1200 calories per day???

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milgirl77
milgirl77 Posts: 7
in Health and Weight Loss
Why are most people told to eat the same number of calories? My BMR is 1500+ so shouldn't I eat at least that amount? It seems that eating below that number would cause my body to go into starvation mode faster. Does anyone know where 1200 came from?

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  • grinch031
    grinch031 Posts: 1,679
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    Why are most people told to eat the same number of calories? My BMR is 1500+ so shouldn't I eat at least that amount? It seems that eating below that number would cause my body to go into starvation mode faster. Does anyone know where 1200 came from?

    Ignorance. Nobody knows their BMR for certain and they don't know what they are burning unless they are hooked up to a machine with a breathing mask.

    The truth is you should eat what your body tells you to eat. If you get fat by following your body, then you need to change the quality of your diet, not the quantity.
  • Janice032557
    Janice032557 Posts: 163 Member
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    I read on this web site that if you were to lay in bed all day your body would burn 1700 calories. In order to lose weight you have to eat less than the 1700 calories. The 1200 calories comes from: It take 3500 calories to lose one pound in a week. Divide the 3500 by 7 and you come up with 500. That is also the difference between 1700 - 1200 = 500. You have to have a deficit of 500 calories per day for 7 days to lose one pound. I hope this helps.
  • dls06
    dls06 Posts: 6,774 Member
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    1200 calories is the minimum the body needs to function. If you set your lifestyle on sedentary that is what you will have to eat to lose the weight in the time frame you chose. 1/2, 1, 2 lbs/week. If you exercise and enter it it will give you more calories.
  • milgirl77
    milgirl77 Posts: 7
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    Why are most people told to eat the same number of calories? My BMR is 1500+ so shouldn't I eat at least that amount? It seems that eating below that number would cause my body to go into starvation mode faster. Does anyone know where 1200 came from?

    Ignorance. Nobody knows their BMR for certain and they don't know what they are burning unless they are hooked up to a machine with a breathing mask.

    The truth is you should eat what your body tells you to eat. If you get fat by following your body, then you need to change the quality of your diet, not the quantity.

    Well you are an *kitten*. I didn't need your comment, I asked a question and if you didn't have anything to add, then stay away. I am far from ignorant. I have been hooked up to a machine, that is how I know my BMR.
  • milgirl77
    milgirl77 Posts: 7
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    Ok, thank you. I'll go with that then.
  • KareninCanada
    KareninCanada Posts: 830 Member
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    The 1200 comes from a calculator that doesn't know you or your body. You can change that setting by going into your goals.

    Start with your BMR, and never eat less than that. That's your calorie burn just for staying alive, and makes up about 70% of your calories burned on a normal day. A quick calculation for your needed daily calories is to multiply your goal weight in pounds by 14... that's not precise, but it's a number to go by. (Multiply by 13 if you sit at a desk all day, go home and sit then go to bed. 15-16 if you're seriously working out 3-5 times per week, and 17 if you're full-on training for a triathlon or are a full-time athlete.)

    (If you do it that way, don't eat back your exercise calories - MFP seems designed to give you a low calorie number at first then add more as you earn them, whereas calculating like that already allows for your activity.)
  • grinch031
    grinch031 Posts: 1,679
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    Why are most people told to eat the same number of calories? My BMR is 1500+ so shouldn't I eat at least that amount? It seems that eating below that number would cause my body to go into starvation mode faster. Does anyone know where 1200 came from?

    Ignorance. Nobody knows their BMR for certain and they don't know what they are burning unless they are hooked up to a machine with a breathing mask.

    The truth is you should eat what your body tells you to eat. If you get fat by following your body, then you need to change the quality of your diet, not the quantity.

    Well you are an *kitten*. I didn't need your comment, I asked a question and if you didn't have anything to add, then stay away. I am far from ignorant. I have been hooked up to a machine, that is how I know my BMR.

    Look I didn't call you ignorant. I answered your question. Ignorance is the reason people say everyone has to eat the same amount of calories. Its not true at all. In fact calorie counting doesn't work long term because everybody's body has different caloric needs.
  • breeanreyes
    breeanreyes Posts: 228 Member
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    If you increase your activity level then the amount of calories go up, my target calorie goal every day is 1420 because I'm a busybody and a massage therapist so I burn more calories per day than i would if i was sedentary.
  • milgirl77
    milgirl77 Posts: 7
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    Why are most people told to eat the same number of calories? My BMR is 1500+ so shouldn't I eat at least that amount? It seems that eating below that number would cause my body to go into starvation mode faster. Does anyone know where 1200 came from?

    Ignorance. Nobody knows their BMR for certain and they don't know what they are burning unless they are hooked up to a machine with a breathing mask.

    The truth is you should eat what your body tells you to eat. If you get fat by following your body, then you need to change the quality of your diet, not the quantity.

    Well you are an *kitten*. I didn't need your comment, I asked a question and if you didn't have anything to add, then stay away. I am far from ignorant. I have been hooked up to a machine, that is how I know my BMR.

    Look I didn't call you ignorant. I answered your question. Ignorance is the reason people say everyone has to eat the same amount of calories. Its not true at all. In fact calorie counting doesn't work long term because everybody's body has different caloric needs.
    Sorry, I misunderstood. You are not an *kitten*. In this case I am. :smile:
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    I read on this web site that if you were to lay in bed all day your body would burn 1700 calories. In order to lose weight you have to eat less than the 1700 calories. The 1200 calories comes from: It take 3500 calories to lose one pound in a week. Divide the 3500 by 7 and you come up with 500. That is also the difference between 1700 - 1200 = 500. You have to have a deficit of 500 calories per day for 7 days to lose one pound. I hope this helps.

    Not exactly.
    In this example, 1700 is your BMR, the base rate your body needs to survive. It is not the same for everyone and there are many factors the affect it. We actually burn more than that on a daily basis in our daily activity, that is your TDEE. Your calorie deficit should be taken from the TDEE, not the BMR.
    500 is another one of those random "average" suggestions that has become a rule. For people with lower TDEEs, it is more accurate to go by percentages than but the 500. I am sorry I can't find those numbers right now.

    I don't find most people are TOLD to eat the same, I find that many choose to. Or they choose weight loss goals that are too high for them. For people with fewer pounds to lose, 2 lbs a week is a high target that is probably going to take them around or lower than 1200, but this site automatically assigns no less than 1200.

    ETA - I believe for average weight loss, take off 15- 20% of your TDEE.
  • shanalivee
    shanalivee Posts: 27
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    weight loss is tough and what i have learned is that the truth hurts and gaining weight hurts even more! Let's all learn from each other and know we are all here with questions and answers :) i am on 1200 calories a day and i have learned to eat lots of little meals through out the day. i understand that to burn off the fat i need to burn calories and eat less calories for best results!

    Hope we all look at the main goal and work together :)
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    In fact calorie counting doesn't work long term because everybody's body has different caloric needs.

    I think this is exactly why calorie counting works best in the long term. Until you learn how many calories your body needs, all you can really do is go with general recommendations, such as the 1200 calorie rule. Once you've counted calories for a while you will get to know your own body better and can adjust to your own needs.

    General rules are not ignorant. They are guidelines based on popultion based data and not meant to take the place of indivualized recommendations. Until you know your individual results, they are a good starting point.

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