1200 cals per day is not working for me!

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Hollie_downunder
Hollie_downunder Posts: 192
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi Everyone,

My MFP has been set to 1200cals for a very long time! Its not working for me!

So i've made the step today to bump up the cals, has anyone else made this switch?

I'm just hoping that by changing it i wont gain too much weight, do i expect to see a gain and then a loss when my body adjusts? How long should i review it?

(experience from anyone else who has increased theres is much appreciated!)

Thanks!
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Replies

  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
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    First find what calories MFP puts you on for a 1lb a week weight loss and gradually step up your calories from 1200 by 100 a day a week at a time until you find what suits your body. That should avoid any sudden weight gain and loss.

    As you get closer to your goal, say the last 5kg, look at changing MFP to lose 0.5lb a week.

    Don't forget to eat your exercise calories!

    Good luck!
  • Hollie_downunder
    Hollie_downunder Posts: 192
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    Thats a great suggestion, thanks!

    I adjusted it before and it went up about 400cals, i don't think i could even eat that much on a normal day now!

    will work my way up and see how that goes :)
  • MelanieAG05
    MelanieAG05 Posts: 359 Member
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    Hi

    1250 was my goal to lose 1lb per week and it didn't work for me at all. I was losing nothing. I got advice on here to increase my goal to 1500 per day (which is 0.5lbs loss per week) so I'm waiting to see what happens. I am not eating all my exercise calories on this amount though so my net is about 1300 per day. I was also give advice about calorie zig-zagging where you eat say 1300 per day for 6 days and then 2600 for 1 day and not eat exercise calories.

    Mel x
  • SusanMcAvoy
    SusanMcAvoy Posts: 445 Member
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    When I started out last March I set my goals to 1350. 1200 wasn't enough for me at the time. Now my goal is set for 1300. I don't however eat most of my exercise calories. I think it's counterproductive but that's just me. I have never heard of anyone eating their exercise calories until I came to MFP. All my life I was taught to diet and exercise but never to eat more just because I exercise. That seems crazy to me. I wish you the best of luck! :flowerforyou:
  • richx83
    richx83 Posts: 334 Member
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    I got to ask, is MFP actually setting your calories to 1200 or have you set that amount yourself?
  • lulabellewoowoo
    lulabellewoowoo Posts: 3,125 Member
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    My advice (and I'm trying to myself this month), is that whatever change you make, make a dedication to it for three weeks to really be able to see if it works. If the scale goes up, ignore it for 3 weeks (hard for the addicts). Your body always needs an adjustment period. I just started eating more calories and adding weight lift, and the scale went up 2 lb almost immediately. But it has stayed at the same 2 lb and since I have mentally told myself to expect a 5 lb weight gain til my body gets comfortable, it hasn't really bothered me and to the gym I keep going and the food I keep eating. I'll be interested to hear how your experience works for you too :)
  • LucianaMilk
    LucianaMilk Posts: 86
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    Actually, I kind of ignore the calories suggested by MFP 1340 cal. I think it is nothing for me since I enjoy eating.

    I try hard to eat less than 2000 cal a day. Then I go to the gyn everyday, except sundays, and I burn at least 400 calories per training. It is really working for me in a slow process, which I prefer. All the fast lose comes back fast as well.

    So the average of lose weight is 1 kg (aproximatly 2 pounds) a month. My plan is to be fit within a year. it is like a new style life.

    Another thing I do is I to make safe counts. I usually log a little more calories' food and a little less burned calories, even though is it not true. It gives me a safe zone.

    Anyone, would like to comment my strategies that wrote above. Opinions are welcome.
  • snowpony
    snowpony Posts: 47 Member
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    1200 calories is fine for me. some days i crash because I have friends over and we eat sweets/cake and then I get sick which in turn helps me to stay on 1200 calorie mark.
  • BobbyClerici
    BobbyClerici Posts: 813 Member
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    1200 calories works GREAT the first few weeks, then the metabolism crashes and lean body mass is cannibalized.

    No, you're doing the right thing.
  • curiositycat
    curiositycat Posts: 111 Member
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    I was in your same situation as I got close to my goal weight. I switched my settings to .5 lbs. per week and ate back most of my exercise calories. At the same time I started eating 40% of my cals from carbs, 30% from protein, and 30% from healthy fats--and it worked! The scale started moving again within about a week and a half, and I have officially met my goal weight. The 40/30/30 eating also ended my cravings for starches and sugar, which has been fantastic!
  • Sabineslims
    Sabineslims Posts: 70
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    I was eating 1350 for 2 months and losing 1-1.5 a week. I got greedy and wanted to lose more weight so I bumped it down to 1200 to lose 1.5-2 pounds a week and I didn't lose ONE OUNCE! I tried this for 2 weeks without any movement.
    I then reverted back to eating 1350 PLUS my exercise calories and I am losing again.
    Sometimes you have to eat more to lose more. Your body can go in to a 'starvation' mode if 1200 is not enough to fuel it and it will hold on to everything resulting in a plateau or even a gain.
    I eat 1350-1600 a day depending on my exercise. I am 5'4 and 156 pounds. If I don't have any activity, I always eat AT LEAST 1300 and it works for me.
    Hope that helps. You're not alone trying to figure out the confusing world of calories.
  • SheilaSisco
    SheilaSisco Posts: 722 Member
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    When I started out last March I set my goals to 1350. 1200 wasn't enough for me at the time. Now my goal is set for 1300. I don't however eat most of my exercise calories. I think it's counterproductive but that's just me. I have never heard of anyone eating their exercise calories until I came to MFP. All my life I was taught to diet and exercise but never to eat more just because I exercise. That seems crazy to me. I wish you the best of luck! :flowerforyou:

    That's because most plans don't figure the calorie deficit in for you to lose. They mostly just tell you to eat better (healthier) and exercise. On MFP it gives you a deficit for you to lose weight WI|THOUT exercise, so if you DO exercise it wants you to eat those calories back so you aren't at too much of a deficit. Having too large of a deficit is detrimental to your weight loss AND your health.

    To answer the original question, I reset my calories from MFP's suggestion of 1200 to around 1350 because I was barely losing on 1200... once I adjusted to that the weight started dropping off like crazy. Some people do experience a slight gain when they bump calories up initially, but most start losing again within the first week. I'd say bump it up to 1300 or 1350 and give it 2 weeks to see what happens just in case your body has a longer adjustment period (some do). I was lucky and I didn't really gain when I went up... I just started dropping pretty immediately, so that's not out of the question either. :)
  • engineman312
    engineman312 Posts: 3,450 Member
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    i think sometimes ppl get into "diet mode" and think all they can eat is egg whites and vegetables. you can still eat all your regular foods, and be healthy.
  • Faintgreeneyes
    Faintgreeneyes Posts: 730 Member
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    i think sometimes ppl get into "diet mode" and think all they can eat is egg whites and vegetables. you can still eat all your regular foods, and be healthy.

    ^^^ I totally agree with this. I do not limit myself in what I eat- just make sure to watch portion sizes and make sure that it fits into my cals for the day.
  • Mom2M_and_O
    Mom2M_and_O Posts: 214
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    MFP set me at 1200 and that was just too few for comfort. I figured my BMR is at roughly 1400 calories, so I manually changed mine to 1500 and have been fine. My average weight loss since the end of August has been .86 lb/wk. If I exercised more during the week, I could easily get the deficit I need for 1 lb/wk. But I'm not in any rush. The weight came on over the course of a few years, so I can take a few extra months to lose it. Building in exercise each week is my next goal to achieve.

    Most of the time I eat all 1500 calories. There are days here and there where I'm at 1300-1400. Overall it was a smart adjustment for me to make. Scary at first because that sounded so high! But I have had steady loss.

    Melissa
  • stephiehampshire
    stephiehampshire Posts: 160
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    MFP set me at 1200 and that was just too few for comfort. I figured my BMR is at roughly 1400 calories, so I manually changed mine to 1500 and have been fine. My average weight loss since the end of August has been .86 lb/wk. If I exercised more during the week, I could easily get the deficit I need for 1 lb/wk. But I'm not in any rush. The weight came on over the course of a few years, so I can take a few extra months to lose it. Building in exercise each week is my next goal to achieve.

    Most of the time I eat all 1500 calories. There are days here and there where I'm at 1300-1400. Overall it was a smart adjustment for me to make. Scary at first because that sounded so high! But I have had steady loss.

    Melissa

    I had the same issue,

    1200 was set for me to lose 1lb a week, I lost 11lbs over 8 weeks but then I started to gain weigh and I am now back up to where I started! I just dont think 1200 is sustainable,

    I upped mine to 1400 a day and I eat back exercise calories, I am going to wait until after Christmas before I take it too seriously and just focus on not gaining weight,

    I think the only advice I give to anyone is everyone is different so listen to your own body
  • jovz10
    jovz10 Posts: 531 Member
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    1200cals when i just started but averaging 900cals/week net because i didn't eat my exercise back.... i lost 10lbs within three weeks then PLATEAU! someone suggested to set to maintain weight which give me 1790cals net / week. then, started loosing, not big but it moved the scale.... so, i never changed my goal again.... i just make sure don't eat all my exercise back and 1400net/week... i look at it in per week, not per day... it's working! lost 1.7 lbs 2 weeks ago and 1lbs last week weigh in....
  • jennajava
    jennajava Posts: 2,176 Member
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    You need to eat your BMR in cals.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
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    The first time I bumped up my calories I gained weight for a few days then started losing again. The second time when I went up to 1470 I saw no change at all. Give it at least a couple of weeks to work, and don't worry if you gain a pound or two.
  • djdelano
    djdelano Posts: 30
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    Hi,

    What this shows is how different people are.

    I'm at 1870 Calories per day. I'm 6'2 and now 201 lbs.

    I workout at least 4 times a week, and often burn 500-800 calories per day. I'm losing very slowly.

    I'm actually stunned that some of your are losing weight at 1300/1400/1500 calories without vigorous workouts.

    As I've mentioned before I often don't officially track sat/sun but I consiously add up the calories to about 200-400 excess cals.

    If you are able to eat that much food and maintain, or lose, be HAPPY, because there are many of us who are very jealous!

    I predict my next weigh in when I finally get to 195 MFP will reduce me under 1800. Goal is 190 by end of February (going on a cruise)

    -D

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