Should I up my calories?

reallyyrenee · January 2012

Hey guys. I just have a quick question. My calorie limit is 1200. This seems a little low to me and I'm finding it hard to stay under or at least right on that amount. It seems like I get through breakfast and lunch and have barely any calories left for dinner. I'm doing really well at counting and watching the calories myself its just a really hard number to stay under. Any advice? If you don't think this number is necessarily low, then how can I do better at keeping under that amount? Really struggling here!

sarbu24 · January 2012

Maybe try to eat foods that keep you full longer? Or eat small more frequent meals throughout the day? How much protein are you getting in?

reallyyrenee · January 2012

Any suggestions as to what foods will keep me full longer? The small meals might work too. I'm not sure about the protein, I'll have to start keeping track of that.

IvoryParchment · January 2012

Unless there is some urgent reason you have to lose a particular amount of weight by a deadline, there's no harm to easing into things. Just log what you eat to start. without trying to lower your intake, then gradually ratchet down your daily goal.

1200 seems pretty low for a 19 year old, and you aren't that far above your baseline weight. If you just choose the weight maintenance calorie limit for your goal weight, you will gradually drift down to it and stay there. And you will have learned to be comfortable at that level.

Care563 · January 2012

I am on 1200 calories per day. I try to have 4 meals (300 calories each) I eat a lot of veggies so my meals are satisfying. eg a whole bunch of stir fry veggys with 200 calories of pasta (always brown rice pasta) then I have 100 calories to play with for a sauce or oil eg. If I'm a really hungry I eat my exercise calories.

Pebble321 · January 2012

I've never had my calories set this low, and I don't think it's necessary for most people. If you are finding it hard to stick to then it would be better to increase it a little til you find a sustainable level (for me 1400 is a minimum - any lower and I'm seriously grumpy!). This is going to give you the best chance of long term success.

thelassiemickyjames · January 2012

I'm 24 and Im ravenously hungry on just 1200, and I eat balanced small meals that shouldn't leave me feeling full. I think since my metabolism is higher I require more calories (1400-1500) to be burning at maximum efficiency. I bet you need more than I do, youngin!

kaydensmom12 · January 2012

You should up them. I do not know your stats, but I would say at least 1300-1400. Always eat your exercise calories back which will help. Eat foods high in protein such as meats and eggs. Eat foods high in fiber like fruits, veggies and whole grain products. I personally eat all day long and I rarely feel hungry. If I do get hungry and am at my calories I still eat, just something nutritious and filling like an apple with small amount of peanut butter. You need to listen to your body. Just try to make healthy choices without the empty calories like pop and chips.

As someone else has said, ease into it. If you are hungry then eat, slowly decreasing calories.

heybales · January 2012

Hey guys. I just have a quick question. My calorie limit is 1200. This seems a little low to me and I'm finding it hard to stay under or at least right on that amount. It seems like I get through breakfast and lunch and have barely any calories left for dinner. I'm doing really well at counting and watching the calories myself its just a really hard number to stay under. Any advice? If you don't think this number is necessarily low, then how can I do better at keeping under that amount? Really struggling here!

Good, this means you haven't killed your metabolism yet!

You don't mention exercise, though your profile says you had to stop for heart defect.
Are you doing any exercise?
Then you need to feed that exercise so you body can get stronger, the deficit will still be there anyway.

Speaking of that, being that close to goal weight, you probably need to do some special things to lose, without scaring your body into slowing down - just opposite of what you want.

Perhaps the BMR figure is off, which of course the maintenance calories is based on (and your choice of activity level each day), and then your goal calories based on that.
Several places for errors, and being that hungry could mean that are all incorrect in the same direction, too much deficit.

You might try some other sites and see if their BMR estimate is in agreement. The activity level part is pretty much going to be the same no matter where you look, as long as you are selecting the correct one.

And then goal calories could be probably 500 less than those maintenance calories for being so close. 250-500 would actually be very realistic being so close.

Another popular estimate of BMR is here:
http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/

If you don't know your body fat percentage, please take the time for some measurements and use the links on the right for all calculators, and use the Covert Baily one. Record all those values too, and set MFP for tracking other measurements. That way you can be thrilled later as sizes go down, and BF% goes down.

The result page will have the Katch-McArdle calculation - use that.
It will also give a range of goals depending on activity level.
Notice they are NOT giving you your maintenance calories, that table is your goal calories, which you can manually put in MFP. And the BMR is NOT your goal calories, that is estimate of what your body burns for basic living, no moving.
And no where on there do they know how much you exercise, so get good estimates of that calorie expenditure and eat those calories back so your body can build more muscle and burn more fat.

Please keep your appetite and potential for safe weight loss by keeping it real.

misslizz6958 · January 2012

I wouldn't for sure, your still young enough to train yourself to eat less. Trust me you'll be glad you did when you hit 30 or get knocked up.

Should I up my calories?

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