Has anyone increased their calories from 1200 to 1400?

st476
st476 Posts: 357 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
How did your weight loss change?

I'm 5'4 and 140 pounds (started at 150) and I jog/walk using the C25K app for 45-60 minutes, 3x/week. I'm trying to get down to 120 pounds.

I feel like sometimes I'm too hungry on 1200 calories, and it's probably too aggressive. I'm considering increasing it to 1400 calories, but I'm a little nervous

Replies

  • JustMissTracy
    JustMissTracy Posts: 6,338 Member
    Hey there! I'm almost 47 years old, am 5'3, and I was 138 last August, am now down to 120 lbs today. When I started my goal was 1200, and yes I lost weight, but I was miserable. I quickly upped my calories to 1460, and CONTINUED to lose weight. I'm in maintenance now, eating close to 1500 a day most days, sometimes more, AND STILL LOSING.
  • fr33sia12
    fr33sia12 Posts: 1,258 Member
    JustMissTracy wrote: »
    Hey there! I'm almost 47 years old, am 5'3, and I was 138 last August, am now down to 120 lbs today. When I started my goal was 1200, and yes I lost weight, but I was miserable. I quickly upped my calories to 1460, and CONTINUED to lose weight. I'm in maintenance now, eating close to 1500 a day most days, sometimes more, AND STILL LOSING.

    You can't be in maintenance if you're still losing can you?
  • fr33sia12
    fr33sia12 Posts: 1,258 Member
    st476 wrote: »
    How did your weight loss change?

    I'm 5'4 and 140 pounds (started at 150) and I jog/walk using the C25K app for 45-60 minutes, 3x/week. I'm trying to get down to 120 pounds.

    I feel like sometimes I'm too hungry on 1200 calories, and it's probably too aggressive. I'm considering increasing it to 1400 calories, but I'm a little nervous

    I eat 1200 calories a day, unless I exercise then I eat more. So I'd say eat more when you exercise, that's probably why you're hungry.
  • beautifulwarrior18
    beautifulwarrior18 Posts: 914 Member
    Are you eating your exercise back? If you're not calculating your deficit via tdee you should eat your exercise back.
  • JustMissTracy
    JustMissTracy Posts: 6,338 Member
    LOL..That's what I say too...let me clarify...I SHOULD be in maintenance, am TRYING not to lose any more weight, but they keep coming off! Logically, I should eat probably eat back all my exercise calories each day, but after years of counting and depriving myself, NOT losing is harder than it seems!
  • commanderval
    commanderval Posts: 187 Member
    edited June 2016
    I try to stay at 1600 cals on the days I don't do anything but lay on the couch, on days I work out (4-5 times a week) I can eat 2000 cals and over and I still lose ;) (I'm on a plant based/vegan diet).
  • TangledThread
    TangledThread Posts: 312 Member
    I had the same stats starting at 151 lbs doing the same workout plus walking an hour every day. Going from 1200 to 1480 my loss went from a pound every 5 days to .8 a week. Totally worth it. I feel better and it's easer. I'm 127 lbs now headed to 123 lbs.
  • sllm1
    sllm1 Posts: 2,130 Member
    I eat 1800 a day on average and with my activity level, I still lose weight. There's no need to starve yourself. Then you'll likely throw your hands in the air and say, "Forget it," and be right back where you started. Give yourself enough fuel.

    If I were you, I would definitely increase to 1400. Personally, I could not function on 1200 calories per day.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    How about gradually increasing your intake? 50 calories a day until you stop losing.
  • shancourcy16
    shancourcy16 Posts: 49 Member
    edited June 2016
    We have almost the same stats! I am 5'4 currently at 135-138 and trying to get back to 120, I also found 1200 to be too low on most days. Just the other day I have increased to 1410 and it has made a difference. Also make sure you eat back 25-50% of your exercise calories it makes it much easier! I was loosing a little over 2lbs a week which was great.. but I know it was too much and not sustainable for much longer. I expect to lose a little over 1lb still a week.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,630 Member
    I spent my first 16 weeks here netting 1250 cal ... lost 15 kg.

    Took 1 month off.

    I spent the next 16 weeks here netting 1350 cal ... lost an additional 11 kg.

    I wanted to slow the weight loss down a touch ... and I wanted to eat a little bit more.

    I'm netting 1350 now too.
  • treegirl97
    treegirl97 Posts: 70 Member
    I am also 5'4" and 130 lbs. I'm trying to get down to 120. My calories are 1290 but I generally get 500-600 exercise calories every day (mainly Fitbit transfer). I eat between 1500 and 1600 every day and generally feel pretty satisfied and I've been losing. I could not survive on 1200 calories. I would be constantly hungry.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    I never ate less than 1650.

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