Is 1200 calories enough for weight loss ?

lashes0
lashes0 Posts: 4
in Getting Started
Hi everyone
I'm just starting out on this fitness pal , I am 31 and weight 11stone 3 lb I'm 5,7 . I set my goal to 2 lb a week which I don think is unattainable but have since read on the internet that 1200 calories is not enough and can make the body go into starvation mode therefore making it near impossible to loose weight . Surely this can't be right as my fitness pal wouldn't set the goal at 1200 if it wasn't gonna work . I walk everyday as I have 2 dogs and also am starting running again and bike riding I have linked my account to Edmondo so it calculates what I need after my exercise which is great . Any advice would be kindly received
Thanks

Replies

  • refinedredbird
    refinedredbird Posts: 208 Member
    1200 calories is the minimum amount you should be eating per day, but that also includes eating back your exercise calories burned. The better way (imho) is to calculate your basal metabolic rate which you can do with any BMR calculator you may find on the internet. This number really should represent the minimum amount of calories you should eat per day. It may very well be higher than 1200, mine is near 1500.
  • skinnyinnotime
    skinnyinnotime Posts: 4,078 Member
    You won't be going into starvation mode any time soon, trust me.

    The thing is you can lose weight on more calories, so why deny yourself, 1200 isn't much let's face it.

    Have you tried working out your TDEE? Take 20% off of that and you're good to go.

    Definately worth working out your BMR to make sure you're not eating below that, 1200 is usually too low for most people.
  • redlipsticklyfe
    redlipsticklyfe Posts: 164 Member
    I agree. Calculate your BMR and TDEE and set your calories from there
  • lashes0
    lashes0 Posts: 4
    Thank you so much for the reply I'll have a look at that on the internet . I can manage 1200 per day but I don't want to be doing it for nothing if it's not gonna work . Thanks again for thanking the time to get back to me and for your suggestions
    Lisa

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