1200 Calorie Bottom Limit???????

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snarlingcoyote
snarlingcoyote Posts: 399 Member
edited February 2015 in Health and Weight Loss
Okay,

Where has it come from that the absolute bottom floor of healthy calories for anyone on MFP is 1200 and that you can't set your calorie floor at 1000?

Mine is normally set at 1000 (I'm travelling this week, so it's set to maintenance - 1400.) MFP was fine with that.

If I try to save my day with less than 1000 calories (did it now, just after breakfast) you get the following message:

"Based on your total calories consumed today, you are likely not eating enough

For safe weight loss, the National Institutes of Health recommends no less than 1000-1200 calories for women and 1200-1500 calories for men."

(Note: I am a short little middle aged female, I need rather less calories than many people on this site!)
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Replies

  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    MFP will not set your calories at less than 1200 but you can override that and enter a lower goal. But you already know that since you are doing it so I'm not sure why you are asking.
  • snarlingcoyote
    snarlingcoyote Posts: 399 Member
    edited February 2015
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    Ahhh. Thanks for that jemhh - I've fiddled with the macros and everything else so much, I have no idea what the autoset would be. Is that why people think 1200 calories is the bottom limit for any adult human?
  • snarlingcoyote
    snarlingcoyote Posts: 399 Member
    edited February 2015
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    double post
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    edited February 2015
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    snarlingcoyote wrote: »
    Ahhh. Thanks for that jemhh - I've fiddled with the macros and everything else so much, I have no idea what the autoset would be. Is that why people think 1200 calories is the bottom limit for any adult human?

    1200 is the generally recommended bottom calorie level for women. The American College of Sports Medicine is one of the groups that has it as an official recommendation.
  • jkwolly
    jkwolly Posts: 3,049 Member
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    1400 is your maintenance? Wow, are you sure you calculated that correctly?

    Or are you 4'9"?
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,627 Member
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    I just don't see how anyone can eat properly on LESS than 1200, much less give room for treats and stuff :/ I have days where I will eat 1200 but now, it's pretty rare. Your body needs fuel to sustain it through daily activity and exercise. I found the more I eat, the more I lose weight ...and I don't eat a lot - on average around 1800 calories- which for me is about 500 under maintenance, and i lose between 2-4 pounds a week, depending on exercise (i exercise daily except for now when im iced in, and i STILL lost a pound LOL)
  • Whitezombiegirl
    Whitezombiegirl Posts: 1,042 Member
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    jkwolly wrote: »
    1400 is your maintenance? Wow, are you sure you calculated that correctly?

    Or are you 4'9"?

    I'm 5ft0 and thats about my maintenence level (thats properly calculated)- and yes, there is very little wiggle room for sweets and treats. Diet cals is approx 1000 a day and Dr is fine with that.

  • Just_Ceci
    Just_Ceci Posts: 5,926 Member
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    I'm 5'3" and my maintenance level is below 1500 before exercise.
  • HeidiHirtle
    HeidiHirtle Posts: 126 Member
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    callsitlikeiseeit wrote: »
    I just don't see how anyone can eat properly on LESS than 1200, much less give room for treats and stuff :/ I have days where I will eat 1200 but now, it's pretty rare. Your body needs fuel to sustain it through daily activity and exercise. I found the more I eat, the more I lose weight ...and I don't eat a lot - on average around 1800 calories- which for me is about 500 under maintenance, and i lose between 2-4 pounds a week, depending on exercise (i exercise daily except for now when im iced in, and i STILL lost a pound LOL)
    I eat less than 1200 most of the time and get all the protein, fat, carbs, and nutrients I need because I eat only whole natural foods and meals made in my kitchen. I actually eat a lot, because most of it is naturally low calories (but packs a punch nutrient-wise). Oh and I love my treats, but again, they are natural and homemade.

    My maintenance calories for my lifestyle, current weight and height (5'6.5" is about 1500 calories (I'm 47, if I were 20, it would be 1700).

    I think as long as you're eating very healthfully (is that a word?), and have all the energy you need, feel good, and are sleeping well, there's nothing to worry about.

    When MFP tells me that I'm likely not eating enough, I tell it back, "ya thanks, but I'm not eating your typical standard american diet, so I'm fine thanks". ;)
  • psellenharry
    psellenharry Posts: 1 Member
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    I am also just over 5'3'' and 65 years old. Small frame and in good health. My maintenance calories to hold the weight recommended for my height is 1400. I often go over that on the weekend, then go down to 1200 during the week in order to enjoy my extra calories the next weekend. It is one of the disadvantages of being a small person!
  • miss_rye_
    miss_rye_ Posts: 94 Member
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    My cut is 1760... Kind of feeling sad for all the people that can't eat! I feel like I don't get enough at almost 1800 a day! LOL

    5'3 female here too
  • littleaudrey85
    littleaudrey85 Posts: 45 Member
    edited February 2015
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    My maintenance is only 1525, when I hit my goal weight it will only be 1377. Being short sucks lol. I'm 5'0"
  • lisac195
    lisac195 Posts: 54 Member
    edited February 2015
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    I'm so glad to see others who are short and also who are older and can't eat a lot. There are so many people on these forums that are extremely judgmental about low calories as if NO one could possibly survive on less than 1200. At my height and age my maintenance will only be around 1400 I am guessing IF I ever get to my goal. At 1200 calories if I slip up at all I don't lose, plain and simple. Frankly, even if I stick to 1200 I don't lose lately. I will get there, just harder than some people seem to want to believe it is.
  • tephanies1234
    tephanies1234 Posts: 299 Member
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    miss_rye_ wrote: »
    My cut is 1760... Kind of feeling sad for all the people that can't eat! I feel like I don't get enough at almost 1800 a day! LOL

    5'3 female here too

    You must be including daily exercise and have an active job I would assume?
  • KHaverstick
    KHaverstick Posts: 308 Member
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    My maintenance, as calculated by MFP for my current weight and height, is 1430. I'm 5'0" and 118lbs. So yeah, it's possible that her maintenance is 1400.
  • Ellaskat
    Ellaskat Posts: 386 Member
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    I'm 5'6 too - 36. My daily MFP number is 1200, but I'm just as likely to eat about 800 calories (on days I don't exercise). I don't sweat the small stuff though - I also have 2000 cal days. I look at my cal average over 7 days, and it is usually right on target, within 100 cals too low or too high. I like eating this way because it allows me to occassionally eat cake for dinner - like I did last night - and still be right on track cal wise ;)
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
    edited February 2015
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    I'm 5'4" and still overweight by 20 lbs. My lab tested RMR is 1520ish (which is about 10% higher than online estimators would give me). With a sedentary lifestyle, that puts my TDEE around 1800. Once I lose the last bit of weight, it'll be lower (and I'm not getting any younger LOL). This is a HUGE incentive for me to exercise. I love eating 1/4 gallon of ice cream on long run days LOL. But realistically, my TDEE with exercise probably averages out to 2000ish calories per day. I strength train twice a week and run 3 times a week (subbed out for some biking in the summer months).

    Some people on this site like to talk in absolutes. You should NEVER eat less than xyz. That is incredibly uneducated of them. An older female who is short in stature has FAR lower calorie needs than the "average" which is always talked about.
  • higgins8283801
    higgins8283801 Posts: 844 Member
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    sites say my maintenance is at 1530 before exercise BUT, i have found that to not be true. I can actually eat 1700 before exercise and not gain weight. I am in maintenance now and was actually still losing at 1530 + exercise calories. lol. at 1700 + exercise calories, i am not.
  • KGRebelRanch
    KGRebelRanch Posts: 109 Member
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    Uuhh....I'm 4'8" and I eat way more than that. O.O
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
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    Whitezombiegirl wrote: »
    jkwolly wrote: »
    1400 is your maintenance? Wow, are you sure you calculated that correctly?

    Or are you 4'9"?

    I'm 5ft0 and thats about my maintenence level (thats properly calculated)- and yes, there is very little wiggle room for sweets and treats. Diet cals is approx 1000 a day and Dr is fine with that.

    do you exercise? i could see your maintenance being around 1400 sedentary...but with exercise, no way.

    My wife is 5'2" and with exercise she maintains around 2200 calories with a "sedentary" maintenance around 1500 - 1600.

    Most people aren't truly sedentary either, even without deliberate exercise.

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