MFP recommends 1200 calories per day???

i_love_vinegar
i_love_vinegar Posts: 2,092 Member
edited September 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
But I am only 4'9" I tried adjusting my height to 3" tall, and I was still given 1200 calories.

Should I still aim to eat 1200 calories per day if I am so short?

Thank you! :smile:
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Replies

  • ShifuYaku
    ShifuYaku Posts: 504 Member
    No, the minimum anyone should eat is 1200 calories [EDIT] before they go into starvation mode. :)
  • withchaco
    withchaco Posts: 1,026 Member
    Experiment and figure out what works for you. Some people may be short but have fast metabolism, while other short people may have the double whammy of short height and slower metabolism. Try 1200 net calories for a few weeks, and if you're not satisfied with the result, you can increase/decrease. There's no hard exact number that fits everyone.
  • tiffany_leanne
    tiffany_leanne Posts: 6
    I am having trouble with this calorie thing too, I am a little over 5 ft tall. MFP set my calorie intake at 1200, I saw no results so I adjusted it to 1000 calories. It has been a couple months now & still no real results. My weight keeps fluctuating up & down from day to day. Very frustrating.
  • ShifuYaku
    ShifuYaku Posts: 504 Member
    I am having trouble with this calorie thing too, I am a little over 5 ft tall. MFP set my calorie intake at 1200, I saw no results so I adjusted it to 1000 calories. It has been a couple months now & still no real results. My weight keeps fluctuating up & down from day to day. Very frustrating.

    This is because the minimum anyone should have in calorie intake is 1200 ... see above :D ... Try fixing your settings on how much activity you do in a day :) Maybe that will help?
  • swaymyway
    swaymyway Posts: 428 Member
    Regardless of your height 1200 is the lowest any responsible site/person would recommend as that's the magic number deemed the minimum any body needs just to survive.
  • cee134
    cee134 Posts: 33,711 Member
    I would be very careful about going under 1200 calories a day. Unless your doctor tells you it's ok, I would not do it.

    Here is a Calorie Calculator that should work,
    http://www.shapefit.com/dailycalorie-calc.html
  • emzachek
    emzachek Posts: 4
    Don't weigh yourself every day. Your weight will fluctuate a bit each day normally. Also, the time of day that you weigh yourself matters as well. Just experiment with your intake vs exercise and figure out what works for you! A computer is not a perfect system for each individual.
  • MrsRobertson1005
    MrsRobertson1005 Posts: 552 Member
    I am having trouble with this calorie thing too, I am a little over 5 ft tall. MFP set my calorie intake at 1200, I saw no results so I adjusted it to 1000 calories. It has been a couple months now & still no real results. My weight keeps fluctuating up & down from day to day. Very frustrating.

    1200 might be too little for you, you might need to actually do more to get your metabolism going
  • bjohs
    bjohs Posts: 1,225 Member
    The minimum for ANY woman should be 1,200 per day and that is without exercise. I am 5'2" and it worked for my height. If you are exercising, then it is my opinion you should be eating at least 50-75% of those additional calories too. It may sound weird, but eating more means losing more.
  • skinnyinnotime
    skinnyinnotime Posts: 4,078 Member
    I'm sorry but i couldn't help laughing that you changed it to being 3ft tall, lmao!!
  • cee134
    cee134 Posts: 33,711 Member
    Your body might be in survival mode, which is why it would act that way. Eat more healthy food, exercise, and you'll lose weight.
  • bjohs
    bjohs Posts: 1,225 Member
    The main reason people do not lose weight can usually be fixed by their diet. They may believe they are eating well, but their food diaries are very telling. Feel free to send me a friend request. I would be happy to take a look at your diet to see if there is anything in there that could use an adjustment. Otherwise, look to your food intake for the answer.
  • cee134
    cee134 Posts: 33,711 Member
    I am having trouble with this calorie thing too, I am a little over 5 ft tall. MFP set my calorie intake at 1200, I saw no results so I adjusted it to 1000 calories. It has been a couple months now & still no real results. My weight keeps fluctuating up & down from day to day. Very frustrating.

    Your body might be in survival mode, which is why it would act that way. Eat more healthy food, exercise, and you'll lose weight.
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
    But I am only 4'9" I tried adjusting my height to 3" tall, and I was still given 1200 calories.

    Should I still aim to eat 1200 calories per day if I am so short?

    Thank you! :smile:

    I'm 5'8 and when I was playing around with the site it told me that for a 2 pound a week loss I needed to eat 1200 calories, so it doesn't really have to do with height. It's also the minimum that it will let you eat to be healthy.

    I'd try eating 1200(1200+exercise calories) and see what happens. if it works, great. if not then re-assess and see what the issue is.. maybe only eat half the exercise calories back. The more that you exercise, the faster your metabolism will go, so 1200 may not be such a bad thing!
  • i_love_vinegar
    i_love_vinegar Posts: 2,092 Member
    The minimum for ANY woman should be 1,200 per day and that is without exercise. I am 5'2" and it worked for my height. If you are exercising, then it is my opinion you should be eating at least 50-75% of those additional calories too. It may sound weird, but eating more means losing more.

    I never knew I was supposed to eat the calories I burn from exercise!

    Thank you, and Thank you everyone!

    I have actually been losing weight so far from eating around 900 calories per day, and I feel very full. Do I need to force feed myself? Thank you again haha. :smile:
  • tiffany_leanne
    tiffany_leanne Posts: 6
    I wasn't seeing any results at 1200, so I figured if I lowered & ate less I would lose weight. I am very low on activity/exercise. I have a desk job & by the time I get off work it's time to get home, start supper, get a shower, go to bed, & get up to go all over again. I rarely ever get any exercise in, so I also thought the lower calorie intake would make up for my low activity level. Am I wrong?
  • tiffany_leanne
    tiffany_leanne Posts: 6
    How is this working for u? I have been eating less than 1000 calories a day & have seen no results!! What are you doing differently than me to get your results???
  • bjohs
    bjohs Posts: 1,225 Member
    No, you don't need to force yourself to eat, but maybe just exchange some foods for better choices that will not fill you up so much. Be sure you are eating a lot of fruits and veggies and some lean meats (if you are not vegan or vegetarian). Having a big breakfast loaded with protein will really rev up your metabolism for the day. After a few days, you'll feel the difference in your energy level. Once you are more energetic, you will be burning more calories. Burning more calories will also make you hungry. It's a healthy circle that takes a little bit of time to get adjusted to... but once you are there, you should start dropping again. Good luck!
  • bjohs
    bjohs Posts: 1,225 Member
    I wasn't seeing any results at 1200, so I figured if I lowered & ate less I would lose weight. I am very low on activity/exercise. I have a desk job & by the time I get off work it's time to get home, start supper, get a shower, go to bed, & get up to go all over again. I rarely ever get any exercise in, so I also thought the lower calorie intake would make up for my low activity level. Am I wrong?

    Yes, increase your calories to a minimum of 1200. It may be that you need more. I exercise very little due to an injury. As soon as I stopped exercising, but started to eat the right way, I dropped 10 pounds in 3 weeks. It is 80% diet and 20% exercise. Getting your diet figured out is more than half the battle. It's all downhill from there. :)
  • i_love_vinegar
    i_love_vinegar Posts: 2,092 Member
    No, you don't need to force yourself to eat, but maybe just exchange some foods for better choices that will not fill you up so much. Be sure you are eating a lot of fruits and veggies and some lean meats (if you are not vegan or vegetarian). Having a big breakfast loaded with protein will really rev up your metabolism for the day. After a few days, you'll feel the difference in your energy level. Once you are more energetic, you will be burning more calories. Burning more calories will also make you hungry. It's a healthy circle that takes a little bit of time to get adjusted to... but once you are there, you should start dropping again. Good luck!

    Thank you so much! I already eat a LOT of fruits and veges/lean meats, but I will work on my breakfast! :smile:
  • katie_on_a_mission
    katie_on_a_mission Posts: 112
    "No, the minimum anyone should eat is 1200 calories [EDIT] before they go into starvation mode. :) "

    Not true! How on earth could that be true for every single person out there in all their differing heights and weights? Everyone burns different amounts of calories per day.

    Anyway, I think you would be fine to go under 1200. You may want to consult with a nutritionist to come up with the right amount for your body.
  • i_love_vinegar
    i_love_vinegar Posts: 2,092 Member
    How is this working for u? I have been eating less than 1000 calories a day & have seen no results!! What are you doing differently than me to get your results???

    I'm not sure if you are talking to me or not, but I used to eat around 3000 calories per day (mainly due to candy and milk).
    I am guessing that is why I lost a lot of weight just lessening on that.
  • i_love_vinegar
    i_love_vinegar Posts: 2,092 Member
    "No, the minimum anyone should eat is 1200 calories [EDIT] before they go into starvation mode. :) "

    Not true! How on earth could that be true for every single person out there in all their differing heights and weights? Everyone burns different amounts of calories per day.

    Anyway, I think you would be fine to go under 1200. You may want to consult with a nutritionist to come up with the right amount for your body.

    That is why I was asking...it didn't make sense to me. :laugh: Does anyone have a reliable source of information as to whether the 1200 calorie per day is correct or not? Thanks again! :smile:
  • katie_on_a_mission
    katie_on_a_mission Posts: 112
    Found this: http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm
  • i_love_vinegar
    i_love_vinegar Posts: 2,092 Member
    I wasn't seeing any results at 1200, so I figured if I lowered & ate less I would lose weight. I am very low on activity/exercise. I have a desk job & by the time I get off work it's time to get home, start supper, get a shower, go to bed, & get up to go all over again. I rarely ever get any exercise in, so I also thought the lower calorie intake would make up for my low activity level. Am I wrong?
    Bumping your question. :smile:
  • dlaplume2
    dlaplume2 Posts: 1,658 Member
    There are exceptions to every rule. I don't know if your height is making a difference in your weightloss, but it seems like, if you are not hungry, then your metabolism might be sluggish and you should make sure you are eating periodically. Watch what you are eating too.

    I agree with the person who was giving you ideas on creating the healthy circle of hunger and eating. I would try that first and see if you notice a difference there.
  • bjohs
    bjohs Posts: 1,225 Member
    By dropping your caloric intake under 1,200 calories per day, you are essentially going on a crash diet. It may be okay to lose weight for a while, but it isn't very sustainable. It's also not very healthy. It is more than calories that you need everyday to develop a healthy lifestyle, it's also the nutrients that the food provides including healthy fats, sodium, protein, calcium, iron, etc. These are all needed to balance our bodies and keep us healthy and strong. I don't know you could meet your daily requirements on anything less without taking supplements and that is not ideal to meet your nutritional goals. Just my opinion.
  • ajbeans
    ajbeans Posts: 2,857 Member
    This is because the minimum anyone should have in calorie intake is 1200

    Not necessarily true. Taller people or people with fast metabolisms may need more than 1200 net calories, and shorter people may need fewer. 1200 is an average, not a magic number for everyone.

    To the OP, if I were you, I would experiment for a while. Try following MFP's recommendations. If you're unable to achieve your goals, adjust your goals manually, but only after giving it a good honest try.
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,423 Member
    "No, the minimum anyone should eat is 1200 calories [EDIT] before they go into starvation mode. :) "

    Not true! How on earth could that be true for every single person out there in all their differing heights and weights? Everyone burns different amounts of calories per day.

    Anyway, I think you would be fine to go under 1200. You may want to consult with a nutritionist to come up with the right amount for your body.

    That is why I was asking...it didn't make sense to me. :laugh: Does anyone have a reliable source of information as to whether the 1200 calorie per day is correct or not? Thanks again! :smile:

    I don't think it's about whether 1200 is "correct" or not - MFP is a computer program that automatically calculates a calorie number for you, but they have clearly acknowleged that eating too few calories isn't healthy so they have set a cut off limit. They won't recommed below 1200, as this is an often quoted number as a safe minimum for most people.

    As you don't sound like "average" height then the best way to get a "correct" amount for you to eat to lose weight in a healthy and safe way would be to see a nutritionist who will take your body size into account.
    If this isn't an option, I would start at 1200 for a month or so and see how you respond. In reality, most people who are overweight are going to be eating a hell of a lot more than 1200 cals of healthy food, so this should have results.

    I think one of the reasons for not going below 1200 cals a day is that you run the risk of not taking in enough nutrients to keep your body healthy.
  • ladyluck4210
    ladyluck4210 Posts: 107 Member
    I know that for myself I try to keep my calories between 1200-1300 regardless of my exercise. I try to eat a big breakfast filled with lots of protein and whole grains. I have found that helps me a lot. Sometimes my calories will be around 500 for breakfast. I wait a half hour to an hour and then I work out. Not sure if this works for everyone, but I've lost 19 lbs in the last month.
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