Net calories- must below 1200?

spongebobelaine
spongebobelaine Posts: 14 Member
edited December 1 in Health and Weight Loss
I'm right now on a 1200 calories diet. At first I feel hungry for the first week. But I eat healthy food, like lean meat, wholemeal etc for this 1200cal and now I feel totally fine with this diet and don't feel hungry.
Some days I will go exercise so my net calories will be around 1000. Even after the exercise, I don't feel like I am hungry. But I heard I have to meet the minimum 1200 net calories or I will go starvation mode.
So sometimes I will force myself to eat tuna, if I'm good. But sometimes I will eat junk food just so I can fill the calories requirement.. (which sometimes is good to treat myself :p)
So for my case, do I really need to have net calories 1200 per day?
Thanks very much and pardon for my poor English!

Replies

  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    edited May 2016
    Depends. How are you determining your intake and how are you determining your calories burned?

    Measuring cups = probably eating a couple hundred more then you actually log
    MFP/machine estimates of calories burned = probably actually burning a bit less then what gets logged
    In other words, if these are the circumstances your NET probably isn't as low as you think.

    The easiest way to see if you need to eat more is just to pay attention to your rate of loss. If your losing more than 1% of your body weight per week, then you should eat more to prevent your body from using your lean body mass (muscle, organs, ect) as well as fat for fuel.
  • kgirlhart
    kgirlhart Posts: 5,188 Member
    You really should net 1200 calories. It is hard when you are at the minimum like that because most people don't want to eat back all of their exercise calories in case they are over estimated. And you don't really know if you are netting 1000 or 1200 because if the calorie in or calories out is wrong it messes up your equation. I would try to always make sure you eat a minimum of 1200 calories and always eat back at least half of your exercise calories. When I was at 1200 calories I always tried to make sure that I at least netted over 1000 and I did try for 1200 net. I think it depends on what type of exercise you are doing and how accurate you think your exercise burn is. If after 3 or 4 weeks you are losing weight faster than 2 pounds per week then you need to eat back more exercise calories, but always eat some of them back.
  • hhazzouri
    hhazzouri Posts: 103 Member
    There is no such thing as starvation mode, your metabolism will slow down but that's because you're losing weight.

    Yes you need to get your net calories but here's the problem, we underestimate the calories we take in and overestimate the calories we burn.

    The best approach would be to listen to your body and monitor your results. If you dont feel like eating after exercise dont eat just so u can match a number that is an estimation at best.
  • spongebobelaine
    spongebobelaine Posts: 14 Member
    Thanks all!
    I am using an electronic scale to measure my food so it should be quite accurate.
    Eating back half of my exercise amount is a good idea! So far my net cal haven't been lower than 1000. Usually around 1100.
    Perhaps I should eat a little bit but if I'm too full that I should just let it go :p
  • __leis__
    __leis__ Posts: 100 Member
    I have nothing to add, I just wanted to say that your English is almost perfect and far better than a lot of people who speak English as their first language :smiley:
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    leelou84 wrote: »
    I have nothing to add, I just wanted to say that your English is almost perfect and far better than a lot of people who speak English as their first language :smiley:

    I agree :+1:

  • ncboiler89
    ncboiler89 Posts: 2,408 Member
    spongebobelaine wrote: »
    But I heard I have to meet the minimum 1200 net calories or I will go starvation mode.

    No such thing
    spongebobelaine wrote: »
    So for my case, do I really need to have net calories 1200 per day?

    Yes
  • marm1962
    marm1962 Posts: 950 Member
    I say if your not hungry then don't eat...isn't that how most of us got overweight to begin with? At least it was and is for me.
  • spongebobelaine
    spongebobelaine Posts: 14 Member
    leelou84 wrote: »
    I have nothing to add, I just wanted to say that your English is almost perfect and far better than a lot of people who speak English as their first language :smiley:

    Thanks very much :smiley:
    But every time I read my English it makes me blush haha :lol:
  • spongebobelaine
    spongebobelaine Posts: 14 Member
    marm1962 wrote: »
    I say if your not hungry then don't eat...isn't that how most of us got overweight to begin with? At least it was and is for me.

    That is very true. I guess I will just eat a little bit just in case :p
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    It is easy to add a few calories if you eat nutrient-dense foods like dried fruit, cheese, oils, a few grams of nuts.
  • 2011rocket3touring
    2011rocket3touring Posts: 1,346 Member
    Your English is fantastic.
    If you need to make your calorie goal don't go for junk food instead go for high caloric nutritionally dense foods such as peanut butter banana and quinoa.
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