Sorry to be the '1200' person
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lmclaren29
Posts: 6 Member
I'm new here :ohwell:
I would like to lose 10-15lbs...I put in a rate of 1lb per week and MFP told me 1200 cals. I'm only on day 3 and well...I'm starving all the time. I'm eating all of my 1200, I don't know if it's maybe what I'm eating that's not filling enough, or if the 1200 is incorrect? Perhaps I should do 0.5lbs per week?
I feel like I'm just setting myself up for failure because there is no way I can sustain being this hungry all the time.
I would like to lose 10-15lbs...I put in a rate of 1lb per week and MFP told me 1200 cals. I'm only on day 3 and well...I'm starving all the time. I'm eating all of my 1200, I don't know if it's maybe what I'm eating that's not filling enough, or if the 1200 is incorrect? Perhaps I should do 0.5lbs per week?
I feel like I'm just setting myself up for failure because there is no way I can sustain being this hungry all the time.
0
Replies
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Take it from me. You can have good success when you eat more. Try setting it to 1400 and see if you feel better.0
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If you only have 10-15 lbs to lose, you should set your goal at 0.5 lbs per week. Way more manageable and less hangry :laugh:
Also, do you work out regularly? If you are using MFPs numbers, you are expected to eat back some of your exercise calories, and working out can make you hungry! I set my activity level to sedentary, and then on day's I work out I log it in, it gives me some extra calories and I try to eat back about half, because MFPs calorie burn numbers may be a little high.
I started at 141, have been eating around 1500-1600 calories and have lost 6 pounds in about 3 months. It's a little slow, but it's working and I'm not starving myself. Good luck!0 -
Change it to 1/2 a pound a week. You'll be much happier and more successful long term.0
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So you're new here?
here:
Tips? Here ya go.
1. don't trust the initial setup that MFP provides. If you put in the wrong/inaccurate information, it'll tell you to eat an amount that may not be applicable.
2. Make sure you eat enough.
3. Figure out what works for you and is sustainable/healthy/long term.
4. avoid fads. don't buy in to any "Hey, try the twinkie and vodka diet"
5. Don't cut out anything now that you don't plan on literally giving up forever.
6. GET A FOOD SCALE. Weigh everything. No, seriously.
7. Get an HRM with a chest strap. You'll at least have a better idea of what you're burning. It'll be more accurate than the generic info in the exercise database.. and even more than the cardio machines. This is great for steady state cardio (run/walk/etc)
8. Don't go balls out. You'll burn out. I see 300 lb people show up here, instantly start working out and cutting their intake SEVERELY... trying to cut out all of their carbs at once.. whatever. Take it slow. Figure out how much you need to eat FIRST in order to lose.. then incorporate exercise.
9. Don't cardio yourself to death.
10. Take the information on the forums with a grain of salt. A lot of people that have been here for a while.. and have been successful, may seem jaded. They give out GREAT advice day after day, only to be met with people that refuse to listen.
11. Eat real food. Not diet food. Not "low fat, sugar free, now without X." It's easier to get/find/count.
12. don't set time restrictions.
13. measure yourself weekly. Don't just weigh. Measure and take pictures.
14 BE PATIENT.
15. Avoid forum topics that have "1200" in the title. It's just full of butthurt. Lots of it.
16. If you ask a question on the forum, give as much information as you can ("yes, I have a food scale and weigh my food" is worlds better than "I eat a palm full of miscellaneous boiled chicken parts..sometimes.")
17. Be honest with yourself and honest with us.
18. This isn't a game, it's about changing your lifestyle. Do that.
pretty much that.
...and don't fall into the "1200 calorie" vertigo of suck because of:
the typical MFP users does this:
1. I wanna lose weight, let's try MFP.
2. OH! Wow, it tells me I can lose 2 lbs a WEEK? AWESOME!
3. I just sit at a desk when I'm not working out, I guess I'm sedentary.
4. MFP tells them 1200 calories, and they don't even eat that.. then they work out on top of it.. creating an even bigger deficit.
5. Lose a lot, fast, brag about 1200 calorie success.
6. Come back in a few months trying to figure out why they're dizzy, tired, not losing weight.
7. Get on the forums, ask why they aren't losing.
8. Get two responses (I eat 1200 and lose) (I eat 2200 and lose)
9. Argument ensues about who is right.
Now. That being said. These threads happen hundreds of times per day. Most times, and I mean really.. seriously.. 95% of the time.. people get the 1200 number because they don't put the right information in when they set up the account. There are a great number of people that are trying to help. I'm one of 'em.
I'm a hardcore advocate of actually finding out what works for the individual.. by means of other calculators, averages, time, practice, and patience.
Blanket prescriptions of 1200 calories "because it worked for me" is more harmful to the generic new user than the "figure out what you need to eat." Unfortunately, one is a LOT easier to type.
Find out what you need: http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/
and make sure to read: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
...and here's another approach.
Block off 6 weeks. log EXACTLY what you eat for those six weeks, weigh at the beginning, weight at the end. If you've lost, you're eating under your TDEE. If you haven't lost, congrats.. you found your TDEE, if you've gained... then you're above TDEE.
From there, look at how much you lost or gained and you have a rough estimate of how to shift your intake to balance it out.
Online calculators are great, but they're just estimates. They give you decent ideas for starting points. From there, it's on you to fine tune it.0 -
^ Read all the awesomeness of Trog. Eat the most you can and still lose. Take it slow. Enjoy it. Lose body fat and not just weight:flowerforyou:0
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Try eating foods higher in protein and fats, yes fats they've gotten an undeserved bad reputation in years past but fats and proteins can be much more satiating than any carb you can put into your body, I usually start out at breakfast with a coffee with butter and heavy whipping cream and drink plenty of water, that can also help curb appetite, but once I get that butter, heavy whipping cream & 16 oz of water in me I can barely finish a plate of spinach salad without feeling stuffed.0
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Whoa! Drop that knowledge. Very helpful.So you're new here?
here:
Tips? Here ya go.
1. don't trust the initial setup that MFP provides. If you put in the wrong/inaccurate information, it'll tell you to eat an amount that may not be applicable.
2. Make sure you eat enough.
3. Figure out what works for you and is sustainable/healthy/long term.
4. avoid fads. don't buy in to any "Hey, try the twinkie and vodka diet"
5. Don't cut out anything now that you don't plan on literally giving up forever.
6. GET A FOOD SCALE. Weigh everything. No, seriously.
7. Get an HRM with a chest strap. You'll at least have a better idea of what you're burning. It'll be more accurate than the generic info in the exercise database.. and even more than the cardio machines. This is great for steady state cardio (run/walk/etc)
8. Don't go balls out. You'll burn out. I see 300 lb people show up here, instantly start working out and cutting their intake SEVERELY... trying to cut out all of their carbs at once.. whatever. Take it slow. Figure out how much you need to eat FIRST in order to lose.. then incorporate exercise.
9. Don't cardio yourself to death.
10. Take the information on the forums with a grain of salt. A lot of people that have been here for a while.. and have been successful, may seem jaded. They give out GREAT advice day after day, only to be met with people that refuse to listen.
11. Eat real food. Not diet food. Not "low fat, sugar free, now without X." It's easier to get/find/count.
12. don't set time restrictions.
13. measure yourself weekly. Don't just weigh. Measure and take pictures.
14 BE PATIENT.
15. Avoid forum topics that have "1200" in the title. It's just full of butthurt. Lots of it.
16. If you ask a question on the forum, give as much information as you can ("yes, I have a food scale and weigh my food" is worlds better than "I eat a palm full of miscellaneous boiled chicken parts..sometimes.")
17. Be honest with yourself and honest with us.
18. This isn't a game, it's about changing your lifestyle. Do that.
pretty much that.
...and don't fall into the "1200 calorie" vertigo of suck because of:
the typical MFP users does this:
1. I wanna lose weight, let's try MFP.
2. OH! Wow, it tells me I can lose 2 lbs a WEEK? AWESOME!
3. I just sit at a desk when I'm not working out, I guess I'm sedentary.
4. MFP tells them 1200 calories, and they don't even eat that.. then they work out on top of it.. creating an even bigger deficit.
5. Lose a lot, fast, brag about 1200 calorie success.
6. Come back in a few months trying to figure out why they're dizzy, tired, not losing weight.
7. Get on the forums, ask why they aren't losing.
8. Get two responses (I eat 1200 and lose) (I eat 2200 and lose)
9. Argument ensues about who is right.
Now. That being said. These threads happen hundreds of times per day. Most times, and I mean really.. seriously.. 95% of the time.. people get the 1200 number because they don't put the right information in when they set up the account. There are a great number of people that are trying to help. I'm one of 'em.
I'm a hardcore advocate of actually finding out what works for the individual.. by means of other calculators, averages, time, practice, and patience.
Blanket prescriptions of 1200 calories "because it worked for me" is more harmful to the generic new user than the "figure out what you need to eat." Unfortunately, one is a LOT easier to type.
Find out what you need: http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/
and make sure to read: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
...and here's another approach.
Block off 6 weeks. log EXACTLY what you eat for those six weeks, weigh at the beginning, weight at the end. If you've lost, you're eating under your TDEE. If you haven't lost, congrats.. you found your TDEE, if you've gained... then you're above TDEE.
From there, look at how much you lost or gained and you have a rough estimate of how to shift your intake to balance it out.
Online calculators are great, but they're just estimates. They give you decent ideas for starting points. From there, it's on you to fine tune it.0 -
Don't be sorry just recalculate your TDEE using fitness frog and see how the resulting cal goal compares to the MFP one.0
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@ trogalicious
Dude mind if I copy/paste that reply to anyone else who asks this question? It's an awesome reply.0 -
could always just give them this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1235566-so-you-re-new-here@ trogalicious
Dude mind if I copy/paste that reply to anyone else who asks this question? It's an awesome reply.
same stuff.0 -
Whoa! Drop that knowledge. Very helpful.
...and don't fall into the "1200 calorie" vertigo of suck because of:
the typical MFP users does this:
1. I wanna lose weight, let's try MFP.
2. OH! Wow, it tells me I can lose 2 lbs a WEEK? AWESOME!
3. I just sit at a desk when I'm not working out, I guess I'm sedentary.
4. MFP tells them 1200 calories, and they don't even eat that.. then they work out on top of it.. creating an even bigger deficit.
5. Lose a lot, fast, brag about 1200 calorie success.
6. Come back in a few months trying to figure out why they're dizzy, tired, not losing weight.
7. Get on the forums, ask why they aren't losing.
8. Get two responses (I eat 1200 and lose) (I eat 2200 and lose)
9. Argument ensues about who is right.
Now. That being said. These threads happen hundreds of times per day. Most times, and I mean really.. seriously.. 95% of the time.. people get the 1200 number because they don't put the right information in when they set up the account. There are a great number of people that are trying to help. I'm one of 'em.
Online calculators are great, but they're just estimates. They give you decent ideas for starting points. From there, it's on you to fine tune it.
Awesome advice! Go Trog!0 -
I'm reading all this back lash for the 1200/day people and now I'm like...should I not only be eating 1200 a day? I'm not miserable on it but I do go over like one or two days a week...because beer.0
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Everything that Trog said. And a few more things.
I used the MFP 1200 auto set up a year ago and was starving and not losing weight. I was frustrated and cranky and couldn't figure out why I was on a plateau for 4 months.
So, I went through my health insurance preventative benefit and enlisted the help of a dietitian. We discussed what has worked in the past and what hasn't. She set my goal at 1400, and also gave me percentages and gram numbers for carbs, fat, protein, fiber. I went into the custom set up and put her numbers in to MFP. I started losing weight. I have lost 20 pounds since January, and even on days when I overindulge and eat more than 1400 calories, I am still losing weight.
Getting a dietitian who has all of the tools and knows the numbers etc. was the best thing I have ever done. She gave me the correct info for MY body, not a generic number off of a chart, and MFP helps me stay on track with our plan.
If you have health insurance, look for the preventative benefit and find a registered dietitian who can sit down with you and help you get going. And good luck!0 -
I'm reading all this back lash for the 1200/day people and now I'm like...should I not only be eating 1200 a day? I'm not miserable on it but I do go over like one or two days a week...because beer.
add up the week and see what's your average...
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I'm new here :ohwell:
I would like to lose 10-15lbs...I put in a rate of 1lb per week and MFP told me 1200 cals. I'm only on day 3 and well...I'm starving all the time. I'm eating all of my 1200, I don't know if it's maybe what I'm eating that's not filling enough, or if the 1200 is incorrect? Perhaps I should do 0.5lbs per week?
I feel like I'm just setting myself up for failure because there is no way I can sustain being this hungry all the time.
As well as changing your goal to 0.5 per week, I wonder if your activity level is also wrong- do you have it set at sedentary when you are not really sedentary.
Sedentary is doing next to nothing - you probably should have it as at least lightly active.
In case you don't know, you should also be eating back any exercise calories. Some people say MFP over estimates exercise calories so you might want to eat back 1/2 or 3/4 rather than all of them.
Also the foods you are eating may be part of the problem.
Try more fibre, eg multigrain bread and maybe more protein for filling foods that are not too high calorie.
Others will have better suggestions on this point than me - but yes, it could be something to consider.0 -
So you're new here?
here:
Tips? Here ya go.
1. don't trust the initial setup that MFP provides. If you put in the wrong/inaccurate information, it'll tell you to eat an amount that may not be applicable.
2. Make sure you eat enough.
3. Figure out what works for you and is sustainable/healthy/long term.
4. avoid fads. don't buy in to any "Hey, try the twinkie and vodka diet"
5. Don't cut out anything now that you don't plan on literally giving up forever.
6. GET A FOOD SCALE. Weigh everything. No, seriously.
7. Get an HRM with a chest strap. You'll at least have a better idea of what you're burning. It'll be more accurate than the generic info in the exercise database.. and even more than the cardio machines. This is great for steady state cardio (run/walk/etc)
8. Don't go balls out. You'll burn out. I see 300 lb people show up here, instantly start working out and cutting their intake SEVERELY... trying to cut out all of their carbs at once.. whatever. Take it slow. Figure out how much you need to eat FIRST in order to lose.. then incorporate exercise.
9. Don't cardio yourself to death.
10. Take the information on the forums with a grain of salt. A lot of people that have been here for a while.. and have been successful, may seem jaded. They give out GREAT advice day after day, only to be met with people that refuse to listen.
11. Eat real food. Not diet food. Not "low fat, sugar free, now without X." It's easier to get/find/count.
12. don't set time restrictions.
13. measure yourself weekly. Don't just weigh. Measure and take pictures.
14 BE PATIENT.
15. Avoid forum topics that have "1200" in the title. It's just full of butthurt. Lots of it.
16. If you ask a question on the forum, give as much information as you can ("yes, I have a food scale and weigh my food" is worlds better than "I eat a palm full of miscellaneous boiled chicken parts..sometimes.")
17. Be honest with yourself and honest with us.
18. This isn't a game, it's about changing your lifestyle. Do that.
pretty much that.
...and don't fall into the "1200 calorie" vertigo of suck because of:
the typical MFP users does this:
1. I wanna lose weight, let's try MFP.
2. OH! Wow, it tells me I can lose 2 lbs a WEEK? AWESOME!
3. I just sit at a desk when I'm not working out, I guess I'm sedentary.
4. MFP tells them 1200 calories, and they don't even eat that.. then they work out on top of it.. creating an even bigger deficit.
5. Lose a lot, fast, brag about 1200 calorie success.
6. Come back in a few months trying to figure out why they're dizzy, tired, not losing weight.
7. Get on the forums, ask why they aren't losing.
8. Get two responses (I eat 1200 and lose) (I eat 2200 and lose)
9. Argument ensues about who is right.
Now. That being said. These threads happen hundreds of times per day. Most times, and I mean really.. seriously.. 95% of the time.. people get the 1200 number because they don't put the right information in when they set up the account. There are a great number of people that are trying to help. I'm one of 'em.
I'm a hardcore advocate of actually finding out what works for the individual.. by means of other calculators, averages, time, practice, and patience.
Blanket prescriptions of 1200 calories "because it worked for me" is more harmful to the generic new user than the "figure out what you need to eat." Unfortunately, one is a LOT easier to type.
Find out what you need: http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/
and make sure to read: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
...and here's another approach.
Block off 6 weeks. log EXACTLY what you eat for those six weeks, weigh at the beginning, weight at the end. If you've lost, you're eating under your TDEE. If you haven't lost, congrats.. you found your TDEE, if you've gained... then you're above TDEE.
From there, look at how much you lost or gained and you have a rough estimate of how to shift your intake to balance it out.
Online calculators are great, but they're just estimates. They give you decent ideas for starting points. From there, it's on you to fine tune it.
Best advice ever and even though I'm not new to this, I'll definitely be taking it to heart. Thanks!
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I'm also a 1200 person (well 1230 as per MFP to be exact) and I've seen a few of these types of threads and the great advice they give. It also concerned me that maybe 1200 wasn't enough.
So, I put my accurate figures into the scooby website suggested, and the output was still similar (1287), so in some cases it is not far off.
I think the key thing is put in accurate figures (I am just under 5 foot, and I'm only slightly overweight, so that will be the reason for my lower figures) and try not to go too fast. I'm set to 1lb per week and that goal is plenty for me in reality.
If at 1200 calories you feel physically hungry all the time, then listen to your body and eat more, but eat things that will satisfy it, not junk that will leave you wanting more. However, the odd treat won't kill you either!
Good luck with your goal.0 -
So you're new here?
here:
Tips? Here ya go.
1. don't trust the initial setup that MFP provides. If you put in the wrong/inaccurate information, it'll tell you to eat an amount that may not be applicable.
2. Make sure you eat enough.
3. Figure out what works for you and is sustainable/healthy/long term.
4. avoid fads. don't buy in to any "Hey, try the twinkie and vodka diet"
5. Don't cut out anything now that you don't plan on literally giving up forever.
6. GET A FOOD SCALE. Weigh everything. No, seriously.
7. Get an HRM with a chest strap. You'll at least have a better idea of what you're burning. It'll be more accurate than the generic info in the exercise database.. and even more than the cardio machines. This is great for steady state cardio (run/walk/etc)
8. Don't go balls out. You'll burn out. I see 300 lb people show up here, instantly start working out and cutting their intake SEVERELY... trying to cut out all of their carbs at once.. whatever. Take it slow. Figure out how much you need to eat FIRST in order to lose.. then incorporate exercise.
9. Don't cardio yourself to death.
10. Take the information on the forums with a grain of salt. A lot of people that have been here for a while.. and have been successful, may seem jaded. They give out GREAT advice day after day, only to be met with people that refuse to listen.
11. Eat real food. Not diet food. Not "low fat, sugar free, now without X." It's easier to get/find/count.
12. don't set time restrictions.
13. measure yourself weekly. Don't just weigh. Measure and take pictures.
14 BE PATIENT.
15. Avoid forum topics that have "1200" in the title. It's just full of butthurt. Lots of it.
16. If you ask a question on the forum, give as much information as you can ("yes, I have a food scale and weigh my food" is worlds better than "I eat a palm full of miscellaneous boiled chicken parts..sometimes.")
17. Be honest with yourself and honest with us.
18. This isn't a game, it's about changing your lifestyle. Do that.
pretty much that.
...and don't fall into the "1200 calorie" vertigo of suck because of:
the typical MFP users does this:
1. I wanna lose weight, let's try MFP.
2. OH! Wow, it tells me I can lose 2 lbs a WEEK? AWESOME!
3. I just sit at a desk when I'm not working out, I guess I'm sedentary.
4. MFP tells them 1200 calories, and they don't even eat that.. then they work out on top of it.. creating an even bigger deficit.
5. Lose a lot, fast, brag about 1200 calorie success.
6. Come back in a few months trying to figure out why they're dizzy, tired, not losing weight.
7. Get on the forums, ask why they aren't losing.
8. Get two responses (I eat 1200 and lose) (I eat 2200 and lose)
9. Argument ensues about who is right.
Now. That being said. These threads happen hundreds of times per day. Most times, and I mean really.. seriously.. 95% of the time.. people get the 1200 number because they don't put the right information in when they set up the account. There are a great number of people that are trying to help. I'm one of 'em.
I'm a hardcore advocate of actually finding out what works for the individual.. by means of other calculators, averages, time, practice, and patience.
Blanket prescriptions of 1200 calories "because it worked for me" is more harmful to the generic new user than the "figure out what you need to eat." Unfortunately, one is a LOT easier to type.
Find out what you need: http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/
and make sure to read: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
...and here's another approach.
Block off 6 weeks. log EXACTLY what you eat for those six weeks, weigh at the beginning, weight at the end. If you've lost, you're eating under your TDEE. If you haven't lost, congrats.. you found your TDEE, if you've gained... then you're above TDEE.
From there, look at how much you lost or gained and you have a rough estimate of how to shift your intake to balance it out.
Online calculators are great, but they're just estimates. They give you decent ideas for starting points. From there, it's on you to fine tune it.
Best advice ever and even though I'm not new to this, I'll definitely be taking it to heart. Thanks!
this is such good advice, definitely taking it! I'm on 1200 a day, (now going to change that) but I actually get so full if I eat 1200 a day. is this concerning or..? thank you 0 -
I changed it to 0.5lbs per week and it re-calculated to 1430cals so I think that is better suited...I can handle that. I can't handle what I was doing because last night I swear I was in tears eating dinner because I was so hungry and I really wanted to have the whole piece of chicken on my plate but only had half because I didn't want to go over...then I couldn't sleep I was so hungry. So that clearly is not a recipe for success. I was definitely missing some protein on days 1 and 2 so I think increasing that should help too. I think I have it set to light activity, but I'll have to double check.
I did log activity time and did eat back most of those cals. I joined a running clinic to train for a 5k at the end of October so I run with the group 1 x a week and on my own 2 x per week. I know I need to add some strength training in, but with a full time job, long commute, and a 2yr old this is all I can manage right now time-wise and I'm fine with that.
My cousin is a registered dietitian and professional triathlete so I'll be seeking some advise from her as well. She's been helping my sister who needs to lose about 40lbs and my cousin said that she needs to eat at least 1600 cals per day just for her body to function normally.
Thanks everyone. I know it's like beating a dead horse with us newbies and our 1200cal probs lol
0 -
Children in Africa, North Korea, inner-city USA are "starving"....just sayin'0
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