Come on, mfp. 1200?
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CurlyCockney wrote: »As my weight has gone down, MFP has lowered my calorie allowance. Now, with 40lb left to go I'm on 1290. Just seeing that my target is below 1300 has played a game with my mind that resulted in a big "FU MFP" and I stopped weighing and logging for a week or so and made some dubious food choices.
I'm not really sure if any of this is relevant to this thread TBH, but I needed to write it out to acknowledge to both myself and the supportive people here that it happened and I'm aware of it. Next step is to change it ;-)
And now, back to your regular schedule...
what is your weekly weight loss goal at?
That and you age/height/current weight is what determines calorie allowance.0 -
CurlyCockney wrote: »As my weight has gone down, MFP has lowered my calorie allowance. Now, with 40lb left to go I'm on 1290. Just seeing that my target is below 1300 has played a game with my mind that resulted in a big "FU MFP" and I stopped weighing and logging for a week or so and made some dubious food choices.
I'm not really sure if any of this is relevant to this thread TBH, but I needed to write it out to acknowledge to both myself and the supportive people here that it happened and I'm aware of it. Next step is to change it ;-)
And now, back to your regular schedule...
what is your weekly weight loss goal at?
That and you age/height/current weight is what determines calorie allowance.
Goal is set to 1lb per week. I'm 58/5ft5/13st 5lb (187lb). I'm sure the amount is correct, I just got disheartened because I can't exercise to get more calories. I've just got to knuckle down and accept what it is (I'm getting there!)
Edited because I'm rubbish at maths.
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CurlyCockney wrote: »CurlyCockney wrote: »As my weight has gone down, MFP has lowered my calorie allowance. Now, with 40lb left to go I'm on 1290. Just seeing that my target is below 1300 has played a game with my mind that resulted in a big "FU MFP" and I stopped weighing and logging for a week or so and made some dubious food choices.
I'm not really sure if any of this is relevant to this thread TBH, but I needed to write it out to acknowledge to both myself and the supportive people here that it happened and I'm aware of it. Next step is to change it ;-)
And now, back to your regular schedule...
what is your weekly weight loss goal at?
That and you age/height/current weight is what determines calorie allowance.
Goal is set to 1lb per week. I'm 58/5ft5/13st 5lb (187lb). I'm sure the amount is correct, I just got disheartened because I can't exercise to get more calories. I've just got to knuckle down and accept what it is (I'm getting there!)
Edited because I'm rubbish at maths.
only thing you can do is lower it to 1/2lb or do what you said and "accept" it.
It's too bad no exercise but just moving a bit more can help that out too...good luck.
Remember too that protein and fibre rich foods keep you feeling fuller longer...3 -
No- I just know because I've been tracking my calories so long. It's not really a problem- I've adjusted my intake and have maintained my target weight for almost a year now. It may have something to do with being part native american.
Aww...now I feel like a freak of nature for having a low metabolism relative to other people. I don't think I have a medical condition but my mother seems to have it too so it may be genetic.
Hmm... If you mean +/- 300 calories a day that seems like a big variance. For setting a weight loss goal, it would be best to know within ~100 calories what your actual burn rate is.Just wanted to comment a little on the main subject.
Metabolism can vary dramatically from person to person. It's a good idea to set your own goal based on your actual experience once you have been tracking and dieting awhile. The calculators are just a place to start.
In my own experience, I need about 1500 calories to maintain and to lose my calories need to stay below 1300. That's below what the calculators would suggest but I've done this long enough that I know what works.
OP, just focus on something sustainable while you figure out what goal will work for you.
It can vary dramatically, but one of the veteran posters around here who knows his stuff has posted in several threads like this that studies show that over 90% people only have a variance within a range of +/-300. That's really not too much, honestly.
not really as that variance is based on people being exceptionally short or tall etc.
You take people of the same age, height, weight and their BMR will most likely be almost the same unless there is a medical condition...so if it does vary it's due to age, height and weight typically not anything magical or special.
I'm dreading what it is going to be like after menopause...
Have you had your metabolism tested? Also, do you weigh your food on a food scale?
As far as weighing food- I did when I started counting calories a couple years ago. Now, I feel I can eyeball things pretty well.
I'll just respond to this by saying that I think your metabolism is not as slow as you feel it is. Unless I'm missing something, I don't see what being part Native American has to do with any of it. You're not a freak of nature when you haven't measured your food properly. Many eyeballers suffer from something called calorie creep. Besides, it is highly improbable that any human being has the capacity to eyeball a portion with precision every single time. I hope I don't sound harsh or anything, because I'm not trying to berate you. I just want people to understand that usually it's not their metabolism and their TDEEs are higher than they would assume if they try to keep their data as accurate as humanly possible.1 -
Thanks Stef, support is really appreciated. I did think of lowering it to .5lb but I'll try again and keep that as an option for when the allowance decreases again. I don't actually get hunger or full signals due to nerve damage, so theoretically it should be easier for me to do this - I've just got to stop thinking about how little my allowance will be when I lose more weight! I have to be careful with fibre, but I have what I can and plenty of protein too.
I don't know how many calories I'll burn by sucking it up, but let's hope it's a lot ;-)4 -
CurlyCockney wrote: »CurlyCockney wrote: »As my weight has gone down, MFP has lowered my calorie allowance. Now, with 40lb left to go I'm on 1290. Just seeing that my target is below 1300 has played a game with my mind that resulted in a big "FU MFP" and I stopped weighing and logging for a week or so and made some dubious food choices.
I'm not really sure if any of this is relevant to this thread TBH, but I needed to write it out to acknowledge to both myself and the supportive people here that it happened and I'm aware of it. Next step is to change it ;-)
And now, back to your regular schedule...
what is your weekly weight loss goal at?
That and you age/height/current weight is what determines calorie allowance.
Goal is set to 1lb per week. I'm 58/5ft5/13st 5lb (187lb). I'm sure the amount is correct, I just got disheartened because I can't exercise to get more calories. I've just got to knuckle down and accept what it is (I'm getting there!)
Edited because I'm rubbish at maths.
Yeah, it may sound low, but that's the beauty of MFP. You could be on a 1200 calorie diet but be eating 2000 calories. When I say I lose eating 2000 calories a day, I'm actually netting somewhere around 1200-1800 calories depending on my activity that day (I'm still pretty fat so even netting 1800 with almost no exercise is 1/2 a pound a week for me).
The way I personally do my calories: what MFP gives me is just rough guideline. I just eat to satisfaction and as long as what I eat does not go over maintenance I'm fine with it. Some days I do just maintain, but sometimes i simply don't feel like eating so the low calorie days make up for the high. I do watch my choices taking care to favor high satisfaction to calorie foods but I'm not overly concerned about exact numbers.1 -
amusedmonkey wrote: »CurlyCockney wrote: »CurlyCockney wrote: »As my weight has gone down, MFP has lowered my calorie allowance. Now, with 40lb left to go I'm on 1290. Just seeing that my target is below 1300 has played a game with my mind that resulted in a big "FU MFP" and I stopped weighing and logging for a week or so and made some dubious food choices.
I'm not really sure if any of this is relevant to this thread TBH, but I needed to write it out to acknowledge to both myself and the supportive people here that it happened and I'm aware of it. Next step is to change it ;-)
And now, back to your regular schedule...
what is your weekly weight loss goal at?
That and you age/height/current weight is what determines calorie allowance.
Goal is set to 1lb per week. I'm 58/5ft5/13st 5lb (187lb). I'm sure the amount is correct, I just got disheartened because I can't exercise to get more calories. I've just got to knuckle down and accept what it is (I'm getting there!)
Edited because I'm rubbish at maths.
Yeah, it may sound low, but that's the beauty of MFP. You could be on a 1200 calorie diet but be eating 2000 calories. When I say I lose eating 2000 calories a day, I'm actually netting somewhere around 1200-1800 calories depending on my activity that day (I'm still pretty fat so even netting 1800 with almost no exercise is 1/2 a pound a week for me).
The way I personally do my calories: what MFP gives me is just rough guideline. I just eat to satisfaction and as long as what I eat does not go over maintenance I'm fine with it. Some days I do just maintain, but sometimes i simply don't feel like eating so the low calorie days make up for the high. I do watch my choices taking care to favor high satisfaction to calorie foods but I'm not overly concerned about exact numbers.
What I eat is pretty much my net (disabled and an electric wheelchair user). Some days I get 400 steps, but usually it's about 200. I know MFP works for me as it has already, there's just a teenage part of my brain that's rebelling LOL!
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CurlyCockney wrote: »amusedmonkey wrote: »CurlyCockney wrote: »CurlyCockney wrote: »As my weight has gone down, MFP has lowered my calorie allowance. Now, with 40lb left to go I'm on 1290. Just seeing that my target is below 1300 has played a game with my mind that resulted in a big "FU MFP" and I stopped weighing and logging for a week or so and made some dubious food choices.
I'm not really sure if any of this is relevant to this thread TBH, but I needed to write it out to acknowledge to both myself and the supportive people here that it happened and I'm aware of it. Next step is to change it ;-)
And now, back to your regular schedule...
what is your weekly weight loss goal at?
That and you age/height/current weight is what determines calorie allowance.
Goal is set to 1lb per week. I'm 58/5ft5/13st 5lb (187lb). I'm sure the amount is correct, I just got disheartened because I can't exercise to get more calories. I've just got to knuckle down and accept what it is (I'm getting there!)
Edited because I'm rubbish at maths.
Yeah, it may sound low, but that's the beauty of MFP. You could be on a 1200 calorie diet but be eating 2000 calories. When I say I lose eating 2000 calories a day, I'm actually netting somewhere around 1200-1800 calories depending on my activity that day (I'm still pretty fat so even netting 1800 with almost no exercise is 1/2 a pound a week for me).
The way I personally do my calories: what MFP gives me is just rough guideline. I just eat to satisfaction and as long as what I eat does not go over maintenance I'm fine with it. Some days I do just maintain, but sometimes i simply don't feel like eating so the low calorie days make up for the high. I do watch my choices taking care to favor high satisfaction to calorie foods but I'm not overly concerned about exact numbers.
What I eat is pretty much my net (disabled and an electric wheelchair user). Some days I get 400 steps, but usually it's about 200. I know MFP works for me as it has already, there's just a teenage part of my brain that's rebelling LOL!
Yeah, I understand. I have that teenage rebel too. I'm "part time disabled" so I also understand how the lack of activity makes the numbers look miniscule and you want to throw a tantrum. I actually use intermittent every other day fasting when I'm bedridden just stop panicking looking at the "calories left" part at least every other day. Yep, I feel you.1 -
thedodgeruk wrote: »katandwaves wrote: »Why does myfitnesspal suggest 1,200 calories a day? I am 5'8, about 190 pounds. I work full time so I'm at a desk all day. I'm doing about 3+ days a week of spinning/elliptical.
Any suggestions on what my calorie goal should be?
male 5'9 166 pounds, full time computer programmer , 5 days a week doing weights and i do between 1200 and 1300 a day , its dead easy
I agree, that 1200 a day calories and exercise is not hard, I'm not starving, I'm not exhausted. And for me it's short term. I really think people overreact about things like this. If I was feeling really crappy and starving, and what not, I'd understand.
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thedodgeruk wrote: »katandwaves wrote: »Why does myfitnesspal suggest 1,200 calories a day? I am 5'8, about 190 pounds. I work full time so I'm at a desk all day. I'm doing about 3+ days a week of spinning/elliptical.
Any suggestions on what my calorie goal should be?
male 5'9 166 pounds, full time computer programmer , 5 days a week doing weights and i do between 1200 and 1300 a day , its dead easy
What exactly are you trying to accomplish body wise by doing weights five days per week while eating so little? You're sure as heck not going to build muscle that way.
I have to wonder if people who claim eating 1200 is easy are actually weighing all their food. The odds are that they're not and the "dead easy" 1200 is more like 1500+.
I weigh food. But I don't eat exercise calories back to give me a buffer if I log anything wrong.0 -
lexylondon wrote: »thedodgeruk wrote: »katandwaves wrote: »Why does myfitnesspal suggest 1,200 calories a day? I am 5'8, about 190 pounds. I work full time so I'm at a desk all day. I'm doing about 3+ days a week of spinning/elliptical.
Any suggestions on what my calorie goal should be?
male 5'9 166 pounds, full time computer programmer , 5 days a week doing weights and i do between 1200 and 1300 a day , its dead easy
I agree, that 1200 a day calories and exercise is not hard, I'm not starving, I'm not exhausted. And for me it's short term. I really think people overreact about things like this. If I was feeling really crappy and starving, and what not, I'd understand.
The majority of us want people to know that you can lose weight without going as low as 1200 calories. Most people don't choose to eat 1200 calories; they think they have to do so in order to lose weight. I guess that's why it seems like people "overreact". Why would we want anyone to potentially set themselves up for failure? Besides, as I stated above, many people who swear they're eating 1200 calories per day really aren't.3 -
lexylondon wrote: »thedodgeruk wrote: »katandwaves wrote: »Why does myfitnesspal suggest 1,200 calories a day? I am 5'8, about 190 pounds. I work full time so I'm at a desk all day. I'm doing about 3+ days a week of spinning/elliptical.
Any suggestions on what my calorie goal should be?
male 5'9 166 pounds, full time computer programmer , 5 days a week doing weights and i do between 1200 and 1300 a day , its dead easy
I agree, that 1200 a day calories and exercise is not hard, I'm not starving, I'm not exhausted. And for me it's short term. I really think people overreact about things like this. If I was feeling really crappy and starving, and what not, I'd understand.
I don't feel we do overreact. If a man is eating so little food that is an issue. Yes you can get in all RDA of nutrients on 1200 but it take planning and meticulous eating.
and as a woman you might not feel bad now but if you gross 1200 you will feel it later...if you are not meticulous..
I have done the 1200 gross and exercised...it wasn't pretty...and I didn't get it until I started eating enough...and after I started eating enough I felt amazing...I thought I felt amazing but I didn't.
Then about 2 years into eating enough I got busy one day and didn't eat enough...it took me 3 days to get back to "normal"...
it's not an overreaction...it's reality.0 -
Try the calculator over at iifym.com. Be honest with the exercise estimates on that site and it'll probably set you around 1600ish if you want a 20% deficit. It'll also give you macro goals which you can set on MFP by entering the percentages it gives you for protein, fat, and carbs. I've been using that calculator for over a year and it's done wonders for me. MFP's calc is fine but it under estimates protein requirements severely if you ask me.1
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Spliner1969 wrote: »Try the calculator over at iifym.com. Be honest with the exercise estimates on that site and it'll probably set you around 1600ish if you want a 20% deficit. It'll also give you macro goals which you can set on MFP by entering the percentages it gives you for protein, fat, and carbs. I've been using that calculator for over a year and it's done wonders for me. MFP's calc is fine but it under estimates protein requirements severely if you ask me.
it gives RDA Minimum
IIFYM is still a calculation...using averages etc.
It puts my TDEE high.0 -
lexylondon wrote: »thedodgeruk wrote: »katandwaves wrote: »Why does myfitnesspal suggest 1,200 calories a day? I am 5'8, about 190 pounds. I work full time so I'm at a desk all day. I'm doing about 3+ days a week of spinning/elliptical.
Any suggestions on what my calorie goal should be?
male 5'9 166 pounds, full time computer programmer , 5 days a week doing weights and i do between 1200 and 1300 a day , its dead easy
I agree, that 1200 a day calories and exercise is not hard, I'm not starving, I'm not exhausted. And for me it's short term. I really think people overreact about things like this. If I was feeling really crappy and starving, and what not, I'd understand.
In addition to the other things that have been said, a lot of people eat 1200 without knowing/meeting their protein requirements, and they don't do resistance training. They lose weight quickly, but a good chunk of it is muscle mass. They get to their goal weight and don't understand why their body isn't what they expected it to be. Obviously that doesn't apply to several of the people eating 1200 in this thread, but I'd say fairly confidently that it applies to the majority of people at that calorie goal.4 -
lexylondon wrote: »thedodgeruk wrote: »katandwaves wrote: »Why does myfitnesspal suggest 1,200 calories a day? I am 5'8, about 190 pounds. I work full time so I'm at a desk all day. I'm doing about 3+ days a week of spinning/elliptical.
Any suggestions on what my calorie goal should be?
male 5'9 166 pounds, full time computer programmer , 5 days a week doing weights and i do between 1200 and 1300 a day , its dead easy
I agree, that 1200 a day calories and exercise is not hard, I'm not starving, I'm not exhausted. And for me it's short term. I really think people overreact about things like this. If I was feeling really crappy and starving, and what not, I'd understand.
I don't feel we do overreact. If a man is eating so little food that is an issue. Yes you can get in all RDA of nutrients on 1200 but it take planning and meticulous eating.
and as a woman you might not feel bad now but if you gross 1200 you will feel it later...if you are not meticulous..
I have done the 1200 gross and exercised...it wasn't pretty...and I didn't get it until I started eating enough...and after I started eating enough I felt amazing...I thought I felt amazing but I didn't.
Then about 2 years into eating enough I got busy one day and didn't eat enough...it took me 3 days to get back to "normal"...
it's not an overreaction...it's reality.
Well I guess my personal reality is I feel good in terms of my body and my food intake (can get a lot of chicken & salad/veges in a 1200 diet! Psychologically I feel great having lost the weight. And I guess I'll feel even better in another 7 weeks when I've reached my goal and can up my calories.
That's my reality, and not suggesting it's good for anyone else.1 -
I'm 21 yo, 5'2, and 154lbs. Mine is set to lose 1 lb a week and I only get 1200 a day but I breastfeed with is an automatic 400-500 calories burned which buys me an extra meal. I honestly have a hard time eating 1500 a day tho0
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I have had no issues with 1200 calories a day, in fact when my head is in the game I am left with 500 calories at night to find something to eat....I drink lots of water and it fills me up!
I never thought that 1200 might be too low for some people, hopefully you find what works for you!0 -
I did 1200 calories for months, I lost weight and I really wasn't hungry. I think it just depends upon the person. I can deal with it if I feel mildly hungry but for me, 1200 calories really wasn't a struggle for me.0
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Barrett9835 wrote: »I have had no issues with 1200 calories a day, in fact when my head is in the game I am left with 500 calories at night to find something to eat....I drink lots of water and it fills me up!
I never thought that 1200 might be too low for some people, hopefully you find what works for you!
Your stomach feels full, so what? I hope you don't think that lots of water (in lieu of food) is supporting existing lean muscle mass.
Google your BMR (basal metabolic rate). These are the calories your body requires for basic bodily function....heart, lungs, kidneys, etc.
1200 is a one-size-fits-all. Petite women.....sure. Elderly women.....sure. Every woman......nope.2
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