Changing daily calories

slb260
slb260 Posts: 52 Member
1200 calories is a stupidly low number of calories for the day. Is there a way I can change the number of calories I am supposed to be allotted for the day? I know I can earn more through exercise, but a base of 1200 is not realistic.

Replies

  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 31,724 Member
    slb260 wrote: »
    1200 calories is a stupidly low number of calories for the day. Is there a way I can change the number of calories I am supposed to be allotted for the day? I know I can earn more through exercise, but a base of 1200 is not realistic.

    What weight loss rate did you pick? Some women will get a 1200 estimate even at a slow weight loss rate, if petite, older, not active. Many women will find that 2 pounds a week loss rate puts them at 1200, but slower rates land higher. A higher calorie level that's sustainable can result in better overall loss in practical terms than an aggressive weight loss rate target that results in periodic derailments or giving up altogether.

    What activity level did you pick during set-up? Many people pick sedentary/not very active when they actually are more active than that. Most people find that sedentary is activity equivalent to around 3500 steps +/- daily . . . which isn't very much. If not truly sedentary/not very active, picking a more realistic activity level may result in a higher calorie goal.

    Or, heck, set your goal to maintenance at current weight, and see what calorie goal that gives you. Eating anything under than would be expected to result in weight loss, though perhaps slowly. If you go that route, it will be necessary to re-evaluate after each 10ish pounds lost, as you'll need fewer calories to maintain as you you get lighter. Slow loss is still loss.
  • Latrellis
    Latrellis Posts: 72 Member
    Also depends on what you're eating. How much of the 1200 calories is protein, sugar? Are you really active? I recently switched from 1 lb to 2 lb a week goal (2,050 to 1,540 for my activity level). When I was eating 1,900 calories daily, some days I was still hungry.
  • sal10851
    sal10851 Posts: 171 Member
    1200 is not that low. I'm a 237 pound man and I'm supposed eat 1800 for 2 pounds per week. On most days I can barely get to 1500 due to the low calorie dense foods I eat. I rarely get hungry even on a major deficit. The key is high volumes of low calorie dense foods. Find a few veggies and fruits that you like and fill up on those with your meals. If you are feeling hunger on a diet chances are you will fail. That means it's not sustainable for long term weight loss goals and you will give up. There's not much need for exercise while on a deficit but it absolutely helps.
  • Redordeadhead
    Redordeadhead Posts: 1,188 Member
    You probably picked a weekly rate of loss that is too high to sustain, given your height and current weight. Did you pick faster than 1lb per week and the lowest activity level? If you choose a slower weight loss rate, it will likely give you a higher calorie goal.

    How tall are you and how much weight do you have to lose?
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
    Apart from changing your activity level and / or rate of loss via the guided set up you can also manually set a calorie goal.

    On web version......
    Home / Goals / click on Edit button next to the Daily Nutrition Goal heading.
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  • Kitty2Katz
    Kitty2Katz Posts: 95 Member
    You can go into your dairy, then go down to where it says nutrients at the bottom of the diary page, click on that and it'll take you to a page that shows your calories. You can tap on your calories the 1200 should be lighted in blue click on that and it should take you to a place that will let you change it.

    I change mine that way . I like to keep my daily calorie around 1500, but every time I lose weight they bring me down lower and lower and I prefer to stay around 1500 calories, so every time MFP changes my calorie amount lower I go to place I described and put it back to 1500.
    It can be done easily once you're able to do it the first time, it'll become easier.