1200 calories.. too little?? help!

cheri822
cheri822 Posts: 62 Member
edited September 19 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone!
I've started back on my diet on Monday January 5th and the first week I didn't use this calorie tracker and I exercised Mon-Fri for about 30 min each day and I lost 4 pounds. The second week I used the calorie tracker and it gave me 1200 calories, I weigh 210 now (if this matters). So I've been staying within my calorie count and I've exercised Mon-Sun 30-50min per day and I only lost 1lb, but the whole second week I felt extremely hungry but couldnt eat because my calories were used up. I feel like 1200 may be too low for me and my body is starving so its now holding onto weight.

Should I intake more calories? My mom's been on a diet for over a year and she says I need to take in more, around 1500.

Please help!

Replies

  • cheri822
    cheri822 Posts: 62 Member
    Hi everyone!
    I've started back on my diet on Monday January 5th and the first week I didn't use this calorie tracker and I exercised Mon-Fri for about 30 min each day and I lost 4 pounds. The second week I used the calorie tracker and it gave me 1200 calories, I weigh 210 now (if this matters). So I've been staying within my calorie count and I've exercised Mon-Sun 30-50min per day and I only lost 1lb, but the whole second week I felt extremely hungry but couldnt eat because my calories were used up. I feel like 1200 may be too low for me and my body is starving so its now holding onto weight.

    Should I intake more calories? My mom's been on a diet for over a year and she says I need to take in more, around 1500.

    Please help!
  • AmandaJ
    AmandaJ Posts: 1,950 Member
    I think 1200 is too low also, did you check your goals and is it set at 1 lb per week, which I believe is what this site recommends. Are you eating your exercise calories, that is extremely important. Also are you drinking your water, that is a big one.

    I believe your settings are wrong, because my calories were set at 1400 until I changed them. :smile:
  • cheri822
    cheri822 Posts: 62 Member
    I put 2lbs per week.
    I do eat my exercise calories and all I drink is water. I think my body may have gone into starvation mode or something, I was extremely hungry most of last week and I couldnt eat anything because I had already used up the calories.
  • ChubbyBunny
    ChubbyBunny Posts: 3,523 Member
    It MAY be too low...
    It depends on what your goals are... if you put 2 lbs a week it's going to go really low.
    Also, are you eating ANY of your exercise calories? That could be a huge reason why you are hungry and why your weight loss is slowing.

    I was set at 1200 and upped mine to 1500 (just slightly below BMR for me). Then I started losing (without even working out).
  • jakspak
    jakspak Posts: 260 Member
    there are alot of posts in here to read on that i think are in the sticky notes at the top. for me im on 1200 now although was higher when i was heavier but at first i felt hungry then i changed what i was eating for those calories like fruit was great and is great i can eat heaps of certain fruit and man is it filling and better for me. you need to loose a little over time than a lot id say 4pounds is abit too much to be loosing each week by what i have read on here and talked with doctors around . it is a slow process but you need to do it healthy or you fail at the other end. oh that reminds me i better have breakfast lol
  • cherapple
    cherapple Posts: 670 Member
    Just about everyone needs more than 1200 calories per day, IMO. That's a level for only the extremely sedentary or the very small. I ate at 1200 for several months and it was nothing but frustration. Nothing budged on my body in either direction. Over the last few weeks, I've slowly increased my base level to 1550 and my body is getting leaner and I feel better. I had to manually alter the numbers because MFP wasn't giving me enough calories. Just make sure the calorie increase is filled with healthy, whole foods. It was scary to eat more at first, but now that I'm doing it, there's no turning back! :happy:
  • strawberryblonde1
    strawberryblonde1 Posts: 105
    what probably happened is the first week you lost mostly water weight.... so the following weeks your weight loss will naturally be slower 1-2lbs per week, even less or a gain here and there. (the body can fluctuate greatly during one day alone!) although I don;t think your body has gone into starvation mode I would think 1200 calories is too low, I eat about 1400 per day and have a goal of 1lb per week... anyways congrats on the loss... keep up the good work!:flowerforyou:
  • DETERMINED2Drop
    DETERMINED2Drop Posts: 285 Member
    I'm at 1,200 calories and it works for me, but every single person is different!

    -Make sure to eat your exercise calories.
    -You wont be dropping 4 pounds every week.
    -Take measurements as well.
    -Find foods that do fill you up, don't eat empty calories.
  • AJCM
    AJCM Posts: 2,169 Member
    Just some fun math for interest sake....
    (numbers are approximate)

    For example:
    Calories Burned Daily (210 lbs x 12) 2520 + Calories burned at the gym 480 = 3000

    To create a deficit of 1000 a day you would be eating 2000 calories!!!!!!!!!

    1200 seems WAY to little! Unless of course you are feeling well eating that little, but if you are cranky and lethargic and out of calories after lunch, up those calories!

    Good luck!
    :flowerforyou:
  • mommachag
    mommachag Posts: 318
    it could be that it's too little. have you checked your BMR?

    it could also be the food choices your making? there are a lot of great foods that are super low on calories like fruits and veggies. I'm not saying that is your problem just a suggestion. I have a sweet tooth and tend to spend far too many calories on sweet treats and then end up hungry. but now that I have limited that it isn't so bad...most of the time.

    what kind of stuff are you eating? are you having lean protein and good carbs at every meal? i broke it down to 6 meals a day and it seems to really be working for me.
  • amunet07
    amunet07 Posts: 1,245 Member
    That is a big one for me. I started @ 156 lbs @ 5'2" and my calorie goal is set @ 1200 (I have a desk job)

    I broke my calories into six meals also. I try to eat a balance of high protein and some carbs. The lost of little meals spaced out 2.5-3 hrs apart and high protein helps me.
  • Photoartist2
    Photoartist2 Posts: 5 Member
    I always check my goals and then if I get calories added due to exercise I go by that. You don't have to eat all the calories you earn from exercise. For instance my daily caloric intake goal is 1440 but if I exercise I get more calories. I think if you were in the 200's like you say are go to your settings and type that in and then set your desired weight then it will reset your goals which I doubt will be 1200 calories of intake. As when I was heavier it gave me more calories. I used to be in the high 160 to low 170 and it gave me 1580 calories. If I wanted more calories I had to exercise to get them.. I am now in the mid to high 150 and I still get 1440 I believe it is and to earn more I must exercise but eating a balance diet is also very important to keep the hungries away. Empy caloric foods won't last long. So check your setting and see if it will give you more calories. Also making the goal small might help like plan on losing 5 pound then reset the goal then do it again. Make it like baby steps an most importantly find a exercise you enjoy and that should help. I hope you find this helpful but I do agree with the previous post that 1200 calorie just starting out is way to low unless you are already light weight. Hope this helps.:happy:
  • cheri822
    cheri822 Posts: 62 Member
    Just some fun math for interest sake....
    (numbers are approximate)

    For example:
    Calories Burned Daily (210 lbs x 12) 2520 + Calories burned at the gym 480 = 3000

    To create a deficit of 1000 a day you would be eating 2000 calories!!!!!!!!!

    1200 seems WAY to little! Unless of course you are feeling well eating that little, but if you are cranky and lethargic and out of calories after lunch, up those calories!

    Good luck!
    :flowerforyou:


    I am very cranky!! haha I feel very bad for my boyfriend since he has to deal with it.
  • AJCM
    AJCM Posts: 2,169 Member
    Just some fun math for interest sake....
    (numbers are approximate)

    For example:
    Calories Burned Daily (210 lbs x 12) 2520 + Calories burned at the gym 480 = 3000

    To create a deficit of 1000 a day you would be eating 2000 calories!!!!!!!!!

    1200 seems WAY to little! Unless of course you are feeling well eating that little, but if you are cranky and lethargic and out of calories after lunch, up those calories!

    Good luck!
    :flowerforyou:


    I am very cranky!! haha I feel very bad for my boyfriend since he has to deal with it.

    Oh yeah - then UP those calories!!! Another good baraometer is if you are feeling constantly tired or cold - then you have to up them again!

    Good luck!
    :flowerforyou:
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