1200 calories too little?

eemonf
eemonf Posts: 23 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Im 5ft 2, 166lbs and work with kids all day. I work out 4 times a week.

I try to stick to a 1200 calorie goal but if I am hungry after that I listen to my body and eat a protein. Am I eating too little though? I just read something that said 1200 isnt healthy.

Replies

  • size102b
    size102b Posts: 1,370 Member
    Stick to 1200 calories on here then get a good hrm to track how many calories you burn on exercise not all day and eat back half exercise calories

    Or
    Find a good weightloss calculator using calories enter your activity level honestly eat those calories it gives you no exercise calories

    1200 seems too low
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
    If you are on your feet all day, you should have indicated that when determining your activity level. You should be logging the four workouts, after which MFP will add calories to your goal, so on days you work out you should be eating more than the 1200 anyway.
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,147 Member
    1200 is probably ok given that you're fairly short and not massively obese (you're on the border of overweight/obese per BMI) but that should be 1200 NET

    MFP is setup in such a way that it's designed for you to eat back your exercise calories, if you're not eating any of those back then you are netting well below 1200 calories, and that isn't healthy. If done over an extended period it can affect your body in very negative ways - hair loss, brittle nails, etc.

    If you're not too sure if your calorie burns are accurate eat 50% back initially and monitor your weight loss rate. Also make sure you have the correct activity level set, if you're on your feet quite a bit during the day you would probably be best setting yourself to Lightly Active. 1200 is the lowest calorie level and it seems likely you have yourself set as sedentary.
  • victoria_1024
    victoria_1024 Posts: 915 Member
    I'm 5'2.5" and 123 lbs. Trying to get to 120 but started at 212. I'm losing on 1450 right now and hating every second of it lol. When I was heavier I was eating closer to 1800 calories a day and losing. For me, that few calories just isn't maintainable so I never could've lost all my weight eating that little.
  • eemonf
    eemonf Posts: 23 Member
    Oh! Thank you all for your insights! I do log my workouts but I do not eat back the calories. I guess I viewed the goal as less of a goal and more of a challenge to stay under the number. I guess that will have to change!
  • crb426
    crb426 Posts: 661 Member
    eemonf wrote: »
    Oh! Thank you all for your insights! I do log my workouts but I do not eat back the calories. I guess I viewed the goal as less of a goal and more of a challenge to stay under the number. I guess that will have to change!

    Just think of it as needing a little extra fuel for those workouts. So, yes, eat more on workout days.
  • ZephieC
    ZephieC Posts: 162 Member
    Personally I do well on 1200 calories a day but each of us is different. If I were hungry all the time I wouldn't be able to sustain that kind of eating long term. It is great that you are listening to your body. That is what I would do as well. For me the 1200 calories is set to give me a 2lb/week loss but I don't worry if I go over a bit as I still lose. I use it as a guideline as opposed to a hard and fast rule. That may change as I get closer to my goal but for now I am looking for balance and enjoying the journey:)
  • perkymommy
    perkymommy Posts: 1,642 Member
    edited March 2017
    eemonf wrote: »
    Im 5ft 2, 166lbs and work with kids all day. I work out 4 times a week.

    I try to stick to a 1200 calorie goal but if I am hungry after that I listen to my body and eat a protein. Am I eating too little though? I just read something that said 1200 isnt healthy.

    I have always gotten 1200 on here. I'm 4'11 and currently 148 lbs. I'm very sedentary though. If I ate more than 1200 I wouldn't lose barely anything because I've tried it. I don't usually eat my exercise calories back either.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    eemonf wrote: »
    Im 5ft 2, 166lbs and work with kids all day. I work out 4 times a week.

    I try to stick to a 1200 calorie goal but if I am hungry after that I listen to my body and eat a protein. Am I eating too little though? I just read something that said 1200 isnt healthy.

    What is your goal weight?
    What rate of loss did you select when you set up MFP?
    What activity level did you select?
    Are you logging accurately, using a food scale?
    What sort of exercise do you do and how do you calculate the calorie burns from the workouts?
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