Can I lose weight eating 1300 calories a day?

Marrisa188 · June 2013

I was originally 209 pounds....depressed and unhealthy. I am now 162 pounds, a 5'4 21 year old woman. I was eating 1100 calories a dayand working out 40 minutes on the elliptical 6 days a week with one day of "bootcamp", (One strength traing mixed with some cardio). I have 32 more pounds until i reach my goal weight and with my stressful job, im struggling. Is 1300 calories too high? It just seems a lot more doable, to be hones. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks:)

ken_hogan · June 2013

I hope you are eating your exercise calories back as it is?

shutupandlift13 · June 2013

Yes, you can. In fact, you might want to eat more, lose a little slower, but minimize loss of lean body mass with a smaller deficit.

Things to think about aside from the number would be body composition and any fitness goals you might have. Your body at 130 but 25+% body fat is going to look a heck of a lot different than your body at 130 and 20% body fat. For the latter, I recommend a small deficit, some heavier lifting 3 times a week, and minimal to moderate cardio (2-3 sessions a week, LISS or HIIT, your preference). Eat enough protein and enough fat, fill in the rest however you prefer and stay at a deficit and you'll start seeing not only the lbs come off but also the inches.

LaurenAOK · June 2013

Your BMR is nearly 1500 calories a day. That means that even if you lead a sedentary lifestyle, you burn about 1800 calories a day! So yes, you could easily eat 1300 calories and lose 1 pound a week. In fact, I'd recommend you eat 1500 calories, as I personally believe you should never eat less than your BMR. Also, always eat your exercise calories back, as these numbers I'm giving you are based on a lifestyle WITHOUT exercise.

After eating 1100 calories (way too little, btw) for so long, your metabolism may be a bit messed up. Make sure you give it some time at the new calorie level - at least a month - for your body to adjust! Don't freak out if you see a gain on the scale initially. This is normal.

I'm also 5'4", 130lbs and I eat 1450 calories a day to lose weight (more when I exercise). You weigh more than I do, so you can eat more than I do and still lose.

mahanaibu · June 2013

Of course it's doable, it's just slower. The more you pick up your pace with exercise, including muscle-building, the faster it will go, and the more you'll have muscles that will help you burn more calories and maintain the new weight. In fact you might find you lose more weight..1,100 is a little on the low side.

JoanB5 · June 2013

Yup. Sounds like a good change of pace for you. (Eat back exercise calories and you'll actually lose more.)

unFATuated · June 2013

I'm about the same height as you, started at about 190lbs and now weighing 176lbs after 6 weeks. I've been consistently eating around 1400-1500 cals per day and have managed that loss. Honestly, eating more (not too much, but more) is better as your body has fuel and doesn't hang onto the weight due to going into starvation mode.

Your BMR (i.e. the amount of calories your body needs to just perform the basic functions) is around 1500 so 1300 is a decent deficit and may still be a little on the low side. Try adding in a few more cals each week and see how you go. If you slow to no loss at all for a few weeks, then take some out. 1100 is far too low, as you have nowhere to go when/if you plateau.

shadow2soul · June 2013

For comparison:

I'm 5'4"
23 years old
Eat at least 1500 calories on lazy days. On extremely active days I can end up eating close to 2500.
I'm averaging 2lbs per week loss (actually hoping it slows down with the addition of weight lifting to my exercise)
Started March 13 @ 218lbs
CW: 191.2lbs

So in my opinion:
1) Switching from 1100 to 1300 will probably cause you to gain weight for a little bit (1-2 weeks...possibly a little longer if your metabolism has slowed as a result of such a low calorie intake), but it should come back off if you stick to it (at least 4 weeks)
2) 1300 is probably not enough calories, but then again it could be fine.
**This is just my opinion.**

Marrisa188 · June 2013

Thanks so much guys! Yeah, I know now 1100 calories isn't enough. I did not educate myself enough. I do however eat really healthy I'd say 95 percent of the time and forgot to mention I always eat 1300 on bootcamp days. So 1100 6 days a week, but 1300 once a week. So, 1300 is good...should I eat my calories back? I definitely was not doing that.

shutupandlift13 · June 2013

Thanks so much guys! Yeah, I know now 1100 calories isn't enough. I did not educate myself enough. I do however really healthy I'd say 95 percent of the time and forgot to mention I always eat 1300 on bootcamp days. So 1100 6 days a week, but 1300 once a week. So, 1300 is good...should I eat my calories back? I definitely was not doing that.

1300 is below your BMR so I would try eating around your actual BMR, 1500 cals or so. That would be 1500 TOTAL, not NET. Or guessing by your activities you've listed, you are probably burning, conservatively, 200cals per day, so 1300 NET calories.

nxd10 · June 2013

Yes, you will be much healthier eating them back. You've done so well. Now you want something doable and healthy.

If you put in your height and current weight and your goals, MFP will give you a reasonable calorie allowance with however much you want to lose per week. I'd go with that. And that means you can log all your exercise and that gets added to what you can eat - a nice reward.

AmandaReimer1 · June 2013

I'm 5'4, 28 and eat 1500 calories than plus exercise calories and lose at least a pound a week. So, it's totally okay to eat 1300 cals and lose weight

noellovesyou · December 2013

I'm a little new at this, I just downloaded the app and it said my goal calorie intake should be just above 1300 calories per day. I am a single mom to 3 kids, so in addition to working out at the y a couple times per week I am constantly moving around and playing with my sons. Plus I'm still breast feeding my youngest. At 128 pounds and 5"1 I am looking to lose about 20 pounds. I'm just wondering what are the foods I can eat that would be filling and nutritious while still maintains my weightless goal?

Veganvibesss · August 2017

I was 220 and now I'm 155, I ate 1500-2000 a day but of real food, veggies and fruit. No junk and I lost it in a few months so I would recommend atleast eating 1500, that's around your bmr

firef1y72 · August 2017

Mmm well I started at 290lb, am now 153lb and am losing very well on 2000+ \calories a day...think I'd end up gnawing on my own arm if I tried to limit myself to 1300 and gnaw my leg if I was stuck at 1100.

It all depends on your activity level, but even shorties like me (5'2) can eat a heck of a lot more than the prescribed 1200 and lose weight. We don't even have to stop eating treats, I eat ice cream, chocolates, cakes, the occasional McDonalds wrap (not the fries they aren't worth the calories) as well as the more nutrient dense options. (Well I'm not this week, this week I'm doing a bootcamp week with my PT and eating to a plan, but still she had me eating at 2500 Calories yesterday).

middlehaitch · August 2017

noellovesyou wrote: »

I'm a little new at this, I just downloaded the app and it said my goal calorie intake should be just above 1300 calories per day. I am a single mom to 3 kids, so in addition to working out at the y a couple times per week I am constantly moving around and playing with my sons. Plus I'm still breast feeding my youngest. At 128 pounds and 5"1 I am looking to lose about 20 pounds. I'm just wondering what are the foods I can eat that would be filling and nutritious while still maintains my weightless goal?

You may want to start your own thread @noellovesyou so this one doesn't get derailed.

Basically the 1300 looks as though it is sedentary calories. You are not sedentary, you are probably at least light activity.

If you are working out, you eat back your exercise calories.

You are breast feeding, depending on how often you feed you could need an extra 500 cals.

With only 20 lbs to lose a deficit of .5 lbs a week would be best, or 1lbs for the first few lbs and .5lbs when you get under 10 to go.

Go back into your setup and do light activity, and .5lbs a week.

Get yourself a digital food scale, weigh all solid and semi solid foods.
You can eat whatever you like within your calorie goal, but do pay attention to nutrition.

Cheers, h.

trjjoy · August 2017

Starvation mode doesn't exist, y'all

Can I lose weight eating 1300 calories a day?

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