1200 calories to low for a woman?

This is my first year using MFP and 1200 is my daily allotment of calories too, which is definitely lower than the normal amount I eat in a day. However, I just take this as a spur to exercise, and 'buy' myself more calories with physical activity. So far it's been working well, although there are days when my food choices mean that I exceed the calorie goal. Tonight I made pan-fried chicken as part of dinner -- not the most dietetic choice! So even though I walked a total of an hour, took a yoga class and did 15 minutes on a stationary bike, I still went over the limit. Oh well -- better luck tomorrow.

Know that you are going to have some yo-yo weeks, but think long-term and keep exercising and eating quality 'real' food -- eventually you'll meet your goal. Even though my weight loss is very gradual, and sometimes I go back up a bit, I am looking way more toned in the last two months -- so some of the weight might be redistributed as muscle weight which is denser than fat.

I was nonplussed by the low calorie setpoint too, when I first joined -- but if it makes you start exercising more, it's a good thing. Don't forget about 'passive' exercise, like if you walk as part of your daily commute. I live in a city, so my hour of walking is built into my day, walking to/from various activities/errands.

I'm 53 and I need to lose 20 pounds. I am trying to stay below 1000 calories and keep within the other ranges mfp gave me. I exercise every day. My goals tab says at this rate I should lose .6 pounds a week which is about right. Maybe it's because I'm middle aged and menopausal

How many calories are woman in their 30's using? I am 5'4 and 226lbs and myfitness suggests 1200 calories daily. I feel like maybe that isn't enough.

Lacey

I am just about your same size and I would agree 1200 a day would not be enough for me every single day. I could do it, but it would be more work than I care to do right now.

Now on some days I eat 1200 cal without effort, and others I eat 3000. If I had to guess my normal "bad"days prior were more in the 4-5 k range.

But I am tracking, and learning, and getting more active- all small moves in the right direction. Has the weight loss been slow going? SURE! Absolutely as my personal plan has not been very dramatic. However my weight gain over the past 13 years or so has averaged a little under 10 lbs a year. I figure if I can even stop the slow gain I am succeeding.

Not to set my goals too low, and I know for health reasons I should be more aggressive and dedicated to this, but trying to be that dedicated only led to me putting it off over and over and over again, and eating more and more and more in preparation for starting "next week" or "tomorrow".

As a person in near your shoes, I say start NOW and even if that staring now means you eat 2500 cals a day and find out that is maintenance level for you, at least you are learning YOUR personal limits and you are not gaining. Heck even if you ate exactly at you used to but just tracked everything, that would be a step in the right direction.

Now if you are not comfortable with easing that slowing into it, for me personally I can lose weight on 2k a day even if I never move my fat *kitten* off the couch to so much as shower. My BMR guesstimate comes in somewhere around 1785 IIRC.

Everyone else has covered all the techie info about scooby's calculator, TDEE, so I won't repeat all that and all that info is very helpful if and when you are ready to process it. If you, like me, find ALL of that at once a little overwhelming I just wanted to say you don't have to do it "perfect" to be doing it right, and if you feel like you can't eat 1200 a day and be ok that is fine, and completely normal and you are in good company. You CAN eat more than that and still lose.

1200 calories is far too low. Find out your BMR and eat above that, but below your total daily energy expenditure.

I feel like many people do not realize that someone who nets 1200-1500 calories a day full of empty carbohydrates is not feeding their body's needs as well as someone netting 1000 calories of healthy fats and proteins. that's what i'm doing, and i'm not unhappy, weak, or starving. i'm certainly not anorexic, and i have no reason to believe my health is at risk. i'd argue that i'm feeding my body better than ever before.

If you feel fine, and are able to stick to it, 1000 works. The blanket warning at 1200 calories is such foolishness, in my opinion. If I ate 1500 calories of wonderbread, MFP wouldn't warn me that I may not be getting proper nutrition - even though the macros are right there, showing how little fat, protein, and vitamins you ate.

in summation, MFP and many of its users should probably just try to keep their broscience to themselves. More doing what you can maintain, and what makes you happy. Less listening to blanket statements and old wives' tales.

Even when I wasn't exercising I was fine on 1500 and lost 2 pounds a week. I was gone here for a while but now I'm back and I keep my net calories above 1200 and workout a lot. I am losing 2 lbs a week.

The truth is that 2 months ago I weighed 204. My progress on here might show that I was at a stand still for a long time but I just didn't want to add the weight I gained back I so I waited until I hit below 191 which is where I was last time I updated last year. I hit 189 a couple of days ago and so I've started updating my weight again.

I go to Golds Gym every other day. Since I workout a lot more I of course go well above 1500, but even on the days I don't workout I still am fine. I never eat below 1375.

How many calories are woman in their 30's using? I am 5'4 and 226lbs and myfitness suggests 1200 calories daily. I feel like maybe that isn't enough.

You mean you can't control your eating down to that level ? or something else....

If you were to lose most of your excess weight over a year you would average 890 cals/day from your fat reserves. If you're looking to spend a lot longer you can use the reserves at a slower rate and eat more.

It depends on how active you are throughout the day. I'm 5'4 120lbs and I eat an average of 2000 calories daily. I stay really active throughout the day though.

If the advice works on this page = AWESOME! I listened to the popular opinion to raise my calories. I did not loose. I actually gained by raising it to 1500. I then lowered it to 1200 for a few weeks. I maintained. Now I am loosing. I am at 1000-1100 plus any extra exercise above normal [which is usually construction work]. As a certified nutritionist I was very annoyed. My dietitian, endocrinologist and oncologists monitor my diet. They made it very clear diet is not general. It is personalized. My regular doctor had me test my resting metabolic rate. It is 1348. I would highly suggest having your personal resting metabolic rate tested if you feel you are not reacting as the masses do. Some will need more than what is "norm" or less as I do. My body simply does not need the calories. It will not even use them. I am 43. I ate about 1200 most my life and never gained. Then I married. He thought it was an eating disorder. I ate more with him and gained 70 in a year! I don't eat with him anymore . Seven years later it is coming off slowly. Also keep in mind you might want to get blood work before you start. My husband and I have two absolutely different diets because of our blood work results. If you are low on D, iron, or high on your cholesterol, those few calories will be very important to use them wisely. I decided to prepare us three different meals each day to match our personal needs and likes. Best wishes.