only calorie count?

Options
2011EP
2011EP Posts: 95 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi,

So i'm seeing a lot of people saying you have to have at least 1200calories to lose weight. Why is this? Also, if I just eat 1200 calories a day and don't excercise will I still lose weight since my net calorie intake is small?

Also, if i start doing weight training now, will I become bulky from building muscle on top of fat?

Replies

  • iplayoutside19
    iplayoutside19 Posts: 2,304 Member
    Options
    Also, if i start doing weight training now, will I become bulky from building muscle on top of fat?

    Not if you're only eating 1200 calories.
  • wolfchild59
    wolfchild59 Posts: 2,608 Member
    Options
    The people talking about the 1200 minimum are referencing the general idea that that is the bare minimum amount that a female body needs to function properly, so you shouldn't eat less than that on a consistent basis.

    Personally, I didn't exercise until I'd been using MFP for about seven months and I lost about 35 pounds during that time. So yes, you will lose weight even without exercise.

    I've lost an additional 11 pounds since then while exercising, but have lost two full pants sizes and seen a lot of inches come off during that time. But I mostly do cardio with just a little bit of strength for toning, so I'm not bulking up with muscle at all, just toning what's there. (other than my calves, which did bulk up after a ton of elliptical, so I've altered my cardio to be more running than elliptical nowadays)

    This is just what's worked for me though, every person is different, so I'm sure others will have their own journeys to relate to you as well.
  • Bratkins
    Bratkins Posts: 47
    Options
    You can't build muscle on top of fat, it is always the other way around. It would take If you are reducing your calories the way the system is telling you it will work. But working out along with reducing calories is the best way to go.
  • Black_Swan
    Black_Swan Posts: 770 Member
    Options
    I also didnt want to work out. I lost weight only by counting calories. I eat minimum of 1200 per day, no matter what. But in time, you will loose weight, and you will feel better, and you will be like "hey, this body starts to look hot, maybe...maybe i can make it hotter??" Because you will see that there are some muscles beneath the fat and you will want those muscles to look hot. So Im starting to work out because I know its going to improve my health and looks a lot!
  • smorrow33
    smorrow33 Posts: 14 Member
    Options
    I dont have answer for this one, but I have a kind of question to add to it. I am maintaining the 1200 cal per day, but I only seem to lose weight on the days that I actually work out and do cardio. So say i dont work out for 3 days i wont lose any weight and then the next day i work out i'll lose. How do you lose weight if you dont have time to excersize 3 + times a wk?
  • blodo61
    blodo61 Posts: 1 Member
    Options
    You will lose weight even if you don't work out unless you are close to the weight that 1200 calories will maintain. I can't remember the formula for how many calories it takes to maintain one pound of body weight but lets say it is 9 calories to 1 pound and you weight was 133 pounds, you would not loose any weight because 1,200 divided by 9 equals 133.33. This is another way of losing weight as well, say you want to weigh 140 pounds you would need to eat 1,260 calories a day and your body would over time regulate to that weight, make sense?
  • GinoATC
    GinoATC Posts: 60
    Options
    Think of your body as a car. Your car runs on gassoline. Food is your bodies gassoline, calories to be exact. So eating is like filling your gas tank. Now your body is constantly burning calories even if you lay in bed all day, that is why you hear people say 1200 calories should be a minimum you eat daily, because that is about how much your body needs just to stay alive. If you don't eat enough calories to fuel your body your body uses the reserve fuel it has which is any excess body fat you cary. So to lose body fat you have to burn more fuel than you eat. However with that being said, once you burn all the excess body fat you have and you keep consistantly eating less than you burn, your body will then turn to your lean muscle for fuel and that is a BAD thing. So once you have lost all the excess body fat you want to lose, you then have to eat as many calories as you burn daily.

    As far as the muscle bulk question, you should make wieght training part of your weekly exercise routine. It is a good way to burn calories, and you wont really "bulk-up" unless you are lifting heavy wieghts often. Dont be surprised though if you dont lose lbs on the scale. As you weight train you tone and build muscle which will adds lbs. But muscle is good wieght so if you do start building muscle dont be discouraged when yo get on the scale. Always use how you feel and how your close fit as a guide for wieght lose.

    I hope this helps. Good luck.
  • GinoATC
    GinoATC Posts: 60
    Options
    Its all about cals in vs cals out. As long as cals in is less than cals out you will lose weight. I sugest weighing yourself weekly instead of daily as it takes your body time to burn body fat and.

Categories