Yet another 1200 calorie question!!

butreally12
butreally12 Posts: 67 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey guys!

So. Over and over again, I've read the conversations about eating below 1200 calories and seeing adverse side effects. I'm really worried about getting the proper amount of nutrition daily. I recently upped my calories slightly, but before that, I was eating at 1200 (always eating back exercise calories!) and doing just fine. I was full and satisfied, and I didn't notice a weight loss plateau or bad side effects. My body seemed happy with 1200, so could it really be that bad for me?

When I went to that scooby website that everybody posts again and again, it tells me that I should be eating 1281 calories. That's with my TDEE - 20%. My TDEE - 15% isn't much lower at all. Isn't that what you guys recommend? That's only 81 calories above 1200!! If I switch my activity level to sedentary, it actually suggests 1118, which has GOT to be too low. Even when I switch my goals around on MFP, it never recommends more than about 1350 calories.

Could it be that since I don't have a whole lot to lose, I really should be eating at about 1200 calories? I've just heard soooo many bad things about eating that few of calories. It worries me!

Thanks! I appreciate any advice you can give me :)

Replies

  • CM9178
    CM9178 Posts: 1,251 Member
    Hey guys!

    So. Over and over again, I've read the conversations about eating below 1200 calories and seeing adverse side effects. I'm really worried about getting the proper amount of nutrition daily. I recently upped my calories slightly, but before that, I was eating at 1200 (always eating back exercise calories!) and doing just fine. I was full and satisfied, and I didn't notice a weight loss plateau or bad side effects. My body seemed happy with 1200, so could it really be that bad for me?

    When I went to that scooby website that everybody posts again and again, it tells me that I should be eating 1281 calories. That's with my TDEE - 20%. My TDEE - 15% isn't much lower at all. Isn't that what you guys recommend? That's only 81 calories above 1200!! If I switch my activity level to sedentary, it actually suggests 1118, which has GOT to be too low. Even when I switch my goals around on MFP, it never recommends more than about 1350 calories.

    Could it be that since I don't have a whole lot to lose, I really should be eating at about 1200 calories? I've just heard soooo many bad things about eating that few of calories. It worries me!

    Thanks! I appreciate any advice you can give me :)
    What are your stats and how much do you want to lose?
  • FaerieCae
    FaerieCae Posts: 437 Member
    How much do you have to lose, how tall are you and whats your BMR?
  • butreally12
    butreally12 Posts: 67 Member
    I'm 5'3'', currently at 135 pounds, and I'd like to lose about another 15 pounds (I'm not exactly sure yet.) According to that website, my BMR is 1164. According to MFP I guess it would be 1200?
  • CM9178
    CM9178 Posts: 1,251 Member
    I'm 5'3'', currently at 135 pounds, and I'd like to lose about another 15 pounds (I'm not exactly sure yet.) According to that website, my BMR is 1164. According to MFP I guess it would be 1200?
    Your BMR is about 1429.
    What is your activity level?
  • butreally12
    butreally12 Posts: 67 Member
    How did you get that BMR? My activity level is sedentary - lightly active (I try to exercise 3 times a week as well. )
  • CM9178
    CM9178 Posts: 1,251 Member
    How did you get that BMR? My activity level is sedentary - lightly active (I try to exercise 3 times a week as well. )
    I am using this calculator:
    http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html

    Your TDEE for lightly active is 1964.
    Since you only have 15 lbs to lose, I think you should probably aim for a 10 to 15 % deficit, not 20%.
    TDEE - 10% = 1767
    TDEE - 15% = 1672
    Just for reference:
    TDEE - 20% = 1571

    Maybe pick a number between 1672 and 1767.. say 1700 to make it a nice even number.
    That number would INCLUDE your light exercise. If you do anything beyond light exercise 3 times per week, then try to eat back those calories burned.

    Keep in mind, it will only be about a 260 calorie deficit - so you may only lose about 1/2 lb per week - but this is because you don't have that much to lose.

    Since you are currently eating at 1200, you will want to gradually increase your calories - about 100 calories per week until you are up to 1700. You may initially see a couple pounds gained, but will come off after your metabolism straightens itself out.
  • Paco4gsc
    Paco4gsc Posts: 119 Member
    Did you maybe accidentally put your height in inches into the centimeter spot? Because that's about the only way I can even come close to replicating the BMR that you calculated on scooby.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    I just ran the numbers and came up with the same as CM9178. OP, I'm thinking you might've made a typo at some point?

    P.S. With 14 pounds to lose, 10-15% deficit would be much better for you.
  • CM9178
    CM9178 Posts: 1,251 Member
    Yes, you must've entered something incorrectly.
    I just tried the Scooby Calculator for you as well.

    BMR is 1424.
    TDEE at lightly active is 1958.
    TDEE - 15% = 1664
    0.6 lbs lost per week.

    These numbers are VERY close to the fitness frog calculator numbers I posted above.
  • barbd70
    barbd70 Posts: 34 Member
    bump
  • TheCaren
    TheCaren Posts: 894 Member
    I agree with what everyone else has posted. 10-15% off your TDEE is best for a small amount of weight to lose. And no way is your BMR in the 1100s. I am an inch taller and weigh less than you and I'm in the 1300s
  • rori_74
    rori_74 Posts: 111 Member
    try this calculator http://www.1percentedge.com , i found it very helpful
  • CM9178
    CM9178 Posts: 1,251 Member
    try this calculator http://www.1percentedge.com , i found it very helpful
    link doesn't work.
  • rori_74
    rori_74 Posts: 111 Member
    try this calculator http://www.1percentedge.com , i found it very helpful
    link doesn't work.

    Sorry , my fault here it's http://www.1percentedge.com/ifcalc/
  • butreally12
    butreally12 Posts: 67 Member
    Who knows what I did wrong? That's what happens when I try to do ANYTHING after only a few hours of sleep! Haha thank you everyone for all of your wonderful advice!
  • lambchoplewis
    lambchoplewis Posts: 797
    I am 5'1", 53 yrs old and am very small, weigh 100 lbs. I eat about 1400/day when exercising as this total includes about 300 cals in exercise. I have been maintaining fo 9 months. This sounds like low weight and low calls, but it works for me. If I go over on a binge, I get right back on track and in a few days, I am back to +/-2 lbs of my maintenance weight. I wish I could eat a lot more but, I have tried and I gain slowly.
  • mich1902
    mich1902 Posts: 182
    Uh oh..I just realised I had entered 64 as centimetres instead of inches. No wonder my bmr was showing so low! I changed my cals this week down to 1200 as i thought this was the reason I hadn't been losing!

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