Probably a stupid question for some of you...
aflies
Posts: 78 Member
an average 1200 calorie day for a female..... Is this for someone who completes the 10K step a day active life or someone completely sedentary?
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Replies
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depends on your stats0
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I would think for most people that would be sedentary. I'm 5'3", have mine set to 1lb/week, and lightly active and it is 1300.0
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I keep seeing everyone post how 1200 is the minimum for any adult female. I am just curious, I feel that 1200 is too much for me. I work long hours sitting at a desk on the night shift. I never hit 10K steps a day, sometimes never even hit 5K....
Thank you for any suggestions!0 -
an average 1200 calorie day for a female..... Is this for someone who completes the 10K step a day active life or someone completely sedentary?
Do what MFP says after you input your activity level, age, weight, weekly goal and height.
If you're doing 10k steps but are set to sedentary and are not logging extra kms, then you'll be undereating at 1200.
If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal
If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal
If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal
If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal
If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal
from this link: http://walking.about.com/cs/measure/a/locke122004.htm
Classification of pedometer-determined physical activity in healthy adults:
1) Under 5000 steps/day may be used as a "sedentary lifestyle index"
2) 5,000-7,499 steps/day is typical of daily activity excluding sports/exercise and might be considered "low active." The average American walks 5900 to 6900 steps per day, so the majority are "low active."
3) 7,500-9,999 steps/day likely includes some exercise or walking (and/or a job that requires more walking) and might be considered "somewhat active."
4) 10,000 steps/day indicates the point that should be used to classify individuals as "active".
5) 12,500+ steps/day Individuals who take more than 12,500 steps/day are likely to be classified as "highly active".3 -
1200 is the generally accepted minimum for the average adult female to meet basic nutritional needs. There is very little chance it's too much for you even if sedentary. 1200 calories isn't very much food at all, even when using it mostly on lean meats and veggies. Most people can and should eat more, both for health and psychological reasons.3
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PS. I am completely sedentary outside of my regular workouts, rarely hit 10k steps even on workout days and I gross about 1700-1800 calories a day and lose 1lb per week. I'm 5'5.3
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10k is considered lightly active so you can eat back some exercise calories.
My average is 18k steps, I'm in maintenance but when I was in losing phase I lost 1/2lb a week on 1800 gross calories. I'm 5ft 2/46yrs.1 -
Not bashing OP, but I am forever reading that 1200 is too much and folks can hardly eat that much or have a "hard time" getting in at least as much. "Most" overweight folks can eat 1200+ calories, if not, then they wouldn't be overweight, IMHO.
I guess seeing it written down is like "Whoa, that's a lot", but "Whoa, it isn't".13 -
I get 1200 per day and I listed myself as sedentary and wanting to lose 0.5 lbs per week.1
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an average 1200 calorie day for a female..... Is this for someone who completes the 10K step a day active life or someone completely sedentary?
If you mean total calories then I'd say sedentary unless you are very small or have a medical condition that lowers your BMR to below average. If you mean 1200 net calories, then it should be fine for either.0 -
an average 1200 calorie day for a female..... Is this for someone who completes the 10K step a day active life or someone completely sedentary?
How tall are you? I'm almost 5'7" and even when I am debilitated by that TOM and almost completely sedentary, I need more than 1200 calories.0 -
i'm 5' 3", and when i started with MFP over a year ago, i lost weight consistently, although i was very sedentary, on 1200 calories per day. at that time i had injuries so rarely went over 3000 steps per day total. when i started walking vigorously and working out, i ate back part of my exercise calories if i got hungry - usually a protein drink or a non-fat greek yogurt.0
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5'5 about 75 left to lose (might decide to lose more)
I set MFP to lightly active and use a Fitbit to track actual activity
My calorie goal is 1400 before exercise. Fitbit adds another 6-800 calories most days. Sometimes more.
I get about 15-18k steps a day when I am working. (13-14K actually at work the rest in daily life, martial arts class etc)
An average eating day with Fitbit adjustments has me eating 22-2400 calories to lose 1.5 pounds a week.
When I first wanted to lose weight I talked to a Dr. He recommended I eat 1200 a day. I tried and managed to do around 1400 for a few days. I found it impossible to sustain. I was unable to function in my work life and active hobbies.
I think for most people 1200 calories a day is far too low to be kept up for very long. Trying to do this is probably why most people fail at the weight loss game.1 -
an average 1200 calorie day for a female..... Is this for someone who completes the 10K step a day active life or someone completely sedentary?
Probably not active but depends on the person's stats and goals.
I am 5'4" and a sedendary 41 year old women. I started at 179 lbs and was given 1340 as my starting calorie goal. After losing about 25 lbs my calorie goal is 1200 now. If I were more active then it would be more.
It isn't difficult to reach 1200 calories with the right foods. http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10142490/a-list-of-calorie-dense-foods#latest0 -
MFP set me at 1200 calories a day. I am 5'11 and 203 lbs. I usually get at least 10,000. steps a day. I set my activity level at not very active based on the options MFP gives me. I do work at a desk all day but between the time I get home and go to bed I make sure I have my steps and exercise in. I wish I could say the weight was falling off but it has slowed down. I eat clean and weigh all food. I cant help but think I should have a higher calorie goal. I am trying some new things to see if it will help.0
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I keep seeing everyone post how 1200 is the minimum for any adult female. I am just curious, I feel that 1200 is too much for me. I work long hours sitting at a desk on the night shift. I never hit 10K steps a day, sometimes never even hit 5K....
Thank you for any suggestions!
1200 is the base minimum that you should go to, that's to ensure that you are eating enough. I apologize I don't have the studies on hand that go into this. MFP does not calculate any additional exercise, that's done when a use inputs it and receives extra 'calories' (and that's a generic estimate - the calories can be much different in reality).
I rarely hit 10k steps and that's with taking a 2 mile walk most days.
Ahh the joys of being a desk jockey. 0 -
I keep seeing everyone post how 1200 is the minimum for any adult female. I am just curious, I feel that 1200 is too much for me. I work long hours sitting at a desk on the night shift. I never hit 10K steps a day, sometimes never even hit 5K....
Thank you for any suggestions!
It's a general recommendation based on average female BMR. Like all averages, it's not going to apply to every woman.0 -
2blessed08 wrote: »MFP set me at 1200 calories a day. I am 5'11 and 203 lbs. I usually get at least 10,000. steps a day. I set my activity level at not very active based on the options MFP gives me. I do work at a desk all day but between the time I get home and go to bed I make sure I have my steps and exercise in. I wish I could say the weight was falling off but it has slowed down. I eat clean and weigh all food. I cant help but think I should have a higher calorie goal. I am trying some new things to see if it will help.
@2blessed08 for < 50 pounds to lose, set your weekly weight loss goal to 1 pound per week. When I put in that, the rest of your stats, and you wanting to lose 30 pounds, I got 1610 calories per day.
If you have < 25 pounds to lose, chose 0.5 pound per week and enjoy 1860 calories per day.0 -
I'm 5'5" and never ate less than 1650 while losing my 80 pounds.0
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The Registered Dietician and trainer I have talked to say to eat 1400 calories to ensure you get enough nutrients. They both say 1200 isn't quite enough and that almost everyone will lose at 1400 a day. I'm 5'0" and have been eating around 1450 a day and have lost 8 lbs in the last 6 weeks or so.0
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OP, what are your stats (height, weight)? What goal did you choose and how many calories did MFP give you?0
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What is the basis for establishing those ideal weight loss rates? I have about 15 pounds to lose, and I would find a weight loss of 0.5 pounds per week completely demotivating. I strive for a pound per week because I can actually see the light at the end of the tunnel, so to speak. If I were to lose 0.5 pounds per week, I would have to spend the next 30 weeks in diet mode...which isn't horrible, but for me personally, it is difficult to have such a long timeline. Plus, with normal weight fluctuations, the 0.5 pound weight loss per week would be difficult to observe on the scale.0
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fatmommystella wrote: »What is the basis for establishing those ideal weight loss rates? I have about 15 pounds to lose, and I would find a weight loss of 0.5 pounds per week completely demotivating. I strive for a pound per week because I can actually see the light at the end of the tunnel, so to speak. If I were to lose 0.5 pounds per week, I would have to spend the next 30 weeks in diet mode...which isn't horrible, but for me personally, it is difficult to have such a long timeline. Plus, with normal weight fluctuations, the 0.5 pound weight loss per week would be difficult to observe on the scale.
Those are rough rules of thumb based on the fact that your body can only turn a certain amount of fat into useful energy daily, and the less fat you have, the smaller that amount is. If you create an energy deficit (calorie deficit) larger than that burnable amount of fat, the likelihood increases that you'll be burning other body tissue (like muscle - and remember, your heart is a muscle).
Basically, it's a health-preservation guideline.2 -
fatmommystella wrote: »What is the basis for establishing those ideal weight loss rates? I have about 15 pounds to lose, and I would find a weight loss of 0.5 pounds per week completely demotivating. I strive for a pound per week because I can actually see the light at the end of the tunnel, so to speak. If I were to lose 0.5 pounds per week, I would have to spend the next 30 weeks in diet mode...which isn't horrible, but for me personally, it is difficult to have such a long timeline. Plus, with normal weight fluctuations, the 0.5 pound weight loss per week would be difficult to observe on the scale.
I see where you're coming from. I have lost 7lbs in the last 14 weeks.
What helps is an app like Happy Scale or Trend Weight- It analyzes your daily weigh-ins and graphs them, so you can see that you're still averaging a loss, even with the fluctuations.0 -
dolliesdaughter wrote: »Not bashing OP, but I am forever reading that 1200 is too much and folks can hardly eat that much or have a "hard time" getting in at least as much. "Most" overweight folks can eat 1200+ calories, if not, then they wouldn't be overweight, IMHO.
I guess seeing it written down is like "Whoa, that's a lot", but "Whoa, it isn't".
No. I agree. There is times I can eat 1200 calories in one meal. I am wondering if maybe I should not restrict my self to 1000 calories or so each day.0 -
OP, what are your stats (height, weight)? What goal did you choose and how many calories did MFP give you?
I am 5'3" and currently 167 pounds. I have put in that I would like to lose 2 pounds a week and it won't let me. It always reverts back to 1200 calories at a loss of .9 lbs per week. My problem is that I eat the 1200 calories, I do not walk more than 5K steps a day and I am not losing weight. That is why I ask, why is 1200 the lowest MFP will go?0 -
an average 1200 calorie day for a female..... Is this for someone who completes the 10K step a day active life or someone completely sedentary?
Neither
It's the minimum calorie advice in order to fit your nutritional requirements
Your calorie allowance depends on your age, height, weight and activity level
I would imagine that at 5'3 and 167 you aren't logging your food properly if you're not seeing weight loss at 12000 -
an average 1200 calorie day for a female..... Is this for someone who completes the 10K step a day active life or someone completely sedentary?
Neither
It's the minimum calorie advice in order to fit your nutritional requirements
Your calorie allowance depends on your age, height, weight and activity level
I would imagine that at 5'3 and 167 you aren't logging your food properly if you're not seeing weight loss at 1200
The bolded. I am 5'2 and started at 153. I lost 30 lbs never eating less than 1400 cals, and most of my weight loss was at a net goal of 1500 so I was eating 1600-1800 cals. I have a desk job but when I was first losing I averaged 7000 steps a day, now my average is double that.
OP set MFP to lose 1 lb/week (it will probably still give you 1200)
Log everything you eat as accurately as possible, ideally using a food scale.
If you exercise, eat back at least a portion of those calories.
Be patient.1 -
OP, what are your stats (height, weight)? What goal did you choose and how many calories did MFP give you?
I am 5'3" and currently 167 pounds. I have put in that I would like to lose 2 pounds a week and it won't let me. It always reverts back to 1200 calories at a loss of .9 lbs per week. My problem is that I eat the 1200 calories, I do not walk more than 5K steps a day and I am not losing weight. That is why I ask, why is 1200 the lowest MFP will go?
Yes that's because it's the bare minimum...and if you eat 1200 to meet basic needs then you have to plan and hit all your macros etc...most people don't do that...so at 1200 you are not getting in all proper nutrition.
Just because you are short and have a desk job doesn't mean you need to go hungry to lose weight. Just means you need to be realistic with your weight loss goals and try to eat as much food as possible and still lose a reasonable amount of weight.2 -
1200 is the minimum for the average woman. Not female. Female is an adjective. The average woman's height is aroubd 1.65m. Shorter women should be able to get away with ewer calories because their BMR is lower.
Run the figures on MFP. Look up a 1.55m tall woman's maintenance calories. Then, subtract 500 calories from that. 1200 calories for this hypothetical woman means very, very slow weight loss.1
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