STOP with the 1200 calorie posts ~ rant

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Replies

  • Lumen1505
    Lumen1505 Posts: 77 Member
    SSooooooo glad I used the 'search' function before I asked such a question!!!
    I was raised with no nutritional support from my parents and (my mother had food issues - now passed down to me) so her idea of a healthy eating plan was to peel grapes all day or only eat celery! I am slowly educating myself and learning to eat more (not binge) - take care of myself.
    I would hope that although these questions can get a bit annoying we can all show some compassion for those who really dont know any better ( I was one not so long ago) and for those that do and don't want to hear the advice just leave them on their way...they will find out for themselves soon enough :drinker: :flowerforyou: .
  • you know what.?.. well done... you have managed to get people apologising for asking advice on eating... on a support forum for healthy living.... and you know what else? we all need help from time to time... certainly everybody here...

    and you know what else? i started by making it all up as i went along.... joined mfp on 1200... stopped losing ate a bit more... started again....as of this morning, i have lost 114 lbs... 314 to 200... one more to ONEderland... am i proud? hell yeah... look at my diary... the last week has been ridiculous because i have no appetite whatsoever because i am falling in love... at 57 and i can hear you all going eeew!! SUCK IT UP AND DEAL with it... nobody holds a gun to your head to read posts you can't be arsed to...

    anybody who wants reassurance about 1200 are welcome to add me.... i don't profess to know it all like some... but i am more than happy to do my best to build you up rather than knock you down....

    RANT OVER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • Heather_Rider
    Heather_Rider Posts: 1,159 Member
    Well, my TDEE is 951... what ya think about that? (this is set to lose 2 pounds per week at sedentary lifestyle)

    This is NO MFP crap.. this is MY TDEE.. which is what you are suppose to go by.. So, if you cant go by MFP's magical numbers.. and you cant go by your TDEE..

    THEN WHAT?

    genuine interest but how on earth can one have a 951 TDEE? are you small as well as sedentary?

    use this site, which is the one my doctor used with me in his office. my height is 5'6" my weight is 5'6" my age is 36. Subtract 1000 calories for 2 pounds of weight loss per week. You get 951.25

    file:///C:/Users/Heather's%20Computer/Desktop/TDEE.htm

    and im genuinely interested as well, because i get shiz for this.. and shiz for 120 calories.. so what am i suppose to do? how am i suppose to lose weight with support, if i have no where to start? or .... anything?
  • trudijoy
    trudijoy Posts: 1,685 Member
    Well, my TDEE is 951... what ya think about that? (this is set to lose 2 pounds per week at sedentary lifestyle)

    This is NO MFP crap.. this is MY TDEE.. which is what you are suppose to go by.. So, if you cant go by MFP's magical numbers.. and you cant go by your TDEE..

    THEN WHAT?

    genuine interest but how on earth can one have a 951 TDEE? are you small as well as sedentary?


    use this site, which is the one my doctor used with me in his office. my height is 5'6" my weight is 5'6" my age is 36. Subtract 1000 calories for 2 pounds of weight loss per week. You get 951.25

    file:///C:/Users/Heather's%20Computer/Desktop/TDEE.htm
    then your TDEE is 1951 not 951. Your TDEE isn't your TDEE minus your deficit. Your TDEE is your daily expenditure. Your calorie goal is 951.

    Terminology....
  • trudijoy
    trudijoy Posts: 1,685 Member
    if your TDEE is 1951 I'd be eating at deficit of 500 then aiming for a further caloric burn of 3-500 a day to create another deficit. I wouldn't be going for eating just 951 personally. I'd eat 1450 and then burn and not eat back.
  • Heather_Rider
    Heather_Rider Posts: 1,159 Member
    Well, my TDEE is 951... what ya think about that? (this is set to lose 2 pounds per week at sedentary lifestyle)

    This is NO MFP crap.. this is MY TDEE.. which is what you are suppose to go by.. So, if you cant go by MFP's magical numbers.. and you cant go by your TDEE..

    THEN WHAT?

    genuine interest but how on earth can one have a 951 TDEE? are you small as well as sedentary?


    use this site, which is the one my doctor used with me in his office. my height is 5'6" my weight is 5'6" my age is 36. Subtract 1000 calories for 2 pounds of weight loss per week. You get 951.25

    file:///C:/Users/Heather's%20Computer/Desktop/TDEE.htm
    then your TDEE is 1951 not 951. Your TDEE isn't your TDEE minus your deficit. Your TDEE is your daily expenditure. Your calorie goal is 951.

    Terminology....

    pardon me for having bad terminology, but either way.. i eat 951. RIGHT? so, if i were to post that i EAT 951.. you would shame me for that.. .MORE-SO than if i posted i eat 1200...

    so whats a girl to do?

    (and i thought i made the .. i subtract 1000 to lose 2 pounds a week ... CLEAR in my last post?) there was no need to be rude.
  • hellokittymaui
    hellokittymaui Posts: 226 Member
    I usually try to stay at around 1350 calories a day. I found when I tried staying at 1200 calories, I was really *hangry* ALL THE TIME, lightheaded, headaches, body aches, no energy to workout. And my weight loss actually slowed down.

    When I bumped it back up to 1350-1500...I started dropping weight again. So for me, 1200 is too low.
  • trudijoy
    trudijoy Posts: 1,685 Member
    Well, my TDEE is 951... what ya think about that? (this is set to lose 2 pounds per week at sedentary lifestyle)

    This is NO MFP crap.. this is MY TDEE.. which is what you are suppose to go by.. So, if you cant go by MFP's magical numbers.. and you cant go by your TDEE..

    THEN WHAT?

    genuine interest but how on earth can one have a 951 TDEE? are you small as well as sedentary?


    use this site, which is the one my doctor used with me in his office. my height is 5'6" my weight is 5'6" my age is 36. Subtract 1000 calories for 2 pounds of weight loss per week. You get 951.25

    file:///C:/Users/Heather's%20Computer/Desktop/TDEE.htm
    then your TDEE is 1951 not 951. Your TDEE isn't your TDEE minus your deficit. Your TDEE is your daily expenditure. Your calorie goal is 951.

    Terminology....

    pardon me for having bad terminology, but either way.. i eat 951. RIGHT? so, if i were to post that i EAT 951.. you would shame me for that.. .MORE-SO than if i posted i eat 1200...

    so whats a girl to do?

    (and i thought i made the .. i subtract 1000 to lose 2 pounds a week ... CLEAR in my last post?) there was no need to be rude.

    hypocritical, much. I wasn't being rude. In fact, in my other post, I tried to help you. Won't make that mistake again.
  • Heather_Rider
    Heather_Rider Posts: 1,159 Member
    if your TDEE is 1951 I'd be eating at deficit of 500 then aiming for a further caloric burn of 3-500 a day to create another deficit. I wouldn't be going for eating just 951 personally. I'd eat 1450 and then burn and not eat back.

    the 1951 is before my exercise. If i exercise, then i do eat back my exercise calories, however ive had two strokes from blood clots to the brain, so exercise is sometimes few & far between. Mainly its biking on a recumbent bike when i have time or just daily activity. I generally do not log daily activity. So, if i dont actually BIKE, i dont eat more than the 951.
  • Heather_Rider
    Heather_Rider Posts: 1,159 Member
    Well, my TDEE is 951... what ya think about that? (this is set to lose 2 pounds per week at sedentary lifestyle)

    This is NO MFP crap.. this is MY TDEE.. which is what you are suppose to go by.. So, if you cant go by MFP's magical numbers.. and you cant go by your TDEE..

    THEN WHAT?

    genuine interest but how on earth can one have a 951 TDEE? are you small as well as sedentary?


    use this site, which is the one my doctor used with me in his office. my height is 5'6" my weight is 5'6" my age is 36. Subtract 1000 calories for 2 pounds of weight loss per week. You get 951.25

    file:///C:/Users/Heather's%20Computer/Desktop/TDEE.htm
    then your TDEE is 1951 not 951. Your TDEE isn't your TDEE minus your deficit. Your TDEE is your daily expenditure. Your calorie goal is 951.

    Terminology....

    pardon me for having bad terminology, but either way.. i eat 951. RIGHT? so, if i were to post that i EAT 951.. you would shame me for that.. .MORE-SO than if i posted i eat 1200...

    so whats a girl to do?

    (and i thought i made the .. i subtract 1000 to lose 2 pounds a week ... CLEAR in my last post?) there was no need to be rude.

    hypocritical, much. I wasn't being rude. In fact, in my other post, I tried to help you. Won't make that mistake again.
    [/quote

    a one word reply to my question was RUDE. not hypocritical. I asked a sincere question, as you can see from above posts, i said i was interested. This is where we always run into trouble. Someone has a REAL question, and the person who replies with *ALL* the answers gets smart with their answer because the person who asks is made to feel stupid because she DOESNT know the answer. Then again, the reply of "Wont make that mistake again" once again makes the girl feel as if shes done nothing more than bother someone of their time.

    THANK YOU. Im glad you have felt the need to make someone feel they are nothing more than a waste of time. You have successfully made someone with a genuine question, who has been on MFP nearly a year now, who was too afraid to ask a question..... feel like an idiot.

    CONGRATS!

    Ill just continue to do what im doing & GUESS its okay. If not, il figure something out.

    WAY TO GO on helping another person who was in need.
  • Heather_Rider
    Heather_Rider Posts: 1,159 Member
    I usually try to stay at around 1350 calories a day. I found when I tried staying at 1200 calories, I was really *hangry* ALL THE TIME, lightheaded, headaches, body aches, no energy to workout. And my weight loss actually slowed down.

    When I bumped it back up to 1350-1500...I started dropping weight again. So for me, 1200 is too low.

    Im glad you found out what worked for you! I hope this continues for you & you have amazing success! :flowerforyou:

    lol @ hangry!
  • Vailara
    Vailara Posts: 2,467 Member
    MFP DOES recommend 1200 calories for some people, so they are only using the site correctly. And I'm sure some people are not eating exercise calories simply because they don't exercise (not everybody does).

    For some people, 1200 calories isn't proportionately so little as it is for others. Everybody gets jumped on if they eat 1200, regardless of age, weight, height, etc. But for some of those people, older, shorter, women, 1200 might actually not be that far off what they "should" be having, especially if they are eating back (possibly overestimated) exercise calories. (As an example, for me, personally, my sedentary TDEE - 20% is around 1300 at the moment. If I set my calories to 1200 and added in exercise for housework, etc., as some do, then I'd probably break even. Even if I didn't add in exercise calories, I'd only need another 100 calories to hit TDEE - 20%. It's not such a dramatic deficit as it might be with a 6 foot young man).

    Now, I'm not recommending 1200 if you can avoid it at all, but I'm trying to explain that it's not so far off the mark for some people according to other calculations (TDEE - 20%), and there's no need to treat everybody as if they are doing some extreme diet. It IS ridiculously low for some people, for others, not so much - it's close to what they're being told to eat by both MFP and TDEE - 20%..
  • if your TDEE is 1951 I'd be eating at deficit of 500 then aiming for a further caloric burn of 3-500 a day to create another deficit. I wouldn't be going for eating just 951 personally. I'd eat 1450 and then burn and not eat back.

    the 1951 is before my exercise. If i exercise, then i do eat back my exercise calories, however ive had two strokes from blood clots to the brain, so exercise is sometimes few & far between. Mainly its biking on a recumbent bike when i have time or just daily activity. I generally do not log daily activity. So, if i dont actually BIKE, i dont eat more than the 951.

    You are heading for a huge massive fall eating 951 cals a day. Please learn to work out your real TDEE, google it, learn to research properly and only listen to people who actually know what they are talking about.
  • trudijoy
    trudijoy Posts: 1,685 Member
    if your TDEE is 1951 I'd be eating at deficit of 500 then aiming for a further caloric burn of 3-500 a day to create another deficit. I wouldn't be going for eating just 951 personally. I'd eat 1450 and then burn and not eat back.

    the 1951 is before my exercise. If i exercise, then i do eat back my exercise calories, however ive had two strokes from blood clots to the brain, so exercise is sometimes few & far between. Mainly its biking on a recumbent bike when i have time or just daily activity. I generally do not log daily activity. So, if i dont actually BIKE, i dont eat more than the 951.

    You are heading for a huge massive fall eating 951 cals a day. Please learn to work out your real TDEE, google it, learn to research properly and only listen to people who actually know what they are talking about.

    I tried . . .
  • babydiego87
    babydiego87 Posts: 905 Member
    Not all 1200 posts are equal. Petite, short, women who are not doing heavy lifting and need to lose some weight legitimately women land there. I work out, I eat back wo cals, but some weeks, some months, just go slow. Weight loss is not linear. I appreciated those telling me that. I appreciate those encouraging some body weight exercising and encouraging me to cross- train. I appreciated gentle guidance to not over-do cardio.
    this. 1200 rocks for me
  • EmmaKarney
    EmmaKarney Posts: 690 Member
    Not all 1200 posts are equal. Petite, short, women who are not doing heavy lifting and need to lose some weight legitimately women land there. I work out, I eat back wo cals, but some weeks, some months, just go slow. Weight loss is not linear. I appreciated those telling me that. I appreciate those encouraging some body weight exercising and encouraging me to cross- train. I appreciated gentle guidance to not over-do cardio.
    this. 1200 rocks for me

    You're doing great on 1200 but I still have a sneaking suspicion you'd do just as well on 1400 ;)
  • haroon_awan
    haroon_awan Posts: 1,208 Member
    Out of curiosity, why does MFP even recommend 1200 calories?! Even if you are 5' and 120lbs and live roughly sedentary, your MINIMUM calories wouldn't reach that. Surely they ought to fix this?!
  • trudijoy
    trudijoy Posts: 1,685 Member
    Out of curiosity, why does MFP even recommend 1200 calories?! Even if you are 5' and 120lbs and live roughly sedentary, your MINIMUM calories wouldn't reach that. Surely they ought to fix this?!

    because they assume everyone who wants to lose weight will excercise, i think.
  • Mads1997
    Mads1997 Posts: 1,494 Member
    Out of curiosity, why does MFP even recommend 1200 calories?! Even if you are 5' and 120lbs and live roughly sedentary, your MINIMUM calories wouldn't reach that. Surely they ought to fix this?!

    Most of the time it's user error. They all choose to lose 2lb per week ( the quick fix) which is the most aggressive therefore MFP gives them 1200 cals as it won't go any lower than that.

    Edited to add. 2lb per week is fine for those who are obese or morbidly obese only.
  • phumzilesiboza7
    phumzilesiboza7 Posts: 14 Member
    I absolutely agree with you, it's like now that people have lost some weight they've gained some guru status and the right to judge newbies! I find the whole "snowflake" comment quite nasty.
  • trudijoy
    trudijoy Posts: 1,685 Member
    Out of curiosity, why does MFP even recommend 1200 calories?! Even if you are 5' and 120lbs and live roughly sedentary, your MINIMUM calories wouldn't reach that. Surely they ought to fix this?!

    Most of the time it's user error. They all choose to lose 2lb per week ( the quick fix) which is the most aggressive therefore MFP gives them 1200 cals as it won't go any lower than that.

    Edited to add. 2lb per week is fine for those who are obese or morbidly obese only.

    i'm losing 1kg a week on average, which is about 2 lb, and i'm neither obese nor morbidly obese... but yeah, generally speaking many go in too aggressively and just wanna get thin, not healthy
  • I absolutely agree with you, it's like now that people have lost some weight they've gained some guru status and the right to judge newbies! I find the whole "snowflake" comment quite nasty.

    I think you misunderstood the OP.....
  • Vailara
    Vailara Posts: 2,467 Member
    Out of curiosity, why does MFP even recommend 1200 calories?! Even if you are 5' and 120lbs and live roughly sedentary, your MINIMUM calories wouldn't reach that. Surely they ought to fix this?!

    Most of the time it's user error. They all choose to lose 2lb per week ( the quick fix) which is the most aggressive therefore MFP gives them 1200 cals as it won't go any lower than that.

    Edited to add. 2lb per week is fine for those who are obese or morbidly obese only.

    If I stick 5', 120 lb, female and sedentary into Scooby it gives me a TDEE of 1248 at age 60, or 1307 at age 50 (Mifflin St-Jeor). Obviously it's going to be difficult for somebody with those stats to lose weight without getting close to 1200. For the 60 year old, they only have a 48 calorie deficit - that's, what, 1/10th of a pound a week? And it would be so easy to miscalculate and actually eat MORE than her TDEE. That's what I was trying to explain above - that 1200 is actually close to what they're being advised to eat, for some people.

    I'm sure user error happens often as in the past, we were always advised that 2lb a week was the ideal, safe rate of weight loss. However, MFP does RECOMMEND 1200 calories for some people. I know it does for me. If I put my details in there is a drop down box with different rates of weight loss or gain, and if I chose the recommended one, it sets me at 1200. I'm sure it's the same for other people my size and age.
  • Lysander666
    Lysander666 Posts: 275 Member

    because they assume everyone who wants to lose weight will excercise, i think.

    Ah, so some people lose weight without it? It's half the fun. I love exercising.
  • Katmary71
    Katmary71 Posts: 7,082 Member
    I'm 5'4 and sedentary. I have physical limitations that cause a lot of pain. I'm hoping to start using my recumbent bike soon, starting at 5-10 minutes as recommended, along with my physical therapy routine of stretching and strengthening. Anyhow, I'm 206 pounds, and wanted to lose a pound per week, which landed me at 1260 calories.

    My doctor actually told me to stick with 600 calories, so it's more than she recommends! I do plan to eat calories back and start adding in my exercise calories once I start. I was 1400 until i lost 11 pounds and MFP asked me to re-enter my info.. And YES, I have read the 1200 posts to learn and have learned from them.
  • trudijoy
    trudijoy Posts: 1,685 Member

    because they assume everyone who wants to lose weight will excercise, i think.

    Ah, so some people lose weight without it? It's half the fun. I love exercising.

    yep, some want the loss without the excercise, and that's their path. Personally, i want to be thinner, fitter, and healtheir, not simply weigh less, so I work out. But that's not for everyone :)

    plus, like you, i like it. Excercise makes me feel strong, capable and in control
  • Is it a good idea to have one day a week to eat rather more than the 1200 cals so that the body's metabolism is tricked and thereby works more effectively? If the body goes into the starvation mode then it is possible that it will be difficult to maintain the weight loss inertia.
  • toutmonpossible
    toutmonpossible Posts: 1,580 Member
    I've just decided to stop reading most posts about diet and exercise because there is so much just completely WRONG information out there. It's so hard not to try and reply to every one...but then I'd just look like an *kitten*. Deep breath and let it go (though it's hard, isn't it??)

    That's my conclusion, and I am someone who needs to be at 1200 or less to actually lose weight. Hell, I've never been overweight, I've been trying to lose a few vanity pounds. if people keep making the same dumb comments (about supposedly low calorie eating, when 1200 is not "low calorie") why should I waste my time responding?

    Same things with the stupid posts in which people assert that every woman, despite her genetics and goals, will not increase in size through strength training.

    I keep wondering where the people like me are. I guess they don't belong to sites like this, or if they do, they don't bother with the discussion threads.
  • mrdexter1
    mrdexter1 Posts: 356 Member
    Surely the fact is 1200 is ONLY a problem for those who dont report weight loss when eating 1200 and use the standard macros settings from the forum.

    We re all different shapes ,sizes and weights with differing levels of activity and what works for one isnt going to work for another and as you shed weight your bodies needs change and require diet adjustment highlighting this.

    why not agree its not wise for the 200lb plus group who are probably doing weight training every time they move and naturally burn more callories just by moving the extra weight they are in effect carrying .
  • babydiego87
    babydiego87 Posts: 905 Member
    I'd like to dispel the myth of 1200 and 2lb set weight loss.

    WHATEVER I put my goals at (for reference, my goal has ALWAYS been set at 1-1/2lbs) I get 1200 calories.

    My TDEE - 20% = 1226

    My TDEE - 10% = 1380

    Don't assume that everyone on 1200 calories is wrong, please.