1,200 calories a day - is it too little?

hannahbolm
hannahbolm Posts: 3 Member
edited December 20 in Health and Weight Loss
I made the decision to lose weight about a month ago. MFP recommended I consume 1,200 calories a day. A month ago, I was around 190 pounds and now I’m 180. Obviously what I’m doing is working but I’ve been reading recently that 1,200 calories a day for anyone is simply too little and can slow BMR. I am a mostly sedentary female. I just want to know if what i’m doing is healthy. Losing 10 pounds has me thrilled! But I don’t want my weight loss to stall in the long run because of a slowed BMR.

Replies

  • hannahbolm
    hannahbolm Posts: 3 Member
    jdog022 wrote: »
    Haven’t we been over this with this OP already?
    i’m still new to this. OP?
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    Really depends.

    1200 is too low for me and definitely unnecessary for me to cut that low. Even in Feb, when I was on doctors orders not to workout, I averaged around 1600 calories and still lost 3.9lbs that month (which surprised me because I wasn’t trying to lose). When I exercise I can lose weight eating around 2000 calories a day.

    It’s also not necessarily for most people to drop to 1200 for weight loss and it can backfire in some cases. By that I mean people will eat 1200 most of the week, but then have a day or two where they eat a lot more making there overall calorie average higher than 1200. Depending on how bad these overeat days are it can slow weight loss or result in maintaining weight. Sometimes people are even unaware that they are doing that and it makes them feel like they can’t lose on 1200.


  • whmscll
    whmscll Posts: 2,255 Member
    Age plays a role in how many calories you are assigned also. I am 5’4” and MFP gave me 1200 calories to lose .5 pound a week. I am not short, but I am sedentary and I am 59. (However, I have managed to lose .5 a week eating 1300 just fine.)
  • SeattleBebop1
    SeattleBebop1 Posts: 26 Member
    Hi Hannah, you might like to get another reference point. Here's a very popular calculator for Basal Metabolic Rate:
    https://tdeecalculator.net/ MFP gave me 1200 per day, when I wanted to lose 20 lbs. But the TDEE told me 1341 calories (for those rare days I don't *do* any exercise). I felt better eating 1341; I'm usually pretty active, and I think even my lazy days I'm burning more. Active days, I log my activity and eat back almost all my calories.

    Your initial 10lb loss doesn't strike me as strange. I quickly dropped 10 lbs ("water weight"?) when I started watching my portions and passing on sweets. As Ann said in her post, what is sustainable for you, both psychologically, health-wise?
  • SeattleBebop1
    SeattleBebop1 Posts: 26 Member
    Hannah, if you do decide to update your calories, just go to your MFP Home > Goals > Daily Nutrition Goals > Calories. That's what I did because MFP's generated calories were just too low for me.
  • hannahbolm
    hannahbolm Posts: 3 Member
    Thank you all for the helpful feedback. I’ll admit that there are days where I feel sluggish with no energy (which I thought was somewhat normal for people just starting out?) But most days I feel just fine eating 1,200 calories. I’m paying CLOSE attention to my body, therefore I plan on sticking with my current calorie goal for the time being. The moment I start feeling weak or fatigued I will shoot for 1,300-1,400. Thanks again everyone.
  • fcanad
    fcanad Posts: 48 Member
    Listen to your body and the evaluation of friends and family. Are you diet miserable? Are you in a horrible mood?
    I’m 33, 5’4” started at 2 lbs/week at 206. It was fine, until I emotionally wasn’t, right about 176-180. I changed my settings to 1 lbs/week and went up to 1350. Im still loosing 2 lbs a week.
  • koalathebear
    koalathebear Posts: 236 Member
    edited April 2019
    I'm on approximately 1200 - 1340 calories a day (it varies), with exercising (cardio, weights, walking the dogs). I've been careful about what I eat but still eating what I like - just less of it. Some days I'll eat more - up to 1500 etc if I'm eating out with friends/family.

    I am five feet tall. I've lost 20kg in 15 weeks (started at 86.6kg, now at 66.6kg). I have another 16kg to lose before I get to goal weight (I might stop after 10 or 11kg, though depending on how I feel.

    In the beginning, it took a while to find out the right mix of exercise and food.

    I find there are some things that make me more full / keep me full longer. You definitely have to eat enough to be able to be strong enough for the exercise. I'm doing zumba classes, HIIT sessions etc and have gone from only being able to plank 5 seconds to being able to plank for 2 minutes, so eating enough to get stronger is quite important.
  • kpaing121
    kpaing121 Posts: 143 Member
    Hi mine is the same 5.2 1200 cals list 1lb lol and struggling but close to giving up and thks to the girls with there very help full advice you lot are great x
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,304 Member
    OP - for most people 1200 is too low.

    It is ok for older, shorter, smaller, less active women.

    If this is not you, then it is likely too low.

    What are your current stats - age, height, weight, activity level?

    Also, even for those whom 1200 is right that is your NET calories - ie you are expected to eat back excercise calories as well.
  • Lillymoo01
    Lillymoo01 Posts: 2,865 Member
    I'm on approximately 1200 - 1340 calories a day (it varies), with exercising (cardio, weights, walking the dogs). I've been careful about what I eat but still eating what I like - just less of it. Some days I'll eat more - up to 1500 etc if I'm eating out with friends/family.

    I am five feet tall. I've lost 20kg in 15 weeks (started at 86.6kg, now at 66.6kg). I have another 16kg to lose before I get to goal weight (I might stop after 10 or 11kg, though depending on how I feel.

    In the beginning, it took a while to find out the right mix of exercise and food.

    I find there are some things that make me more full / keep me full longer. You definitely have to eat enough to be able to be strong enough for the exercise. I'm doing zumba classes, HIIT sessions etc and have gone from only being able to plank 5 seconds to being able to plank for 2 minutes, so eating enough to get stronger is quite important.

    You are losing over 1 kilogram a week by the looks of it. That really is too fast for the little weight you have left to lose.You really should consider upping your calories by at least 250 a day to slow it down to a healthier level of no more than 1/2 kilo a week.
  • MichelleSilverleaf
    MichelleSilverleaf Posts: 2,027 Member
    hannahbolm wrote: »
    Thank you all for the helpful feedback. I’ll admit that there are days where I feel sluggish with no energy (which I thought was somewhat normal for people just starting out?) But most days I feel just fine eating 1,200 calories. I’m paying CLOSE attention to my body, therefore I plan on sticking with my current calorie goal for the time being. The moment I start feeling weak or fatigued I will shoot for 1,300-1,400. Thanks again everyone.

    If you're having days where you're feeling fatigued then you're not listening to your body. I underate for a week (unintentionally) and it took a month to recover. Had quite a few days where I felt sluggish no matter what. It also negatively affected my cycle.
  • Silentpadna
    Silentpadna Posts: 1,306 Member
    I'm on approximately 1200 - 1340 calories a day (it varies), with exercising (cardio, weights, walking the dogs). I've been careful about what I eat but still eating what I like - just less of it. Some days I'll eat more - up to 1500 etc if I'm eating out with friends/family.

    I am five feet tall. I've lost 20kg in 15 weeks (started at 86.6kg, now at 66.6kg). I have another 16kg to lose before I get to goal weight (I might stop after 10 or 11kg, though depending on how I feel.

    In the beginning, it took a while to find out the right mix of exercise and food.

    I find there are some things that make me more full / keep me full longer. You definitely have to eat enough to be able to be strong enough for the exercise. I'm doing zumba classes, HIIT sessions etc and have gone from only being able to plank 5 seconds to being able to plank for 2 minutes, so eating enough to get stronger is quite important.

    From everything you describe, your deficit is way too aggressive. You may be getting stronger (for now), but that would be despite your diet. 20kg in 15 weeks makes sense for somebody much larger than you. Highly recommend that you slow this down.


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