Weigh 192 and wondering if 1250 calories is enough?

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notgivinguponme
notgivinguponme Posts: 1
in Health and Weight Loss
Is this really enough calories?? I am not looking for a quick fix here. Is anoyone out there weighing the same or close to teh same as me and if so have you changed your calorie goals?? If so, how many calories do you go with??

Thanks for the inmput.

Laura

Replies

  • leilaphoenix
    leilaphoenix Posts: 839 Member
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    I'm on pretty much exactly the same weight loss journey as you. I started out at 196lbs, now at 165lbs and aiming to get into the 130s.

    I've been set to 1200 NET cals since the start. I'm 5ft3.

    1250 sounds like enough cals to me to lose weight. If you want to eat more, do some exercise and eat back your exercise calories.
  • ashnm88
    ashnm88 Posts: 748
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    I'm 5'3" and weigh 173lbs and calories are set at 1540cals. I started on here at 185lbs and 1610cals. I'm set to lose 1lb a week.
  • gaylelynnbell
    gaylelynnbell Posts: 248 Member
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    I started at 242 lbs and am down to 213 lbs in 13 weeks on 1200. Some days I have a hard time eating all of my calories but I eat a lot of veggies and fruit which are filling and low in calories.
  • sammywil
    sammywil Posts: 104
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    Im 5'2 starting at 206, lost 12lbs (now 194) & have been on 1200 Cals for the duration.

    Some days I find it hard to eat all the calories & other times i feel i need more so, will eat the ones gained by exercise. Find your way by seeing how you go.

    You can always manually change your goals. See what works better for you then adjust your goals.

    Hope it helps.
  • bunnyboocakes
    bunnyboocakes Posts: 14
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    This is the start of my second week on a 1200 calories a day. I started at 195. my friend has been on 1200 cal a day for 6+ months now and has lost over 25 lbs. she looks amazing. It does not seem like a lot but if planned out well. You can eat quite a bit and not feel deprived. It's the choices we make.
  • RebeccaLeinen
    RebeccaLeinen Posts: 110 Member
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    im 193 and 5'7. I had to increase my calories... i was getting 1200 and it put my body in starvation mode. I dropped 30 lbs up front...but then i couldn't lose anymore... I went to a dietician and with as much as i work out i shouldn't get anything lower then 1700...
  • amymeenieminymo
    amymeenieminymo Posts: 2,394 Member
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    That sounds pretty low. I am currently 218 trying to lose 50 pounds and my calories are set at 1570 to lose 1 pound a week. Perhaps you have it at 2 pounds per week? If so, 1/week is a much more realistic, recommended amount.
  • mezzosoprano89
    mezzosoprano89 Posts: 81 Member
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    I'd say thats enough if you are wanting to lose weight faster. I was at 1200 for a few weeks then after a shoulder injury upped my calories to 1350 because I needed the extra fuel and didn't have exercise calories to be eating back. Now I try to net around 1200 calories, usually a bit over.
  • miqisha
    miqisha Posts: 1,534 Member
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    Each persons body is different and you have to see what works for you. I stay around 1200 calories and that works for me, I find it hard to eat more than 1200 calories, if you are eating healthy natural foods, you will find them lower in calorie and more filling.

    The only thing I eat prepackaged is my oats in the morning and my whey protein and almond milk for my shake and couple slices of turkey for my evening snack. Everything else is natural, my potatoes and chicken for lunch, and my chicken and vegetables for dinner they are all naural and I cook them myself and my fruits.

    By not eating prepackaged food for every meal, it helps in minimizing your sodium intake.

    Goodluck
  • limismith
    limismith Posts: 156 Member
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    I think the number MFP gave you is correct, even though it takes some time getting used to eating less or more restrictively.

    A couple things you can do. Try eating more - an extra 100 maybe - and see how you do for a week or two. Or, exercise a little more and eat your extra calories there. A 30 minute walk can give you 100+ extra to work with each day.

    I always promote sticking to what MFP says for at least 2 weeks and seeing where are go. The site is popular and successful for a reason, and I think it works for MOST people, although not all people are willing to listen or give it a try. Most long term MFP people will tell you to stay strong and stick to the plan. If we knew or were willing to do it on our own, we wouldn't be here. Going off the plan is like walking into a hair salon and then cutting your own hair. Stupid!
  • SusanMcAvoy
    SusanMcAvoy Posts: 445 Member
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    Sounds good to me. I started out at 197 and am 5'1. I initially set my calories at 1350 because I found 1200 to low. I estimate I eat between 1200 - 1400 calories a day at this time. Sometimes a little less, sometimes a little more. So far I've lost 41 pounds but I started back in March. The weekends is where I have the most trouble. Stay strong, especially this time of year. Good luck to you. :flowerforyou:
  • patsyman
    patsyman Posts: 5
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    I'm on 1200 calories a day and find it ok been on here 5 weeks and have lost 14lb started at 178lb
  • LuciaLongIsland
    LuciaLongIsland Posts: 815 Member
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    I'm on pretty much exactly the same weight loss journey as you. I started out at 196lbs, now at 165lbs and aiming to get into the 130s.

    I've been set to 1200 NET cals since the start. I'm 5ft3.

    1250 sounds like enough cals to me to lose weight. If you want to eat more, do some exercise and eat back your exercise calories.

    I wasn't losing a thing at 1200. I have the same weight and goal as you..I spoke to 2 of my doctors who recommended 1000 calories. I am finally losing. NO, I AM NOT IN STARVATION MODE.

    Ask your doctor.
  • LuciaLongIsland
    LuciaLongIsland Posts: 815 Member
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    I wish I could eat 1200. Many days I do, I gain!
  • vjrose
    vjrose Posts: 809 Member
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    I started out trying to do the 1200 like every one else, after the initial burst of loss (water I bet mostly) I slowed down. Now I have done fine about a 1 lb a week and that is good but only after I switched to "net" 1200, if I workout and don't watch the net total and hit 1200 nothing happens (so eating my workout calories) but my BMR is around 1600 so I would guess since I come close to that with the exercise calories but netting 1200 that is probably why it works now. However, we are all individuals and we all lose weight in tune with out bodies, you just need to play around (at least a week at a time) until you find a tune that works for you.
  • KimAggie04
    KimAggie04 Posts: 165 Member
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    This is just my opinion.... I am 125 lbs and only 5'0", and my calorie goal (before exercising) is 1270. I have managed to lose 12 lbs in 18 months and have been gaining a lot of strength from weight training. I think if you push too hard and keep your calories too low you will not be able to maintain it for very long. Start with a reasonable goal and work from there. It is better to lose weight slowly and keep it off for life, then to crash diet and bounce back to your former weight later.
  • capriciousmoon
    capriciousmoon Posts: 1,263 Member
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    I think 1250 is probably lower than you really need to be starting out. I would try to figure out how much you eat normally, subtract 500 calories or so, and start doing some sort of exercise (even if it's just a walk). As you lose weight you need to lower your calories to continue losing (every 10 lbs or so) but you aren't supposed to go below a net of 1200, so if you start at 1250 there isn't much to adjust to.

    I eat around 1400 calories a day, trying to lose about 45 lbs.
  • bono
    bono Posts: 179 Member
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    The great thing about this is you can see what works for you. I started at 197 and am now down to 190 the first couple of weeks I ate all of my additional exercise calories and didn't lose anything in fact I gained a pound one week. I then changed my calories to 1310 and try to keep a 300 - 500 calorie deficit with my exercise additional calories and generally will be between 1200 - 1300 calories and I am finally losing. Watch your food choices and enter the food before you eat it to prevent eating something that takes a lot of your calories. You can do it!

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