1200 cals is just fine. 1100 is just fine too. If....
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OP, whatever you are doing seems to be working good for you. Nobody is going to get sick and die eating 1100 or 1200 calories per day. Nobody on here is an expert even though many seem to think they are. Keep doing what works for you. Why change it when you have had success with it.
Why change? Because she actually could be damaging her metabolism.
+1
and…..please! if you/anyone is not losing weight…then you/anyone are NOT at a calorie deficit. Get a scale, weigh and measure your food, eat back a percentage of your exercise calories, stay hydrated, take rest days and get adequate sleep.
and…to MFP'ers who think people should mind their own business…some "advice' is not only wrong but it is reckless!0 -
Hungry? That is what exercise is for. If you exercise for an hour a day, you can add a few hundred extra calories and have an extra meal! Also, the weight loss part of your new lifestyle doesn't last forever: when you get to maintenance and/or increase your activity level, you can eat more. Weight loss doesn't last forever... unless YOU ARE SHORT AND EATING OVER 1200 CALORIES!
WAT? This is an incredibly unhealthy way to look at exercise and weight loss in general. I seriously hope no one chooses to listen to you.
Actually this not an unhealthy way to look at exercise. It is exactly how MFP works. You exercise, it gives you more calories, therefore you can eat more food. MFP set you up at a deficit without exercise - the more you exercise the more you can eat. It's fueling your body. I agree that exercise should be done for healthy reasons, but eating more is a benefit :happy: .
If OP was using MFP and exercise calories as they were meant to be used, sure. But eating too little and exercising because you're hungry and it will give you more calories IS unhealthy.0 -
I'm inclined to believe you, seeing as I'm 5'10 (21 f) and my maintenance is somewhere around 1550 (net).
That seems off...
At age 61...5'6"....179lbs...
Scooby gives me set at sedentary 1741 to maintain...set at lightly active it gives me 1995.
IIFYM give me 1680 for sedentary and 1925 for exercising 3 times a week.
You are much younger than I am...a lot taller...your maintenance calories should be higher than mine.
I have been eating between 1500-1740 and have been averaging about 6lbs a month.
Agreed.....dependent on weight TDEE should be closer to 1800-2000 cals without exercise.0 -
Hungry? That is what exercise is for. If you exercise for an hour a day, you can add a few hundred extra calories and have an extra meal! Also, the weight loss part of your new lifestyle doesn't last forever: when you get to maintenance and/or increase your activity level, you can eat more. Weight loss doesn't last forever... unless YOU ARE SHORT AND EATING OVER 1200 CALORIES!
WAT? This is an incredibly unhealthy way to look at exercise and weight loss in general. I seriously hope no one chooses to listen to you.
When I first started I looked at exercise that way..."if I exercise I can eat more". I didn't like that mentality...it just didn't work for me. I found it distracting so I went to more of the TDEE method. I now exercise for what it does for my body and health. If however I have had an extremely active week...I don't worry about my weekend pizza...
Actually this not an unhealthy way to look at exercise. It is exactly how MFP works. You exercise, it gives you more calories, therefore you can eat more food. MFP set you up at a deficit without exercise - the more you exercise the more you can eat. It's fueling your body. I agree that exercise should be done for healthy reasons, but eating more is a benefit :happy: .0 -
Hungry? That is what exercise is for. If you exercise for an hour a day, you can add a few hundred extra calories and have an extra meal! Also, the weight loss part of your new lifestyle doesn't last forever: when you get to maintenance and/or increase your activity level, you can eat more. Weight loss doesn't last forever... unless YOU ARE SHORT AND EATING OVER 1200 CALORIES!
WAT? This is an incredibly unhealthy way to look at exercise and weight loss in general. I seriously hope no one chooses to listen to you.
Actually this not an unhealthy way to look at exercise. It is exactly how MFP works. You exercise, it gives you more calories, therefore you can eat more food. MFP set you up at a deficit without exercise - the more you exercise the more you can eat. It's fueling your body. I agree that exercise should be done for healthy reasons, but eating more is a benefit :happy: .
The built in deficit by mfp is supposed to be based on your daily activities. Here I am, short...If I don't exercise I STILL lose at 1650..explain me this. If you get into a mindset that "I can't eat very much because I didn't exercise.", that is a dark path. If you feel food is a reward for exercise, that's not a good way to look at it. You should be fueling your body, irregardless.
Sadly, this isn't the case for me. I maintain on about 1750 without exercise. :sad: :sad: :sad:
But that said, I think the goal is to eat as much as you can while still losing.
I'm torn on the exercising for more calories thing. I do it, I'll admit. Especially right now because I've had to cut my calories due to being injured and unable to lift/run. So this morning I walked so I could eat what I'm used to eating. But I do think it can get to a bad place-- I've heard it referred to as exercise bulimia-- where a person feels guilty for eating so they do a lot of exercise to burn it off.0 -
Hungry? That is what exercise is for. If you exercise for an hour a day, you can add a few hundred extra calories and have an extra meal! Also, the weight loss part of your new lifestyle doesn't last forever: when you get to maintenance and/or increase your activity level, you can eat more. Weight loss doesn't last forever... unless YOU ARE SHORT AND EATING OVER 1200 CALORIES!
WAT? This is an incredibly unhealthy way to look at exercise and weight loss in general. I seriously hope no one chooses to listen to you.
Actually this not an unhealthy way to look at exercise. It is exactly how MFP works. You exercise, it gives you more calories, therefore you can eat more food. MFP set you up at a deficit without exercise - the more you exercise the more you can eat. It's fueling your body. I agree that exercise should be done for healthy reasons, but eating more is a benefit :happy: .
The built in deficit by mfp is supposed to be based on your daily activities. Here I am, short...If I don't exercise I STILL lose at 1650..explain me this. If you get into a mindset that "I can't eat very much because I didn't exercise.", that is a dark path. If you feel food is a reward for exercise, that's not a good way to look at it. You should be fueling your body, irregardless.
Sadly, this isn't the case for me. I maintain on about 1750 without exercise. :sad: :sad: :sad:
But that said, I think the goal is to eat as much as you can while still losing.
I'm torn on the exercising for more calories thing. I do it, I'll admit. Especially right now because I've had to cut my calories due to being injured and unable to lift/run. So this morning I walked so I could eat what I'm used to eating. But I do think it can get to a bad place-- I've heard it referred to as exercise bulimia-- where a person feels guilty for eating so they do a lot of exercise to burn it off.
I will admit, I probably have a bit of a high TDEE for not only height but weight but I think it's important to think of it more calories than less, always. I agree.
As far as exercising for more food. I think as long as it isn't from a place where you feel you can't eat without feeling guilt because you didn't exercise, I can see the point a bit, too. I tend to motion caution towards thinking that way myself, which is why, in the end, TDEE worked so much better for me0 -
Also, I sincerely hope that everyone spouting numbers (on either side of the argument) consistently weigh and measure their food so that they're working with reasonable estimates. Bad data/logging helps no one.
I have been weighing most of my food since the first week of January with the exception of eating out so my numbers are good. I also use HRM/pedometer so know my calorie burn numbers are good too.0 -
5'2 gal here. I started off my weight loss journey eating 1200 calories net and yeah I lost a pound a week but I was always hungry and zapped energy wise. Started lifting heavy things and now I eat 1650 calories net and my body fat percentage is creeping down and I'm losing inches. If heavy lifting lets me eat more then I'm all for it. Food is tasty!0
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... and after a few months getting used to it ..
This little part of your statement just makes the whole thing wrong.
I agree with this^^ Sounds like torture to me0 -
You do not know me or my body, but my Dr. does and no I am not losing any vitamins or nutrients, in fact I am very healthy (I would love to see your medical degree since you seem to know it all).....I am not starving! I am just stunned that you act like a know it all about me! Carry on with your judgmental self......carry on......THANK YOU OP!!!! I am 5 feet tall and YES, I eat between 1000 and 1200 daily and workout. I am NOT starving and my weight loss numbers prove I know what I am doing! I eat when I am hungry NOT when the clock says its time! What I do works for me...it does not work for everybody. Some people are very judgmental if you don't do it their way. Well, I tried their way and I gained! My way works for me. This is an individual process. I have gone from wearing a 20wp to a 4/6p.
Yup you lost weight......fat and muscle good for you....you punished yourself for being overweight by eating so little food that your body didn't have a choice but to use muscle for fuel...great job... /sarcasm
You don't gain if you are in a deficet period...if you gained you were eating more than you thought...and the fact you have lost over 100lbs proves to me you could have lost weight eating a whole lot more because the BMR of an obese person is always higher than a slim person because of the weight they have to move around.
I NEVER PUNISHED MYSELF FOR BEING FAT BY NOT EATING!!! YOU ARE SO JUDGMENTAL!! You do not know me so therefore DO NOT judge me!!! I did this my way and IT WORKS! I eat when I am hungry NOT because a clock says its time for OH, MY I have calories available!!! I do cardio and lifting and these muscles that YOU say I have lost...well they look damn good.....CARRY ON being Judgmental....
oh I touched a nerve I see...
not being judgemental just calling it like I see it...
Your way works yes for weight loss not muscle retention, good nutrition or keeping yourself healthy.
Hunger is not the best indicator of what the body needs...did you not read the part where if you are at too low calories your body releases hormones to stifle the hunger signals so you aren't always feeling hungry...by it doing that it's telling you "hey woman your damaging me...so I have to adapt".
You have lost muscle...just because you have gotten to a low weight and you can see muscle doesn't mean you didn't lose a lot...
How do I know that because when you feed yourself so llittle there isn't enough fuel to adequately feed your body so it wow starts feeding on fat and muscle stores esp if you are at too low of a deficet and not getting in enough protien...
Those are not judgments those are the facts and if you don't like it...not my problem.
Oh and stop yelling at me..I am a stranger on the internet and that is rude...would you yell at a complete stranger in a bar because they said something you didn't like??? me thinks not...
And yes I do say this irl to anyone who tells me they are on a VLCD...
By your huge overreaction, I think the poster you are responding to must have hit close to home.0 -
... and after a few months getting used to it ..
This little part of your statement just makes the whole thing wrong.
I agree with this^^ Sounds like torture to me
I liken it to self punishment for gaining weight...
eat as much as you can and still lose reasonable weight...that's my game...sort of...one of the main problem is that some people (men and women) just care about the scale number instead of focusing on losing fat, inches, going down in BF% etc...
It's too bad too..because life shouldn't be full of hunger...I mean we have concerts to donate money to prevent that...but for it to be self imposed...wow...:noway:0 -
I must be crazy in thinking that it's awesome to lose weight while being able to eat as much food as possible. People gain weight end up here then they are looking to eat as little as possible. Just makes no sense.
Heh. What do you have on the end of that bar? Looks like two VW Bugs. If I was a spry young man instead of a creaky old woman with asthma, allergies, busted knees, and the beginnings of all-over arthritis, I bet my daily activities would let me eat whatever I wanted, too. Don't judge everyone else based on what you're capable of, and enjoy your healthy youth. I know you work hard for it, but some of us will never be able to do what you're doing. It just isn't physically possible.0 -
1. Yeah, with what money or health insurance?
2. It's a seasonal allergy thing.
I urge you to put a priority on yourself and your health. Seasonal allergies do not cause vertigo and pain. I'm not trying to upset you, ok?
Edit to add: I'm sorry to hear about your health issues. I hope you're able to find something that helps you. Health issues can make things more difficult, but nothing is hopeless. Many women on our league have overcome huge health problems and issues. Honestly, best of luck to you.0 -
I don't get it. She lost just a shade over one pound a week. If she was really at such a huge calories deficit wouldn't she had lost more weight more quickly?
I'm 5'2", have a desk job, and before I joined MFP, I ate around 900 cal/day. That's what caused me to gain weight, but it wasn't overnight. I ate that way because I was in college and I was poor/forgot to eat sometimes. When I started eating that way, I actually lost some weight in the first year, then gained it back and then some over the next 4 years to follow. Then I found myself almost 20 lbs over where I had been.
I at least try to eat 1400 cal/day, although some days I fall short. Since doing that, I've lost a steady 1.3-1.5lbs/week and feel much more alert and awake. I had been losing 0.8lbs/week at or under 1200
I'm definitely in the "eat more to weigh less/be healthier" camp, but that's based on personal experience. Results may vary lol0 -
I just finished reading the Petite Diet Advantage by Jim Karas.
I am recommending here as I thought it might be an interesting read for shorter (under 5'5") ladies. Everyone has different needs and capabilities. Take what works for you, stay the course and leave the rest.
Good luck.0 -
I must be crazy in thinking that it's awesome to lose weight while being able to eat as much food as possible. People gain weight end up here then they are looking to eat as little as possible. Just makes no sense.
Heh. What do you have on the end of that bar? Looks like two VW Bugs. If I was a spry young man instead of a creaky old woman with asthma, allergies, busted knees, and the beginnings of all-over arthritis, I bet my daily activities would let me eat whatever I wanted, too. Don't judge everyone else based on what you're capable of, and enjoy your healthy youth. I know you work hard for it, but some of us will never be able to do what you're doing. It just isn't physically possible.
^^^^THIS0 -
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1. Yeah, with what money or health insurance?
2. It's a seasonal allergy thing.
I urge you to put a priority on yourself and your health. Seasonal allergies do not cause vertigo and pain. I'm not trying to upset you, ok?
Edit to add: I'm sorry to hear about your health issues. I hope you're able to find something that helps you. Health issues can make things more difficult, but nothing is hopeless. Many women on our league have overcome huge health problems and issues. Honestly, best of luck to you.
Thanks. *joking snark incoming just cause I can't help it* I'll go to my doctor and explain that I'm putting a priority on my health and he needs to officially diagnose me with asthma finally even though I have no money to pay. I'll report back on what he says.
Truly though, I need to move. Seasonal allergies actually do cause vertigo, my dad has to get pills for it every time ragweed gets real high. I have lower levels of vertigo, but I have it more often than he does. Seasonal allergies around here are over half the year long. It's a wretched place, the real key for me is to move. And I know it. But it's hard and scary to move when you're broke and all your family is in one place.
My joint issues are almost certainly genetic (runs in family) aggravated by a horrible diet of junkfood for years, being overweight off and on, and then I really busted up my knees running. :sad:
I'll figure something out, though. Even if I have to go to extremes. I'm not spending the rest of my life feeling crappy like this.0 -
I must be crazy in thinking that it's awesome to lose weight while being able to eat as much food as possible. People gain weight end up here then they are looking to eat as little as possible. Just makes no sense.
Heh. What do you have on the end of that bar? Looks like two VW Bugs. If I was a spry young man instead of a creaky old woman with asthma, allergies, busted knees, and the beginnings of all-over arthritis, I bet my daily activities would let me eat whatever I wanted, too. Don't judge everyone else based on what you're capable of, and enjoy your healthy youth. I know you work hard for it, but some of us will never be able to do what you're doing. It just isn't physically possible.
These sound like excuses I used in the past, I have severe asthma, get allergy shots twice per week, and I've had multiple knee surgeries, as well as heart issues. But from slowly building up my exercise I have been able to improve everything but the allergies, and can now lift, run and ride my bike. There is always some type of activity you can do (walking, swimming, something)0 -
Anybody can be more fit, and you should be able to do something, even if it is walking, but it is easy to make excuses why you cannot. I have thyroid disease, but it doesn't have me, I don't let it slow me down at all. I will tell you what, when I am ready I will post before and after pics in a bathing suit (I only have one in a 2-piece after 20 lbs. down but that is good enough), then you will see exactly what I am talking about.Although if you tell me getting all my required vitamins and minerals every day and eat healthy I'll look like a fitness model, I'll try my hardest to believe you, because I'd really love for it to be true. :happy:
Jiggling fat means you are out of shape, it is not genetics, it is called not being fit.
Actually it is genetics to some extent, according to recent studies.
Regardless, if I can't breathe, I can't walk. But I certainly agree, fitness does matter. However, that was my point. Eating 1200 calories a day if one is sedentary regardless isn't going to make things any worse. However, if I were exercising, I'd be eating more than that, personally, at least over the long haul.
What studies?0 -
Even though the physical activity may not be the same for everyone, very often the people who come around wanting to eat 800, 1000 or 1200, whatever are physically active. They talk about how they hit the gym 5 or 6 times a week. I'm not comparing anyone to myself. I'm saying that people need to break that mentality that they don't want to eat or need to eat because they want to lose weight. The truth is almost everyone here most likely loves to eat. If we didn't then we would have ended up here.I must be crazy in thinking that it's awesome to lose weight while being able to eat as much food as possible. People gain weight end up here then they are looking to eat as little as possible. Just makes no sense.
Heh. What do you have on the end of that bar? Looks like two VW Bugs. If I was a spry young man instead of a creaky old woman with asthma, allergies, busted knees, and the beginnings of all-over arthritis, I bet my daily activities would let me eat whatever I wanted, too. Don't judge everyone else based on what you're capable of, and enjoy your healthy youth. I know you work hard for it, but some of us will never be able to do what you're doing. It just isn't physically possible.
You're right about that, when I could work out and was impatient to lose the last bit of weight to hit my first goal, I was occasionally guilty when working out of not eating them back when I didn't feel like I needed to that day, but after a few days my body would tell me in no uncertain terms that enough was enough. And I would get cranky as a bear. Maybe some people can do it, but I sure couldn't.0 -
I must be crazy in thinking that it's awesome to lose weight while being able to eat as much food as possible. People gain weight end up here then they are looking to eat as little as possible. Just makes no sense.
Heh. What do you have on the end of that bar? Looks like two VW Bugs. If I was a spry young man instead of a creaky old woman with asthma, allergies, busted knees, and the beginnings of all-over arthritis, I bet my daily activities would let me eat whatever I wanted, too. Don't judge everyone else based on what you're capable of, and enjoy your healthy youth. I know you work hard for it, but some of us will never be able to do what you're doing. It just isn't physically possible.
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I'm not getting all the snark on this thread - and I actually agree with OP: 1200 is a suitable calorie amount for weight loss for some people- those who are very short, older and have sedentary lifestyles.
I notice most of the posters saying I am short and I can eat much more are also young and active.
Height is only one factor, age and activity are the others.
That said, I am talking netting 1200, not neccesarily actually eating only 1200. Reading the OP, it seems to me she was talking net calories too.0 -
Also, I sincerely hope that everyone spouting numbers (on either side of the argument) consistently weigh and measure their food so that they're working with reasonable estimates. Bad data/logging helps no one.
I have been weighing most of my food since the first week of January with the exception of eating out so my numbers are good. I also use HRM/pedometer so know my calorie burn numbers are good too.
My post was a general recommendation for the 50+ people posting (and the ~500+ people reading), not so much an invitation for every person to justify their numbers individually.
That said, I'm having trouble reconciling this statement: "with the exception of eating out so my numbers are good".
For that matter, I'm also struggling with this one too: "I also use HRM/pedometer so know my calorie burn numbers are good too."0 -
It's a wretched place
Starving yourself isn't going to help, ok? Starving yourself isn't going to help you be healthier. Your body needs proper nutrients over the long term to heal itself. I know nothing I say is going to change your mind, but to anyone reading this who thinks depriving your body of nutrients is the best way to be healthy, I urge you to consider what happens to people when they do this. Lifelong problems can and do result from not eating enough.0 -
What works for one does not work for all.
I am short (5'2) and I was MISERABLE at 1200, even eating back exercise calories. I also have Hashimoto's, so that could be why as well, but still. It was not for me.0 -
I'm not getting all the snark on this thread - and I actually agree with OP: 1200 is a suitable calorie amount for weight loss for some people- those who are very short, older and have sedentary lifestyles.
I notice most of the posters saying I am short and I can eat much more are also young and active.
Height is only one factor, age and activity are the others.
That said, I am talking netting 1200, not neccesarily actually eating only 1200. Reading the OP, it seems to me she was talking net calories too.
All the snark on which side of the argument? Because I see it coming from both sides. You seem to think it's only coming from one side. Any chance your views on this particular topic are influencing your perception of the feedback?0 -
OP so you say you got all your nutritional needs under 1200... now your logging is very inaccurate but it shows your protein is extremely low, your fats are low. The other issue with your calories so low you really shouldn't be using those precious calories for soda and chocolate when you aren't reaching your bare minimum nutritional needs. Keeping my calories at 1700 or so a day I can get all my nutrition and plenty of room left over for sweets, but protein comes first.
But it's also got lots of inaccuracies and inconsistent logging so would go with you were eating more than you think anyway.
Yeah the op's diary told a completely different story from what I expected after reading her first post.
I thought so, too! Not what I was expecting.0 -
I'm not getting all the snark on this thread - and I actually agree with OP: 1200 is a suitable calorie amount for weight loss for some people- those who are very short, older and have sedentary lifestyles.
I notice most of the posters saying I am short and I can eat much more are also young and active.
Height is only one factor, age and activity are the others.
That said, I am talking netting 1200, not neccesarily actually eating only 1200. Reading the OP, it seems to me she was talking net calories too.
The perceived "snark" is from seeing countless threads from kids in their late teens/early 20's touting "I net 800 calories a day and it works for me, I'm just super tired and not getting the "tone" I want".
There are a lot of "1200 defenders" here missing the forest for the trees. Yes, everyone knows that 1200 can/does work and is adequate for some individuals dependent upon ht, age, and activity, but there are so many individuals that start threads/defend it that are in the demographic from the first paragraph the intake level overall gets a bad rap.
And as john pointed out.....there is all kinds of "snark" from each side of the debate.0
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