1500 or 1200?

Mine is 2200 net. The amount of calories you should eat depends from body to body. Age, height, weight, ... There isn't just 1 factor to lose weight.

I do 1200 but I certainly wouldn't call the loss fast or steady. It varies a lot. So I would say, start with 13-1400 and see if you can live with it before you try 1200. You have to be extra careful about measuring and weighing everything if you jump in that low. Those little calories add up REAL quick.

I'm on 1200 I'm 5'4 and 28. I'm aiming to lose 2lbs a week. Sometimes I eat over that as I do loads of exercise sometimes burning 1000cals a day so I get hungry !

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/243279-calculating-tdee-based-on-daily-activity


Eat at your TDEE - maintain weight
Eat at an amount below your TDEE but higher than your BMR (calorie deficit - typ. 500 calories) - lose weight

it really depends on your height/weight and other health factors. i'd call your doctor and ask. that's something a nurse could tell you over the phone, and you'll know you're safe

slow and steady truly wins the race. I had MFP set to lose 2lbs/wk which gives me 1200 calories. I've been doing this 5 months and I avg 1-1.5 pd loss per week. Please dont try and rush the process. Eat what MFP gives you and exercise regularly. This is a marathon, not a sprint.... Best of luck :flowerforyou:

Ditto on that. Also, there is a BMI calculator in the tools section that will give you specifically and generally what your caloric intake should be. That number is usually to maintain your weight but exericise on top of that will be the fat reducer.

If you under eat, you could lose the wrong type of weight which would be muscle and if that happens, your metabolism goes down which puts you in a fat retention mode.

Also, eating the right foods that don't trigger fat increase like breads/flour and sugar loads. Be careful of the protein bar and shake deal. That can set you up big time.

I had a past client who went on the three shakes and one meal a day program (which I advised against) and she would train regularly. We took her body composition before and then after she lost 25 pounds. When we took the composition after, at least 22 pounds of the loss with lean mass!!!!

Let us know if you checked out the BMI calc and what it says based on your height, age and weight. Also, I use a 40/40/20 split on my food ratios (protein, carbs and fats) that also help with healthy fat loss.

Nyla

Mine had me set at like 1800 or 2000 or something, but that was because I was aiming to lose 1.5 to 2 pounds a week and because I have so much to lose. About 6 years ago, my doctor had me on a 1200-1500 calorie plan and I had lost 70 pounds that way and it seemed okay, so I chose for myself to put the system at 1500 though I try to stay at 1200-1300 usually. Lately I've been eating a lil more but I always stay under my 1500.

my nutritionist told me to stay between 1400 and 1600 cals instead of the 1900 that MFP is giving me to lose 2lbs a week (obviously i have lots to lose) and she said that the starvation factor (your body holding fat) usually doesn't come into play if you stay above the 1000 cal a day mark....now i don't know if she is right, or how it varies, but just sharing the info. I think if you can do it, and still get in enough protien, etc...then you are probably good to set it to where you want!