1200 Calories

2

Replies

  • ladyraven68
    ladyraven68 Posts: 2,003 Member
    I eat 1200 calories but here lately I find that I don't eat all 1200..Somedays I will still have anywhere from 200-300 calories left (sometimes it will be those from exercising)..Once I hit my goal I plan on sticking with the 1200.

    If you are losing at 1200, why do you think your body will stop losing when you get to your goal weight, if you are still eating 1200?

    When you get to your goal, you will need to switch to maintenance to stop gaining or losing weight - and that will not be 1200.
  • CristinaL1983
    CristinaL1983 Posts: 1,119 Member
    I'm eating at 1200 calories right now. I've lost 24 lbs since the first of the year. I have 15 more to go. I've been keeping really good track of my calories and weights so I have a pretty good idea of where my maintenance calories are. Once I get about 5 lbs away from goal, I'll start increasing my calories by 100-200/week until I hit maintenance. If I increase my calories by 100/week it should give me 9 weeks of increasing until I hit maintenance. That should put me actually hitting my maintenance calories right around the same time I get to my goal weight (with a built in possibility of overshooting by a few pounds which won't hurt me at all).
  • ZETAZEN
    ZETAZEN Posts: 46 Member
    I eat a little under 1200 to lose. I'm trying to lose just a few vanity pounds, but I'm trying to explore other approaches to eating. Some knowledgeable people in the nutrition science field think that obesity is caused, not by simple over consumption of calories, but by eating foods that cause hormonal responses that lead to excess fat being stored.

    I'm considering trying to eliminate refined sugars and other excess sugars. That's going to be difficult.

    I'm planning on resuming exercise, but exercise is not considered all that important for weight loss, although it is important for health. I hope to increase my calories in the maintenance phase, but it depends on how my body responds.

    I found a great blog today. Google "The Eating Academy". The author is an M. D. named Attia. Look for the introductory post or the FAQs.

    Went to the blog. Well he's a nice looking fellow. *meow* lol
  • ZETAZEN
    ZETAZEN Posts: 46 Member
    Where on MFP can I read about there recommended 1200 daily calories?

    1200 is not the overall goal, but the NET goal. If you eat 1600 calories, exercise for 400, your net goal will be 1200. Most people think the 1200 is an overall goal minus their exercise burned calories and usually have a deficit lower than 1200. That's not the objective.
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
    Where on MFP can I read about there recommended 1200 daily calories?

    1200 is not the overall goal, but the NET goal. If you eat 1600 calories, exercise for 400, your net goal will be 1200. Most people think the 1200 is an overall goal minus their exercise burned calories and usually have a deficit lower than 1200. That's not the objective.

    Partially right. Net goal for some people. MFP has me at netting 1500 or so. Depends on each person. As someone said, it's just a calculator and you need to be honest about activity levels and realistic about goals. (I can't believe the number of people who only have a few pounds to lose who want to lose 2 pounds per week).
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    For those of us using the 1200 calorie model provided my MFP, do you plan to stick with that after you reach your goal? Or gradually up your calories to what is required for the weight you are? If you're going to increase your calories, are you afraid you will start gaining weight or that it will all even out in the end?

    If you reached your target weight and BF%, why would you continue eating at a deficit? Why would you continue "dieting?"

    I'm already inching my way back to maintenance as I only have 10 more Lbs to lose. I am not afraid of gaining weight because I understand that this is all math and science...my body needs a certain number of calories to maintain weight at my current activity level. Actually, I'll probably eat at a very modest surplus once I reach my target BF% in order to put on some LBM.
  • One point to make, once you've reached your goal it's not always easy to change your thought process. A lot of people often continue losing weight past their goal because it's very difficult to accept that you're no longer overweight. Once you get close it helps if you start adjusting BEFORE you reach your goal so you're not working so aggressively.
  • popsicklestar
    popsicklestar Posts: 166 Member
    I have my calories set to 1200, and I always eat back my exercise calories. When I do the calculations the way a lot of people on here prefer, I get 1545, so I know 1200 is borderline low, so I go over it when I feel hungry and feel like my body needs it. I only have about 10 more pounds to lose. When I reach my goal weight, I'm going to slowly start increasing my calories by 100 a week, and monitor how it goes. I've heard you can gain a few pounds of water weight when increasing to maintenance, so I'll try not to freak out if that happens. I calculated my maintenance calories to be between 1669 and 1931 (the different calculators give such different results!), so I'm going to start with the lower one and see if I keep losing or not.
  • hilldiggity
    hilldiggity Posts: 166 Member
    you must be careful or you will die.

    lmao
  • hilldiggity
    hilldiggity Posts: 166 Member
    Thank you all and congrats to everyone who's lost weight and those of you that are super close to your goal!

    The last time I got fit (man, those free weights tightened me right up!) I was following this plan and will likely follow it for my maintenance calories. - http://www.stumptuous.com/part-2-learning-the-basics -

    For fat loss, you want to aim for a range of daily calories that is calculated based on your bodyweight (in pounds) as well as other factors.

    To lose fat: 8 to 12 times bodyweight
    To stay the same, neither losing nor gaining (also known as maintenance): 13 to 16 times bodyweight
    To gain mass: 15 to 20 times bodyweight
    You will notice that these are fairly broad ranges. This is because the precise intake will depend on other factors besides your general goals.

    Aim for the LOWER end of the range if you are:

    female
    older
    less active
    starting out at a fairly high level of bodyfat
    Aim for the HIGHER end of the range if you are:

    male
    younger
    more active
    starting out at a lower level of bodyfat (e.g. only a few pounds of fat to lose, or trying to get from “normal” to “lean”)
  • corneredbycorn
    corneredbycorn Posts: 267 Member
    I think some people are confused on the idea of the 1200 calorie diet. 1200 is a deficit. After you hit your goal why would you continue to eat at a deficit?

    If you need 2200 calories to maintain

    Eat 1700 = 500 calorie DEFICIT

    Once you hit your goal you readjust your calculations but it will be closer to 2200 to maintain.

    Anyway I'd google TDEE and figure that out and eat at TDEE -20% unless you're 4'8 its going to be a lot more than 1200.
    I'm 5'0 and TDEE-20% without ANY exercise for me is still around 1500 calories. I figured out how much I should be eating yesterday using heybales' spreadsheet and the calorie intake for my activity level and to lose .5lbs per week (since I'm close to goal), even being so short, is 2150. It was really eye opening.
  • hilldiggity
    hilldiggity Posts: 166 Member
    I'm 5'0 and TDEE-20% without ANY exercise for me is still around 1500 calories. I figured out how much I should be eating yesterday using heybales' spreadsheet and the calorie intake for my activity level and to lose .5lbs per week (since I'm close to goal), even being so short, is 2150. It was really eye opening.

    That number just seems unreal to me. 2150 for a 5' woman? Wow. Everyone seems to say we need 2000 calories a day! (give or take)
  • angefoster2
    angefoster2 Posts: 2 Member
    Is it just me or do others struggle to eat enough to get up to the 1200 Calories each day? I have only been using the app for a few days and quickly falling in love with it.

    I feel like I am eating constantly all day and I still have 200 -300 left over each day. I have 3 meals a day and snacks in between. The calories left over are from the original 1200 not ones I gain through exercise, which has been about another 300 a day. This is leaving me with 500 - 600 calories a day left over and I get the message about my body being in starvation mode.

    Could this be why I have struggled to loose weight? I always knew it wasn't what I ate (being a vegetarian it reduces a lot of the crap from ones diet. Before anyone jumps up and down about this being vegetarian is not by choice it is a medical condition) but thought it was how much I ate. Sitting at a desk all day I thought I needed to reduce my portions as I am not burning off the excess.

    Three months ago I reduced my portions and increased my exercise and have only lost 4.5 kg's. Maybe I have been off track the whole time?
  • HaleyxErin
    HaleyxErin Posts: 94 Member
    Mine is set to 1400 but I try to stay between 1200 and 1400 once I get to my GW I plan on upping my calories to like 1800 but I'm not going to get back into eating unhealthy crap like I used to. I'll still eat healthy just more so that I stop losing but don't gain.
  • corneredbycorn
    corneredbycorn Posts: 267 Member
    I'm 5'0 and TDEE-20% without ANY exercise for me is still around 1500 calories. I figured out how much I should be eating yesterday using heybales' spreadsheet and the calorie intake for my activity level and to lose .5lbs per week (since I'm close to goal), even being so short, is 2150. It was really eye opening.

    That number just seems unreal to me. 2150 for a 5' woman? Wow. Everyone seems to say we need 2000 calories a day! (give or take)
    I was pretty astonished. Heybales breaks it down by type of exercise and regular daily activities. I'm a lot more active than I really thought. The goal is to get the most fat loss with the least amount of muscle loss.

    I decided to give it a shot like so many others on the site have done. I know there is usually a metabolism "reset" which can cause gain, so, to give it a fair shot, I've put the scale in the closet and am measuring every other week instead. I'll keep doing this for at least a few months. I would rather be 130lbs, toned, and full than 120lbs, jiggly, and hungry.
  • hilldiggity
    hilldiggity Posts: 166 Member
    Is it just me or do others struggle to eat enough to get up to the 1200 Calories each day?

    I do as well. Not even counting an exercise deficit. Exercise quells my appetite.
  • hilldiggity
    hilldiggity Posts: 166 Member
    I would rather be 130lbs, toned, and full than 120lbs, jiggly, and hungry.

    And you'll probably look 120.
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
    Is it just me or do others struggle to eat enough to get up to the 1200 Calories each day? I have only been using the app for a few days and quickly falling in love with it.

    Nope, no problems eating more than that. I'm losing on 1900 a day and usually hit that (been going over lately because I've been going out a lot. Whoops) Feel free to check out my diary, it's open. But, I tend to eat the same thing most week days.
  • Sjenny5891
    Sjenny5891 Posts: 717 Member
    did you choose too aggressive a weight loss rate? MFP will give people 1200 calories as their goal, even if it's really too low for them.

    for example, if you are a woman trying to lose 20 lbs and you choose a 2lbs/week rate of loss, MFP will return 1200 for you. that's too low. make sure you choose your loss rate appropriately.

    I put in my weight and age and height and activity level (sedentary) and it gave me 1200. This past week was the first week I didn't eat my exercise calories back and I lost weight after a 2 week plateau. It may have been a fluke. I'm going by trial and error right now. But I don't get hungry or feel the least bit deprived eating 1200 a day. Yesterday I went over a bit, but I had some exercise in the bank.

    yes, but what weight loss rate did you choose? the problems with 1200 can be a couple. if 1200 is a large deficit from your actual TDEE and close to your resting BMR, then over time you may find that you reach a plateau you have trouble breaking. prolonged under-eating can lead to changes in your hormones that cause your body's metabolism to slow down a bit. you can find countless examples of women who struggled for months and months at 1200 calories, only to find that after bumping up to 1400 or 1500 started losing again after a couple of weeks. the other problem with 1200 is that it doesn't leave you much wiggle room in your diet to get adequate nutrition.

    there are some, but not a lot, of women for whom 1200 is fine and they won't affect their metabolism if they stay that low for a prolonged period of time. these are women with low BMRs to start with. however, they still have to be careful to get the proper nutrition at that calorie level.

    if you chose 2lbs/week as your loss rate, that's a 1000 calorie deficit per day. as a sedentary woman, MFP will almost certainly give you 1200 as your goal no matter how much or how little weight you have to lose. that's the problem with the calculator... there is no sanity check on the resulting number based on current weight and goal weight. so YOU have to make sure you haven't set too aggressive a goal for yourself.


    IN THE BEGINING..... I was 190 pounds. I told MFP I wanted to lose 2lb a week and it told me to eat 1200 calories..... Breastfeeding, pumping 30oz a day ment I needed to eat an extra 600 calories. Then I threw in the 200 or so the pedomoter told me I burned each work day= 2,000 or so a day..... and I lost 2 pounds a week.....

    NOW I weigh 135ish, but no longer breastfeeding. MFP still says to eat 1200 calories to lose weight..... 1400 to maintain. I still eat back the exercise calories, so I'm not worried about changing anything.