Is 1000 Calories Enough?

AbbieGriff
AbbieGriff Posts: 8
in Health and Weight Loss
On average I eat about 1200 on a good day up to 1400 on a bad day.
I would like to lose 1 pound every week, which means I should take out 500 calories per day. I burn about 300 calories a day by doing exercise and would like to drop my calorie intake to 1000 a day from Monday-Friday. I would then go back to 1200 a day on the weekends.

Is this safe/healthy? Some people say going below 1200 is going into starvation mode but it's only 200 calories less not 500. So would it be that much of an effect?

I'm 18 and 5 foot 6

Thanks.
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Replies

  • peeaanuut
    peeaanuut Posts: 359 Member
    your body requires a certain number of calories to function. Generally that is at minimum 1200 calories. Around here it is generally concidered bad to go below that.
  • Escape_Artist
    Escape_Artist Posts: 1,155 Member
    The recommended amout for weight loss is between 1 and 2lbs a WEEK, not everyday.
    That is why MFP sets the minimum to 1200, because that is the lowest you are supposed to net

    If you wish to lose 1lb everyday, I suggest you reconsider your goals as they are not realistic.
  • nomeejerome
    nomeejerome Posts: 2,616 Member
    If this is even real.....
    OP: more information is needed before appropriate suggestions can be made....
  • AbbieGriff
    AbbieGriff Posts: 8
    Every week I meant not day, typo sorry!
    Thanks for the advice I think I might go for 1100 a day instead and 1200 on a weekend.
  • ladynocturne
    ladynocturne Posts: 865 Member
    When you entered your information in My Fitness Pal it created a caloric deficit for you, 1200 calories a day already includes your 500 calorie deficit. You do not have to eat less than 1200 or even exercise to lose 1lb a week.
  • Escape_Artist
    Escape_Artist Posts: 1,155 Member
    Tell me, why exactly do you want to eat bellow 1200 calories a day? Do you eat your exercise calories back?
    How much do you weight? How much do you want to lose exactly?
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
    IsThisReallife.gif
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
    OP, you're doing it wrong.

    TL;DR? No, it isn't enough.
  • lawkat
    lawkat Posts: 538 Member
    MFP already takes out extra calories. You don't need to deduct anymore from the 1200 that MFP is giving you. Do you work out? If so, you should be eating back those calories so that you can net 1200. I would not go lower than 1200. You need proper nutrition and fats in your daily diet.
  • AbbieGriff
    AbbieGriff Posts: 8
    I weigh 134.2lbs and would like to get down to 130-128lbs. I don't exercise just to eat back calories. It's just someday I'll eat 1000 like today and I feel full, so I think do I need the extra 200 calories? I've had my 5 a day including fruit and veg.
  • QuincyChick
    QuincyChick Posts: 269 Member
    Try the "search" function next time. Approximately 4,893,332, 322* threads have been made asking "Is XXX calories enough?"


    *approximate figure.
  • nomeejerome
    nomeejerome Posts: 2,616 Member
    I weigh 134.2lbs and would like to get down to 130-128lbs. I don't exercise just to eat back calories. It's just someday I'll eat 1000 like today and I feel full, so I think do I need the extra 200 calories? I've had my 5 a day including fruit and veg.

    And how tall are you?
  • AbbieGriff
    AbbieGriff Posts: 8
    Sorry I'm new to this, I didn't think to search.
    I'm about 5ft 6
  • ladynocturne
    ladynocturne Posts: 865 Member
    I weigh 134.2lbs and would like to get down to 130-128lbs. I don't exercise just to eat back calories. It's just someday I'll eat 1000 like today and I feel full, so I think do I need the extra 200 calories? I've had my 5 a day including fruit and veg.

    It is not healthy or safe to net less than 1200 calories, that's why MFP is legally obligated to never recommend eating less than that. When you net less than your BMR, you start to lose more lean muscle mass, this lowers your over all metabolism and makes you look saggy.

    You can lose 1lb a week without starving yourself, just because you aren't "hungry" doesn't mean you don't need more food. When humans keep under eating, they stop feeling hungry, so this isn't a good indicator.

    Start choosing more calorie dense foods like nuts/nut butters, full fat yogurts/dairy, whole eggs, not just egg whites, extra olive oil when cooking.

    I mean, what are you going to do when you reach 128lbs and you are "soooo stuffed" on 1000 calories and you need to eat way more to maintain your weight?
  • AllonsYtotheTardis
    AllonsYtotheTardis Posts: 16,947 Member
    It's not enough. I don't care what your reasons are, the other 'factors', how 'full' you think you are, how 'good' you think you feel.

    It's Not Enough.

    My 8 year old eats more than that (and he is super lean)
  • Escape_Artist
    Escape_Artist Posts: 1,155 Member
    It's not enough. I don't care what your reasons are, the other 'factors', how 'full' you think you are, how 'good' you think you feel.

    It's Not Enough.

    My 8 year old eats more than that (and he is super lean)

    Couldn't have said it better :ohwell:
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    You need to eat 1200 calories PLUS more for exercise. Perhaps even more than that.

    BMR = Basal metabolic rate. This is the amount of calories they would feed you in a coma just to keep your organs functioning. Most people have a BMR over 1200. Does it make any sense to eat less than what you need to stay alive if you were in a hospital bed?

    Set your goal to lose half a pound per week. With less than 10 pounds to lose, you cannot expect to lose faster than that. The calorie deficit will be too unhealthy for you to sustain more than that.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    troll alert, troll alert, troll alert..!

    either that or eating disorder alert...
  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
    It's not enough. I don't care what your reasons are, the other 'factors', how 'full' you think you are, how 'good' you think you feel.

    It's Not Enough.

    My 8 year old eats more than that (and he is super lean)


    ^^^This!!! Also what Trogalicious said...and look how much weight they've lost...DING DING DING we have a winner!!! They are doing something right!
  • CantStopWontStop92
    CantStopWontStop92 Posts: 165 Member
    Hi OP, welcome to mfp:) Thought I'd comment as we're similar in metrics. I'm 20 and a bit under 5'6''. I'm 110lbs and at around 1400-1600 calories. Don't drop below 1200! We're spritely young ladies who can pretty quickly mess up our metabolisms by floating around starvation mode. Just a thought, best of luck!
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
    It's not enough. I don't care what your reasons are, the other 'factors', how 'full' you think you are, how 'good' you think you feel.

    It's Not Enough.

    My 8 year old eats more than that (and he is super lean)

    Yep. And I'll add my 7 y.o. very lean daughter
  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
    Add my 3.5 year old niece to that list...and 16 year old nephew. They both definitely eat way more than 1200 and are lean and fit.
  • xmeganxtarax
    xmeganxtarax Posts: 79
    troll alert, troll alert, troll alert..!

    either that or eating disorder alert...

    THIS more so on the ED......
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    NO.
  • LAW_714
    LAW_714 Posts: 258
    On average I eat about 1200 on a good day up to 1400 on a bad day.
    I would like to lose 1 pound every week, which means I should take out 500 calories per day. I burn about 300 calories a day by doing exercise and would like to drop my calorie intake to 1000 a day from Monday-Friday. I would then go back to 1200 a day on the weekends.

    Is this safe/healthy? Some people say going below 1200 is going into starvation mode but it's only 200 calories less not 500. So would it be that much of an effect?

    I'm 18 and 5 foot 6

    Thanks.

    If you have the occasional day below 1200, that happens, but you really shouldn't plan for most of your days to be below 1200 calories. You need proper nutrition. (Sure, you can lose weight eating very low calories... but your hair can also begin falling out {That's what happened to my sister). That can happen due to poor nutrition.)

    What you eat has more to do than simply the number on your scale. It has to do with your health.
  • AbbieGriff
    AbbieGriff Posts: 8
    Okay I'll stick to 1200 a day, I appreciate your help and advice. Guess I got some eating to do lol
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
    Okay I'll stick to 1200 a day, I appreciate your help and advice. Guess I got some eating to do lol
    you really need to eat more. at 18, 1200 calories isn't nearly enough.
  • HeidiMightyRawr
    HeidiMightyRawr Posts: 3,343 Member
    That 500 is taken from your TDEE (amount of calories you expend in an average day, all activities included), I highly doubt your TDEE would be around 1200.

    For most people that number is around 1500-3000 depending on activity level, height, weight, body composition.... but usually averages around early 2000's from what I've seen on here. Find out this amount, it may take a little trial and error (as online estimates aren't always accurate) and take 500 from that, not from 1200!

    ETA: If your TDEE is on the low end, I would advise that you take 2-300 from it instead of 500, as 1500-500 just leaves you with 1000 again and that's not enough to do regularly. You're probably burning more calories than you think though.
  • SageGoddess320
    SageGoddess320 Posts: 2,589 Member
    IsThisReallife.gif

    :laugh: LOVE IT! :laugh:
  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
    ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :explode:

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