How do you lose weight?

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Blazers12
Blazers12 Posts: 3
in Health and Weight Loss
I don't have the energy to search the forum for this answer, so forgive me. When using the MFP calorie counter, are you supposed to eat until you reach your food goal (mine is 1200) or do you eat until your net equals your food goal? Thanks in advance!

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  • sweetlilgiggles
    sweetlilgiggles Posts: 23 Member
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    1200 calories? Girl, you are starving yourself. No, literally...your body will begin storing away everything you eat in an attempt to save itself, since you're putting it into starvation mode. You should consider eating 2 or 300 more calories a day, otherwise, you're really not going to lose much in the long run.

    The idea with the calorie counter is that it helps you keep in mind how many calories you have eaten and how many you have left. Ideally, you do not want to go over your calorie goal, but it does sometimes happen. Another thing to keep in mind is that not everything on here is accurate (exercises included), so it's always good to leave yourself some wiggle room. As long as you don't go too far over your calorie limit, and stay above 1200 calories, you should be fine.
  • Blazers12
    Blazers12 Posts: 3
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    Noooooo....I didn't pick that goal, it was the one they gave me on the mobile app. But thanks for the response!!! That helps :)
  • sweetlilgiggles
    sweetlilgiggles Posts: 23 Member
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    You're welcome :D You can change your goals, I'm just not sure how you do that on the mobile app...if you have access to a computer, I'd seriously consider it. Please, please, pleeeeaase don't limit yourself to that few calories a day. It kills me to see how many girls on here think that that's doable. Trust, me...you'll lose more in the long run if you make your limit 1,400 or so calories...even that's kinda low, but it's at least above starvation mode. Sorry if I seem naggy, lol...I just hate to see girls starve themselves (unknowingly or not).
  • carrie340
    carrie340 Posts: 36
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    My goal is 1300, the minimum I should eat is 1200 and that was set by MFP. I'm not starving at all!
    You also get extra calories when you exercise and you have to eat them too, so that brings up mine a lot.

    4210516.png
    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter
  • stella77
    stella77 Posts: 282
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    I lost all my weight on 1200kcal diet (granted I was over from time to time) I just bumped it now to 1370kcal to see if I will still be losing. So far - I am not.
    But changing my kcal intake on and off worked for me before.
  • dstrydom
    dstrydom Posts: 2
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    Actually 1200 is completely fine, HOWEVER, it depends on your weight. I started out at a much higher calorie rate per day, but as I've lost the weight, I've had to gradually decrease it. I'm on 1200 right now, which can be tough. But I know that once I reach my goal weight I can increase it again, to a level where I do not gain weight. So just be smart about it. GOOD LUCK =) ... PS I went to a doctor and dietitian about my long term weight goals, and it really helped.
  • Erikka818
    Erikka818 Posts: 2
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    I agree with Carrie340! I've been doing 1200 calories a day for almost 3 wks now and after I exercise and burn 500 or 600 calories, I almost feel like a glutton with all the food I have to eat to get back up to 1200 calories!! I'm soooo full! (And although my profile says I've lost one pound, I've actually lost 5.7! I recorded my weight after I had already started my program.)
  • jar3827
    jar3827 Posts: 11
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    mine is 1200, but, i dont workout alot or do alot to burn up calories. i stay at home with my kids and chase them around and its the main thing i do to burn calories. AND, somedays i have to try to get up to that 1200 goal. (not this week with the valentines cookies in the house) but usually i only eat 2 meals and some snacks. so really i think it totally depends on lifestyle.

    To answer the first question, i think you are supposed to have your net cals close to zero left. but like some have mentioned, not everything is perfectly accurate (atleast as far as i have seen so far--only been doing this about a week) so check your food packaging when you can and just be aware. and try to leave a little room for error. BUT, you dont want o eat to little, because like the site says, you dont want to put yourself into starvation mode, because then you wont burn calories as quickly or as easily.
  • bwleung89
    bwleung89 Posts: 55 Member
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    I never eat the calories i burn through exercise. I let them be my extra for the day.
  • Blazers12
    Blazers12 Posts: 3
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    That's what I've been doing also bwleung89. Thanks for all of the responses!!!
  • sweetlilgiggles
    sweetlilgiggles Posts: 23 Member
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    I'd like to see a nutritionist who says that 1200 calories a day isn't putting yourself into starvation mode. Yes, unless you weigh 100 pounds and normally don't eat much, I could see...but not if you're over that and need to lose weight. Starvation mode in females is 1200...males, is 1500....show me a nutritionist who will say different. And if you want to starve yourself to lose, go right on ahead, because you'll see what you're doing to yourself later on down the road. :)
  • jessanderson276
    jessanderson276 Posts: 3
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    How many lbs. a week did you say you wanted to lose??
  • Lisa__Michelle
    Lisa__Michelle Posts: 845 Member
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    1200 calories? Girl, you are starving yourself. No, literally...your body will begin storing away everything you eat in an attempt to save itself, since you're putting it into starvation mode. You should consider eating 2 or 300 more calories a day, otherwise, you're really not going to lose much in the long run.

    The idea with the calorie counter is that it helps you keep in mind how many calories you have eaten and how many you have left. Ideally, you do not want to go over your calorie goal, but it does sometimes happen. Another thing to keep in mind is that not everything on here is accurate (exercises included), so it's always good to leave yourself some wiggle room. As long as you don't go too far over your calorie limit, and stay above 1200 calories, you should be fine.

    She is not starvng herself. Once you reach under a certain amount of pounds to lose, MFP usually puts people at 1200. Eating 2-300 more could hinder their weight loss if they have less to lose. HOWEVER, under 1200 you would be starving yourself. When I put it at lose 1 1/2 pounds a week and it said 1200, I made sure to stay between 1200-1280 range. You DO have to eat your exercise calories not to be in starvation though!
  • backinthenines
    backinthenines Posts: 1,083 Member
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    I'd like to see a nutritionist who says that 1200 calories a day isn't putting yourself into starvation mode.
    bla bla

    Unless you know the OPs stats & activity levels then you're in no position to be making these blanket statements.

    When you don't have hundreds of pounds to lose, and you're sedentary, then 1200 is a perfectly appropriate and feasible target.
  • evelazquez78
    evelazquez78 Posts: 20 Member
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    I think there may a little generalizing going on with the 1,200 calorie thing. I have been on 1,200 since approximately 10/1/10 and have lost 21 lbs. Granted, I am a smaller framed person and I am now within 8-10 lbs. of my goal weight. I do not starve. Are there days when I go over? Of course! But, generally speaking, 1,200 is my daily goal. I also don't burn nearly as many calories when I exercise as a 200 lb. person, so that also needs to be taken into account.

    I think if I was in starvation mode I would have stopped losing by now??? It's been over 4 months. One size definitely does not fit all when it comes to our individual journeys. :smile:

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