1200 cals

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Will I lose a lot of muscle doing 1200 calories, even if I keep my protein at 150g a day?
weight: 148lbs
height: 5ft 5

Just can't seem to lose.

Replies

  • amybg1
    amybg1 Posts: 631 Member
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    I'd up my calories if I were you because high likelihood that you're eating too little and not losing. Have you figured yout your BMR and TDEE?
  • TarynAngeline
    TarynAngeline Posts: 95 Member
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    According to myfitness calculator my maintenance is 2027 but I've been maintaining at around 1500. I'm fairly certain if I increased to 2000 I would gain. It says my BMR is 1430 a day, when working out 4x a week. And yes I measure and weight EVERYTHING.
  • prattiger65
    prattiger65 Posts: 1,657 Member
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    According to myfitness calculator my maintenance is 2027 but I've been maintaining at around 1500. I'm fairly certain if I increased to 2000 I would gain. It says my BMR is 1430 a day, when working out 4x a week. And yes I measure and weight EVERYTHING.

    This math isn't working out. Your BMR is 1430, you are working out 4x per week and eating 1500 per day? If i were a betting man, I would bet you are eating more than you think. You need to really really reevaluate you intake and burn numbers.
  • lovebig30
    lovebig30 Posts: 167 Member
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    you might not be eating enough so your body is holding on to the weight you have try upping your calories by 100 to 200 a day. if you gain after a month adjust back down.
  • jacklo
    jacklo Posts: 17
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    I'm no expert, and there are those who will disagree with me and say that you need more calories than that, but here's my short answer: Not necessarily, if you do it right and there isn't some other limitation that prevents you from operating safely and healthily at 1,200 calories.

    Now, here's the expanded version of my "short" answer. I am doing very well so far consuming 1,400 calories daily (none of this "Net Calories" nonsense) on a high protein, low carb diet while intermittent fasting, and still maintaining high energy levels even after doing Insanity cardio workouts in the mornings and heavy weight training in the afternoons. (I am a 47 year old male, 160 pounds, 14% BF. I started out 6 or 7 weeks ago at 174-176 pounds and 21-22% BF. I did start out dieting at about 1,700 - 1,800 calories with no cardio but been decreasing the calories incrementally and added the cardio two weeks ago) I don't believe I'm losing very much muscle mass based on performance (e.g., my strength is fairly level or even still marginally increasing in some areas). In addition to the high protein intake helping, I believe that I'm mitigating muscle loss by weightlifting with heavy weights in a lower rep range (e.g., 5 for me) with adequate rest in between sets. Here is a link to some articles you may find informative and useful:

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/training/weight-training-for-fat-loss-part-1.html

    There will be some folks who say that you should strive for a more modest caloric deficit, but I want to get my fat cutting done as quickly as possible (but still be safe and not lose muscle) so that I can start eating pizza and drinking beer again (but modify my weightlifting plan to compensate, naturally). Dieting stinks. You probably already know this, but you definitely don't want to lose muscle mass, since it takes more effort and time to gain new lean muscle than it does to shed body fat, if that makes sense. Above all else, listen to your body and don't do anything that doesn't feel right. But that's just my opinion, and opinions are like you know what...everyone's got one. Good luck!