1200 Calories!!!!

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stephi_00
stephi_00 Posts: 8 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I plugged in all of my data in myfitnesspal and it has given me 1200 calories.
I am 36 year old female. 5'7" and weigh 218. So you can imagine the calories I was eating before.
Anybody have any insight into calorie intake? Should I bump it up in the beginning and slowly decrease? Cause ya'll, I am HAWNGRY!!!
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Replies

  • girlinahat
    girlinahat Posts: 2,956 Member
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    try this calculator to get some ideas on what to set your goal to, as MFP tends to throw out 1200 as standard.

    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

    If you are hungry then the chances of sticking to any weight loss programme are slim. Maybe start by logging your NORMAL daily diet for a week or so to see what you've been eating so far, which can be a bit of an eye-opener.

    Most people will struggle on 1200 calories in my opinion. You'd probably find you could eat 1500 calories, not be hungry, and lose weight happily.
  • CBooth5033
    CBooth5033 Posts: 11 Member
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    I started out with about the same stats. I put in .5 lbs a week and I can have almost 1800 calories and lose weight. I do supplement with exercise, but I found I wasn't so hungry with that amount of food and I was consistently losing. I would struggle with 1200 a day. I want this to be something I can do for the rest of my life so I figure slow and steady wins the race.
  • stephi_00
    stephi_00 Posts: 8 Member
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    Thanks guys. Yes, I don't see how I can keep doing this if I'm not feeling satisfied. AND I've been walking, starting out slow, but I know soon I'll be walking 3 miles a day. Thanks for the input. I'm going to increase to 1500 and see how it goes.
  • TheLegendaryBrandonHarris
    TheLegendaryBrandonHarris Posts: 502 Member
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    It may be setting your daily goal at 1200 calories per day because you selected to lose 2 pounds per week.
  • Yourkindagirl
    Yourkindagirl Posts: 100 Member
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    http://www.fat2fittools.com/tools/bmr/
    I usually use this tool to start with. I think it is a better tool than MFP.
  • johnnylakis
    johnnylakis Posts: 812 Member
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    It's amazing when you realize how many calories are in processed food and restaurant food. 1,200 is what I was at when I started MFP. I would wake up hungry, I would go to bed hungry. It was hell but it was so worth it.
  • bmsowers
    bmsowers Posts: 3 Member
    edited August 2016
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    Stephi: I wouldn't think that low of calories would be healthy for you at this time. I am doing macros for fat loss, and at my lowest stage of calorie intake (to lose weight) is 1370. I am 42 years old, currently weigh 125 and am 5'7". I have lost about 25 lbs in the last 4 months - and have been completely satisfied with my food intake (started at 1500 calories, then to 1400 ish, now at 1370). Have you looked into macros? The idea is to eat the max amount of food (divided by carbs/fat/protein) for fat loss, muscle gains, and at some point - hopefully maintenance. I am a former yo-yo weight loser, Weight Watchers (successfully lost 65 lbs and then regained 30 when I went back to eating above 1000 calories). Good luck, which ever way you go - just don't go hangry!!
  • VikkiC31
    VikkiC31 Posts: 1 Member
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    girlinahat wrote: »
    try this calculator to get some ideas on what to set your goal to, as MFP tends to throw out 1200 as standard.

    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

    If you are hungry then the chances of sticking to any weight loss programme are slim. Maybe start by logging your NORMAL daily diet for a week or so to see what you've been eating so far, which can be a bit of an eye-opener.

    Most people will struggle on 1200 calories in my opinion. You'd probably find you could eat 1500 calories, not be hungry, and lose weight happily.

    I'm SO confused!!! Maybe you can help?

    I've been eating around 1200 calories a day for about 4 weeks now, and exercising at least 2-3 times a week (combination of speed walking, elliptical machine, light weights and some jogging). I've been ill for a really long time so I'm pretty new to the exercising aspect but I'm lost. I'm 5 foot 5, 9 stone 4 and a UK size 12. I CANNOT seem to get any thinner and it's driving me insane!!!! I'm not one of these 'secret eaters'. I know exactly what I eat and when and yes, I've had slips where I've had a slice of cake or whatever but I always slim my portion sizes or the food itself so I am at least less than 10 over my calorie limit for the day (exception being a meal out a couple of weeks ago).

    Now, I've had a look at that calorie calculator thing and it's telling me that actually, I'm eating way fewer calories every day than I should be...so why the hell am I not getting any thinner???

    Example day:
    Breakfast - 1 scrambled egg on 1 slice Genius Toastie loaf (I'm a coeliac)
    Lunch - chia pudding with homemade mango ice cream (1 cup frozen mango and just enough milk to cream it) and homemade nutty granola
    Dinner - 1/4 roasted aubergine, 1/2 roasted small courgette, 1/2 roasted pepper, 1 Quorn fillet and a small amount of cheese, in a BFree wrap, with sweet potato wedges.

    Am I still somehow eating too much??
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    edited August 2016
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    Also keep in mind MFP gives you calories before exercise. If you know your exercise will be consistent just use a TDEE calculator like the one @girlinahat suggested. TDEE is your (gross) maintenance including exercise, then you just subtract a percentage from that.

    MFP would expect you to log exercise & earn bonus calories......2 different tools. MFP is great if your exercise is inconsistent.

    Either way, the most important thing is to stick to a diet. Just find something that you can live with for awhile.
  • Joanna2012B
    Joanna2012B Posts: 1,448 Member
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    I started at 1200 calories and was so unhappy because I was hungry all the time. I have set my calories higher twice now and have found a number that I am happy with and still lose. It will all depend on you, so I say go a bit higher until you find the right balance.
  • cross2bear
    cross2bear Posts: 1,106 Member
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    I guess I am an outlier - I have been on 1200 cals since March with no problems at all - I do a sort of IF because I cant do breakfast other than coffee, so I end up having two meals and a nighttime snack. Sometimes its easier to manage 1200 cals in two big meals rather than spreading them farther apart during the day. It certainly is for me. In fact, 99% of the time, I come in around 1050 a day. I am almost 60 yrs old, 5'6" and still have a way to go, but have lost 98lbs since October 2015.
  • leanjogreen18
    leanjogreen18 Posts: 2,492 Member
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    I'm averaging 1200 calories a day and walking between 2-3 miles 4x a week. For me protein, fiber and full fat is what helps me stay full. I do not eat back my exercise calories, however I use them when I go over occasionally.

    I've also noticed if I don't eat an I between meal snack I'm hungrier.

    You've got this.
  • firef1y72
    firef1y72 Posts: 1,579 Member
    edited August 2016
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    I couldn't imagine only eating 1200 Calories a day. I'm 5'1", 198lb and eat anywhere from 2000-2500 Calories a day, although I have to admit that I'm very active walking around 15.5km (25000 steps) a day plus strength training x2/week.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    VikkiC31 wrote: »
    girlinahat wrote: »
    try this calculator to get some ideas on what to set your goal to, as MFP tends to throw out 1200 as standard.

    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

    If you are hungry then the chances of sticking to any weight loss programme are slim. Maybe start by logging your NORMAL daily diet for a week or so to see what you've been eating so far, which can be a bit of an eye-opener.

    Most people will struggle on 1200 calories in my opinion. You'd probably find you could eat 1500 calories, not be hungry, and lose weight happily.

    I'm SO confused!!! Maybe you can help?

    I've been eating around 1200 calories a day for about 4 weeks now, and exercising at least 2-3 times a week (combination of speed walking, elliptical machine, light weights and some jogging). I've been ill for a really long time so I'm pretty new to the exercising aspect but I'm lost. I'm 5 foot 5, 9 stone 4 and a UK size 12. I CANNOT seem to get any thinner and it's driving me insane!!!! I'm not one of these 'secret eaters'. I know exactly what I eat and when and yes, I've had slips where I've had a slice of cake or whatever but I always slim my portion sizes or the food itself so I am at least less than 10 over my calorie limit for the day (exception being a meal out a couple of weeks ago).

    Now, I've had a look at that calorie calculator thing and it's telling me that actually, I'm eating way fewer calories every day than I should be...so why the hell am I not getting any thinner???

    Example day:
    Breakfast - 1 scrambled egg on 1 slice Genius Toastie loaf (I'm a coeliac)
    Lunch - chia pudding with homemade mango ice cream (1 cup frozen mango and just enough milk to cream it) and homemade nutty granola
    Dinner - 1/4 roasted aubergine, 1/2 roasted small courgette, 1/2 roasted pepper, 1 Quorn fillet and a small amount of cheese, in a BFree wrap, with sweet potato wedges.

    Am I still somehow eating too much??

    please start your own thread as to not confuse response to your question with OP's question.

  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,484 Member
    edited August 2016
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    cross2bear wrote: »
    I guess I am an outlier - I have been on 1200 cals since March with no problems at all - I do a sort of IF because I cant do breakfast other than coffee, so I end up having two meals and a nighttime snack. Sometimes its easier to manage 1200 cals in two big meals rather than spreading them farther apart during the day. It certainly is for me. In fact, 99% of the time, I come in around 1050 a day. I am almost 60 yrs old, 5'6" and still have a way to go, but have lost 98lbs since October 2015.

    Please eat at least 1200 a day, and plenty of protien.
    You may be losing faster at a lower than advised calorie input but, at your age especially, you are losing more muscle than needed.

    If you can incorporate some kind of strength training for muscle and bone health, cardio for heart health. Eat back at least 50% of those calories.

    Read the article below.

    https://www.iofbonehealth.org/preventing-sarcopenia

    Sorry for the detour OP.

    Cheers, h.
  • heatherheyns
    heatherheyns Posts: 144 Member
    Options
    You get a calorie count based on the information you put it. If you tell it you are a sedentary women, especially short, and you want to lose two weeks, you will get corresponding calories. The options then are to exercise to earn calories or reduce your per weigh weight loss expectations. I don't think the numbers are off that much, it is more an issue of people having high expectations of weekly weight loss, and also people not eating exercise calories back.

    If you are hungry, consider lowering your weekly goal. Also, see what you are losing. If you are losing what you expect over the course of a month or so, you can see the numbers are correct even if you choose to change them.
  • kmsnyg
    kmsnyg Posts: 100 Member
    edited August 2016
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    I've lost almost 60 lbs eating 1200 calories a day and I'm quite comfortable with that amount of food. Granted, I am still relatively sedentary and haven't started workouts besides trying to increase the number of steps I take. I try to keep my carbs less than 100g, and eat more protein and fat and I really don't have a lot of hunger.

    The other thing I've started to do (and I realize this doesn't work for everyone) is I now limit in between meal snacks. I found that I was hungrier when I ate 6 times a day, so now I only eat a small breakfast, bigger lunch and dinners and a snack before bed. I think about food much less this way, and I'm really don't get hangry.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,013 Member
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    1. If you are set to lose 2 lbs per week, change it to 1 lb, eat more calories, and lose in a less aggressive manner.
    2. Your calorie goal is for if you do not do any exercise, MFP expects you to log your exercise and eat some of those calories back.
  • IllustratedxGirl
    IllustratedxGirl Posts: 240 Member
    Options
    eating 1200 calories consistently would drive me mad
  • andream1976
    andream1976 Posts: 77 Member
    Options
    VikkiC31 wrote: »
    girlinahat wrote: »
    try this calculator to get some ideas on what to set your goal to, as MFP tends to throw out 1200 as standard.

    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

    If you are hungry then the chances of sticking to any weight loss programme are slim. Maybe start by logging your NORMAL daily diet for a week or so to see what you've been eating so far, which can be a bit of an eye-opener.

    Most people will struggle on 1200 calories in my opinion. You'd probably find you could eat 1500 calories, not be hungry, and lose weight happily.

    I'm SO confused!!! Maybe you can help?

    I've been eating around 1200 calories a day for about 4 weeks now, and exercising at least 2-3 times a week (combination of speed walking, elliptical machine, light weights and some jogging). I've been ill for a really long time so I'm pretty new to the exercising aspect but I'm lost. I'm 5 foot 5, 9 stone 4 and a UK size 12. I CANNOT seem to get any thinner and it's driving me insane!!!! I'm not one of these 'secret eaters'. I know exactly what I eat and when and yes, I've had slips where I've had a slice of cake or whatever but I always slim my portion sizes or the food itself so I am at least less than 10 over my calorie limit for the day (exception being a meal out a couple of weeks ago).

    Now, I've had a look at that calorie calculator thing and it's telling me that actually, I'm eating way fewer calories every day than I should be...so why the hell am I not getting any thinner???

    Example day:
    Breakfast - 1 scrambled egg on 1 slice Genius Toastie loaf (I'm a coeliac)
    Lunch - chia pudding with homemade mango ice cream (1 cup frozen mango and just enough milk to cream it) and homemade nutty granola
    Dinner - 1/4 roasted aubergine, 1/2 roasted small courgette, 1/2 roasted pepper, 1 Quorn fillet and a small amount of cheese, in a BFree wrap, with sweet potato wedges.

    Am I still somehow eating too much??

    I think you're eating too little. Your body needs more fuel to keep your workouts going. If you are going to exercise even those 3 days a week you will need to eat a bit more on those days to compensate for the workouts. Also make sure you are measuring your portions correctly. It's a real eye opener when you see what a portion size LOOKS Like versus what YOU THOUGHT it should look like. ;) Good Luck! It's certainly a journey.


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