that simple.
  • mikek333
    mikek333 Posts: 78 Member
    For a 5'6" female, 1200 cal should be enough. Make sure to eat back your exercise calories.
  • Snackman88
    Snackman88 Posts: 36 Member
    For the calories you need daily, do a search on Google. There are many calculators out there to assist you in reaching your goals. There is a minimum amount of calories we need in order to survive and it's different for everyone. You need to eat back the calories your burned in order to replenish your body and help aid in recovery. Constantly eating something allows your body to process calories speeding up metabolism (this means eating the right foods!). I recommend the Insanity Program if you don't like going to the gym.
  • WinnerVictorious
    WinnerVictorious Posts: 4,733 Member
    I am 5'4 and 160lb, hoping to lose 30. I was planning on eating 1200cal and exercising 300-400. Well after reading some threads on MFP, i learned tha some people say this slows our metabolism. So my question is, how many cals should i eat? and why do you need to eat back your exercise cals? doesn't that defeat the purpose of exercisin to create a calorie deficit?

    as a very loose rule, you should eat more than your BMR. this is for various reasons, all related to long term health and success at losing weight.

    to lose weight you want to eat at less than your TDEE. MFP will not let you go more than 1000 calories under your TDEE, mostly for long term success reasons.

    if you're obese, you can get away with a larger deficit for a number of weeks or months, but eventually there will be some side effects if your deficit is continuously very large (e.g. you start losing your hair, you start feeling lethargic, you start losing muscle mass, etc.). when those side effects occur and how large the continuous deficit would have to be are going to be different from person to person.

    in no case will MFP allow you to have a calorie goal under 1200. in general, 1200 is a good minimum under which most people should not go. there are some very short women whose BMRs are low enough that they could conceivably be fine at some number less than 1200, but they are special cases and not the norm.

    0 < BMR < calorie goal < TDEE

    if it turns out that your (TDEE - deficit) results in a number less than your BMR, then the solution is to reduce the size of your deficit or add exercise to boost your TDEE, until your calorie goal is above your BMR.
  • themommie
    themommie Posts: 5,033 Member
    I have been on MFP since july 2010 and have lost 112 lbs eating 1200 cals and NOT eating back exercise cals. I still have no idea why it is bad to do so , if you find out let me know. LOL. I think you need to experiment and do what works for you
  • kapoorpk
    kapoorpk Posts: 244 Member
    1200 calories is a generic number used to represent the BMR, which means, if you did slept all day and did nothing, you would those many calories to just function being alive. Usually, depending on your lifestyle, i.e. active or passive, an amount representing your energy consumption can be added to the 1200 to see how much do you really need for your lifestyle. So, if you eat slight less than what you need, you create a calorie deficit placing you on weight loss path. You should not eat below 1200, however, your calories net of exercise may drop to a number netting to be below 1200. For example, if you plan to eat 1700 calories and burn 600 calories in exercise, you technically drop below 1200, but that works. Use MFP to plan and it will guide you through what you need. Hope that helps. Good luck!
  • Tarek307
    Tarek307 Posts: 29
    Dont listen to that BS, 1200 is just fine..counting calories works, its simple..1200 + exercise you will lose weight fast!
  • RunFarLiveHappy
    RunFarLiveHappy Posts: 805 Member
    When I hit 100 pounds lost I finally increased my calories from 1200 up to 1380. It's difficult but not impossible. I eat anywhere from none to all of my exercise calories back because I just eat when I'm actually hungry, and I also try to eat as many nutrient dense foods as I can so I fill up. I do believe food is fuel, so I wouldn't recommend going lower than 1200 ????
  • tryclyn
    tryclyn Posts: 2,414 Member
    Dont listen to that BS, 1200 is just fine..counting calories works, its simple..1200 + exercise you will lose weight fast!

    But if one can lose the same amount at a higher kcal why would one want to eat the lower amount? Just a thought, of course.
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
    as a very loose rule, you should eat more than your BMR. this is for various reasons, all related to long term health and success at losing weight.

    to lose weight you want to eat at less than your TDEE. MFP will not let you go more than 1000 calories under your TDEE, mostly for long term success reasons.

    if you're obese, you can get away with a larger deficit for a number of weeks or months, but eventually there will be some side effects if your deficit is continuously very large (e.g. you start losing your hair, you start feeling lethargic, you start losing muscle mass, etc.). when those side effects occur and how large the continuous deficit would have to be are going to be different from person to person.

    in no case will MFP allow you to have a calorie goal under 1200. in general, 1200 is a good minimum under which most people should not go. there are some very short women whose BMRs are low enough that they could conceivably be fine at some number less than 1200, but they are special cases and not the norm.

    0 < BMR < calorie goal < TDEE

    if it turns out that your (TDEE - deficit) results in a number less than your BMR, then the solution is to reduce the size of your deficit or add exercise to boost your TDEE, until your calorie goal is above your BMR.
    quoting this for emphasis.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    Constantly eating something allows your body to process calories speeding up metabolism...
    No.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/820577-meal-frequency-rev-up-that-furnace-lol
  • Momm22boys
    Momm22boys Posts: 48
    I'm new to the whole dieting and weight loss thing. I started out following the 1200 calorie suggestion and lost 6 lbs in 2 weeks. I wasn't starving, just eating mostly fruits and veggies. Then I saw all of the posts about not eating less than BMR. I upped my caloric intake to 1450 a day for the next 2 weeks. I only lost 1 lb. A week ago I went back down to 1200 calories a week and I've lost another 2 lbs. I don't feel like I'm starving at 1200 calories. I do eat my exercise calories, but that's not much. I do low impact cardio every other day because I injured my ankle about 2 weeks ago. I think a 1200 calorie diet works for some people, but not everyone. I've lost 9 lbs in 5 weeks, as well as 4 inches from my waist, so it does work for me.
  • Snackman88
    Snackman88 Posts: 36 Member
    Constantly eating something allows your body to process calories speeding up metabolism...
    No.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/820577-meal-frequency-rev-up-that-furnace-lol

    That is what the Insanity handbook said but here is a reputable link that will tickle your fancy. Check out "Sinless Snacking".

    http://www.webmd.com/diet/ss/slideshow-boost-your-metabolism
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
    Constantly eating something allows your body to process calories speeding up metabolism...
    No.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/820577-meal-frequency-rev-up-that-furnace-lol

    That is what the Insanity handbook said but here is a reputable link that will tickle your fancy. Check out "Sinless Snacking".

    http://www.webmd.com/diet/ss/slideshow-boost-your-metabolism

    I do find it pretty amusing that 'medical' sites now recommend stimulants and protein.

    However, they obviously aren't immune to bull****. Meal timing has been proven over and over to have little to no effect.
  • Snackman88
    Snackman88 Posts: 36 Member
    Agreed. I stopped the whole "meal timing" thing and made sure that I met my calorie needs. I hated waiting "x" hours to eat again. I'm hungry! So MFP helps a lot. Ultimately, Do what works best for you.
  • anetap2000
    anetap2000 Posts: 116 Member
    I agree
    If you eat clean , 1200 kcal is enough. Plus exercise calories.
    Some people eat much more calories( process junk food ) I don't think it's better.
    I'm 5.5 and I'm doing good on 1200 kcal
    Dont listen to that BS, 1200 is just fine..counting calories works, its simple..1200 + exercise you will lose weight fast!
  • kapoorpk
    kapoorpk Posts: 244 Member
    Dont listen to that BS, 1200 is just fine..counting calories works, its simple..1200 + exercise you will lose weight fast!

    This is not BS, based on guidance provided by dieticians and nutritionists. You should really see one to learn what works for you. Its hard to tell what comments are credible or not. Take care.
  • NutellaAddict
    NutellaAddict Posts: 1,258 Member
    If I got a dollar every time this question...
  • paigedwatson
    paigedwatson Posts: 18
    My two cents...

    I had been stuck at a certain weight, trying to lose my last 2 pounds while eating roughly 1200 calories per day. Less than a week after increasing my calories to 1560, I lost those two pounds. I'm not saying that you can't lose weight by eating 1200 calories per day; obviously, if you're burning more than 1200 calories, you'll lose weight over time. That's just math/science. Sometimes though - and it's different for everyone - your body will go into starvation mode and hold on to as much fat as it can to "survive." But... if you satisfy your body's primal needs of survival, it'll reward you by shedding off the excess fat you don't need!
  • REDI4CHANGE60
    REDI4CHANGE60 Posts: 170
    Bump for later
  • samantha1242
    samantha1242 Posts: 816 Member
    Dont listen to that BS, 1200 is just fine..counting calories works, its simple..1200 + exercise you will lose weight fast!

    It's really bothering me, I have been to where you are in that picture but can't remember if its Positano, Italy or the island of Capri?? Going to hunt through my Europe pictures now. Off topic and nothing to do with 1200 calories. Sorry OP.
  • lloga320
    lloga320 Posts: 2 Member
    I don't think it's necessarily bad... however, you need to listen to your body. I can do 1200 cal/d for several days but then have moments where I binge. I've increased my goal to 1600 and eat between 1300-1600 and haven't had those binge moments nearly as often! If you feel like you have enough energy, why not?
  • janeite1990
    janeite1990 Posts: 671 Member
    Some can do fine on it, some can't. Basically it comes down to not giving your body enough fuel for it's basic functions as well as much of a workout routine. It depends largely upon fat reserves as well.

    For example, I've seen some pretty hardcore cases of people being put on strict 300-600 calorie diets. However, these were the extreme, and were done under nearly constant medical supervision.

    Give it a try, and if you feel like ****, up the calories. It's that simple.

    Yes. Don't forget that it is 1200 calories net, though. If you burn some through good exercise, add those to the 1200 ( MFP will do it for you). People call that "eating back your exercise calories."
  • heykatieben
    heykatieben Posts: 398 Member
    I actually think the low calorie limit can be really motivating in a good way, because it's so low that it forces you to learn how to eat more efficiently. Then, after you've learned how/what to eat, you can bump it up if you want to.

    Trying to eat just 1200 calories, I learned to eat lots of veggies and protein (esp eggs!), and MUCH less jun and carbs - to stay full, a good long-term thing to understand.

    I think the 1200 cal limit is bad in certain cases - like if you're eating mostly 1200 cals of carbs/junk, starving and grounchy/obsessing as a result, or getting headaches, like I did when I first started eating 1200 cals of the stuff I regularly ate (pasta, etc). But I found that when I changed my diet, it was actually doable, even feels good. Especially when I work out and eat those calories back, it's enough to keep me full and happy.
  • Trilby16
    Trilby16 Posts: 707 Member
    But if one can lose the same amount at a higher kcal why would one want to eat the lower amount? Just a thought, of course.
    [/quote]

    If.
  • KenosFeoh
    KenosFeoh Posts: 1,837 Member
    Results vary. Live with your plan for awhile, see how you feel and what results you get.

    I did 1200 calories for 5 weeks without much exercise, and lost/regained 2-3 pounds from week to week.

    I recently upped my calories a little (to 1320, I think) and am trying to get more exercise into my life. I don't know if my results will be any better. I'm willing to hang in there and work with it.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    I started here over 2 years ago with similar stats to yours. 5'5 and 160 pounds. And like you probably did, I decided I wanted this weight gone as soon as possible, and selected the 2 pounds a week option.

    What I found over the course of the first month was that I didn't have enough excess body fat to safely lose 2 pounds a week. And the only time I did lose 2 pounds in a week was when I had a stomach flu with explosive diarrhea. For the amount of weight I had to lose, one pound a week was the right choice.

    I also ate back most or all of my exercise calories, and reached my goal weight in six months. It wasn't until after I'd lost the weight that I started looking into all this BMR and TDEE stuff, and now, it makes perfect sense.

    MFP assumes you'll exercise to add more calories, and gives a lower goal than another site would. The exercise you say your'e going to do doesn't have any affect on your calorie goal until you do it and log it.

    If I tell MFP I want to lose one pound a week, I would get about 1350 calories. Exercising, I typically burn between 200-600 calories. Let's round it to 400. That brings me to a total of 1750 calories a day.

    If I use another site to calculate my TDEE, I find that it's about 2300 calories. That includes my exercise. To lose one pound a week, I'd take 500 calories off that amount, and end up with 1800 calories. Pretty close to the MFP suggestion of 1750 after exercise calories are added.

    BUT... with my TDEE being 2300 calories, and I only ate the 1350 MFP suggests, that means my calorie deficit is 950 calories a day, not the 500 required to lose a pound a week. In theory, that means I should lose 2 pounds a week, but in reality, the math just doesn't work that way. When I have too large of a deficit, my body reacts like a car stuck in the snow... no matter how much I gun the engine, it doesn't go anywhere.

    Now, I've been maintaining my weight easily for over a year and a half, and eat around that 2300 calories a day. I'm happy, strong, healthy and have plenty of room in my "diet" for all kinds of delicious foods.
  • taylorwaylor
    taylorwaylor Posts: 417 Member
    Because your body is not getting what it needs... Im guessing you should eat at least 1800... You have to calculate you TDEE and something else i cant remember.... But with how many calories you need to maintain you should not eat more than 300 calories less then whatever it is... If that makes sense to you?? lol
  • ladyraven68
    ladyraven68 Posts: 2,003 Member
    I am 5'4 and 160lb, hoping to lose 30. I was planning on eating 1200cal and exercising 300-400. Well after reading some threads on MFP, i learned tha some people say this slows our metabolism. So my question is, how many cals should i eat? and why do you need to eat back your exercise cals? doesn't that defeat the purpose of exercisin to create a calorie deficit?

    This will explain the exercise calories.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf

    As for the 1200, this is the minimum recommended by health professionals for adequate nutrition, so many people think it's ok for them to just do it without any research into their own daily requirements.

    If your daily calorie burn is 2400, why would you eat 1200, when you could lose at 2000, or 1800, or 1600.....

Categories