MFP gives me 1200 cal/day - is this too low...?

Mollydolly10
Mollydolly10 Posts: 431 Member
edited September 21 in Food and Nutrition
I am a little bit confused, MFP gives me 1200 cal/day but I hear everyone saying that 1200 is the MINIMUM, etc. How come they would set my calories at that?

Stats:
Age: 22
Height: 5'4"
Lifestyle: Sedentary (office job, booo)
Starting weight: 128.5 (5 weeks ago)
Current weight: 124 lbs (today)
[Loss set at 1 lb per week.]
Goal: around 118 (but more just waiting to see how my body looks while staying in a healthy BMI)
Current BMI is: 21.3
Target weight range: 107.8-145.7 lbs (I'm pretty smack in the middle)

Is it maybe because I don't have much weight to lose and I am already in the (high end) of the "healthy BMI" for my measurements/statistics?? Just a little confused and looking for some clarification - hope someone can help :)

Thanks!

PS. MFP tool for BMR says my estimated BMR is 1,307 calories/day, could this be why? I can't go under 1,200 so it just sets it at that?

Replies

  • ChubbieTubbie
    ChubbieTubbie Posts: 481 Member
    Probably since you're already in a healthy weight range, your BMR is lower, therefore when they make a 500 per day calorie defecit you are brought down to 1200.
  • DwightJenkins
    DwightJenkins Posts: 58 Member
    I am a little bit confused, MFP gives me 1200 cal/day but I hear everyone saying that 1200 is the MINIMUM, etc. How come they would set my calories at that?

    Stats:
    Age: 22
    Height: 5'4"
    Lifestyle: Sedentary (office job, booo)
    Starting weight: 128.5 (5 weeks ago)
    Weight: 124 lbs (today)
    Loss set at 1 lb per week.
    Goal: around 118 (but more just waiting to see how my body looks while staying in a healthy BMI)

    Is it maybe because I don't have much weight to lose and I am already in the (high end) of the "healthy BMI" for my measurements/statistics?? Just a little confused and looking for some clarification - hope someone can help :)

    Thanks!

    I used the BMR tool and got these results for you:

    Your estimated BMR is: 1,303 calories/day*
    *BMR based on the Mifflin - St. Jeor equations. Please remember that even the best BMR calculators provide only a best guess and should be used as a guide only.

    That's what it takes to maintain your current weight, so 1,200 isn't bad starting point... if you find yourself losing too much too quickly, you could increase it slightly.

    I believe the software is set to NEVER go below 1,200, even if you are tiny... so you may have to adjust it down more as you lose..
  • Amarillo_NDN
    Amarillo_NDN Posts: 1,018 Member
    mostly cause you are are not over weight and the less you weigh, the less you can eat to lose.
  • jpbenjamin
    jpbenjamin Posts: 116 Member
    Actually mine is the same...i started at 188.6 and am working my way down to 150 and i still only have 1200 calories for me to eat per day. I dont know why, but i've been sticking to it. It told me that my estimated calories per day was about 1800 or something like that, so i guess it just depends, or maybe its because of your height? i'm 5'4 too so that's why i thought that may be the reason. Hope you find out though!
  • WhiskeyBravo
    WhiskeyBravo Posts: 92
    I'm with you on this one. I set my goal to 2lbs/week, I too have an office job ( sedentary ) BUT I weigh 189 so how could you and ur 125 lbs and me and my 189 lbs have the same calorie goals?....It just seems a bit low for me....I'm thinking...will I hit a plateau when I lose like 30 lbs, I'd weigh 159 but still have the same 1200 calorie goal?!?...so for me, I've raised my goal to 1500 and on days when I spend 45 -60 min of cardio and 40 min of weights, I bump it up to 1700-1800.

    When you figure it out let me know too :)
  • Sparklewolfie
    Sparklewolfie Posts: 271
    1200 is the minimum you should have per day, no matter what. Mine is at 1200 too because I only have a little bit of weight to lose. Basically, MFP is saying, "eat 1200 a day and you will lose weight". It will not let you go below 1200 because then that is unhealthy. Actually, if you close your food diary with less than 1200 calories logged, MFP will tell you that it is unhealthy ;)

    After you reach your goal weight, you can slowly add to your daily calorie allowance until you find your maintenance amount, and then keep it at that :)
  • TateFTW
    TateFTW Posts: 658 Member
    The makers of MFP seem to believe that the number 1200 has magical qualities. A soon as you eat less then that you metabolism practically stops. This isn't the case. In fact, the metabolism slows and speeds up according to intake and energy requirements. Normally for 1 lb of weight loss per week you need a calorie deficit of 500/day. But because of the magical 1200 number, MFP won't let you go below 1200. If your BMR is 1350, then a 500 calorie deficit would be 850. I would NOT ,and AM not suggesting that you go that low. But if your bmr is 1350 and you eat around 1200 a day then you're only running a 150 calorie deficit. That means that it would take around 3 1/2 weeks to lose a lb!

    My point is, don't worry about being under 1200. Whenever you run a deficit your metabolism will slow slightly. As long as you stay around 1000/day and pay attention to how your body is resposding, you'll be fine.
  • JPotvin
    JPotvin Posts: 108
    The makers of MFP seem to believe that the number 1200 has magical qualities. A soon as you eat less then that you metabolism practically stops. This isn't the case. In fact, the metabolism slows and speeds up according to intake and energy requirements. Normally for 1 lb of weight loss per week you need a calorie deficit of 500/day. But because of the magical 1200 number, MFP won't let you go below 1200. If your BMR is 1350, then a 500 calorie deficit would be 850. I would NOT ,and AM not suggesting that you go that low. But if your bmr is 1350 and you eat around 1200 a day then you're only running a 150 calorie deficit. That means that it would take around 3 1/2 weeks to lose a lb!

    My point is, don't worry about being under 1200. Whenever you run a deficit your metabolism will slow slightly. As long as you stay around 1000/day and pay attention to how your body is resposding, you'll be fine.

    I agree. I have the same problem, being 5'0" with only 10 to lose. I have to eat...below the 1200 calories to lose weight.
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