Is 1200 calories too few?

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LetItBe4Sanity
LetItBe4Sanity Posts: 41 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hey guys! I've been with this site for many years now but I have been a little bit inconsistent. However, one thing that has always stayed the same is my goal of losing weight. With the "recommended" guided option, it told me I should aim for about 1,200 calories (I weigh about 165lbs right now and I am 5'4"). I've weighed as low as 140lbs and as high as 175lbs and the goal of 1,200 calories has always stayed the same. I work out generally at least 4x a week for an hour each time, and over the last month I have been averaging about 10,000 steps a day. Problem is... I haven't been losing weight for the last year and it is incredibly discouraging. I've decided to try upping my calorie intake to 1500 calories because people have told me that 1200 is WAY too low. Does anyone have some advice?

Replies

  • apparations
    apparations Posts: 264 Member
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    I started on MFP at 165 and have lost by eating 1500-1600 cals a day. That's calculated 1lb per week. When I have changed it to 2lb per week it goes down to 1200 and for me that is too little to manage on most days. That being said, if you were eating 1200 calories per day then you should be losing theoretically. Unless you are eating more than you think.
  • Sailatsorf
    Sailatsorf Posts: 161 Member
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    Nope, 1200 is fine. That's about what I eat all the time. As long as you have enough energy, it should be fine. I'd recommend changing your workout routine if you're stuck. Add in some light toning with your cardio, or something like that just for a little extra push. Plateaus are a part of weightloss, and I've seen my fair share. It also slows down as you get lighter because you aren't burning as many calories throughout the day because you aren't lugging as much fat around.

    Just fiddle around with your calories and exercise habits until something gets things moving again, and then stick with that until it stalls, and then change it up again.

    Good luck!
  • meeka472
    meeka472 Posts: 283 Member
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    I've found that while you lose weight with 1200 calories eating at that level is unsustainable. I do better about staying true to my weight loss goals by eating more than that per day. I'm currently trying to lose an additional 10 lbs and I am eating about 1600 calories per day losing about a 1/2 lb per week.
  • suremeansyes
    suremeansyes Posts: 962 Member
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    When I was eating low calorie I didn't have enough energy to get through my workouts, so I ate more and had better workouts and it was a wash.

    Burn more, eat more.
  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
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    1200 is usually too low for *most* people. I'm 1" taller than you and eat around 2000 calories a day and I'm losing weight. I also lift all the heavy things.

    If you can eat more and still lose weight, why wouldn't you?

    This is everything I got.

    Read these:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1235566-so-you-re-new-here?hl=so+you're+new+here

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/974888-in-place-of-a-road-map-2k13

    TL:DR the link right above this one then ->http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/975025-in-place-of-a-road-map-short-n-sweet

    Excuses??? http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2014/06/02/the-no-excuses-play-like-a-champion-challenge/

    If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal

    Want to lift heavy things?
    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

    Stronglifts Summary
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/560459-stronglifts-5x5-summary

    Stronglifts Womens Group
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/4601-stronglifts-5x5-for-women
  • mermiths
    mermiths Posts: 12
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    Portions are an issue -- remember a single portion is the size of you palm or a deck of cards. Also, a big factor is your metabolism. If it's low, you have to eat fewer calories. If you want to add calories, make sure it's healthy food like fresh fruit which is in season now. Good luck!
  • leahslife1
    leahslife1 Posts: 3
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    I think it depends on each person. I have consistently followed a 1200 calorie diet since february. I think its really important what that 1200 calories consists of - mine is mostly produce with some protein. if you find you are super hungry than you probably need more.
  • segovm
    segovm Posts: 512 Member
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    Someone got it in their head a while back that it was possible to eat too little to lose weight and seeing as everyone here likes to eat the idea of eating more to lose weight became incredibly popular, if completely ineffective.

    There are many disadvantageous to not eating enough calories... staying the same weight is not one of them.

    Honestly based on your activity I would just imagine that it's a problem with logging stuff accurately. If you haven't lost or gained weight you are eating at maintenance for your body and activity level... no special science or exemptions required.

    If you haven't got a food scale now might be a good time to track down where the caloric mixup is happening. I was eyeballing 1700 calories a day for a while that turned out to be 2300. I was sure my eyeballs couldn't be more than a little off but turns out there are just horrible at measuring food.

    Nothing wrong with eating more than 1200 calories, but it's nice to have an accurate measure of how far over 1200 you might be going.
  • Mgsilve
    Mgsilve Posts: 24
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    I found that 1200 calories is a good base if you aren't working out. If you are working out then you should eat your workout calories. This can raise the calories you need to eat in a day to a manageable 1400-1600.

    Also what you eat can change your fullness. 1200 calories of whole foods and large, but low calorie, portions of veggies can be just as filling as 2000 calories of food that isn't so great for you. I've made a 300 calorie chopped salad that was 4+ cups of food and super filling!...I should totally start eating that again.
  • Ludka13
    Ludka13 Posts: 136 Member
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    Hey guys! I've been with this site for many years now but I have been a little bit inconsistent. However, one thing that has always stayed the same is my goal of losing weight. With the "recommended" guided option, it told me I should aim for about 1,200 calories (I weigh about 165lbs right now and I am 5'4"). I've weighed as low as 140lbs and as high as 175lbs and the goal of 1,200 calories has always stayed the same. I work out generally at least 4x a week for an hour each time, and over the last month I have been averaging about 10,000 steps a day. Problem is... I haven't been losing weight for the last year and it is incredibly discouraging. I've decided to try upping my calorie intake to 1500 calories because people have told me that 1200 is WAY too low. Does anyone have some advice?

    I had trouble losing on 1200 a day because I was always hungry! And I got too frustrated. So this year I decided to lose half a pound a week and it's easier and I've lost more weight. Also eating less carbs because they don't keep me full long enough.

    Make sure you weigh and measure all your food. Count everything, even vitamins and supplements. Especially supplements that have oil, like fish oil. And log everything. A nibble here and there may not seem like much but it adds up over time. An extra 100 calories a day is an extra 10+ pounds a year. So it doesn't take much each day to stall weight loss.

    Calculate your TDEE and see how many calories you need to maintain. I estimated using "desk job" as my worst case scenario and then used that as the max calories per day not to exceed. http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/. So on my worst day, my cheat days, I don't exceed my TDEE.
  • loricshields47
    loricshields47 Posts: 134 Member
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    Yup up those cals. It may take a week or two for your body to figure out it's getting enough fuel before it starts letting go of those stored fats. If you exercise that regularly and stay consistent you should start to see so changes very soon. I prefer weight training with minimal cardio for all the benefits of a healthy lifestyle and enjoy an round 1600-1800 cals a day to maintain. So eat up!!!!
  • kethry70
    kethry70 Posts: 404 Member
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    I weigh 5 lbs more than you, am 43, 3 inches shorter and I have PCOS and IR (I.e. metabolic disorders). I also have a sedentary desk job. I lose weight on 1500 calories a day. Presumably, we ll like food or we wouldn't be here right? Why be more restrictive than necessary?

    Take a look at all the links posted above by grace - they are full of awesome info that can allow you to lose weight without aiming so low calori-wise
  • suelemasurier
    suelemasurier Posts: 3
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    Everyone's metabolism is different and the way we process different foods is different for each person, it's not just about calories but also what the calories are made up from in terms of the kinds of foods because some foods are more easily metabolised than others and that alters metabolic rate. I think it's a matter of finding out how YOU personally lose weight and eat healthily at the same time. Sometimes I am eating too few calories but not losing any weight at all, other times I eat a lot of calories but do lose weight, it seems to depend upon what I eat as much as calories. It does also depend upon how much energy we use in our lifestyle and also the stage of life we are at which affects the efficiency with which we metabolise food.
  • suelemasurier
    suelemasurier Posts: 3
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    I agree absolutely that it depends upon what you are eating but if 1200 is too low it may not be more calories that is needed but a satisfying and energy giving foodstuffs within the 1200 cals.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
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    I've decided to try upping my calorie intake to 1500 calories because people have told me that 1200 is WAY too low.
    If you told people that you wanted to gain weight, would they tell you to eat less?

    Exactly.
    Does anyone have some advice?
    Open your diary.
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
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    If you're not losing at 1200, you will not lose at 1500 unless you adhere to your diet better/longer at 1500. Most people probably do.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    1200 is fine but you got to eat back your exercise calories.
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
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    Depends on your height and activity level etc.
  • RosieWest8
    RosieWest8 Posts: 185 Member
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    MFP suggested 1200 calories for me too when I started and I started at 175 (I'm an inch shorter than you) and my goal was 1lb/wk. I actually found that I had some trouble sometimes even eating that many calories and I'd be around 900-1000. I didn't feel energized and wasn't losing weight consistently. I manually raised my calorie goal to 1400 (or maybe it was 1350?) and also ate back my exercise calories. That was tough at first but I felt a change in my energy level first and then a change in my appetite after that and eating the right amount/exercising the right amount felt perfect and I lost weight consistently. So...for me it was too low and I think for most people it's too low but you have to kind of go through some trial/error with this stuff.

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