Do u NET 1200 cals, or r eating 1200 cals ?

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linalovekitty
linalovekitty Posts: 187
in Food and Nutrition
Just curious about those on 1200 cal day diets? Are u eating back exercise cals to net 1200 or r u eating 1200 only?
Curious bc Ive tried 1200 & 1500 & i cant function let alone workout

Replies

  • pastryari
    pastryari Posts: 8,646 Member
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    You should be NETTING whatever calorie goal MFP gives you. Eat back your exercise calories (or at least a good portion if you want to account for it being a little off on burn estimations). That's the way the system was designed.
  • SoViLicious
    SoViLicious Posts: 2,633 Member
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    Is 1200 or 1500 too low or too much? I am thinking you are meaning it's too low and you want more? Right? Anyway, deff eat some back. The only ones I don't eat back are my lifting calories.
  • kgraves3
    kgraves3 Posts: 28 Member
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    I also do 1200 kcal a day. You should always NET whatever MFP gives you, and that is especially important for those of us on such low-calorie diets. For most people, 1200 kcal/day is the least you should ever net.


    And by the way, it IS going to be hard in the beginning, especially if you are dropping from eating at surplus and then going straight to 1200. Eat back at LEAST half of your exercise calories (I usually eat back 75% because MFP has been known to overestimate exercise calories). Your body will get used to it, and as your weight drops, it'll get easier still. Just stick it out.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
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    I usually hit 1200 by around 11am. Sometimes before 9 am.
  • lifeskittles
    lifeskittles Posts: 438 Member
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    I try to eat at least 1750 most days, sometimes more....and my BMR is 1850 so add in walking around, blinking, lifting food to my face and thats about 2200 I burn on a daily basis. I try to eat less than that :P
  • themommie
    themommie Posts: 5,003 Member
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    I only eat between 1200 -1300 cals I only eat back exercise cals if I have more then 600 cals burned that day then I only eat back about 200-300 but I am 50 yrs old and have hypothyroidism. You need to find what works for you, if you cant function on 1500 then try adding another 100 cals if that doesnt work try adding another 100 cals
  • thesupremeforce
    thesupremeforce Posts: 1,207 Member
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    There's also the question of what you're eating. Are you getting enough protein, fat, carbs, etc in your diet? What are your workouts like? You should definitely net at least 1500 calories per day (assuming your 2000 calories per day is accurate).
  • cebiginalaska
    cebiginalaska Posts: 280 Member
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    Calculate your TDEE and add a deficient much easier than trying to worry about worrying about how much calories you should eat back

    Find out more here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/7965-in-place-of-a-road-map
    it has lots of great information about figuring out your TDEE and how much you should eat
    This is a short form for the full document contained here:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/974888-in-place-of-a-road-map-2k13


    The Road Map is simply a tool to find Body Fat%, BMR and TDEE.
    All 3 items are important to understanding fat/weight loss.

    Once you know these 3 numbers, you'll be able to manipulate nutrition and training to get to your next goal.

    1) Body Fat%
    Knowing the ratio of body fat to lean mass is crucial in understanding body composition.
    The less fat you have, the leaner you'll look.
    The more lean muscle you have, the better your definition (tone) will look.
    Having ideal body fat is not only healthier for the individual but it also helps you look good naked!

    Athletes (6-13% for men, 16-20% for women) 
<---Ideal area for Bulking
    Fitness (14-17% for men, 21-24% for women) 

    Acceptable (18-25% for men, 25-31% for women) 

    Obese (25%+ for men, 32%+ for women)

    The shocking part about BF% is most people who PM me numbers don't know how much fat they carry.
    It's the most important part of figuring out the rest of your caloric intake.

    Bottom Line: Buy a tape measurer or a set of Calipers and learn how to objectively track body fat while cutting/bulking.
    The ultimate goal is to lose unwanted fat and maintain or even gain beautiful lean muscle.

    Useful links:
    http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bf/
    http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/mbf/
    http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/cbbf/
    Do all 3 BF Calcs and use the average number.
    Write it down, you'll use it later!

    2) BMR/RMR
    Basal Metabolic Rate or Resting Metabolic Rate.
    This covers all body functions outside of activity.
    If you were in a coma and you were fed enough nutrients to keep you alive, Thats BMR.
    Think "Baseline Calories" if you did absolutely nothing.
    Sub-sedentary.
    All vital organs are covered when eating BMR.

    For those who like math, you'll find several different types of calculations for BMR.
    1) Harris-Benedict formula: Overestimates in obese: Avoid this setting!
    MEN: BMR = 66 + [13.7 x weight (kg)] + [5 x height (cm)] - [6.76 x age (years)]
    WOMEN: BMR = 655 + [9.6 x weight (kg)] + [1.8 x height (cm)] - [4.7 x age (years)]

    2) Mifflin-St Jeor: Better estimate for those that are obese, but still inflated.
    MEN: BMR = [9.99 x weight (kg)] + [6.25 x height (cm)] - [4.92 x age (years)] + 5
    WOMEN: BMR = [9.99 x weight (kg)] + [6.25 x height (cm)] - [4.92 x age (years)] -1613)

    3) Katch-McArdle: Best estimate if decent estimate of BF% is known and is especially good in leaner individuals.
    BMR = 370 + (21.6 x LBM)Where LBM = [total weight (kg) x (100 - bodyfat %)]/100

    If you'd like to calculate on your own, you can get calculated TDEE using this chart:
    Multiply BMR x Activity factor = TDEE.
    1.2 = Sedentary (Little or no exercise + desk job)
    1.3-1.4 = Lightly Active (Little daily activity & light exercise 1-3 days a week)
    1.5-1.6 = Moderately Active (Moderately active daily life & Moderate exercise 3-5 days a week)
    1.7-1.8 = Very Active (Physically demanding lifestyle & Hard exercise or sports 6-7 days a week)
    1.9-2.0 = Extremely Active (Hard daily exercise or sports and physical job)

    Or use the formula that chart is based on, if you want to use number of hours of exercise per week instead of guessing which level.
    For daily activity not sitting at a desk but always moving around, count the hrs as 1/8 the time (40 hr nurse on feet counts as 5 hrs)
    Walking exercise counts as 1/2 time (6 hrs walking is 3 hrs).
    Other exercise is straight time (3 hr Insanity is 3 hr).
    (Weekly movement hrs * 0.0875) + 1.2 = Activity Factor

    Realize that this isn't just about your training but your lifestyle as well.
    Example: You work at a desk all day but come home and play with your children for an hour, lift weights 3x a week for an hour and jog 2mi every other day. In this example id use Moderate or possibly Active settings.

    Heres a helpful link for figuring your BMR and TDEE:
    http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/
    Enter all pertinent info.
    Make GOAL weight the same as CURRENT weight to get todays TDEE.

    Bottom Line: Know what your base caloric needs are and stay above them if you are active.
    Eating too low for extended periods of time may allow for weight loss, but you could still have high body fat.
    Skinny-fat: http://foodtrainers.blogspot.com/2012/09/are-you-skinny-fat-find-out-why.html

    Once you know your base "Comatose" calories you can move on to TDEE.

    3) TDEE
    Total Daily Energy Expenditure
    This is the total amount of calories you burn in a 24hour period.
    You wake up, brush your teeth, lift, run, play, work.....
    You get the idea.
    One thing I've noticed over the years is people underestimate activity.
    They say "I'm sitting at my computer all day long so i'm sedentary!"
    I'll ask "Workout routine?"
    They say "Oh i run for 3 hours a day and do CrossFit all weekend long!"
    ok3lf7_zpse5c82df9.gif

    If you sit all day and barely walk and dont workout, Sedentary.
    If you workout 1-2x a week, Light.
    If you workout 3-5x a week, Moderate.
    If you workout 5+, active/very active.

    Youll find these numbers at the bottom of the BMR page in Fat 2 Fit.
    You can also use other calculators around the internet.

    Once you have TDEE you can decide what to set MFP calories to.
    I recommend -20% for individuals who are Obese and under.
    -30% for individuals who are Obese and over.

    Bottom Line: Be realistic with activity. If you are a marathon runner trying to take a few pounds off, don't use sedentary settings. First start with the top number that applies to you and stick with it for several weeks. If nutrition is right and activity is right, you should maintain eating TDEE. To lose fat, subtract calories. To gain LBM, add calories. Lift weights, walk, sleep and eat right.
    Use your common sense.
  • linalovekitty
    linalovekitty Posts: 187
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    well for me if I eat less than 2000 calories.day I cant function & I dont really lose either. By not function, I mean I am dizzy, cant breathe, literally have contemplated calling 911 fearing death. Im not talking about a little discomfort or even a desire to eat more, Im talking about my body thinks its starving to death. 1200, 1500 cals total is too little for me.

    I can function on a NET of 1700-1800 cals if I burn a few hundred as I feel no need to eat those back calories. 2000 is as low as can go so I try to add exercise as much as possible to get it a little under.

    I eat clean meaning all of my food is organic, whole, fresh food, unprocessed and unrefined. Its all low GI and low sodium- in fact the only salt ever used is minimal sea salt. It either grows from the ground or has a mother- with the exception that I do eat minimal dairy, buffalo cheese & whole grain organic homemade bread. I drink no alcohol and drink tons of filtered water. I rarely cheat, maybe once or twice a month if Im forced to eat at a restaurant as I feel any restaurant eating is a cheat.

    I find no benefit in cutting carbs, Ive done it and it does nothing for me. If anything I lose more with carbs. Go figure.

    I was just curious about 1200 cal/day eaters bc I didnt realize it was mostly all NET
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    well for me if I eat less than 2000 calories.day I cant function & I dont really lose either. By not function, I mean I am dizzy, cant breathe

    Its all low GI and low sodium- in fact the only salt ever used is minimal sea salt.

    I drink no alcohol and drink tons of filtered water.

    Sounds like inadequate sodium, low blood pressure etc.
  • linalovekitty
    linalovekitty Posts: 187
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    I drink no alcohol and drink tons of filtered water.
    [/quote]

    Sounds like inadequate sodium, low blood pressure etc.
    [/quote]

    could be? but I do drink a lot of Smart Water (w added sodium I believe). The weird thing is, when I eat salty foods I totally swell. My feet my hands, so I try to stay away from that stuff.
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
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    I drink no alcohol and drink tons of filtered water.

    Sounds like inadequate sodium, low blood pressure etc.

    could be? but I do drink a lot of Smart Water (w added sodium I believe). The weird thing is, when I eat salty foods I totally swell. My feet my hands, so I try to stay away from that stuff.

    Smart Water has added electrolytes, not sodium
  • kaseyAnne425
    kaseyAnne425 Posts: 230
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    I NET around 1200 on days I work out. I don't always eat ALL of my exercise calories back, but I try to eat back as much as I can. If MFP says you need to eat 1200 calories/day and you work out, ALWAYS net close if not more than 1200!
  • Warchortle
    Warchortle Posts: 2,197 Member
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    I eat 1200 for breakfast.
  • temple_n
    temple_n Posts: 29 Member
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    Sodium is an electrolyte

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