The magic number

I think you should do exactly what you're doing now Anne - what works for you and within healthy boundaries. Grown ups with an above average level of intelligence rarely need policing in my opinion :-) x

I like this too, listened to it the other day: http://nutritiondiva.quickanddirtytips.com/how-many-calories-do-I-need.aspx

You're so right, Anne!

I don't care about this number any more. Just watching myself, how I'm feeling, looking, sleeping and if I'm losing weight. I do my work outs, do more whenever I want to eat more just to find that sometimes I am not hungry enough to eat back the exercise cals. Had been attacked once for alledgedly having an eating disorder. WTF?..... only because I said I couldn't always eat back my cals leaving me below 1200. I'm over 50, in menopause and not very active during winter time. So how can they compare? Why would they? So no magic number for me except the right numbers for the Lotterie

Ok. At 5ft 1 on 1200 a day (400 less than maintenance calories) according to MFP I will lose 0.8lb per week. If I were 5ft 6 on 1200 a day I'd lose 2lbs a week on the same basis and be operating on a deficit of 490 calories. My point is nothing to do with eating the calories or not eating the calories. It's that to lose even a pound a week (recommended) I would need to go below 1200. For taller people 1200 might be necessary to keep the flame of life flickering, but even to stay the same I only need to eat a decent sandwich over and above that limit.


QUESTIONS
Why would my body think it is starving on just 400 calories less than maintenance?

Trudy Jo, why would I take myself near maintenance when I want to lose weight?

If I am smaller, surely my cut-off for a healthy intake would be smaller too?

I'm no expert but it sounds like you are on to something... especially considering you are 5-1

Read up on TDEE, BMR, and calorie deficits. Lots of info in the FAQ: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/474-unofficial-mfp-faq

I've been concerned about this, too. I'm 5'6" and my calculated BMR is just over 1200. When I reach my goal of 130 lbs, which is in the fit range, my BMR will be below 1200. I don't understand how I'm going to lose my last 10 lbs if I'm not eating at a deficit. I'll play it by ear and do what I have to do.

Well one correction; the 1200 calories a day is for women, men required 1500 based on the guidelines set forth by the National Institute for Health. Second, this is the number that is required for each person based on bodily functions; your organs use a calories to function properly (google; organ caloric requirements to see the specific needs).

Next, do some research on basal metabolic rates and TDEE. Many people confuse the two. BMR (aka as metabolism) is the amount of calories your body will burn if you slept for 24 hours. TDEE is your bodies maintenance calories or the amount of calories you would burn throughout the day from normal activities. TDEE is more important because this is the focal point for creating a deficit while ensuring your body can acquire enough calories for sustaining bodily functions. What happens when people under eat, they tend to slow their metabolism. This becomes extremely apparent for those on VLCD's with the amount of lean muscle mass they lose (reference HCG threads below for calculations).


What many people do is get fixated on this arbitrary number of 1200 because they don't understand caloric deficits, they tend to reach for a goal that is unrealistic (wanted to lose 2 lbs per week with only 10 lbs to go), or they just use that number because it's been thrown around all the time (especially with women). I am not trying to call women out but if you reference the second link, you will understand why I suggest that based on an study I conducted and results of that study.

So is 1200 correct for everyone, NO. But many times, that number is higher. People have to remember, food is fuel and if you don't have enough gas to drive down the street, how will you get there?

And keep in mind, there is a difference between being healthy/fit then skinny. You can be skinny but still not be healthy.



http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/356410-hcg-diet


http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/395948-caloric-intake-results?hl=caloric+intake+results&page=1#posts-5425208

I'm in a wheelchair all day, and had been using 1200, but I also have involuntary muscle movements at rest from the Dystonia element with my muscles stiffening and relaxing involuntarily (like about 100 times a day) and from the ataxia part which causes intention tremor so when I try and use my arms to do something intentional ie typing, it makes them more jerky,so I'm sure I must burn more than someone with my condition is just laying still on a bed or sofa all day watching telly!

eg even though I use a mobility scooter to walk my dog it takes my body more effort to stay balanced on it than someone without ataxia and I would have thought I's use about the same as someone walking very slowly with their dog. Someone on a Neuro forum suggested I allowed as much as a 2-3 hour exercise session calorie wise for about 16-18hrs of involuntary movements from waking up to going to bed... then if I exercise on top of that! .. I suspect 1200 is too low for me now though it worked in beginning when I was 2 stone overweight.

I was wondering if my metabolism had lowered as its adjusted to the ataxia and then the extra exercise I've doing on top to lose weight and still living on around 1200 calories for last 6 months. I'm also 42 going through peri-menopause and have under active thyroid so I don't know how they will affect things either.

I'm currently just eating breakfast, lunch and dinner, healthy snacks and gone wheat free/low carb but not been counting calories, if I'm really hungry I'll find something else healthy to eat managed to keep losing slowly or maintain that week if ate too much, but its alot of guesswork with very little accuracy.