Does anyone have a goal MFP set for less than 1200 cals

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shalynna89
shalynna89 Posts: 324 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm wondering this because when I started MFP in January my calorie goal was 1460/a day. I've lost almost 50 pounds and its now down to 1260/a day but I still have around 37 pounds to lose to be at my goal. So with this I've been thinking I'd have to eat less than 1200/a day at some point. I've lost about 5 pounds in the past 2 weeks and my calorie goal went down 20 with just that little of a lose. I know you are suppose to eat 1200 a day, I'm just wondering if anyone here has ever had MFP give them under that in order to lose weight? Thanks in advance to anyone who can help me. I just want to be able to prepare myself if by chance it goes lower than 1200.

Replies

  • CuteAndCurvy83
    CuteAndCurvy83 Posts: 570 Member
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    I don't know if it will, being that most everyone agrees that 1200 is the absolute lowest anyone should go to keep from going into starvation mode.
  • WIQQID
    WIQQID Posts: 13
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    My sister had the same issue so she went in and changed her fitness/weight-loss goals manually and that set new parameters for her that made much more sense. To do this you go to "account settings", then choose "update diet/fitness profile".

    I hope this helps.
  • rharris86dc
    rharris86dc Posts: 635 Member
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    I don't think MFP will go under 1200. When you reset your goals, instead of taking the calorie INTAKE to under 1200, it probably increases the amount of exercise you should do, so that you burn more, but still net around 1200.

    Can't be sure, but 1200 is the lowest it's been for me, and seems like it's been the lowest for others, as well.
  • runf0ryourlife
    runf0ryourlife Posts: 4
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    If you need less than 1200 cals to lose weight, you probably don't need to keep losing weight. I am underweight for my height, yet still have a BMR of 1,262.
  • runf0ryourlife
    runf0ryourlife Posts: 4
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    If you need less than 1200 cals to lose weight, you probably don't need to keep losing weight. I am underweight for my height, yet still have a BMR of 1,262.
  • AniMarieSt
    AniMarieSt Posts: 119 Member
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    I'm at 1,000 calories a day. BUT (and this is a HUGE but) I'm only 4 ft 11 inches tall (1/2 the worlds 12 year olds are taller than me). I don't really have an "adult" sized frame. I can shop in the kids section. People my size just don't need as many calories to function because we don't expend as much energy/calories.

    AND I exercise daily and end up generally eating 1,200 + calories after I eat back my workout calories.

    In the end if you want to lose exercise more, not eat less.
  • shalynna89
    shalynna89 Posts: 324 Member
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    Thanks for all the responses!! I really appreciate the help:)
    I didn't even think about the exercise increasing but thats probably what will happen, and totally make sense!! Thanks again:)
  • Aesop101
    Aesop101 Posts: 758 Member
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    Not me, I would die! I have it set for 2 lbs per week which is 1920 calories per day. However with exercise in consideration I only average 1100 calories net. I have stats from Oct to now.

    I did eat 3000 calories today but burned 2500. I just couldn't eat anymore.
  • RadicalCharlie
    RadicalCharlie Posts: 123 Member
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    I'm doing 500 a day as an experiment on fat loss on a VLCD. I'll be blogging on it here on a daily basis.
    Only had 240 today. It's not recommended to go on these kind of diets though.

    You can friend me to see my progress though.
  • msowens
    msowens Posts: 15 Member
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    What's your weekly weight loss goal set at? It should be 1 - 1.5 pounds per week if you want to increase the chance of keeping it off.

    5 pounds in 2 weeks -- 2.5 pounds/week -- is probably too much too fast. You'd have to run a calorie deficit of 1250 cal/day to lose at that rate.

    I would also encourage you to be even more active rather than reducing your intake to below 1200 calories. From personal experience: too many people do a workout in the morning (or evening), then sit at a desk all day and watch TV or surf the internet all night, and wonder why they're not losing weight, because "hey, I exercise". But the 23 hours per day you are dead sedentary doesn't make up for the 1 hour you exercise. I have had more success by being active 2-3 times per day for shorter durations. Instead of a 30-minute cardio session, I do 20 minutes on the treadmill in the morning and 20 minutes at night and go for a walk at lunchtime.

    Good luck, hope that helps!
  • tsomo
    tsomo Posts: 44
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    I used to eat less than 1200 a day. Indeed, it helps me to lose weight fast. However, when I try to eat like 1300-1500 a day, I gain all the weight back.

    Even if it works for my weight loss in the beginning, I find it hard to maintain in the end. So now I think that it is better not to go below 1200.
  • zetsubou
    zetsubou Posts: 48 Member
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    Anything below 1200 is really starvation mode haha~ I set mine to 1200, but it's so damn difficult, I got used to eating like 1500 a day and going to 1200 ugh...Fighting!!!
  • 36jessica
    36jessica Posts: 319 Member
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    I've been told time and again that 1200cal X day is the absolute minimum to keep ourselves functioning. At the beginning I was eating between 900-1000, feeling light headed and 'fuzzy' and getting the SAME results at 1200 X day (without exercise). I also up the number to eat back some workout calories when I do exercise. Also, when I logged in less than 1200 on the daily diet MFP instantly sent you a warning message in red: YOU ARE EATING TOO FEW CALORIES etc...
  • shalynna89
    shalynna89 Posts: 324 Member
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    Thanks! Right now I exercise for 30-60minutes a day and try to increase it every month by 10 minutes. My weight loss goal is set for 2 pounds a week, but with me eatting the calories mfp gives me and exercising I usually lose more not sure why. I've only hit one plateau in the 3.5 months I've been doing this and it lasted about 2weeks but it was mostly because of TMI- being messed up and some meds my doctor took me off of. I just wasn't sure of what to expect where my calories have been going down rapidly lately with such a small lose, not that its a small lose for 2 weeks but just 5 pounds when I've needed to lose 86 seems small.

    And tsomo I find if I eat like 1500 a day I will deffinetly gain it usually won't stay on to long though. I very rarely am under 1260 and when I am its usually on a day where I've worked out alot. And mfp will give me 2500 calories to eat and there's no way I could eat that much. I'm nervous to get to my goal and start maintaining because I just don't know what to expect. Hopefully I'll be able to figure it out though. I've only dieted 2-3 times before this and the first 2 times I'd lose 20 pounds and no t care anymore and then last time I was really motivated but then I got pregnant and the lasst 2 months of my pregnancy I threw everything out the window and after having my son I didn't change back to exercising or eating well until he was 9 months. I'm hoping where I have mfp it will help me get to where I want to be and keep my weight there. I've never lost this much before so that for me is a victory in its self and I want more than anything to be able to keep it alll off.
  • JulyHummingbird
    JulyHummingbird Posts: 106 Member
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    I'm at 1,000 calories a day. BUT (and this is a HUGE but) I'm only 4 ft 11 inches tall (1/2 the worlds 12 year olds are taller than me). I don't really have an "adult" sized frame. I can shop in the kids section. People my size just don't need as many calories to function because we don't expend as much energy/calories.

    AND I exercise daily and end up generally eating 1,200 + calories after I eat back my workout calories.

    In the end if you want to lose exercise more, not eat less.

    I'm not quite as small as you, but I'm short - 5'2". I left my MFP goal at 1200 calories, for psychological reasons (so I don't go over), but I normally eat around 1000 calories per day. I'm not hungry and I've lost 54 lbs in five months, so my weight loss isn't extreme.
  • WIQQID
    WIQQID Posts: 13
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    Sorry, forgot to quote, please see post below.
  • WIQQID
    WIQQID Posts: 13
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    I'm doing 500 a day as an experiment on fat loss on a VLCD. I'll be blogging on it here on a daily basis.
    Only had 240 today. It's not recommended to go on these kind of diets though.

    You can friend me to see my progress though.

    I think on a VLC diet you will lose a lot of weight.. initially, but after 21 days your body would go into starvation mode and your weight-loss would greatly decrease. Also, doing this type of extreme caloric restriction can cause muscle wasting. You might very well be losing muscle instead of fat, since it is much easier to metabolize.
  • Bridgetc140
    Bridgetc140 Posts: 405 Member
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    I do 1050 per day, but I'm only one pound away from my goal and will be going to maintenance. And like the previous poster, I am also only 4'11"
  • xraychick77
    xraychick77 Posts: 1,775 Member
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    the 1200 cal thing is a myth.

    and you dont have to follow MFP's goals. you can reduce to 1300 cals and still lose weight. up your exercise dont eat back. give yourself some leeway so you wont have to lower your cals so much.

    remember your body adapts, so you got to change it up.
  • xraychick77
    xraychick77 Posts: 1,775 Member
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    You might very well be losing muscle instead of fat, since it is much easier to metabolize.

    false..muscle is NOT easy to metabolize..if it were we'd metabolize that first instead of fat when we lose..but we dont. during EXTREME calorie surplus we lose both fat and muscle along with other organ tissues including brain, liver, kidneys etc. buts that TRUE starvation. since starvation 'mode' as most people on here throw around the term is a myth. look up adaptive thermogensis

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