Eating less than 1200 calories

Lupiemomma30
Lupiemomma30 Posts: 140 Member
edited October 5 in Health and Weight Loss
Is eating less than 1200 calories really bad for you??? If I eat less I get a message on MFP regarding that. What's your take on it?

Replies

  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    as much as people say it is, it is dependent on your ht/wt. the issue is , the lower you go in your cals the harder it is to hit your minimum daily requirements for fats and pro

    inb4omgstarvationmode
  • questionablemethods
    questionablemethods Posts: 2,174 Member
    the issue is , the lower you go in your cals the harder it is to hit your minimum daily requirements for fats and pro
    Not to mention vitamins and minerals.
  • SergeantSunshine_reused
    SergeantSunshine_reused Posts: 5,382 Member
    It depends. What is your height/weight? TDEE?

    You don't want too big of a deficit
  • chubiD
    chubiD Posts: 260
    Even though it's true that it may vary from one person to the other, 1200 cal is a well stablished minimum for women. I wouldn't go under that.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    the issue is , the lower you go in your cals the harder it is to hit your minimum daily requirements for fats and pro
    Not to mention vitamins and minerals.

    ^ this as well, hence why you should be getting the majority of your daily cals from nutrient dense foods
  • magdamccraven
    magdamccraven Posts: 75 Member
    It is also dependent on your health situation and exercise.
    Some people eat amazing amounts and lose while others eat like birds and the scales barely move.

    I checked with a medical health professional.
  • emilyyhorton
    emilyyhorton Posts: 8
    if you go to much lower than 1200 calories, your body goes into starvation mode and muscles and fats are broken down
  • kflo76
    kflo76 Posts: 9
    Generally 1200 calories is what the body needs to get through the day and not go into starvation mode. Eating less may cause you to store instead of burn calories. It is best to talk to a trainer or your Doctor to decide what your calorie intake should be.
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
    as much as people say it is, it is dependent on your ht/wt. the issue is , the lower you go in your cals the harder it is to hit your minimum daily requirements for fats and pro

    inb4omgstarvationmode

    I agree with this. Everyone's daily caloric needs are different based on their height, weight, age, activity level and basically.. just how their body works altogether.

    For me, there's NO WAY I could function on 1200 calories a day, but for other people they do it and are successful. I personally think that each and every person needs to figure out what will work for THEM.
  • Lillemeddy
    Lillemeddy Posts: 94
    I lurk around in other food diaries all the time, and I keep seeing how sooo many girls/women are eating between 800-1200. Personally I don't understand how one can do that. If I go under 1200 I get tired, lethargic even - I skip exercise and I generally don't feel good.. I didn't think it was healthy. I am 5.5 and 120 pounds, and I eat 1490 a day plus most of my exercise calories.
  • tmm01
    tmm01 Posts: 137
    for two months I ate a strick 1000cals max diet. to begin with the weight came off. I was eating lots of fruit & veg, so making sure I got enough vitamins etc. What I was missing was iron, so I started on a multi vitamin with iron. Apparently iron also helps with the metabolic rate. I was gettting the message for MFP every day about not eating enough. Then my weight loss stopped, for about 3 weeks I didn't lose a thing. I was also doing about 400cals of exercise each day. Now I am on 1200cals and it's melting away at the moment. (long may this continue). It may be worth upping your calories a bit, but if you have a lot to lose you can sustain a 1000cals diet with no problems. Just listen to your body.
  • cherbapp
    cherbapp Posts: 322
    I second the comment to talk to your doctor.

    I was wondering about this...and my doctor said that it's different for everyone depending on how overweight they are. For me, it's no problem to go under the calorie recommendation of 1300 on MFP as long as I am feeling good. I have 60 pounds to lose though. The whole *starvation mode* thing only applies to people who are much closer to their goal weight. I have plenty of fat to feed my body when I eat less than 1000 calories in a day. (Yes my doc said this...and I still like him...LOL)

    So, because MFP cannot be held responsible for people fainting or getting sick from malnutrition, the basic disclaimer telling you that you are eating too little is kind of a blanket cover. Be careful if you eat less, and ask your doctor before making it a habit.

    This includes not eating the calories I earn from exercise...my doc said I don't need to eat those...some people definitely have to fuel their bodies after burning off some of their daily calories.
  • Lupiemomma30
    Lupiemomma30 Posts: 140 Member
    I spoke with my doctor (I had to because I have Lupus...I had to get my diet and exercise program approved...especially being on medications). I also have a trainer who put me on a meal plan. According to the trainer my meal plan is 1300 calories and I was told I didn't need to count them. However, when I started using MFP to track food, it says I'm at 1100 or 1150 sometimes so I keep getting that message. I'm usually not hungry. I eat a well balanced diet, I take vitamin supplements, I take Fish Oil, etc. The doctor wants me to lose 1-2 lbs a week and my trainer agrees with that. So far so good.

    But!!!

    If I want to increase it to 1200 so that MFP doesn't give me that message, what should I fill it with....especially if I'm not hungry???
  • SergeantSunshine_reused
    SergeantSunshine_reused Posts: 5,382 Member
    an extra handful of nuts, or add some olive oil to your cooking :]
  • Lupiemomma30
    Lupiemomma30 Posts: 140 Member
    an extra handful of nuts, or add some olive oil to your cooking :]

    Maybe I'm tracking my food wrong....I do cook with olive oil...or sometimes use butter...but I don't add that.... Also, if I season my chicken or fish, I usually just pick the generic version of what I cooked. For example: If I eat grilled tilapia...i pick generic grilled tilapia.

    Should I not pick the generic forms and just create recipes for everything???
  • cherbapp
    cherbapp Posts: 322
    Adding butter to one piece of bread and cooking a chicken breast with olive oil could easily be adding 100 calories a day to your diet. Also, are you taking any supplements? My calcium and gummy vitamins add 50 calories a day to my diet.
  • SergeantSunshine_reused
    SergeantSunshine_reused Posts: 5,382 Member
    Olive oil has 120 calories per tablespoon, so i always add it :]
  • 4thehardman
    4thehardman Posts: 731 Member
    if you go to much lower than 1200 calories, your body goes into starvation mode and muscles and fats are broken down

    Actually this is not true for everybody. If you are morbidly obese then this normally doesn't happen. I would get medical advice on the subject if you are very very heavy. Otherwise the guidelines by MFP are fairly accurate. You don't have to eat your exercise cals back.
  • Lupiemomma30
    Lupiemomma30 Posts: 140 Member
    Adding butter to one piece of bread and cooking a chicken breast with olive oil could easily be adding 100 calories a day to your diet. Also, are you taking any supplements? My calcium and gummy vitamins add 50 calories a day to my diet.

    You can add supplements on here too??? Really? Wow! Do I put that in as a snack???
  • Lupiemomma30
    Lupiemomma30 Posts: 140 Member
    Olive oil has 120 calories per tablespoon, so i always add it :]

    Wow!!! So then I'm probably not under my calories at all!!! I just need to really ACCURATELY calculate it. :tongue:
  • Lupiemomma30
    Lupiemomma30 Posts: 140 Member
    This includes not eating the calories I earn from exercise...my doc said I don't need to eat those...some people definitely have to fuel their bodies after burning off some of their daily calories.

    I don't eat those either....maybe once or twice because I ate out...
  • agthorn
    agthorn Posts: 1,844 Member
    Adding butter to one piece of bread and cooking a chicken breast with olive oil could easily be adding 100 calories a day to your diet. Also, are you taking any supplements? My calcium and gummy vitamins add 50 calories a day to my diet.

    You can add supplements on here too??? Really? Wow! Do I put that in as a snack???
    You can customize your meal names. I added one called 'Vitamins' and add them there. My diary is public, so you can look if you like.
  • andrejjorje
    andrejjorje Posts: 497 Member
    Try your best to add absolutely everything in your mfp foods. Including the fish oil capsules (10cal each). :)
  • Lupiemomma30
    Lupiemomma30 Posts: 140 Member
    Adding butter to one piece of bread and cooking a chicken breast with olive oil could easily be adding 100 calories a day to your diet. Also, are you taking any supplements? My calcium and gummy vitamins add 50 calories a day to my diet.

    You can add supplements on here too??? Really? Wow! Do I put that in as a snack???
    You can customize your meal names. I added one called 'Vitamins' and add them there. My diary is public, so you can look if you like.

    Thanks...I'm looking at yours...I'm in the diary but I don't see how to add it. Can you please walk me through it? Thanks!
  • Lupiemomma30
    Lupiemomma30 Posts: 140 Member
    Adding butter to one piece of bread and cooking a chicken breast with olive oil could easily be adding 100 calories a day to your diet. Also, are you taking any supplements? My calcium and gummy vitamins add 50 calories a day to my diet.

    You can add supplements on here too??? Really? Wow! Do I put that in as a snack???
    You can customize your meal names. I added one called 'Vitamins' and add them there. My diary is public, so you can look if you like.

    Thanks...I'm looking at yours...I'm in the diary but I don't see how to add it. Can you please walk me through it? Thanks!

    It's under settings! I got it. I changed everything on mine. Thanks for the tip!
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