How many calories should I be eating on 1,200 calorie a day

musicgirl99
musicgirl99 Posts: 252 Member
edited September 23 in Health and Weight Loss
I'm kind of confused about goal calories. My goal for the day is 1,200 calories with a 620 calorie deficit. Should I try and eat 1,200 calories less 620 or is the 1,200 calorie goal already accounting for the 620 calories? If my goal is 1,200 calories then what should my net calories be? I usually burn about 376 calories a day and that adds to my confusion. Any help is very much appreciated. Thanks!

Replies

  • superjae5
    superjae5 Posts: 64 Member
    Does it tell you 1200 calories as your daily goal on the home page? If so, that's how many you are supposed to eat. If you exercise, that's bonus calories you can consume. They say not to eat less than 1200/day though, as it's unhealthy and can cause your body to go into starvation mode.
  • rache12581
    rache12581 Posts: 54
    I am confused about the exact same thing...intrested to read responses to this
  • hardybelle83
    hardybelle83 Posts: 57
    If your goal for the day is 1,200 calories, you need to be consuming a net of around 1,200 calories a day. Your 620 deficit is already built into this number.

    If you're exercising (say you burn 300 calories in one day), you then should be eating approximately 1,500 calories per day for a net of 1,200. There are a ton of threads on this topic that might offer you some more help... check the threads that are locked @ the top.. something like "Newbies, read this first"
  • Shinemaria
    Shinemaria Posts: 107 Member
    the calorie deficit is built in - you can eat all the calories you see in your daily allotment. there's a sort of debate going on about the exercise and eating the calories you burn from that, but since you've got a smaller amount to eat to start out with, i would say your body needs those calories to keep you going. Most people see success when they eat their exercise calories.
  • ebkins7
    ebkins7 Posts: 427 Member
    The deficit is all ready calculated in. So eat 1200 calories.

    If you work out... eat thos calories back (ie you burn 300 calories so eat 300 more for a total of 1500 eaten) so you'll always NET around 1200.

    Hope that helps!
  • foxxybrown
    foxxybrown Posts: 838 Member
    The 1200 already includes the deficit. Eat 1200 at the minimum plus some of your exercise calories.
  • wolfchild59
    wolfchild59 Posts: 2,608 Member
    On days you don't workout, eat 1,200. On days you workout, eat at least 2/3 of your exercise calories back. If you're using an HRM and that's an exact amount, eat more of them back.

    That's just the general rule. Check the thumbtacked links at the top of the forum for a lot more info and details on your question. :)
  • 35again
    35again Posts: 46 Member
    Your NET calories should be at least 1200. MFP gives you 1200 as a baseline, that's with your 620 calorie deficit already. If you exercise 325 calories, then your total calories for the day gets bumped up to 1525. You'll see if you eat 1525 calories that you'll have a NET of 1200 still.
  • kristie874
    kristie874 Posts: 774 Member
    Read the links in my signature below so you understand better. Eat your 1200 calories PLUS the workout calories that you burn. Good luck!
  • yublocka
    yublocka Posts: 1
    I have been wondering about this too. Are you really meant to eat back all the extra calories you have exercised? I thought that's why you exercised so you had a calorie deficit. Am I missing something?

    Edit: oh thanks for posting those links....I am going to read them now!
  • sarahlauren18
    sarahlauren18 Posts: 128 Member
    Yepp agreed... if your not working out that day plan on consuming 1200 calories. If you work out just add those calories burned to the 1200 for the day. I would not say you have to eat ALL of the calories burned but atleast HALF !!
  • musicgirl99
    musicgirl99 Posts: 252 Member
    Thanks for the clarification everyone!! That helps a lot.
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