1200 Calorie Target and Going Over
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Lucy020679 wrote: »jspicher81 wrote: »Hi Lucy, great question!
I've been on MFP for over a year now and about half that time l've been @ 1200 per day... I usually end up leaving some calories on the board due to exercise and/or light/moderate activity. For example walking around the grocery store for 20 minutes, or cooking/food prep for a half hour. Say l get an extra 100 calories for the day from either of those activities -- l'll eat some of them back, but yet still try to leave some "on the board" as long as l've eaten at least 1200 calories that day. This assumes you have your MFP profile set to sedative life style like most.
I also use this "leave calories on the board" approach if l'm trying to catch up from over eating when l hadn't anticipated or planned for it. For example say during xmas week l end up going to a bunch of parties and can't keep my face off 2,000 calories worth of egg nog and cookies...
Determinted on losing weight and staying in shape, l'll work on "banking" calories every day until l catch back up those 2,000 calories. I've found to go at it slower (ie only trying to bank 400 - 500 calories per in the green) is much easier than trying to work out like a crazy person for 2 hours one day, burning 1,400 calories and not eating any of it back -- eventually (for me anyway) it backfires and l have a full blown will power melt down and you'll find me at the nearest mcdonalds stuffing my face with double cheeseburgers; which is what got me into this mess to begin with.
I also try to 'bank' calories. I'm just worried that if i consistently go over the 1200 that I won't lose weight. And if I have an exceptionally bad day I'll also do the same and head to Burger King!
You should probably be eating more than 1200 a day.
http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html
TDEE - ~20%0 -
My dietitian and I currently have set a target of 1300 calories a day. I like it because I don't get the warnings I am too low, and it is easier to stay in the green.
I bet you'll lose at 1300 a day.0 -
My dietitian and I currently have set a target of 1300 calories a day. I like it because I don't get the warnings I am too low, and it is easier to stay in the green.
I bet you'll lose at 1300 a day.
After reading all the posts that seems like a sensible level. Next time I'm at my doctors might ask them what they would suggest. But I'll give 1300 a go.0 -
Lucy020679 wrote: »jspicher81 wrote: »Hi Lucy, great question!
[...]
I also try to 'bank' calories. I'm just worried that if i consistently go over the 1200 that I won't lose weight. And if I have an exceptionally bad day I'll also do the same and head to Burger King!
> I'm just worried that if i consistently go over the 1200 that I won't lose weight.
Get a heart rate monitor if you don't already, and wear it whenever you're working out, or just cleaning up around the house, cooking, shopping (ie not sitting on your butt).
http://www.heartratemonitorsusa.com/polar-ft4m-silver-h1.html
Use coupon code: SHOPNOW
Only eat back a portion of your exercise calories depending on your hunger (50% - 75% of your earned exercise calories) -- or occasionally if you just need to treat yourself to a 600 calorie whopper.
Don't trust the MFP exercise calories burned estimates based on minutes; usually it's twice as high as it should be, for me anyway - (guess my workouts are lazier than most).
If you track your calories and stay close to 1200 a day, you *will* lose the weight. It's no different than putting money in, or taking money out of a bank account. It's simple math.
Good luck! I checked ur profile and you're exactly where l was a year ago... and by doing the time and being honest with myself l've lost 80 lbs, just like your overall goal. Just to give you an idea it took me about 10 months to get there, and l didn't start working out until about half way thru. I look better, feel better and refuse to let myself go like l had before. It takes time, but hey -- you didn't gain all that weight over night either, did you? It's a marathon, not a race.
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I set mine at maintenance. then by quick add calorie - 250-500 depending on the exercise of the day. and eat mainly 1200+/-0
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kailibertsch wrote: »MFP set mine at 1200 too, but I found it maddening for the exact reasons you stated. Plus I felt deprived a lot. I went to custom settings as NoelFigart1 mentioned, and upped it to 1300.
^ same here0 -
1200 calories suck. That diet plan sucks sucks sucks sucky suck suck. Please google the IIFYM calculator. You put in your height, weight etc and it tells you your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure). Now the most common healthy plan is a TDEE-20%. So you're eating at a 20% calorie deficit which WILL take you above 1200 I'm sure. And if you exercise that's extra calories burnt on your end!
Edit:
Also, when you start off that low, your body gets used to it when you're down to those last few pounds and just won't budge. Start off with a better caliber of calories and then you can work your way down.0 -
Thanks everybody. I've just changed my level to 1300. I'll see how it goes.0
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jspicher81 wrote: »Lucy020679 wrote: »jspicher81 wrote: »Hi Lucy, great question!
[...]
I also try to 'bank' calories. I'm just worried that if i consistently go over the 1200 that I won't lose weight. And if I have an exceptionally bad day I'll also do the same and head to Burger King!
> I'm just worried that if i consistently go over the 1200 that I won't lose weight.
Get a heart rate monitor if you don't already, and wear it whenever you're working out, or just cleaning up around the house, cooking, shopping (ie not sitting on your butt).
http://www.heartratemonitorsusa.com/polar-ft4m-silver-h1.html
Use coupon code: SHOPNOW
Only eat back a portion of your exercise calories depending on your hunger (50% - 75% of your earned exercise calories) -- or occasionally if you just need to treat yourself to a 600 calorie whopper.
Don't trust the MFP exercise calories burned estimates based on minutes; usually it's twice as high as it should be, for me anyway - (guess my workouts are lazier than most).
If you track your calories and stay close to 1200 a day, you *will* lose the weight. It's no different than putting money in, or taking money out of a bank account. It's simple math.
Good luck! I checked ur profile and you're exactly where l was a year ago... and by doing the time and being honest with myself l've lost 80 lbs, just like your overall goal. Just to give you an idea it took me about 10 months to get there, and l didn't start working out until about half way thru. I look better, feel better and refuse to let myself go like l had before. It takes time, but hey -- you didn't gain all that weight over night either, did you? It's a marathon, not a race.
You give good advice except the bolded portion. This is really not what heart rate monitors are designed for.0 -
Hi Lucy. Not sure how long you've been at it, so if I'm being captain obvious just ignore me.
MFP sets daily calorie limits super low when you opt for the 2 lbs a week. I did 1200 calories for a month and was Hangry all the time. I did lose a bunch of weight. (I'm 5'3 and started at 223. For the sanity of myself and family I dropped it to 1lb a week. That was 9 months ago. I'm currently 189 and still losing. I now get 1440 calories and that seems to be working. Especially, because I generally "earn" another 300-500 daily from exercise.
Personally, I don't like the TDEE method of calculating daily limits because it has your exercise calories in it. I don't always exercise the same amount each week and I love eating back my exercises calories. Makes exercising feel like a reward.0 -
www.iifym.com <-- calculate it there it seems to be a lot more accurate
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Try setting MFP to lose 1.5 pounds a week, just to see the calorie target it gives you. (You don't have to save that setting if you don't want to, just look at it). You could eat between 1200 and that, every day, and lose between 1.5 and 2 pounds per week. That would give you some breathing room, so you're not worried about going over/under exactly 1200 per day.0
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enterdanger wrote: »Hi Lucy. Not sure how long you've been at it, so if I'm being captain obvious just ignore me.
MFP sets daily calorie limits super low when you opt for the 2 lbs a week. I did 1200 calories for a month and was Hangry all the time. I did lose a bunch of weight. (I'm 5'3 and started at 223. For the sanity of myself and family I dropped it to 1lb a week. That was 9 months ago. I'm currently 189 and still losing. I now get 1440 calories and that seems to be working. Especially, because I generally "earn" another 300-500 daily from exercise.
Personally, I don't like the TDEE method of calculating daily limits because it has your exercise calories in it. I don't always exercise the same amount each week and I love eating back my exercises calories. Makes exercising feel like a reward.
Thank you, I'm 4'11 and 210lbs. Like you I don't exercise the same amount each week. Which is why I was worrying about days when I'm just 'eating'. Today I know I'm going to be under calories, but that's weird for me!0 -
I use to follow a 1200 calorie diet. Lasted two weeks. Switched to tdee method and have lost almost 40lbs with 22 to go to goal. I recently moved up a bit and instead of -20, do -10 and I as a short person can still eat around 1600 day. I lose consistently.
If you're not satisfied on 1200, switch. You'll still lose.0 -
I've been following the 1200 calorie plan since January 8th. Have lost almost 80 pounds. It can be done but it takes work. After a while you get used to it and it gets a lot easier.0
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leanne0627 wrote: »What are you trying to change? Is this not enough calories for you or you want to make it less? If you eat 1861 you should lose around 1.5 pounds a week. If you don't eat back your exercise calories you could lose more. Or you can eat them back and keep it at the 1.5. If you want to change it though you can
OK, good thread. If I eat 1861 per day and my basal is 2001, then I am burning up about 200 net cals in a day. A pound is 3600 cals. 200cals x 30 days is 6000 cals or about a little under 2 lbs in a month. Please help me if my accounting is wrong.
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I think the longest I've even lasted on 1200 cals was maybe a week. Thought about food all day everyday. I set my goal for .5 pounds a week. Lose slower but keep my sanity= win win0
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You don't calculate your deficit from your BMR. Deficits are calculated from your TDEE. You are doing the math wrong.fattydaddy343 wrote: »leanne0627 wrote: »What are you trying to change? Is this not enough calories for you or you want to make it less? If you eat 1861 you should lose around 1.5 pounds a week. If you don't eat back your exercise calories you could lose more. Or you can eat them back and keep it at the 1.5. If you want to change it though you can
OK, good thread. If I eat 1861 per day and my basal is 2001, then I am burning up about 200 net cals in a day. A pound is 3600 cals. 200cals x 30 days is 6000 cals or about a little under 2 lbs in a month. Please help me if my accounting is wrong.
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fattydaddy343 wrote: »leanne0627 wrote: »What are you trying to change? Is this not enough calories for you or you want to make it less? If you eat 1861 you should lose around 1.5 pounds a week. If you don't eat back your exercise calories you could lose more. Or you can eat them back and keep it at the 1.5. If you want to change it though you can
OK, good thread. If I eat 1861 per day and my basal is 2001, then I am burning up about 200 net cals in a day. A pound is 3600 cals. 200cals x 30 days is 6000 cals or about a little under 2 lbs in a month. Please help me if my accounting is wrong.
BMR is the amount of calories they would feed you if you were in a coma, for your basic bodily functions like heart, brain, breathing, etc. General rule is don't eat less than that unless directed by a doctor.
Also note that MFP is not a BMR calculator.
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I too pushed my calorie intake up to 1440 because only eating 1200 wasn't cutting it for me. plus i'm a foodie that loves to cooke/eat out (bad combo).
bottom line do what works best for you. I wouldn't starve myself for MFP standards so if your still not getting by off of 1300 move it up to 1440 and see how you do.
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