1200

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If I'm correct it's not even calories that put your body into ketosis it's lack of carbs. I honestly believe the whole 1200 cals is crap. My BMR is 1290!! So I can't even get a 500 deficit without going below 1200.

Just sayin

It really isn't "the" number for women, but rather just an average of the BMR for most women. The BMR is the # of calories your body uses just to sustain itself (ie if you were in bed all day). Eating less than that and you are really looking at muscle loss (even moreso than fat loss - think of what happens to people's muscles when they are bed/wheelchair bound without any physical therapy). It is more of a "guide" than an absolute number.

For some women, such as an inactive petite person, their BMR might be 1000-1100, whereas another tall active woman might be 1600.

Also, it's very hard to get a balanced diet under 1200 calories (but many folks aren't eating a balanced diet anyway).

For a while, I was eating way under 1,200 calories (anywhere from 800-1,000) and I was always starving, tired, grouchy, no energy, etc., so now that I'm eating about 1,500 or so, I feel much better.

I honestly have no idea why the 1200 calorie threshold is so important. I think the most important thing is eating the right foods so your body is getting proper nutrition. I really gauge it by if I feel hungry when I go to bed at night I probably didn't eat enough so then I will probably have a quick, healthy snack. So it really just all goes together with losing weight in a healthy, safe way. You can certainly lose weight by not eating, but your body will first use your muscle to survive, not fat stores.

anorexics can be 90 lbs because they literally do not eat. but when they do decide to eat, they often gain weight at an incredibly rapid pace because their body has been deprived for so long. that's what starvation mode is. your body gets deprived for long enough that when it does finally get those nutrients, it holds on to them and stores them to survive

I work in an office... So sedentary? I believe they estimate 150-200 as my calories burned throughout the day. Even still anytime I work out I'm way beneath my 1200 calories which I try to eat back. Still that's what... 200? Deficit a day?

My BMR is 1290!! So I can't even get a 500 deficit without going below 1200.

Just sayin

You need to also calculate to that 1290 your activity level. 1290 your BMR is just what your body needs to live on... IF you were to lie in bed ALL DAY LONG!! but once you start moving your body needs more to function. Once you calculate your calories with your activity level THEN you subtract 500 from that.

Just sayin

I decided to make this post after comenting in another thread.


I am very very curious, so many others are quick to bring up the seemingly most important law of MFP....



If you eat less than 1200 calories you will go into starvation mode.


Really? What i want to know is , if anyone here knows who actually threw a random dart at a random dart board to come up with that number? What is so magic about 1200? Other than its what you get if you watch the movie 300 four times.


To say there is one absolute number as a minimum calorie requirement for starvation mode for all people is illogical.


First if starvation mode exists of which i am not conviced, explain for me then 90 lb anorexics? shouldnt there body hold on to that weight
and not allow them to lose???? hey that you peoples logic.

and if it does exist, the number it exist at would differ by individual to account for age , weight, body chemistry , genetics (could probably group those two together) and ofcourse basic activity level.

You're correct in that everyone is different and so certain numbers will fluctuate.

What a starvation diet refers is eating 900 calories or under on a daily basis. As per medical professionals (don't ask me who), 900 calories seems to be the amount where the body says, "hold on here. i'm not getting enough nutrients so if this body DOES give me something, I'm going to hold on to it." Basically, you may even maintain your weight when eating 900 calories because your body is desperately holding on to all nutrition, good or bad. Look on webmd.com for good information.

Also, as a former "90 lb anorexic," (and here i will not say i'm offended, but please keep in mind that weight and food is merely the symptom in anorexia, not the actual problem) i can tell you that it certainly does exist. my body lost weight because i made it . i exercised like a freak and ate less than 200 calories a day. Then, starvation mode set in and I, literally, went what they call nutritionally psychotic (from lack of nutrition). I will also tell you that the minute they begin refeeding a person whose weight is dangerously low, their body DOES hang on to every bit. That's why when you first go into treatment they can't bombard your body with 3000 calories a day. It'll go crazy in the opposite direction. They feed you a normal amount, between 1200-1600 usually, to start, and slowly move up. This is why so many patients are scared to death- we see our weight go up 10 pounds in a week or two because our body wants every last bit of nutrition because it doesn't know when it will eat again.

So yes, there is a legitimate "starvation diet". Eating disorders are another creature all of their own accord. Even a person trying to lose weight should realize that to lose, you must eat. Your body can't function properly without enough nutrition and 1200 calories is a good general guideline of healthy or unhealthy when dieting. Again, try researching this. i love webmd.com because it gives it to you straight and it's all backed up by medical studies and legit doctors.

I don't know if it's necessarily a "magic number" but more like a "rule of thumb" for most people. I think to truly see what your minimum is, you'd have to see a doctor, but I think the rule of thumb is that your body needs at least 1200 calories to maintain healthy function of your brain and vital organs and to keep them functioning at 100%.

Speaking of anorexics, have you noticed that some of them have shaky hands, no energy, etc? It's because the body is trying to conserve as much energy as possible so they don't have the functional energy to go out and exercise or live like a healthy eating person would.

I don't know if I believe 1200 is the magic number, especially for everyone, but I think once you go too low then it becomes counterproductive and the body starts holding onto what it has and slowing the metabolism to try to make sure your vital organs have enough energy to work as they should.

Obviously starving yourself is a bad idea, but if you're really concerned with the 1200 number then it might be good to check it out at a doctor to see your minimum you should be consuming. It’s a good idea to not just starve yourself to get skinny and to take it slow and easy. MFP is trying to just make sure that you’re not doing a crash diet to lose pounds quick and that you’re in it for the long haul. You want to make sure you get enough nutrients, and it’s tough if you’re eating less than 1200.

Sometimes I go under 1200, sometimes I’m over, I’m one of those people that listens to my body and eat when I’m hungry or eat fewer calories when I’m not.

I think in the end you need to do what works for you (without starving yourself or crash dieting).

anorexics can be 90 lbs because they literally do not eat. but when they do decide to eat, they often gain weight at an incredibly rapid pace because their body has been deprived for so long. that's what starvation mode is. your body gets deprived for long enough that when it does finally get those nutrients, it holds on to them and stores them to survive

It's quite misleading to say that anorexics do not eat. it's a huge myth. They eat. but usually very odd foods in odd combinations, with a lot of ritual and anxiety surrounding food consumption.

guys, please. leave eating disorders out of this. if you want to glorify anorexia, go to a site where they do that- they're all over. anorexia is a severe mental health issue, along with all other eating disorders. MFP is about a healthy lifestyle. If you're concerned about someone, say something. but please don't help perpetuate myth that stigmatizes those that suffer an ED and those of us who have been to hell and back again.

http://www.healthscience.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=512:are-you-in-the-starvation-mode-or-starving-for-truth&catid=102:jeff-novicks-blog&Itemid=267

http://www.weightwatchers.com/util/art/index_art.aspx?tabnum=1&art_id=35501&sc=801

http://fattyfightsback.blogspot.com/2009/03/mtyhbusters-starvation-mode.html

http://www.nutracheck.co.uk/Library/ForumArticles/Is+starvation+mode+myth+or+fact.html

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/81391-starvation-mode-myths-and-science

If I'm correct it's not even calories that put your body into ketosis it's lack of carbs. I honestly believe the whole 1200 cals is crap. My BMR is 1290!! So I can't even get a 500 deficit without going below 1200.

Just sayin

But that's why losing weight can't just be accomplished through diet! My BMR is 1800. I need to create a calorie deficit of 900 calories per day if i want to hit my goal of 2 lbs of weight loss a week. So, I make sure to eat 1200 calories (that is an automatic deficit of 600) and burn AT LEAST 300 through exercise (and don't eat those cals back). Done, a 900 calorie deficit. If your BMR really is that low (which seems odd, so you may want to double check) then consult a dietician on how to proceed. People can argue this all they want but the fact is that science doesn't lie. Everyone is different, of course. That's why these are guidelines, not gospel.

Both of you are wrong, because you're using your BMR as your starting point instead of your maintenance level of calories. Your BMR is the number of calories needed to sustain your bodily functions - breathing, digestion, heartbeat, etc. It does not account for any movement. It would be your caloric need if you were in a coma.

For sedentary people (desk jobs), the multiplier is 1.25...so you have to take your BMR and multiply it by 1.25 to get the calorie level needed to maintain your current weight. If your BMR is 1290, then your maintenance level is about 1612. If your BMR is 1800, your maintenance level is 2250. THEN you create a deficit to lose weight. For 2 pounds a week, your deficit would be 1000 calories or a NET of 1250 a day. If your maintenance is 1612, then it's clear that trying to lose 2 lbs a week would be far too unhealthy because it would require a NET of only 612 calories. This person would do much better aiming for 1/2-3/4 of a pound per week.

You're right, science doesn't lie. The problem is that I'd estimate over half the people on this site don't understand the science.

If I'm correct it's not even calories that put your body into ketosis it's lack of carbs. I honestly believe the whole 1200 cals is crap. My BMR is 1290!! So I can't even get a 500 deficit without going below 1200.

Just sayin

Just wanted to say that ketosis is not starvation mode.

[...]

You're right, science doesn't lie. The problem is that I'd estimate over half the people on this site don't understand the science.

Exactly. There is a blanket mentality to set goal weight loss to 2lb/week whether that's reasonable or not, and to eat at calorie deficits below BMR. Those are my two biggest issues with this site.

[...]

You're right, science doesn't lie. The problem is that I'd estimate over half the people on this site don't understand the science.

Exactly. There is a blanket mentality to set goal weight loss to 2lb/week whether that's reasonable or not, and to eat at calorie deficits below BMR. Those are my two biggest issues with this site.

YES YES YES. A third would be the people who say "Why would I eat my exercise calories back? I want to lose weight, not maintain."

Many, many people have their weight loss goals set far too high. I have been contemplating a "MFP tutorial" post.

Hiya

Okay, so this might be a totally blonde question here.. My daily Calorific intake is between 1200 and 1400.... My BMR is 1450 according to this sites estimations... is this good or bad?? I'm so confused right now.

Oh and whats a deficit.. A calorie deficit I think it was... I can't remember , yet I was only reading it two seconds ago aha.

Basically, someone needs to explain ALL of this to me.

Thanks