how many calories

kat198080mfp
kat198080mfp Posts: 4 Member
edited November 25 in Health and Weight Loss
i have over 100 pounds to lose, does anyone out there have success with 1200 cals a day. do you eat your exercise cals back or have a cheat meal???

Replies

  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    When you put your stats into MFP, how many calories does it tell you to eat per day. Unless you are short, 1200 may be too little for you. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/change_goals_guided

    I have less to lose than you do, and get 1700 calories per day before exercise, and I exercise. I'm almost 5'7".
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    Have you tried entering your stats and goals into MFP and seeing what calorie goal it gives you? If you have over 100 pounds to lose, it's likely you can eat more than 1,200 calories a day and still lose weight.
  • Faithful_Chosen
    Faithful_Chosen Posts: 401 Member
    I can say with pretty much absolute certainty that 1200 is too aggressive if you have that much to lose. Fill in your info in MFP, set a realistic goal, stay healthy. Stay safe. And yes, eat back your true exercise calories!
  • kat198080mfp
    kat198080mfp Posts: 4 Member
    hi i am only 5ft 2 so pretty short
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    kat198080mfp wrote: »
    hi i am only 5ft 2 so pretty short

    If you enter your information into the tracker, it will be taken into account when creating your calorie goal.
  • Faithful_Chosen
    Faithful_Chosen Posts: 401 Member
    Calculate your needs here and see where you end up :)http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

  • xcalygrl
    xcalygrl Posts: 1,897 Member
    1200 may or may not be too low for you. It depends on a few different factors: age, height, current weight, daily activity (not workouts), gender.

    Put your stats in MFP, choose a goal (1.5 to 2 pounds a week since you have 100# to lose), and eat to that goal.

    If you are following the MFP method, log your exercise and eat 50-75% of your exercise calories back. The MFP method is set up that you are in a deficit even if you don't workout, so if you do workout you need more calories to make sure that you don't create a deficit that is too large.
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
    34, 5'2" Currently you weigh how much? Or what is your ultimate goal? How active are you?

    I guessed 210 lbs (sorry if I'm off) and put your info into the link above. Even if you were sedentary, you burn about 2000 calories per day without exercise. So if you do any exercise at all, 1200 is pretty low in my opinion. Not that I'd call it unhealthy, it's just that you don't HAVE to eat that low to lose weight. If you log your foods accurately and maybe talk a daily 30 minute walk, you'd lose at a very steady rate at 1400-1600. And if in a year you find you're "stuck" 20-30 lbs higher than your goal, then at that point you could always drop to 1200. If you drop to 1200 now, then you simply won't have any wiggle room once you get closer to your goal.
  • hotasfire36
    hotasfire36 Posts: 235 Member
    I'm 6 feet tall 39 yr old female and placed my loss for 2 pounds a week. I was given 1200 cals.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    hotasfire36 wrote: »
    I'm 6 feet tall 39 yr old female and placed my loss for 2 pounds a week. I was given 1200 cals.

    This is likely because you chose an aggressive goal of 2 pounds per week. 2 pounds a week can be a good goal for those who have a lot of weight to lose, but it may be too aggressive for those who don't.
  • OhMsDiva
    OhMsDiva Posts: 1,073 Member
    I eat 1600-1800 calories a day and exercise for at least 30 minutes per day and I am steadily losing weight. I do not eat back my exercise calories most days. I have over 100 lbs to lose
  • Yi5hedr3
    Yi5hedr3 Posts: 2,696 Member
    edited October 2015
    Did the 1200. Occasionally ate back 1/2 exercise calories. Rarely did a cheat day because it always set me back several days.
  • kat198080mfp
    kat198080mfp Posts: 4 Member
    i want to lose it quite quickly or at least have a good loss in first few months
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    Pick something you can live with for awhile. If 1200 (before exercise) makes you grumpy, then you are more likely to binge. Losing weight should not be torture.

    1200 before exercise is as low as MFP will go (a default). Yes - you are petite BUT you are also young. 1200 may be more appropriate for less active senior ladies.

    You can use a calculator that includes exercise up front....like Scoobys. Then you just eat that number. OR you can use a calculator that gives you a deficit before exercise.....like MFP and you eat a portion of exercise calories back. Either way, find a relatively comfortable place.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    kat198080mfp wrote: »
    i want to lose it quite quickly or at least have a good loss in first few months

    Pound per week goals
    75+ lbs set to lose 2 lb range
    Between 40 - 75 lbs set to lose 1.5 lb range
    Between 25-40 lbs set to lose 1 lb range
    Between 15-25 lbs set to lose 1 -.50 lb range
    Less than 15 lbs set to lose 0.5 lbs range

    2 pounds a week is a pretty good rate for you (for awhile anyway).
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    kat198080mfp wrote: »
    i want to lose it quite quickly or at least have a good loss in first few months

    Isn't it more important to lose it safely and sustainably rather than quickly?
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    kat198080mfp wrote: »
    i want to lose it quite quickly or at least have a good loss in first few months

    Losing it quickly may not be the healthiest or most sustainable approach though. With 100 lbs to lose, you can probably set yourself to lose 2 lbs/week, eat back a portion of your exercise calories, and be ok - but many people find 1200 far too low and end up feeling too restricted. If you are the type of person who is an all or nothing, ie: "well, I was over my goal anyway, might as well pig out!" or "well I blew it, guess I should just give up, this is too hard" then I would probably go for a more conservative deficit that you can live with more easily.

    Have you read the stickied threads at the top of the different forum sections? This one, as well as the links embedded in it, may be very helpful for you:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1235566/so-youre-new-here/p1
  • Yi5hedr3
    Yi5hedr3 Posts: 2,696 Member
    Even 2 lbs/week is aggressive. It's best to stick to no more than a 20% deficit. My guess is you are
    way beyond that and should be eating more. I'm thinking you are insulin resistant probably from years
    of high carbohydrate dieting (too much sugar/starch). Honestly, an ultra-low Carb diet is probably the
    perfect match for you. Read some Atkins books, The Rosedale Diet, and Keto-clarity. For you, this will be
    both the fastest AND safest way to lose pounds relatively fast. Remember, you didn't end up 100lbs
    overweight, overnight. Likewise you won't lose it overnight either. Good luck.
  • Faithful_Chosen
    Faithful_Chosen Posts: 401 Member
    Make sure to net above your BMR, please. A quick loss is not worth muscle and organ damage.
  • tiffkittyw
    tiffkittyw Posts: 366 Member
    My fitness pal gives me 1,200 calories for 1 lb a week and 1,460 for 1/2 lb a week. I have it set to 1 lb since I have 34 lbs left to lose. I'm 5'4" and 37 years old. I save my exercise calories earned for the weekend. I would recommend using a TDEE calculator to see what your maintenance is and then cut calories from there. Here is a sample of mine:d4s1ng44mkfe.png
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