Is 1200 cals too low really?

This is the second time I've used this site to lose some weight and in both circumstances I've had success on 1200 calories per day.

I don't know how carefully you weigh and measure all of your portions, but I'm not always able to measure as carefully as I would like--so I approach it with the attitude that if I'm estimating 1200 calories, I'm probably actually eating closer to 1300 or 1400 and I don't eat back my exercise calories.

I think the greatest thing I've learned from this site is that everyone is different, so even though this is working for me, it doesn't mean that works for everyone, and if I plateau I might have to re-evaluate.

I'm not sure what kind of exercise you've been doing, but is it possible that maybe your body has adjusted to the exercise and maybe that's why you aren't seeing any results? Maybe it's time to switch it up!

Best of luck!!!

Probably. Most likely. It's hard to tell without your statistics (age, height, weight, activity, etc)... but if you have already dropped 40 pounds... you probably should be at TDEE - 10% anyway now, so even if you had started out using the TDEE method, you would be increasing calories at this point. Really, if you're in a plateau, you have nothing to lose by trying something different. How big is the difference between your 1200 calories and the amount you figured for your TDEE - 20%? Maybe try to raise it gradually- start by upping to 1400 for a week, then add more depending on at what number you need to be.

Yes. Now do a search in the forums on this topic and you'll find 500,013,345.231,235 posts about this with answers to go with it.

I myself hit a plateau so I changed it up for this month anyways. I was eating 1400-1600 calories a day, quickly lost 60 lbs in 6 months, then stopped. After 2 months and soem reading I decided to bump it up. Started this month at 1800, and plan on adding 100 cal to it every week till I get back to 2200. According to my TDEE, 2200 is still below so I should technically not gain weight, however, on day 6 of this change, I already an increase in strength, focus, and energy levels. Remember there is more to progress besides what the scale tells ya.

I use to not eat back my exercise calories but now I eat some of them back. I actually look forward to it! Its like a treat. I still eat healthy but its sure nice to be able to have an extra celery stick with peanut butter or a bowl of special k with skim milk in the evening! My weight is still coming off and on those stressful days when I use to overeat, i still get that pleasure but I have to work for it now. lol

I agree that without your stats, it's hard to say.

But with only 10 pounds left to lose, you should only be aiming to lose a half pound a week anyway, which, unless you're very short, very light and probably over 50, would give you more than 1200.

The final couple pounds are always the slowest. Be sure to eat most of your exercise calories, include strength training, get more protein than MFP suggests, and track your progress by how clothes fit, measurements and progress photos instead of just the scale.

NO!
Do what works for you...:flowerforyou:

Im 5ft 5in, started at 204lbs now on (gained over the weekend!) 168lbs. Goal is 154lbs to get a BMI of 25. I jog 3-4 times a week, but other than that very sedentary.

http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/

Hi, Also from the UK here!!
I would say you should increase as this is a change of life not just a diet. Can you see yourself living the rest of your life on 1200 cals? I would slowly up your calories and settle on 1500 to 1800. I am on 1800 cals a day although I don't eat that much some days but I have 5 stone to lose so obese at the moment. But I plan to maybe cut my cals down to 1600 max when I have lost weight mainly because I enjoy food and as long as I am eating healthy foods it should be ok. Another thing is maybe increase the intensity of your exercise? If you have been working out for a while your body gets used to the exercise and needs to be pushed more in order to lose weight.

Thanks everyone, Fat2Fit tells me to eat 1730 cals a day.
My TDEE is 1723, minus 20% makes approx 1400 cals, thats a big difference so which is better?

Where did you get that your TDEE is 1723?

I am reading all these post and I am new and lost lol what is TDEE?