MFP now saying 1250 calories/day? Is this healthy?

Change you setting to lose 1 lb a week, that may help

And when you lose more weight, it will go down to 1200. My suggestion is either try to get in as much exercise as you can and eat back half or so of those calories or switch it to lose 1.5 pounds a week instead of 2 pounds a week.

It has never alotted me more than 1200, but I started at a lower weight. I am not sure how it comes up with the numbers, but it is perfectly healthy. Just maybe try out some different foods and try to find some that are healthy and filling, so that you don't get as hungry.

Yup, you can do this. If you find it hard then try changing your goals to 1lb a week. I find that I end up working out more and longer because I want those extra calories. It's very hard for me to eat only 1200 so I'll work out more so I can eat more:)

I am similarly struggling with a drop from 1310 to 1250 - I almost always came in just under my net calorie goal at 1310, but 1250 is a real struggle, especially now I've reverted to full-fat dairy at the insistence of my medical-scientist mother and med student sister. Not so much hungry as finding it very difficult to achieve a blance between what I need to eat to meet the calorie limit and what I need to eat to remain sane! At 1310 that wasn't a problem, and working the odd treat into the day was manageable. At 1250 it just isn't, and I am a bit worried I'll fall off the wagon completely without my small indulgences to stave off the big ones!


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I couldn't cut it on what MFP gave me even for the lose 1 lb /wk option.
I was feeling like a failure and almost gave up...

1 could do 2-3 days in the 1200-1300 calorie range, but then I'd just have to eat.

So I gave myself a range
1200 cal as the low-end rock bottom of my range
I used the 1250 cals. MFP gave me for lose 1 lb /wk as my TARGET
And I figured out the my maintenance calories for my GOAL WEIGHT and used that as the high end of my range.

Turns out I'd do 2-4 around my target then a day at the high-end of my range.

As long as I kept it below maintenance for my GOAL WEIGHT I'd keep losing, even if I wasn't losing my 1 lb/wk.
But I was still losing and that was better than giving up altogether.

I also kept hearing about Zig zagging calories, which it seems is my natural tendency.

Now that I'm switching over to maintain, I've really got to figure out a new range for myself.
Because I'm not the type who'll be able to hit the same number on the head day after day.

1250 isn't a bad caloric diet to be on. I'd say if you were still hungry, go the Jenny Craig route: we're allowed to eat unlimited veggies with every meal. They don't get counted into the calorie count as you burn them off quickly and takes little energy to do so.

So if you find yourself hungry, add a cup of veg with lunch and dinner, should help

They have me set at 1230, so no worries dear

I think it's important to set your calories in a range that you're going to be able to stick to long-term. If you're struggling at 1250, you're more like to end up feeling deprived and then overeat as a result. You may lose weight slightly slower if you up your intake, but it's more likely that you're going to keep it off and be able to adapt your eating as a lifestyle.

I started at 197 (5'4") and it's always had me at 1200 cal/day. I usually stay at 1000 - exercise 400cal/day 5-6 times a week ( I don't eat back my exercise calories and I DO use a HRM) and am very satisfied. I log my food every day in detail. I have lost 38 lbs as of today with 14 more to go. I am losing between 1 - 1.5 lbs per week with a couple of no loss weeks.

It's different for everybody. I know people say I'm not eating enough. I eat mostly unprocessed foods - fresh chicken, fish, fruits & vegies. I'm not going to eat just to get calories in.

I started at 197 (5'4") and it's always had me at 1200 cal/day. I usually stay at 1000 - exercise 400cal/day 5-6 times a week ( I don't eat back my exercise calories and I DO use a HRM) and am very satisfied. I log my food every day in detail. I have lost 38 lbs as of today with 14 more to go. I am losing between 1 - 1.5 lbs per week with a couple of no loss weeks.

It's different for everybody. I know people say I'm not eating enough. I eat mostly unprocessed foods - fresh chicken, fish, fruits & vegies. I'm not going to eat just to get calories in.

Extremely unhealthy way to lose weight. I would suggest upping your calories. You may be losing 1-1.5/week but your deficit would suggest that you should be losing 2-2.5. since you are not this tells me your metabolism has already begun to slow down. Try following MFPs guidelines for 3-4 weeks then re-evaluate. What you are doing is going to cause your body to burn a large % of lean muscle, not just the fat you are looking at losing.

with only 15ish lbs to lose your goal should be to lose no more than 1lb/week otherwise like I stated above a large % will be lean muscle:
If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal, and
If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal.


MFP is about healthy weight loss and a diet that has you at 600 Net calories (1000-400) is not safe or healthy.