1250 Calories a day?? Really??

ajourneytoanewme2011
ajourneytoanewme2011 Posts: 4
edited September 25 in Health and Weight Loss
Is this right?? It seems like nothing!! I am 190lbs, about 5'2. I am already over my total for the day in 3 areas and haven't really had a bad day. I know it is my first day but I think I need to look through a few different peoples porfiles and see how they divide up their calories etc.

Any pointers or hints anyone has for me??

Laura
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Replies

  • AnnieBerg
    AnnieBerg Posts: 6 Member
    Remember, you can "add" calories to your day by exercising. The recommended 1,250 calories a day for you is net calories (Net Calories = calories eaten - calories burned).

    The real trick is to learn how to NOT eat empty calories. You have to make everything count. Pre-planning your food the night before is also a great way to stay on track. Eat smaller meals more frequently throughout the day instead of large ones at set times.

    The first few days are the hardest but you've found a great tool (MFP) to make it all work. You can do this!!
  • gabyp0716
    gabyp0716 Posts: 351 Member
    Hi Laura,
    If you would like to make your food journal public so I may look at it and give you some pointer or if you want to send me a direct message with the info I would love to help you out.
    Gaby
  • slimlisa23
    slimlisa23 Posts: 3
    Yea, 1250 is about what your body needs to function. Once you add in your physical activity for the day, it allows you more calorie consumption. So if you burned 300 calories jogging or whatever, you can now eat 1550 calories for the day. Also, eating more nutrient rich and filling food will be more satisfying and you won't even notice you have consumed a considerably less amount of calories.

    It takes a 3500 calories deficit to lose a pound, so if you're trying to say lose 2 pounds a week, you want to cut 7000 calories from your week or 1000 calories a day.

    best of luck!
  • jennmom2three
    jennmom2three Posts: 13
    I thought that when I first started as well. Now I am having trouble eating enough calories. I earned an extra 500 this evening with my exercise. Just have to make smarter choices with what you do eat. I see what my calories are and ask myself if what I wanna eat is really worth it....
  • ambitious01
    ambitious01 Posts: 209 Member
    The problem is getting all the nutrients at 1200 calories. I'm decrepit and can't exercise as much as I'd like.............. so yeah lots of salads for me.
  • astovey
    astovey Posts: 578 Member
    that's what it takes...it's a b*tch, but it's worth it!! You can check out my diary if ya want.
  • Pandorian
    Pandorian Posts: 2,055 Member
    It takes a 3500 calories deficit to lose a pound, so if you're trying to say lose 2 pounds a week, you want to cut 7000 calories from your week or 1000 calories a day.

    That's how it's set up here, the deficit is already built in based on your profile settings for rate of weight loss.

    Don't enter that you want to lose 2 lbs a week and then knock 1000 calories a day off of what it gives you, for goodness sake. Just use the site as intended!
  • CassieLEO
    CassieLEO Posts: 757 Member
    Once you getting eating right down, you will be amazed at how HARD it is to get to that goal. I was almost 500 under, and I eat a lot during the day. Its just the type im food im eating. Check out my diary!
  • miss_melissa_
    miss_melissa_ Posts: 70
    Hi I am 5'2 and started with a similar weight. I was only eating 1200 calories a day though and the pounds started to come off. Feel free to look through my diary. I think drinking a lot of water and learning portion control,really helped me. Also, exercise exercise exercise!
  • bethkampa
    bethkampa Posts: 3 Member
    I recommend veggies! :) They are delicious, filling, and low cal.
  • Jonesie1984
    Jonesie1984 Posts: 612 Member
    I used to think the same thing but if you eat the right foods (fruits, veggies, whole grains and protein) you'll find that you can eat a ton and still not be over on cals. My diary is public so feel free to view it and I would give you suggestions on your if it was.. You can do it though! I find it best to eat 6 small meals instead of the 3 standard because then I feel like i'm eating all day and that keeps me from getting hungry!
  • ukq727
    ukq727 Posts: 50 Member
    Is it then the calories that count or the carbs? I have eaten plenty today (spinish, grilled chicken, fruit, raisin bread, sugar free jello, and turkey bacon, and cauliflower and cheese) and earned 319 from excersize (my calorie net is 1630 per day) and I still have 833 remaining what happens if I don't eat this all?
  • DawnOf1969
    DawnOf1969 Posts: 726 Member
    My diary is open and I eat 1250/day. Pay no attention To the last few days over the weekend. Those were the exception for me and not the rule as we had company all weekend and ate out a lot.
  • Nmama
    Nmama Posts: 191 Member
    as you start making better choices you get to eat more for that 1200 cals. Im at something like 1000 cals today and Im full. I need to try to get atleat 1200 for tonight still. I dont eat any processed food at all though. so that is probally why.
  • caitlinlws
    caitlinlws Posts: 401 Member
    As everyone else has said, exercise earns you more calories to eat...that's my favorite trick!!!

    Also, what did you set your goal at? If it is at 2lbs a week, you could start on 1lb a week until you get used to eating less and work your way down...
  • acknan
    acknan Posts: 261 Member
    I often feel like I don't have enough calories for the food I want to eat, so I exercise. I can burn hundreds of calories and then have much more wiggle room with my food. Also, if I start to go over, I can redeem myself with a good workout!
  • Nmama
    Nmama Posts: 191 Member
    I take it back I do eat bagels and sandwich thins. I guess they are considered somewhat 'processed'
  • EricInArlington
    EricInArlington Posts: 531 Member
    today I had pasta, steak, ribs, almonds, trail mix, a Monster, fruit and it was around 1300 calories. it can and has to be done! you can do it!!!
  • ChassityGetsFit
    ChassityGetsFit Posts: 173 Member
    The best way to stick to your calories is to fill your meals with fruits and/or veggies! They are nutrient rich, whole foods (meaning not processed), and low in calories. For every meal try to eat a fruit or veggies paired with some protein. For protein you can eat meat, fish, fat free milk, string cheese, and some nuts and seeds (in moderation). It's also a good idea to drink 1-2 8 oz glasses of water before a meal. This will fill you up some and keep you from eating more than you might want. For the first week I was pretty hungry but after that your body gets used to it and you feel less and less hungry!
  • noexcuses1218
    noexcuses1218 Posts: 332 Member
    Yes, really. And if you're anything like me when I started three weeks ago, the first week or so will totally suck. Then I started to realize that the more I exercised the more food I "earned", although it doesn't mean I get to binge on ice cream after a 45 minute cardio session. I wouldn't recommend trying to exercise heavily on 1250 a day, and if you enter everything correctly - food and exercise - MFP will tell you you're not eating enough when you make your final log for the day.

    The more you start looking closely at portions and nutritional value, etc., the easier it will get. You might end up looking at a Girl Scout cookie in an entirely new way; i.e., is that going to be as satisfying to me as a piece of dark chocolate would be for half the calories? Or looking at a piece of lasagna as the equivalent of two slices of loaded veggie pizza, etc. You'll start to learn what other choices you can make, and you WILL make them.

    I've also found that by logging in calories, I make a direct comparison to calories eaten: i.e., is a donut worth the hour and a half it's going to take me to make up for it, or would some sugar-free pudding do the trick?

    (I have a serious sugar addiction, btw,)

    You can do this. It'll take a bit of adjusting, for your mind and for your body, but you CAN do this, and you don't have to starve yourself to do it. Eat often, eat small, drink water, and walk as much as you can, as fast as you can.

    Best of luck.
  • Colleen1980
    Colleen1980 Posts: 148 Member
    As everyone else has said, exercise earns you more calories to eat...that's my favorite trick!!!

    Also, what did you set your goal at? If it is at 2lbs a week, you could start on 1lb a week until you get used to eating less and work your way down...

    I agree with lowering your weekly loss goal. When I started I saw the amount I could eat to lose 2 pounds per week and thought, I can't do it!! So I switched my goal to 1.5 pounds per week. To me it was woth it to lose a tiny bit slower if it meant I wasn't going to get frustrated and quit.

    Also, as many have said, once you get into a routine you will start to plan better and eat healther and it will get easier.

    If you want to get started but are afraid of the low calories, I'd lower my loss goal for awhile.

    Good luck!!! :-)
  • slimlisa23
    slimlisa23 Posts: 3
    I was referring to 1000 calorie deficit from what you were normally consuming prior to using the site. If you were previously consuming 2250 calories a day or so, then that sounds about right. Theres a lot of factors. But for goodness sakes, don't cut it below 1200, you need those!
  • kajun_at_work
    kajun_at_work Posts: 60 Member
    The key for me was to see exactly what I was eating and the portion sizes. I bought a food scale and weigh just about anything but lettuce. My wife thinks that I'm crazy but can't dispute the results.

    Logging calories does get easier and habit forming. Its probably better if you do make it a habit.

    Once you realize how much real food you can eat later if you don't mindlessly eat those two pop tarts now, it will get even easier to make a good choice. Thats how it worked for me anyway.
  • redraidergirl2009
    redraidergirl2009 Posts: 2,560 Member
    Add in activities you do during the day, for example, I went shopping for about an hour so I put in "walking slow paced" for 60mins
  • isabelk
    isabelk Posts: 153 Member
    The first two weeks sucks as you try to learn how to eat satisfying, filling food and stay under your limit.

    The next two weeks suck as you try to meet your limit by eating something before bedtime so you're not under.

    Right now? I hit a plateau and rather than add in exercise, I started maintaining till I can psych myself into it. I wish I'd added exercise in at the beginning, but I wouldn't have learned as much about food if I didn't have to get the 'right food' 100% right.

    My advice is, spend a week or two eating right, you'll feel hungry but that will fade. Also, it's okay to feel hungry before your meals, that's a good body signal to be on good terms with. Then add in exercise. It'll help when you hit the inevitable plateau, because you'll have more non-scale victories (NSVs).

    Good luck!
  • significance
    significance Posts: 436 Member
    I'm 5'2" and on 1200 cal. I tend to use about 200 cal for breakfast (porridge made with water with fruit stirred in usually, or perhaps two boiled eggs with a slice of toast), about 300 cal for lunch (often a cheese and tomato sandwich, no butter), 500 cal for dinner (I like a big, hearty dinner and just eat what I'd normally eat at dinner time) and the remaining 200 cal, plus whatever I earn from exercise (usually about 600 cal) in snacks (mostly fruit, some indulgences). Then I try to make up for my lack of calcium by taking calcium tablets.
  • slapshotgolf
    slapshotgolf Posts: 163 Member
    Exercise to earn back calories. Then exercise some more. :)
  • dnsrmr
    dnsrmr Posts: 99 Member
    I'm a Low Carb eater so I count carbs more than I count calories. When I do change my eating style I try to stay within 1200 cals or less regardless if I work out or not, as I tend to gain weight quickly.
    When I stay around 1200 cals or 20-25 carbs the weight comes off in the way my clothes feel most of all.
    Everyone's metabolism is different. Mine hardly moves so what works for me is the low carb foods or staying around 1200 even if I exercise and gain back calories on this site to eat more.
    I've learned not to eat if I'm granted more calories from working out.
    Because of what I eat, I stay pretty full.
    Good luck with your goal. Maybe check out some of MFP's food diaries and get an idea of what others eat.
    God bless you with good health~
  • d_smith85
    d_smith85 Posts: 94
    L, my food diary is open.. I eat between 1200 and 1600 cals a day, depending on how much I work out. Yesterday I burnt something like 700 cals so I ate more. You can see what I eat, get ideas... KaCHOW! I love you gal!
  • wannabeskinnysam
    wannabeskinnysam Posts: 1 Member
    well im 5,9ft and I am on a 1250 calories a day but I have to admit I go over because I use to be on 2000 but I changed it so I could be lower and since its holidays I go well over but I will be back on track.
    if you feel this is to low change it in your setting :)
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