1200 Calories a day plus workout

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  • Tank_Girl
    Tank_Girl Posts: 372 Member
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    Im struggling to eat 1200 calories without some kind of junk and im not hungry... And this is before exercise! Some days like today I manage to eat over 1200 cals but im struggling most days
  • miadhail
    miadhail Posts: 383 Member
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    Thank you :) Makes alot of sense. It is afterall straightforward. Just wanted to make sure as well. :) Before I embarked on this journey, I knew I was barely making 1200 cals. hence my problem is really my slowed metabolism. I really wanna push that back up again. Thus I am making sure my body gets enough cals and knows that it is still getting food so it won't store them fats. lol. :) Thanks again all
  • Misslisat
    Misslisat Posts: 203 Member
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    Wow lots of bad advice here.

    Hmm - so why don't you elaborate, then, if you know all the right answers?
  • Misslisat
    Misslisat Posts: 203 Member
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    Im struggling to eat 1200 calories without some kind of junk and im not hungry... And this is before exercise! Some days like today I manage to eat over 1200 cals but im struggling most days

    I'm not sure how you're surviving on such low calories. Your body won't like that for very long.
  • ttroone10
    ttroone10 Posts: 3
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    I started with MFP recently and was not eating back my calories. I read how important it was to keep your body fueled so I started eating back my exercise calories. I feel better, and I can't believe I lost weight. So it is turning exercise into a great motivator for me.
  • VeganZombie13
    VeganZombie13 Posts: 297
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    Wow lots of bad advice here.

    Hmm - so why don't you elaborate, then, if you know all the right answers?
    ^^Agree!
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
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    If I workout should i still only eat 1200 calories? Or can i increase my calories for the day and still lose weight?


    You can increase your calories, but you will lose weight more slowly, and if you inadvertently eliminate your deficit you won't lose weight at all.

    Unless you're hungry or feel unwell, I would stick to 1,200, do your workouts, and see how things go for the next few weeks.
  • Tank_Girl
    Tank_Girl Posts: 372 Member
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    Im struggling to eat 1200 calories without some kind of junk and im not hungry... And this is before exercise! Some days like today I manage to eat over 1200 cals but im struggling most days

    I'm not sure how you're surviving on such low calories. Your body won't like that for very long.
    I dont know how many cals I was consuming before I started keeping track but I somehow managed to get to 196lb
    The only thing ive changed is im drinking less tea, more water and fruit juice and ive started exercising
    And ive stopped drinking alcohol to excess
  • suelegal
    suelegal Posts: 1,282 Member
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    Wow lots of bad advice here.

    Really? And so you say that but don't offer your good advice?
  • nicolars1977
    nicolars1977 Posts: 42
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    i beleive in second opinions so i got three lol, the personal trainers i consulted with said the same thing, eat back the calories or just eat some depending how hungry you are.
  • Demmuscles
    Demmuscles Posts: 228 Member
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    I eat back my exercise cals, I like to eat so I set my cals at 1200 in order to make me workout out in order to be able to eat more than that lol. Works for me, no excuse not to work hard if I want my chocolate. You will still lose this way.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    If I workout should i still only eat 1200 calories? Or can i increase my calories for the day and still lose weight?


    You can increase your calories, but you will lose weight more slowly, and if you inadvertently eliminate your deficit you won't lose weight at all.

    Unless you're hungry or feel unwell, I would stick to 1,200, do your workouts, and see how things go for the next few weeks.

    What!?

    MFP as designed expects you to eat your calories back BECAUSE the calorie deficit is built in already (MFP does not ASSUME that anyone will exercise). When you exercise you increase the calorie deficit.

    When your calorie deficit is TOO big your body will use muscle mass for fuel.

    I eat every single exercise calories BECAUSE: I want to lose fat NOT muscle. I have my activity level set to sedentary and log actual workouts only (not walking the dog). The calorie counts are not grossly overstated because I use a heart rate monitor.

    Some people inadvertantly eat back too many calories because their treadmill (or whatever) overstates calorie burns. MFP numbers are also "generous." Some people inadvertantly eat too much because they set their activity level higher than it should be (activity level is a range).

    Eat your calories back BUT be conservative
  • meganvdrell
    meganvdrell Posts: 1
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    Go with how your body feels. If you feel fine without eating back your calories, then dont force yourself to eat anyway, but if you feel tired or weak then of course eat more! I go with how i feel, some days i need to eat back my workout calories, other days i feel great without doing so.
  • rosha267
    rosha267 Posts: 16 Member
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    Why does everyone here say 1200 so low? What are you guys eating?
  • crlyxx
    crlyxx Posts: 186 Member
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    If I workout should i still only eat 1200 calories? Or can i increase my calories for the day and still lose weight?


    You can increase your calories, but you will lose weight more slowly, and if you inadvertently eliminate your deficit you won't lose weight at all.

    Unless you're hungry or feel unwell, I would stick to 1,200, do your workouts, and see how things go for the next few weeks.

    1200 calories should be your NET. If you're eating 1200, working out, and not eating back those work out calories, you have a deficit right thur.

    EDIT: Woah, old topic. Sorry for bringing it back, haha
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/952996-level-obstacles-lose-weight-target-fat-easy
  • jgcurry3
    jgcurry3 Posts: 172 Member
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    I just have a question on where the vast majority of individuals on here trying to lose weight are getting this 1200 calorie number. I know everyone has different requirements, my BMR alone is in the 1900-2000 range. Not to mention my calories burned during workouts on top of daily activities.
  • goldstargeek
    goldstargeek Posts: 26 Member
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    I was tested and m current BMR is 1450....I eat 1300 calories/day when I want to lose. I eat back exercise calories when I do crossfit because I do not want to lose muscle. The more muscle you have the higher your BMR will be....it is possible that some people's BMR would be really low if they werent very active and had really low muscle mass.... I cant wait until my BMR is more like 1900!

    I can only imagine what someone like Michael Phelps BMR is....he eats 10,000 calories a day to maintain when competitive swimming. Thats crazy :)
  • JessHealthKick
    JessHealthKick Posts: 800 Member
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    READ THIS OTHER THREAD PLEASE!! I beg of you

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/954018-why-am-i-not-losing-any-weight-frustrated

    *rages* I swear MFP puts unhealthy things in people's minds by saying 1200. I went to 1200 and lost nothing, upped to 1400 + eating back exercise calories and finally started to lose.
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
    Options
    If I workout should i still only eat 1200 calories? Or can i increase my calories for the day and still lose weight?


    You can increase your calories, but you will lose weight more slowly, and if you inadvertently eliminate your deficit you won't lose weight at all.

    Unless you're hungry or feel unwell, I would stick to 1,200, do your workouts, and see how things go for the next few weeks.

    What!?

    MFP as designed expects you to eat your calories back BECAUSE the calorie deficit is built in already (MFP does not ASSUME that anyone will exercise). When you exercise you increase the calorie deficit.

    When your calorie deficit is TOO big your body will use muscle mass for fuel.

    I eat every single exercise calories BECAUSE: I want to lose fat NOT muscle. I have my activity level set to sedentary and log actual workouts only (not walking the dog). The calorie counts are not grossly overstated because I use a heart rate monitor.

    Some people inadvertantly eat back too many calories because their treadmill (or whatever) overstates calorie burns. MFP numbers are also "generous." Some people inadvertantly eat too much because they set their activity level higher than it should be (activity level is a range).

    Eat your calories back BUT be conservative

    MFP and gadgets can only estimate what your energy expenditures are and many people overestimate how much they're exercising and underestimate what they eat.

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