Is my daily cal. numnber too low???

Aisha192012
Aisha192012 Posts: 14
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
My current weight is around 160, I am trying to get back to 130 which I was a little over a year ago (gained the weight during pregnancy) I'm also 5'7 and I'm a stay at home mom, so don't do too much physical activity during the day.
I obviously want to loose it as fast as possible, and MFP auto-number or whatever told me to eat 1,200 a day, which is the number Ive heard for years but I thought that was too low, so I changed it to 1,350.
But when I look at all the girls on my friendslist, their daily intake is like 1,600! I feel so discouraged because I sometimes go over my number if only by a hundred or less and everyone else always stays under.
I multiplied my weight by 12 and it came around 1,900 and I would assume to eat like 300 cal less than that but that seems high!
So confused.. any suggestions?

Replies

  • esmeylull
    esmeylull Posts: 68
    Your body will live with whatever you give to it, that's the job of metobolism. If you slowly increase your calorie intake, with the right way, your body will get used to it and you can continue losing weight. Although you might need to exercise, even if you can't, try to get more active by taking the long path or using the stairs, things like that. Anyway, you can eat more .
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    MFP told you 1200 cals because you told it that you want to lose 2lbs/week. with only 30 to go you should be aiming for 1lb/week. Also the goal MFP gave you assumes you will eat back the cals you burn from exercise too.

    So if you are set at 1200 and burn 500 cals at the gym you should eat 1700 that day. The ones that are at 1600 either have a lower weekly weight loss goal, or are using TDEE where you include your exercise in your base calories and don't eat the exercise calories back as they are already accounting for them.
  • DatPanna
    DatPanna Posts: 59
    Hi there! I really recommend doing some exercise and maybe bumping up your calories to what feels good for you. If you're going over, it's likely that's okay since your current goal is only 1200 calories. Every body is individual. Anyway, if you start exercising, after the initial " OH MY GOD MY CARDIO SUCKS" period, you'll get a ton of energy.

    Jillian Michaels 30 day shred is short and easy, and it can be done in the home. Also, taking a walk with your child when the weather warms up would be great. There are plenty of free workout plans online too, ranging in time.

    Maybe even check youtube.
  • sweetpea03b
    sweetpea03b Posts: 1,123 Member
    I would do your BMR and TDEE calculations. Try going 20% under TDEE, but always stay at BMR. I'm eating at BMR (plus 100, minus 100 calories or so here and there; about 1500cal daily), which according to my Fitbit and TDEE calculators typically gives me a deficit of 500cal/day. I do very little cardio... and sit behind a desk all day. My only form of real "exercise" is lifting 3x/week other than the occasional short walk or run... and I'm consistently losing.
  • Perick76
    Perick76 Posts: 2 Member
    You can run your numbers on this site as well to see how the macros line up.
    http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/
  • ruffnstuff
    ruffnstuff Posts: 400 Member
    I obviously want to loose it as fast as possible, and MFP auto-number or whatever told me to eat 1,200 a day, seems high!

    Here's your problem right here...you want to lose "as fast as possible" and when you tell MFP that it will, of course, tell you to eat 1200/day.

    Don't worry about how long it will take you. Worry about building life-long, healthy eating habits that you can sustain. Think about it this way. What's the difference if it takes 4 months or 8 months? You're still in better shape than you were when you started! The other thing you can't do is compare yourself to people on your friend list. You are YOU and don't have the same lifestyle they do. I am not advocating eating at 1200, I'm just saying you have to figure out what you are and are not willing to do to lose the weight you say you want to lose. Do you want to be able to eat more?...then figure out a way to get some exercise in.
  • JOEYJACKMOM
    JOEYJACKMOM Posts: 72
    If you are breastfeeding you need more than 1200 calories!!! Make sure you use a calculator that takes breastfeeding into account when calculating your caloric requirements.
  • Athena98501
    Athena98501 Posts: 716 Member
    My current weight is around 160, I am trying to get back to 130 which I was a little over a year ago (gained the weight during pregnancy) I'm also 5'7 and I'm a stay at home mom, so don't do too much physical activity during the day.
    I obviously want to loose it as fast as possible, and MFP auto-number or whatever told me to eat 1,200 a day, which is the number Ive heard for years but I thought that was too low, so I changed it to 1,350.
    But when I look at all the girls on my friendslist, their daily intake is like 1,600! I feel so discouraged because I sometimes go over my number if only by a hundred or less and everyone else always stays under.
    I multiplied my weight by 12 and it came around 1,900 and I would assume to eat like 300 cal less than that but that seems high!
    So confused.. any suggestions?

    I'm assuming you are not currently breastfeeding? That would make a very big difference. It isn't possible to be sedentary while providing care for a young child, though. I too would recommend you calculate your TDEE, but your activity level would be somewhere between lightly and moderately active.
  • luvsherhubby
    luvsherhubby Posts: 135 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants?hl=guide+to+sexy+pants

    also check out http://eatmore2weighless.com/about-em2wl/

    there is a group by the same name eatmore2weighless

    google "scooby calc" put in your info and try TDEE-20% or 25% (which most don't recommend for it being too low cal)

    1200 is too low.

    Your body burns a set amount just to function called BMR basic metabolic rate, what ever else you do that is not just sitting or lying in bed (dishes, feeding baby, walking back and forth, cleaning, playing and exercise) adds on to this number totaling for your TDEE total daily energy expenditure. It is this number you should create your deficit from.

    So if your TDEE is 2000 (500 cal deficit) and you eat 1500 =1lb a week etc.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    You need to find the right combination of ....lose weight (at a speed that keeps you motivated) yet eat enough so you can sustain your energy (AND existing muscle mass).

    This will be trial and error.

    The 1200 that MFP gives you is a NET number. Any exercise you log will add more calories. This is because 1200 is as low as MFP will go. At 5'7".....you are not petite .....so 1200 IS aggressive for you. Exercise is mostly for health...find some short workouts on youtube & figure out what activity you like to do (like means you will stick with it).

    Aggressive weight loss will be quicker.....but you are at a greater risk for muscle loss.....there's a price for quick weight loss.

    TDEE mentioned above will give more information......you don't have to choose TDEE less a %......but information is good. It will help you find the appropriate number .....for YOU.
  • __freckles__
    __freckles__ Posts: 1,238 Member
    If you are breastfeeding you need more than 1200 calories!!! Make sure you use a calculator that takes breastfeeding into account when calculating your caloric requirements.

    Did the OP say she was breastfeeding? Oh well. OP, here's the calculator I like to use to figure out my calories:

    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

    And everyone is different so you might have to adjust it later on.

    Good luck!
  • Aisha192012
    Aisha192012 Posts: 14
    My current weight is around 160, I am trying to get back to 130 which I was a little over a year ago (gained the weight during pregnancy) I'm also 5'7 and I'm a stay at home mom, so don't do too much physical activity during the day.
    I obviously want to loose it as fast as possible, and MFP auto-number or whatever told me to eat 1,200 a day, which is the number Ive heard for years but I thought that was too low, so I changed it to 1,350.
    But when I look at all the girls on my friendslist, their daily intake is like 1,600! I feel so discouraged because I sometimes go over my number if only by a hundred or less and everyone else always stays under.
    I multiplied my weight by 12 and it came around 1,900 and I would assume to eat like 300 cal less than that but that seems high!
    So confused.. any suggestions?

    I'm assuming you are not currently breastfeeding? That would make a very big difference. It isn't possible to be sedentary while providing care for a young child, though. I too would recommend you calculate your TDEE, but your activity level would be somewhere between lightly and moderately active.

    Thanks, I do know my daily activity level.
    Thanks everyone! My calorie intake isn't 1200 I set it at 1350, but perhaps that isn't enough either. I have started exercising a bit more, but its important to get this 30 pounds off asap, doing so in a healthy way of course.
  • EszterNZ
    EszterNZ Posts: 51
    I realised when I started that trying to do it too fast means a very low allowance set by MFP ...and the idea is not to go into starvation mode. Its a lot better to go slower..it doesn't have to be that much slower!

    I manually set my MFP goals to lose about 1.3lbs per week, with 5 x 200 calorie loss exercise session which is basically a 30 minute walk. This takes my daily allowance to 1360 which is perfect for me. I exercise alot too, even if its just a walk per day which takes my allowance up towards the 1600 mark.

    Good luck :)

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