Dropping below 1200 calories/day?
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allysar
Posts: 87 Member
I am 49 years old 5'4" and weigh 128 lbs. My calories have been set at 1200 since I started tracking here a few months ago. I did great in the beginning but my loss has tapered off. According to my Garmin Vivofit2 my TDEE runs around 1550 cals/day on an average day. 1750 or so on a workout day using the HRM. It has been around 7 weeks since I have lost anything. Yes, I weigh my foods. So, if my math is correct I would need to be somewhere around 1000 calories/day to lose a pound a week with no exercise days.
I am not unhappy with my results. I have lost 19 pounds since I started back in August and have improved my muscle tone. I would like to continue to see a loss and my goal is around 120. It has been hard for me to exercise everyday the past month or so. I can still get in around 3 workouts a week.
Any thoughts from those on lower caloric intakes?
I am not unhappy with my results. I have lost 19 pounds since I started back in August and have improved my muscle tone. I would like to continue to see a loss and my goal is around 120. It has been hard for me to exercise everyday the past month or so. I can still get in around 3 workouts a week.
Any thoughts from those on lower caloric intakes?
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Replies
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I wouldn't go that low. Personally, if it were me I'd eat at maintenance for a few weeks and then try cutting calories again and see if that gets the scale moving. You don't have much to lose so just make sure you're spot on with your CI vs CO.0
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There is no special magic to an energy calorie that comes from your fork compared to one that comes from a fat depot. The "1200 kCal a day minimum" maxim is meant to improve the odds that a dieter will take in enough nutrients -- protein, vitamins, and trace minerals.
Do you ?0 -
You only have 8 pounds to lose. Those are going to come off super slowly. You've heard the adage that the last ten pounds are the toughest? Set your loss to .5 pounds per week and be patient, patient, patient.0
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Definitely don't drop below 1,200 - I tried this, and all it did was make me feel terrible, with very little weight loss to show for it, and you can't keep it up for long.
Instead I suggest playing with your macros - where you are getting the calories from. I have had good results recently with increasing my fat & protein, and lowering carbs (100g a day or less). Eat full fat cheese, nuts, whole milk in your coffee, etc and cut out bread, pasta, etc.0 -
ericGold15 wrote: »There is no special magic to an energy calorie that comes from your fork compared to one that comes from a fat depot. The "1200 kCal a day minimum" maxim is meant to improve the odds that a dieter will take in enough nutrients -- protein, vitamins, and trace minerals.
Do you ?
I have tweaked my macros to 30%C/35%P/35%F I am not perfect all the time. There are days it is hard to hit my protein (not too hard to hit the fat!) and hard to keep the carbs down.
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quiksylver296 wrote: »You only have 8 pounds to lose. Those are going to come off super slowly. You've heard the adage that the last ten pounds are the toughest? Set your loss to .5 pounds per week and be patient, patient, patient.
So...so....so....slowly!!! I am trying to be patient. I am. I tried changing to 0.5 lb/week. That took me to 1440 cal/day. Although, I have to say I feel eating more won't help me get to where I want to be? Maybe I will reset myself a bit?
p.s. my 50th birthday is in 6 weeks and I am working hard to look and feel my best by then!
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I am 49 years old 5'4" and weigh 128 lbs. My calories have been set at 1200 since I started tracking here a few months ago. I did great in the beginning but my loss has tapered off. According to my Garmin Vivofit2 my TDEE runs around 1550 cals/day on an average day. 1750 or so on a workout day using the HRM. It has been around 7 weeks since I have lost anything. Yes, I weigh my foods. So, if my math is correct I would need to be somewhere around 1000 calories/day to lose a pound a week with no exercise days.
I am not unhappy with my results. I have lost 19 pounds since I started back in August and have improved my muscle tone. I would like to continue to see a loss and my goal is around 120. It has been hard for me to exercise everyday the past month or so. I can still get in around 3 workouts a week.
Any thoughts from those on lower caloric intakes?
If you were actually eating 1200 calories/day for 7 weeks with a TDEE of 1550 on all those days you would have lost 4.9 lbs by now. So probably your 1200 calories isn't really 1200 calories. I know that's nothing anyone wants to hear, but I would work on tightening the logging and NOT reducing. Like someone mentioned above, increasing protein might help (I have seen it work in similar folks who have very little to lose, I suspect it has something to do with substituting protein for other foods that they were tracking inaccurately, but whatever works works).
Can you increase your workouts? I'd start there first. Try to get more walking in. Adding steps to your day will increase your TDEE. Also make sure you are drinking plenty of water so water retention doesn't mask any losses.0 -
Going below 1200 isn't the solution. I'm 5'3.5" and 112.5 pounds. When I hit 120 pounds, I changed my rate of loss to 0.5 pound per week. You are aiming way too high with 1 pound per week. The slow and steady approach worked for my physique beautifully. Exercise is very important at this point in the game, so keep going with the three workouts per week. If that's all you can fit in, resistance training will be better for you than cardio. Your logging also has to be super tight.
As you can see, there was a major change with even a few pounds.
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Nope....I freely admit that there are days maybe one or two a week that are closer to 1400 or 1500/day. But, shouldn't that still have netted me a 2-3 pound loss? I am far from perfect and am honest with myself about enjoying food and a glass of wine now and again.
I appreciate your insight and definitely need to step up my water. I am really taking in as much protein as I can tolerate. Seriously, at 120 grams/day I am stuffed!!!
I am working on fitting in more exercise. My reality right now is very tight on time. Single mom, 3 kids, working 12 hour night shifts as a nurse and back in school. Not an excuse just the way it is right now.blues4miles wrote: »I am 49 years old 5'4" and weigh 128 lbs. My calories have been set at 1200 since I started tracking here a few months ago. I did great in the beginning but my loss has tapered off. According to my Garmin Vivofit2 my TDEE runs around 1550 cals/day on an average day. 1750 or so on a workout day using the HRM. It has been around 7 weeks since I have lost anything. Yes, I weigh my foods. So, if my math is correct I would need to be somewhere around 1000 calories/day to lose a pound a week with no exercise days.
I am not unhappy with my results. I have lost 19 pounds since I started back in August and have improved my muscle tone. I would like to continue to see a loss and my goal is around 120. It has been hard for me to exercise everyday the past month or so. I can still get in around 3 workouts a week.
Any thoughts from those on lower caloric intakes?
If you were actually eating 1200 calories/day for 7 weeks with a TDEE of 1550 on all those days you would have lost 4.9 lbs by now. So probably your 1200 calories isn't really 1200 calories. I know that's nothing anyone wants to hear, but I would work on tightening the logging and NOT reducing. Like someone mentioned above, increasing protein might help (I have seen it work in similar folks who have very little to lose, I suspect it has something to do with substituting protein for other foods that they were tracking inaccurately, but whatever works works).
Can you increase your workouts? I'd start there first. Try to get more walking in. Adding steps to your day will increase your TDEE. Also make sure you are drinking plenty of water so water retention doesn't mask any losses.
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Thanks @synacious your photos are inspirational! I have added resistance bands to my regular cardio/strength and I love them. I knew it would get harder as I got closer I am just grinding to a halt! I have adjusted to 0.5/wk and will see how that works for me for a month or so.0
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People on this website have some notion that 1200cal is some magically absolute minimum. at 1200 calories life is beautiful and everyone on earth rejoices but 1199cals signals eating disorder and a malnourished person.
"it has been around 7 weeks since I have lost anything."
This means youre eating to much obviously.
Also you're probably not counting your calories right.0 -
AnabolicKyle wrote: »People on this website have some notion that 1200cal is some magically absolute minimum. at 1200 calories life is beautiful and everyone on earth rejoices but 1199cals signals eating disorder and a malnourished person.
"it has been around 7 weeks since I have lost anything."
This means youre eating to much obviously.
Also you're probably not counting your calories right.
There's a certain amount of nutrients your body needs to function properly. Drop your calories too low and you're not eating enough to get those nutrients.
VLCD aren't just a bad idea, they're unsafe.0 -
If correct, then on average (and averages are fine,) an 1000 kCal diet will be 350 kCal protein which is about 90 grams. That is way more than enough. Frankly though, I'd be surprised if you manage 35% of your calories as protein.ericGold15 wrote: »There is no special magic to an energy calorie that comes from your fork compared to one that comes from a fat depot. The "1200 kCal a day minimum" maxim is meant to improve the odds that a dieter will take in enough nutrients -- protein, vitamins, and trace minerals.
Do you ?
I have tweaked my macros to 30%C/35%P/35%F I am not perfect all the time. There are days it is hard to hit my protein (not too hard to hit the fat!) and hard to keep the carbs down.
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ericGold15 wrote: »
Can you cite some sources for this information? Most information and studies I've seen point at .6-1.2 grams of protein per lb of lean mass and some resistance training for people on a restricted calorie diet in order to preserve lean mass during the period of loss. Otherwise losses will come from lean mass as well as fat.0 -
Losses will always come partly from lean mass.
Most info I've seen says 50-60g for women.0 -
WalkingAlong wrote: »Losses will always come partly from lean mass.
Most info I've seen says 50-60g for women.
Adequate protein intake combined with resistance training can drastically reduce lean mass loss.0 -
WalkingAlong wrote: »Losses will always come partly from lean mass.
Most info I've seen says 50-60g for women.
Huh. Those women don't lift.
I weigh 179 lbs, 5'9", lift progressively heavy for me, and aim for 145 g of protein per day. 0.8 grams per pound of body weight.
And I understand OP's attitude about trying to get in enough protein. It's hard!0 -
WalkingAlong wrote: »Losses will always come partly from lean mass.
Most info I've seen says 50-60g for women.
I've seen these number too, but they are usually associated with the RDI or prevoiusly RDA which is a system of minimums required for an already healthy person's intake in order to stay healthy. I was mainly asking that question of that particular user because their profile states that they are a doctor and they were seemingly recommending a 1000kcal intake for OP, which, without knowing more information about OP could potentially be very bad advice. OP's stats, according to IIFYM and set at sedentary, which they are not, show a BRM of 1192 and TDEE of 1371. SInce OP indicates that their TDEE measured by Garmin is 1750, cutting to 1000kcal would be a drastic cut for them.
*Edited to correct typo0 -
Do you use anything but the scale to measure your progress?
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