1200 Calorie Day

jenn259
jenn259 Posts: 4 Member
edited September 27 in Health and Weight Loss
I was talking to some coworkers today that are on their own weight loss journeys and I was talking about this site,the android app,and they were all shocked that I only get 1200 calories a day. How can I be assured that this goal is correct for me??

Replies

  • jilld76
    jilld76 Posts: 324
    It's based on how much you want to lose and the level of activity you enter for yourself.

    I only get 1200 calories a day because I have a job where I am sitting most of the day and I wanted to lose 2 lbs per week. I get to eat more when I workout more.

    Everyone's body is different, it depends on how much your co-workers weigh, how much they want to lose, how much daily activity they have, etc...

    there are different sites that will help you figure out how many calories you should be eating and you could double check the numbers if you're unsure.
  • whateverdamnit
    whateverdamnit Posts: 130
    I agree, 1200 is way too low.. I aim for around 1300-1400 each day.
  • ShellyMacchi
    ShellyMacchi Posts: 975 Member
    that's 1200 cal NET
    meaning.... you also must enter, and eat back the calories burned, from exercising... that gives you the NET total
    ie: You may end up eating 1800 calories if you did 600 calories worth of exercise that day to give you a NET of 1200 cals for the day *S*

    edited to add:
    many other diets and sites give you a total calorie goal for the day and require you must do a certain amount of exercise per day to reach the deficit you need to lose weight.
    That is not how mfp works. Here you are given the amount of deficit based on you do no exercise... and then you are allocated varying amounts of extra calories to also use per day, based on how much exercise you did that day, so you remain at a net total of 1200 calories per day *S*
    works like a charm! This way if you decide to not exercise some days, you are not left with too many calories to still consume. *S*
  • LauraSchaller
    LauraSchaller Posts: 106 Member
    MFP told me that I needed 1,560 calories a day. However, I have hypothyroidism - so I need less than that. MFP can calculate your daily activity, and your job - but not medical conditions.

    When I started working out with a trainer, he suggested that I aim for 1,300 - 1,400. So I personally set my goal at 1,350 - gives me a 50 calorie "cushion" just in case! It's been super easy to stick with, and I'm losing a healthy 2 lbs per week!

    Friend me if you'd like. Love to help anyone on their journey!
  • foxyforce
    foxyforce Posts: 3,078 Member
    i did the 1200 thing for a while when I started on mfp, it works, but it is like nothing. i don't count cals anymore, but i am generally good with them and doubt i do over 1700 a day anymore
  • deb_rn
    deb_rn Posts: 144 Member
    I am allowed 1220 calories a day. My doctor told me that he thought that I should be eating 1500 calories, but I have gone with the recommendation from MFP and I am losing around 1 pound a week.
  • tatiana_13
    tatiana_13 Posts: 325
    Well, you can't be entirely sure, except to experiment a little. Personally, 1200 is low for me. Exercise calories eaten back or not. I'm 4'11, and so it always seems odd to meet 5'7 women in forums doing the 1200 calorie plan as well. And just seems like every woman on this site under 200 pounds gets told to eat 1200 calories...doesn't seem all that individualized to me. So, you will have to individualize it for yourself. Try the 1200. If you're not hungry, stay with it until it stops working (ie, the plateau). Then, experiment with raising it a bit.

    This is a weight loss journey in more ways than one. Figuring out what works for you in terms of weight loss is the same thing as figuring out what is going to work for you in terms of maintenance, because you maintain the exact same way that you lose. So, be patient with figuring it out. Google some other calorie calculators and see and compare. See you how feel. Many women on this site find that 1300 or 1350 works better for them...and others don't see any results unless they stick to 1200.
  • maggie4097
    maggie4097 Posts: 156
    I felt that way at first too! I asked a "professional", and she said that was a good amount for weight loss. I am 5'1", and 135. I want to be 128. Anyway, I just about cried and said, 'But I will feel like I'm starving!" I have been able to do it most days, but some days, I'm just too hungry. If I go over 100-200 cals or even a bit more some days, I don't sweat it. I'm not losing as quickly as I would like, but I contribute that to the relatively small amount I am trying to lose. Good luck!
  • kdao
    kdao Posts: 265
    I did the 1200 calories a day and it worked like a charm for me. I hope you find what works best for you, everyone is different though.
  • Kiwi_09
    Kiwi_09 Posts: 65
    1200 Calorie days work great for me. I do eat back my exercise calories (like you're supposed to) and so far I've lost averaged out a pound per 5 days. I'm planned to lose a pound a week so I'm doing slightly better.

    At first it seemed low but now I'm used to it and sometimes can't even fill my calorie need.
  • sharesb
    sharesb Posts: 416 Member
    I was doing great doing 1200 calories a day but after a few months I hit a plateau and didn't lose any weight for a few weeks. Someone suggested I eat more calories and so I started eating between 1350 - 1500 and within a week ended up losing two pounds. Funny how our body does crazy things like that lol....everyone is different and sometimes you just need to experiment until you get that magic formula down for you!
    good luck xox ♥
  • lukimakamai
    lukimakamai Posts: 498 Member
    Depends on your body. I will say most people don't understand the eatting back calories thing. I'm set at 1200 calories but since I eat back calories I actually eat way more than 1200 calories in a day. You need to figure out your body and what works of you.
  • oyvonnee
    oyvonnee Posts: 116 Member
    Hi - My allocation is 1200 per day too - partly because I sit in front of a computer most of the day and also because of maturity (don't like that 'age' word :-) As you mature, you burn less. I am never hungy though but one of my strategies is drinking herbal tea, particularly at night. I drink decaf cinammon, peach, chai teas with Stevia as a sweetener. Fills me up, zero calories, tastes great. The things I choose during the day also keep me full. If I stick with lean meats and veggies, I don't get hungry. I do treat myself to flavored creamer in my coffee twice a day. I think you can do it if you pick good, wholesome foods. Keep the faith and keep trying! Yvonne
  • yiffanarff
    yiffanarff Posts: 123 Member
    I agree with everyone else, I think it depends on your activity level and how much you want to lose. I was set at 1200, for a 2 pound a week loss, but today I changed my settings, so now I get around 1500. For me, because I don't have a ton of weight to lose, I think that a 1 pound a week goal is much more realistic. As much as I would love to drop ten pound in the next 4 or 5 weeks, it's probably not the healthiest way to do things.

    For me though, I almost find it hard to eat enough calories. I had my settings for 1200, and I was eating back most of my exercise calories, taking my up to around 1500-1700 a day, and I felt like I was eating constantly. Even still I could barely make enough calories. Now that I changed my goals, I don't even know how I'll make it. :p I'm vegan, and have been really focusing on whole, unprocessed foods, and man, 1600 calories from lentils, baby carrots, hommous and the like? It's tough to do. Right now I'm just trying to figure out a way to get my daily calories without resorting to pastries and french fries (while avoiding eating myself out of house and home). That being said, at least I feel confident knowing that, even if my intake is a little low some days, I'm eating better than I have in years, and my nutrient intakes at least are good.

    Anyway, so I think it all depends on what you're eating, and what you're trying to do. If you feel like you need more calories, or if you start to exercise a lot, feel free to eat more. Just try to make healthy choices.
  • AmesLee78
    AmesLee78 Posts: 111
    Someone mentioned that it seems like the all the women under 200 are getting the 1200 calorie recommendation. I started at 233 on Sunday with MFP and it also gave me 1200. I'm only 5 feet tall too. Sunday-Tuesday I felt pretty o.k., but today I've been feeling pretty hungry most of the day. It's 11:42 pm and I'm hungry. My doctor also gave me Phentermine to help curb my appetite and give my metabolism a little kick start. I don't think it's working very well.

    I do have a question...when you exercise you HAVE to eat the calories you earn? If you don't will that result in no weight loss? I thought it was optional, but will be more then willing to eat back those calories..lol
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,423 Member
    I'd agree with previous posters that you have to find what works for you. Having said that, I'm amazed how many people survive on 1200 cals a day, that would be too low for me. I find if I go below about 1400 I get really hungry and grouchy, and that isn't sustainable. 1500 is about the sweet spot for me (plus exercise cals), I've averaged 2 ponds a week for the last 10 weeks on 1500 - 1600 net cals a day, so I won't be dropping that number anytime soon. (I'm female, 5'4" and 44yo)
  • swebb1103
    swebb1103 Posts: 200 Member
    I'm struggling with the 1200 cals a day as well, mostly on weekends when I don't go to the gym. The rest of the week I am fine because I usually have between 200 - 600 workout calories, so it gives me a huge cushion and I never go over those, but when I don't work out, I am over every time. I haven't lost weight for some time but I have been losing inches, most of my exercise lately has been from swimming so I am toning, not losing.
  • jilld76
    jilld76 Posts: 324
    Someone mentioned that it seems like the all the women under 200 are getting the 1200 calorie recommendation. I started at 233 on Sunday with MFP and it also gave me 1200. I'm only 5 feet tall too. Sunday-Tuesday I felt pretty o.k., but today I've been feeling pretty hungry most of the day. It's 11:42 pm and I'm hungry. My doctor also gave me Phentermine to help curb my appetite and give my metabolism a little kick start. I don't think it's working very well.

    I do have a question...when you exercise you HAVE to eat the calories you earn? If you don't will that result in no weight loss? I thought it was optional, but will be more then willing to eat back those calories..lol

    You should definitely be eating back your exercise calories because you should be netting 1200 calories. So if you burn 600 cals exercising and only eat 1200 cals, then you are really only eating 600, probably why you're so hungry.

    I usually try to eat back most of my exercise calories, if I wear my HRM then I'm confident in my calories burned number and will eat them all, if I use the MFP calculator for exercise, I usually only eat back about 1/2 to 3/4 of them. Because sometimes I think the MFP calculators overestimate.

    One of the keys is finding low calorie filling foods, the more processed foods, high calorie foods you eat, the less food you actually get to consume!

    If you don't eat back your exercise calories your body isn't going to be able to sustain itself, which could lead to frustration on your part and bingeing.
  • natajane
    natajane Posts: 295 Member
    My recommended cals from MFP change when I change my goal - so if i want to lose 2lbs a week then I only get 1200 cals a day, if i want to lose 1.5lbs a week I get something like 1350cals, or if i put 1lb a week goal I get 1580 cals.

    In the end, I chose my goal to be a loss of 1lb a week, so 1580 cals.

    I wanted to choose 2lbs a week believe me, but I realised that actually I would just set myself up to fail if I did that.

    I personally feel that 1200 is too little to quench my own personal hunger. I'm also very much a social eater, so I wanted to still be able to do that.

    Now I think about it, going too low on the calories might have been my problem with previous weight loss attempts - I was just trying to do and change too much too soon. I want to change my eating habits forever, so i have accepted that it might take me time.

    So these days my target is to lose 1lb a week through calorie deficit. If I want to lose more than 1lb then I exercise more and eat a little more until my net calories add to 1200-1300. Also the days when I feel less hungry or less bothered about food I just eat 1200-1300 instead.

    x
  • michhendo
    michhendo Posts: 5
    iv limited myselfa 1000 a day and im full, happy and seeing results. i find its not how much but what you eat that keeps you feeling good andseeing results
  • KCBollard
    KCBollard Posts: 23 Member
    I went to a dietitian and he said for my size I should eat 1500 if I want to stay the same, but if I want to lose a pound per week, I need a daily deficit of 500 calories, and a weekly one of around 3000 by a combination of both food and exercise.

    He also said that one SHOULD NOT eat back exercise calories.

    Just a heads up to everyone!!
  • ramseyrose
    ramseyrose Posts: 421 Member
    Check out http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
    Unless I am ill, I am hungry on 1200 cals a day, but I need to stick at that level as when I go up to 1500, I don't lose.
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