How many calories should I be eating

averboos123 · May 2021

It says I should eat 1200 calories a day in order to lose 2 lbs a week. Does anyone know if this is top aggressive a goal? Or is 1200 realistic and won't leave me starving?

AnnPT77 · May 2021

If you followed the guided setup correctly, setting your activity level based on daily life not including exercise, that would be 1200 calories *plus* you'd log exercise when you do it, and eat those calories, too.

Generally, it's a sensibly moderate idea to lose no more than 0.5%-1% of current body weight per week, and preferably the lower end of that unless you have enough excess body weight that weight is causing health risks in itself. Even slower than that can be a good idea if you have relatively little to lose, like less than 20 pounds, say.

So, for example, if you weighed under 200 pounds, a pound a week would be 0.5%-ish of current weight, for a while.

The point is to get enough calories to keep energy level up, and allow for good nutrition, alongside moderate weight loss. It's always find to lose slower than the maximum possible rate, if it's more sustainable. Losing any meaningful amount of weight is a long term process, weeks to months, at least, maybe longer if a large amount to lose. Using a process one can keep up, happily, for a long time . . . that's important for real success at reaching a healthy weight, and learning along the way what habits it will take to stay there permanently.

Sometimes "losing fast" is slower than losing slowly, if the fast track means periodic overeating out of cravings or deprivation, lost energy, etc. On top of that, the downside of too-slow loss is that it takes time (which will pass anyway) and may be more frustrating (because we all want to be thing *now*!). The downside of too-fast loss is increased health risk.

1200 was too low for me, even eating back all exercise calories on top of that, when I first started losing weight with MFP. I got weak and fatigued, then it took weeks to get back to normal. I was lucky nothing worse happened. Now, very petite people may truly need to eat 1200, especially if very sedentary, maybe older, etc. So, it's hard to give you an opinion without knowing more about you and your circumstances. I hope the above comments give you a general idea.

Best wishes!

yirara · May 2021

It's difficult to know without knowing your current weight, size, gender and age. Generally, if MFP gives you 1200 calories your goal is not achievable. 1200 calories is the lowest MFP will give any woman as lower than that is not healthy.

In order to lose 2lbs per week you'd need to eat 7000 calories less per week, or 1000 per day.
In order to lose 1lbs per week you'd need to eat 3500 calories less per week, or 500 per day.

So lets assume you have enough to lose and your current maintenance calories are 2200 calories.
2200 calories minus 1000 calories = 1200 calories. You have a good chance at losing 2lbs per week.

Lets assume you only have a little bit to lose and your current maintenance calories are 1700 calories.
1700 calories minus 1000 calories = 700 calories. Nope! Won't work. MFP will give you 1200, and you should never eat less than that. You could realistically lose 1lbs per week because 1700-500 = 1200 calories per day.

However, the question is whether that's a good idea. 1200 calories is very little! Maybe you'd do better with eating more, losing slower but also reducing the risk of binging and getting frustrated.

What you can do is play with the guided setup: try all four options to see how many calories you get at each and then chose based on that. Also, like AnnPT above wrote: you are supposed to eat back exercise calories on this site. Thus this will give you more to eat.

Beverly2Hansen · May 2021

I couldn't do 1200 calories consistently and I was not reliable at logging my exercises meaning I thought I burned more than I did IMO. Eventually I set my goal to 1720 manually and committed myself to walking at least 10,000 steps not just moving around but specifically for fitness. I have 16lbs to lose and often eat closer to 1500. I'm seeing consistent progress and I'm not starving or exhausted 24/7. Everyone is different but a lot of people choose a less aggressive goal. Also seeing only 1200calories made me continuously afraid of not getting enough to eat. All I could think about is what if I don't exercise enough to eat reasonably and then I have to starve for today. It was stressful and I knew for me it was no way to live.

heybales · May 2021

If you have over 50 lbs to lose and your body isn't dealing with other health stress - 2 lbs weekly could be reasonable.

How much do you need to lose to reach a healthy weight?

westrich20940 · June 2021

Use a TDEE calculator just to see what your TDEE is (it will be based on your age, sex, weight, height, body fat % (if you know that), and general activity level.

That's what you could theoretically eat and stay the same weight.

I find that lots of people choose 2lbs/week on MFP to lose and I honestly just think it's usually too aggressive of a goal for them to stick to and they eat too few calories and it doesn't work out for them. If you have a lot to lose, that might be fine....but if you have like >50lbs to lose it might not be.

SilverJem77 · June 2021

Hi!! When I (re)started in January, I was at 215 (my heaviest ever) and would like to lose 70-75 pounds to get back to 140-145. So far I've lost 31.6 pounds, but obviously have more to go.

I set my MFP goal to lose 1 pound a week (1400 calories/day) because I was unsure I could do 1200 calories a day for the long haul. However, my personal, unwritten goal was/is to lose 2 pounds a week until I get my BMI under 30.0. I've been very successful in staying at 1200 calories/day (the range for losing 2 pounds/week) *knowing* I can have more if I want or need, especially if I eat some of my exercise calories back.

I set my goal lower so it was more achievable, with the mindset I could be more aggressive if I chose. For me, having that buffer has been really helpful during that TOM, when I dine out or during holidays involving food because I'm often able to stay within reach of my lowest goal of 1 pound/week at the very least. Anything more than that is just a bonus to me.

Good luck to you my friend! We've got this!

DonnaToland20 · June 2021

averboos123 wrote: »

It says I should eat 1200 calories a day in order to lose 2 lbs a week. Does anyone know if this is top aggressive a goal? Or is 1200 realistic and won't leave me starving?

Mine says 1.200 cals a day to lose 1lbs a week. I'm 5ft1 7st3 and I'm 35

janejellyroll · June 2021

DonnaToland20 wrote: »

averboos123 wrote: »

It says I should eat 1200 calories a day in order to lose 2 lbs a week. Does anyone know if this is top aggressive a goal? Or is 1200 realistic and won't leave me starving?

Mine says 1.200 cals a day to lose 1lbs a week. I'm 5ft1 7st3 and I'm 35

That's because you're already so slender. If you put in goals that are too aggressive, you'll get a low calorie goal as a result.

PAV8888 · June 2021

DonnaToland20 wrote: »

Mine says 1.200 cals a day to lose 1lbs a week. I'm 5ft1 7st3 and I'm 35

https://www.smartbmicalculator.com/result.html?unit=1&hf=5&hi=1&wl=101&us=1&ua=35&ue=0&gl=

You're currently at a BMI of 19.1 and your goal is to lose 1lb a week? Standard weight recommendations would view your goal setting as unusual. Have you discussed your goals with your primary health provider?

Rimtimtim · June 2021

You're either very short, don't have much to lose, or you are very sedentary. Or a combination of all three. I would change my goal to lose 0,5 lbs a week and add some more exercise.

I'm 5'1", and not very active. When I put in that I wanted to go down 2 lbs a week it gave me 1200 as well (which is as low as it goes), went for a less aggressive goal and got around 1500 calories.

How many calories should I be eating

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