calorie baseline?

LaylaClapton
LaylaClapton Posts: 29
edited September 24 in Health and Weight Loss
I've been hearing recently 1200 calories isn't accurate for baseline caloric requirement. Some say to take your weight and multiply it by 13 (in my case, 145lbs x 13 = 1885 calories. Then subtract calories from that figure to lose weight.

Does anyone have more info about this?

Replies

  • anubis609
    anubis609 Posts: 3,966 Member
    You're right. It's not. In reality there are several different formulas that figure out what your basal metabolic rate [BMR] is, which from there you calculate total daily expenditures based on your activity level to figure out how many calories you should be taking in, minimum for weight maintenance. Then you subtract the amount of daily calories depending on how many pounds you plan on losing per week.

    1000 - 1200 is pretty much considered the standard minimum intake requirement for basic body and brain function, pretty much next to being comatose. People just like to eat the bare minimum for maximum weight loss...whether it's considered correct is an entirely different cluster of threads that have been debated till no end.
  • ladyhawk00
    ladyhawk00 Posts: 2,457 Member
    Depends entirely on your height, weight, age, activity level. 1200 was the number given out by WHO as the minimum number of calories to prevent starvation for the average woman, worldwide. Obviously, being an average, there are some women able to go under that amount and remain healthy. However, in general, it can be difficult for most people to get sufficient nutrition on a caloric restriction of less than 1200.

    MFP uses the Mifflin-St Joer formula for calculating BMR. You can figure it out by going to Tools, and using the BMR calculator. There are, however, other formulas. Most will be fairly similar.

    MFP then adds calories to account for your daily activity level (ie work, watching tv, doing laundry - does NOT include purposeful exercise.)

    So, BMR + Activity Level = Maintenance cals.
    Then, MFP will subtract your chosen loss goal (1 lb = 500 cals per day, 2 lbs = 1000 cals per day, etc) This gives you a built in deficit, regardless of exercise.

    MFP has chosen to limit the minimum cal goal to 1200, in an effort to discourage unhealthy weightloss (ie huge deficits and inadequate nutrition.)
  • LaylaClapton
    LaylaClapton Posts: 29
    Thank you both for your answers. It just seemed to me that when I was exercising, eating and reaching 1200, I felt nauseous and tired a lot. Realistically, I don't think I could stick to a strict eating pattern that low.
  • ladyhawk00
    ladyhawk00 Posts: 2,457 Member
    That's typically the problem with just choosing the highest deficit possible - not saying you did that, just that that is a common issue. For someone who is fairly close to goal weight, it is generally best to choose the lower loss goal (1/2 lb per week) as the less fat there is to lose, the less of a deficit you can withstand. And the higher the deficit, the more likely it is that you won't be able to maintain it, which can lead to falling off the wagon and regaining - and as you said, feeling fatigued and not having enough energy.

    Here are some good threads that can help determine what is a healthy and sustainable cal goal/deficit.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/9433-expectations

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/173853-an-objective-look-at-eating-exercise-calories
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