Supplement and Calorie questions

Input your data on your profile, to find your TDEE and follow the recommendations made by MFP. That's all you have to do really.

On Supplements I do log mine, mostly to track macros and to remind myself to take them. My diary is public so you are welcome to look at it for ideas if you want.

I'm short and at a normal weight range already, so I'm quite comfortable at 1000 cals a day actually. The 1200 rule is a general rule, if you're 6' tall or overweight, you do need more. If you're short and smaller, 1000 might be fine for you. At 1000 a day I don't get hungry at all & I've got plenty of energy, so, it depends on your body! Also, lean protein. LOTS of protein will keep you super full, and for me that's the real trick to it. You have to custom set your MFP goal limit to 1000, it will allow it but whenever you get 999 or less it yells at you, lol.

I am, however, taking vitamins and supplements. You do need to in the lower cal numbers. Opti-women multivatamins (pink label) are amazing and it's got everything under the sun in it except it's only partial calcium and no potassium, so I take those separately on top. It's still the most complete one I could find, and £10 a month isn't bad for a nice vitamin. I'm in the UK, so I think the USA might have a different version, so check your labels.

Also if you're not a banana person, a great potassium choice is LoSalt. It's a low sodium salt that contains 50% of your day's potassium. It actually has much more potassium than the horse pill supplements do. Those are the only 2 other micros that aren't covered completely in my personal diet, but keep an eye on yours to see what else might be missing.

See where you are comfortable. If you start getting tired, light headed, or dizzy, somethings off and you're either undereating or missing an important nutrient somewhere. Otherwise, sod what they say, the 1200 rule is overly generalized, and 'starvation mode' for most people is a myth. Starvation mode's really only applicable to those who are underweight. Your body will always burn any remaining fat before muscle, and though metabolisms do slow down, it's a negligible amount that barely affects weight loss rates. Definitely not enough to effect real progress. Some people claim you'll gain weight if you go too low. Turns out that's not compatible with the laws of thermodynamics, so if you do manage it, feel free to claim your nobel prize! As long as you're feeling good and energetic, you're probably doing fine. These rules are just generalized so they'll apply to the statistically 'average' height and weight person, but not necessarily everybody else.

burningglare wrote: »

Thanks shadowfax for responding. I don't know what TDEE means though.

Keep in mind TDEE solely the MFP's calculator is a general estimated calculation of caloric needs based on activity. Everyday is different so to make sure you know what you should be eating everyday, set you profile to sedentary lifestyle.

For activity, If you have an iPhone, the health app can be sync'd as a pedometer (just as long as you keep you phone on you all of the time like most people do. You don't know how many steps I miss because it was on the counter or something.) along with this all activity (including weightlifting) can be found in the add exercise and cardio. Both combined will give you a better calculation of your TDEE daily.

http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
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1200 is MFPs lowest minimum DEFAULT before exercise. Many women are "given" this number because their weekly weight loss goal is too high. 1,000 calories....even if you are very short....make sure your macros are prefect. Nutrition is more than vitamins (micronutrients)

Losing weight faster generally means you will lose a larger percentage of lean muscle. This is not acceptable to me because I am over 50 and my metabolism is slow enough already.