Under eating? 1200 a day diet

karamevans
karamevans Posts: 16
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello,

So I'm still getting used to this whole mfp thing!

My aim was to lose half a lb a week, it suggested I have a net total of 1200 calories a day.

I understand that if I burn 1000 calories exercising, I need to est 2200 calories that day.

I saw on a thread yesterday that someone said they weren't losing any weight on the 1200 calorie diet and everyone was suggesting she was eating far too little.

If I burned 1000 calories and ate 2200 calories is that still too little? Or is it ok? I know it's probably a stupid question but I don't want to risk under or over eating!

I'm 5'1 and around 8 stone 7lbs!

Thank you!

Replies

  • momzeeee
    momzeeee Posts: 475 Member
    What on earth are you doing to burn 1,000 calories in exercise, in one day?!
  • purple4sure05
    purple4sure05 Posts: 287 Member
    People will tell you it's too little, but I can almost promise you will lose weight doing so. Listen to your body and if it needs more food, don't deny yourself of it. However, if you get your calories from healthy, unprocessed foods, you'll be able to eat a large amount and stay entirely healthy while losing weight. I say give it a shot and see how it goes the first couple of weeks, and then make adjustments accordingly.
  • Reecebullet
    Reecebullet Posts: 141 Member
    1200 is the very minimum to continue allowing your system to just run. As in, if you sat down and done nothing all day, around that amount or more is burnt. I also only eat around 1200 calories when I'm not working out that day. If I do work out that day, I up my calorie intake to around 1400-1500. I'd suggest eating more or you may face going into starvation mode.
  • karamevans
    karamevans Posts: 16
    What on earth are you doing to burn 1,000 calories in exercise, in one day?!

    I don't, it was just to make the math simple!
  • karamevans
    karamevans Posts: 16
    Thanks hard ballet! Ill have to reduce to goals on here to allow me more!
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    People will tell you it's too little, but I can almost promise you will lose weight doing so. Listen to your body and if it needs more food, don't deny yourself of it. However, if you get your calories from healthy, unprocessed foods, you'll be able to eat a large amount and stay entirely healthy while losing weight. I say give it a shot and see how it goes the first couple of weeks, and then make adjustments accordingly.

    Your body doesn't tell you when something is wrong until it's too late. It doesn't tell you when you are catabolizing lean body mass, it won't tell you when your metabolic rate is slowing down to compensate for the lack of nutrition.


    OP, the idea is to net calories but unless you are working out a few hours a day, it's probably unlikely you are burning that many calories. For a lot of people, MFP will over estimate burned calories. This is why many of us prefer a TDEE method and eat the same thing daily. It also makes it easier to adjust calorie goods to achieve results. If you want, post your height, weight, age and workout routine and we can run some numbers.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    Figure out your BMR basal metablic rate (calories needed if you were in a coma) ... don't eat below this. The whole "listen to your body" and "Eat back calories if you are hungry" thing doesn't work well.

    http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/bmr-calculator.html

    This is a TDEE total daily energy expenditure calculator (there are several) .... this includes exercise .... so people just take a % off these calories to lose weight.... then you "don't" eat calories back because .... well, they are already included. You're not trying to lose a lot of weight so 15% off your TDEE would be a place to start.

    http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html
  • djrn144
    djrn144 Posts: 21 Member
    if you eat what your body needs to maintain ie the BMR don't you need to reduce that to lose weight? I don't want to maintain, but lose. I am confused.
  • herblackwings39
    herblackwings39 Posts: 3,930 Member
    if you eat what your body needs to maintain ie the BMR don't you need to reduce that to lose weight? I don't want to maintain, but lose. I am confused.

    BMR is what your body needs to simply survive if you slept all day everyday. Just by getting out of bed and going about your day you're making a deficit.
  • Kpablo
    Kpablo Posts: 355 Member
    What on earth are you doing to burn 1,000 calories in exercise, in one day?!

    Insanity burns 1,000 calories, riding a bike for 10 miles (an hour for most) burns about 1,000 calories, I burned 600 calories in an hour and do so most cardio days. It's possible.

    Get a heart rate monitor to know exactly how many calories you burned.

    They (the forum) told me to increase to about 1800 calories (according to TDEE). I burn about 500-800 calories every day). I just consume all my calories burned with a 1200. I started doing this on Monday. I've lost 2 pounds.
  • momo9128706
    momo9128706 Posts: 45
    I have been doing 1200 a day for over a year (probably 2 days about 1500). I've lost 46 lbs so far. I moved up to 1400 but after 3 months of no weight lose I hit a wall. I went back to 1200 and have lost 8 lbs the last 8 weeks. I'm 5'2". I'll be moving my calories up once I'm closer to my weight.
  • AbsoluteNG
    AbsoluteNG Posts: 1,079 Member
    Again with the "Net" calories. These forums are the only place you'll ever hear those words and if you keep listening to random people on here, I wouldn't be surprised if you gained weight eating 2200 calories a day. I know, I'm just another random person on the net with very little credentials so I'll just refer you to a real life practicing, Registered by the state of Texas Dietitian. Link below to his answer on "Net" Calories. You're also welcome to ask him any questions.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/933325-registered-dietitian-in-tx-here-to-answer-questions
  • Mrsallypants
    Mrsallypants Posts: 887 Member
    Burn fewer calories so you don't have to eat a load to replace them.
  • beverlybroughtonquinn
    beverlybroughtonquinn Posts: 9
    Im eating 1200 calories a day. Its a little hard...but you just need to keep using mfp and keep track of how many calories your food and snacks have. Yes, excercising will give you bonus calories...to eat..lol. So if you burn 1000 calories excercising you can eat that much more.Write a menue out for yourself, so it gives you ideas at a glance of what foods to eat and how many calories they have.
    Goodluck
  • beverlybroughtonquinn
    beverlybroughtonquinn Posts: 9
    Its easy..just doing 10 minutes on the elliptical and 15 minutes of going up and down the stairs burns me almost 400 calories
  • Lysander666
    Lysander666 Posts: 275 Member
    What on earth are you doing to burn 1,000 calories in exercise, in one day?!

    You don't work out much, do you.
  • 1223345
    1223345 Posts: 1,386 Member
    I think only seriously sedentary people will lose weight eating just 1200 calories. To a point anyway, everyone would lose on that at first, but it would level out quickly is what I think. I think it is best to just try different amounts to see what works for you. I think 1500 is a great starting place.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    What on earth are you doing to burn 1,000 calories in exercise, in one day?!

    Insanity burns 1,000 calories, riding a bike for 10 miles (an hour for most) burns about 1,000 calories, I burned 600 calories in an hour and do so most cardio days. It's possible.

    Get a heart rate monitor to know exactly how many calories you burned.

    They (the forum) told me to increase to about 1800 calories (according to TDEE). I burn about 500-800 calories every day). I just consume all my calories burned with a 1200. I started doing this on Monday. I've lost 2 pounds.

    Correction.. Insanity burns UP TO 1000 calories per session, but that will more likely be the guys who burn that much. It is extremely common for people to over estimates the burns. I am a 190lb guy and even doing insanity, I would suspect it's difficult to burn that much and I am pretty fit (12% body fat currently).
  • CatMcCheesey
    CatMcCheesey Posts: 143
    1200 calories a day has been working well for me. I feel great, I'm never hungry, I average 2 pounds lost per week and have been making some great strength gains at the gym.

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