1200 calories a day - enough?
ChristineDiet
Posts: 719 Member
Hi. I'm 5ft 8" and I started on MFP 2 weeks ago. I want to lose as much weight as quickly and as healthily as possible so i set it for 2lbs a week. I have lost 2lbs in the first week, nothing the second.
I've been reading some of these forums and some people are suggesting that 1200 calories a day is too low if your over 5ft.
some people are also suggesting that you will actually lose more weight if you increase your calorie limit - to what I don't know.
There is also a huge debate about whether or not you should eat your exercise calories back. some say NO, some say Yes, and some say eat HALF! It's all very confusing.
I just want to be able to eat an everyday diet and know that if I stick to x, y, z that I will lose weight healthily and steadily.
Any help and advice would be fantastic. My dairy is open to friends so if you add me you can look and advise on what I've been eating too.
Thanks and good luck to everyone. x
I've been reading some of these forums and some people are suggesting that 1200 calories a day is too low if your over 5ft.
some people are also suggesting that you will actually lose more weight if you increase your calorie limit - to what I don't know.
There is also a huge debate about whether or not you should eat your exercise calories back. some say NO, some say Yes, and some say eat HALF! It's all very confusing.
I just want to be able to eat an everyday diet and know that if I stick to x, y, z that I will lose weight healthily and steadily.
Any help and advice would be fantastic. My dairy is open to friends so if you add me you can look and advise on what I've been eating too.
Thanks and good luck to everyone. x
0
Replies
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This is a great article... it made so much sense to me
http://ext-app-mfp.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/208407-how-to-repair-a-damaged-metabolism-stavation-mode
good luck to you too!0 -
This is a great article... it made so much sense to me
http://ext-app-mfp.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/208407-how-to-repair-a-damaged-metabolism-stavation-mode
good luck to you too!
Thanks. I read the article and there are parts of it that I understand but parts that I don't. I just wish someone would say, for a woman of your height and weight you need to do x, y and z and you will guarantee to lose weight healthily.
I will try and read it again, maybe then it will all make more sense. x0 -
Let me make it soimple for you.. there are two ways to proceed , either stick with 1200 and eat your calories back , which alot of ppl here do it but with trail and error , i undrstd is not for me m 5'4"
or
Find your BMR and TDEE
BMR: Least numbers of calories you need say if you are in a coma
TDEE: Total amount of calories you burn from the time you when you wake up , brush your eat, shower, then dressing up, cooking, walking , exercise etc etc etc
Once you have both the numbers, start eating above BMR and 20% below TDEE for a healthy weight loss...
To find these numbers here is a good site : http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm
Good luck.0 -
hey there! you ask such a great question, i am basically the same height as you and currently at 80kg (well its weigh-in tomoz so hoping to be atleast 79 hehe)....have been recommended by MFP that I aim to lose 1lb a week and consume 1440 calories...
I started MFP 3 wks ago at 82.5/83kg, so i have already lost 3kg (keep in mind its my weigh-in tomoz so could even by 4kg by now!!) I have done this by consuming an average of 1000-1300 calories ... I don't work back the calories I burn from exercise either (and am burning atleast 1000-1500/wk) ...HOWEVER, I listen to my body as I fear of starvation mode working against me, and want this to be a life lasting change.....so if my body needs extra protein or carbs, i do it!!!
Once I get lower in kg's I will set my max calorie intake to 1200 , but not go hard on myself as healthy is best!! not starvation hehe!!
I think it takes consistency , so set yourself 1200 for a month and see what happens, experiment a little and find what works for yOUR body ...then go with it...
People might read this and think im stupid for having 1000 on some days, but ive fed my body enough sugary fatty yukkiness for so long it can deal with a bit of discipline hehehe..best of luck finding whats good for you...0 -
PS: one last thing !!!
find out what blood type you are and eat according to your type - you may have someone the same weight, sex, age and height as you but a different blood type so seafood for example could contribute to their weight loss, and your weight gain!!
http://dadamo.com/
I hope I helped in one way or another... I am still at early days of learning all these things myself!!!!
Feel free to add me :O)
HUgs0 -
Set your goals for 1 lb weight loss per week.Hi. I'm 5ft 8" and I started on MFP 2 weeks ago. I want to lose as much weight as quickly and as healthily as possible so i set it for 2lbs a week. I have lost 2lbs in the first week, nothing the second.
I've been reading some of these forums and some people are suggesting that 1200 calories a day is too low if your over 5ft.
some people are also suggesting that you will actually lose more weight if you increase your calorie limit - to what I don't know.
There is also a huge debate about whether or not you should eat your exercise calories back. some say NO, some say Yes, and some say eat HALF! It's all very confusing.
NO MORE!
And eat lean meats, low fat dairy, nuts, whole grains, fresh fruits and veggies.
Do both cardio and resistance exercise.
AND EAT BACK YOUR EXERCISE CALORIES~!
That's it.0 -
I have same problem, although for the most part, 1200 is fine, but I am not dropping the weight like I thought and hoped. Seems if I exercise more, MFP wants me to eat more. Seems to defeat the purpose.
I found this cool website that has pictures of people of certain height / certain weight, but I looked and thought perhaps I should be losing more than I hoped, to achieve the look I want!
Or perhaps I am completely unrealistic!0 -
All of my life I have heard to lose weight you eat less and exercise more to lose weight. Until I came on MFP I never heard of eating back exercise calories or eating more food to lose weight. It doesn't make any sense to me. I eat about 1/2 of mine back though because I'm hungry but that means I'm only eating approximately 1400 calories a day which is way less than I used to consume when I was out of shape and fat. I think people who burn big numbers definitely shouldn't eat all their exercise calories back. What would be the point in exercising? I don't burn big numbers because I am almost to goal so I can only eat about 1/2 as I stated. I think the bottom line is to eat healthy with the calories MFP gives you and take supplements such as a daily vitamin. I have been doing this since last March and haven't been sick one time. The majority of the time I stuck around 1300 calories a day, netted about 1100. I can't say my journey has been easy but it works. Good luck!!! :flowerforyou:0
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Set your goals for 1 lb weight loss per week.
NO MORE!
And eat lean meats, low fat dairy, nuts, whole grains, fresh fruits and veggies.
Do both cardio and resistance exercise.
AND EAT BACK YOUR EXERCISE CALORIES~!
That's it.
pretty much this. work on making healthy lifestyle changes - but keep in mind that you cant do this quickly, and 1lb loss per week is reccommended, especially if you dont have a massive amount of weight to lose. you havent put your starting weight on so i am only guessing.
When i started i was set to 1200 cals to lose 1lb per week, and i am 5ft5. i stuck to it for about 3 months and lost about a pound each week and then upped my cals to lose 1/2lb when i was close to my goal. everyone is different though, and as you are quite tall, 1200 cals might not be enough for your body to shed the weight.
and yes, eat back the exercise calories, especially if you burn over 500 cals a session when you work out. good luck!0 -
Everyone will have a different answer, becuase everyone is different! Everyone's metabolism works different so there is no set answer to how many calories you should eat. I read everything followed different peoples advice but found the only way to get to the right balance is to try out different combos and find the one that owrks for you. Do a week at 1200, see if it works, if not eat back 1/2 your cals, if that doesn't work try eating back all of them. You have to go through a little trial and error to find you perfect balance of calories and exercise.
If you have a week where you don't loose, that doesn't mean you are doing things wrong, it just means your body is adjusting, it could be that it is water retention OR is could be that your body is starting to build muscle. Which will add weight but will help you burn more in the future.
If you have only been at it a few weeks don't panic and just play with the numbers until you get it right.0 -
Generally speaking...
If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal, and
If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal.
So 2# a week might be too ambitious for you.
As far as exercise calories, I firmly believe you should eat most of them, because that's what worked for me. But it's really about trial and error. If something works for you, keep doing it. If it doesn't, try something else.
I also firmly believe that too many women set their weekly goal too high (everyone wants to lose it as fast as they can, but it's not always possible) and their activity level too low. And I don't think most people are as sedentary as they think they are. But that's also a matter of trial and error.
Personally, I think the best plan of attack is to forget the scale and focus on eating better and being more active. If your goal is, for instance, to be able to run a 5K, you're going to be in better shape by the time you've done training it, no matter what the scale might say.0 -
5'8" working out 3 times a week gives you an appx TDEE of 2700.
Take 20% off that and theres your calories to cut to to lose weight the "healthy" way.
Anything too low and you will lose lean mass and thats not pretty.0 -
Let me make it soimple for you.. there are two ways to proceed , either stick with 1200 and eat your calories back , which alot of ppl here do it but with trail and error , i undrstd is not for me m 5'4"
or
Find your BMR and TDEE
BMR: Least numbers of calories you need say if you are in a coma
TDEE: Total amount of calories you burn from the time you when you wake up , brush your eat, shower, then dressing up, cooking, walking , exercise etc etc etc
Once you have both the numbers, start eating above BMR and 20% below TDEE for a healthy weight loss...
To find these numbers here is a good site : http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm
Good luck.
According to this website I need to eat 2499 calories per day to lose weight!! MFP tells me to eat around 1800 and if I try to eat 1200 (which is what I feel I should) it tells me that I will not lose weight if I do not eat enough calories....and I think that it is correct as the last 2 weeks I have lost only 2lbs which is not nearly enough for what I thought!!0 -
Hi. It was one of your posts that made me think about writing this post. I've never heard of BMR and TDEE.5'8" working out 3 times a week gives you an appx TDEE of 2700.
Take 20% off that and theres your calories to cut to to lose weight the "healthy" way.
Anything too low and you will lose lean mass and thats not pretty.
I'm 5ft 8", current weight is 215lbs. I always do two 1 hour sessions of high impact aerobics (always at the weekend), sometimes during the week I do nothing, sometimes I fit in a walk!
I'm not sure what you calculated to get to 2700?
I know a lot of people are saying "be patient" and I am, I have just started but want to start in the right direction. I would 'love' to lose 2lbs a week but would be happy if I was losing something every week instead of nothing.
Another question, I get weighed once a week on a Saturday - this is before I do any of my exercise classes. Should I then change my weigh in day to a Monday? Or does it not really matter as it's the same day, time, every week.
Thank you for all of your comments and advice. Perhaps still slightly confused as everyone says different things.
xx0 -
Mind if I post the numbers for the public?
Calculated dietary numbers.
Okay here we go!
BMR 1941 <---eating anything below this number kills metabolism and robs nutrients from vital organs.
TDEE 2668 <---this is how much energy in calories your body uses a day. Eat below this number to lose weight.
Lean mass 144lbs appx...
Fat 71lbs appx...
Perfect weight appx 165lbs could be lower but I wont know without Body Fat %.
Obese I range
Calories per day 2000
Macronutrient partition:
Protein 30% 149g
Carbs 40% 199g
Fat 30% 66g
So to lose 1lb a week you eat 2k calories with proper macros.
Try to get in 1 more workout or take a 15 min walk after dinner every day.
This is sure to pump up the metabolism so we can start moving fat!
Be sure to pick up 3 easy supplements.
1) Omega 3 complex with Omega 3,6,9 oils. Take 1 with each meal as prescribed by the bottle.
2) B-complex
3) Whey protein. I like Optimum Nutrition for taste and quality.
Drink 8-12 cups water daily.0 -
Mind if I post the numbers for the public?
Calculated dietary numbers.
Okay here we go!
BMR 1941 <---eating anything below this number kills metabolism and robs nutrients from vital organs.
TDEE 2668 <---this is how much energy in calories your body uses a day. Eat below this number to lose weight.
Lean mass 144lbs appx...
Fat 71lbs appx...
Perfect weight appx 165lbs could be lower but I wont know without Body Fat %.
Obese I range
Calories per day 2000
Macronutrient partition:
Protein 30% 149g
Carbs 40% 199g
Fat 30% 66g
So to lose 1lb a week you eat 2k calories with proper macros.
Try to get in 1 more workout or take a 15 min walk after dinner every day.
This is sure to pump up the metabolism so we can start moving fat!
Be sure to pick up 3 easy supplements.
1) Omega 3 complex with Omega 3,6,9 oils. Take 1 with each meal as prescribed by the bottle.
2) B-complex
3) Whey protein. I like Optimum Nutrition for taste and quality.
Drink 8-12 cups water daily.
"Mind if I post the numbers for the public?" Ha too late now! Thanks again for this. x0 -
Ok so i am curious about number of calories as well... We are almost the same size, I'm 5'8 and my starting weight was 210 (i'm currently 205) When i signed up myfitnesspal set my calories at 1200 so i'v been tryingvto eat around 1200 calories a day. According to the calorie counter linked above at freedieting.com it says i should be eating 1808 for fat loss or 1648 for extreme fat loss and according to helloitsdan i need to be eating about 2000 calories. I'm soooo confused. Why did myfitnesspal.com set my calories so low if i should be consuming way more than that.
Help :-)0 -
Ok so i am curious about number of calories as well... We are almost the same size, I'm 5'8 and my starting weight was 210 (i'm currently 205) When i signed up myfitnesspal set my calories at 1200 so i'v been tryingvto eat around 1200 calories a day. According to the calorie counter linked above at freedieting.com it says i should be eating 1808 for fat loss or 1648 for extreme fat loss and according to helloitsdan i need to be eating about 2000 calories. I'm soooo confused. Why did myfitnesspal.com set my calories so low if i should be consuming way more than that.
Help :-)
This is what I mean about confusion.
Dan also said to me that I need to eat 2000 calories a day, whereas MFP had set it for 1200 losing 2lbs a week. I have changed it to 1lb a week loss and it's put it at 1620 cals a day. So now I'm thinking I will try that, but I'm kinda scared, I don't want to eat more and end up gaining, but don't want to not eat enough and not lose the weight! I'm going to try the 1620 for the next 2 weeks and see what happens. (It's just that holiday in May - 17 weeks to go, 2 weeks of experiment is quite a lot then!) x0 -
Easy. MFP doesn't calculate your exercise into the equation, those other sites (and Helloitsdan) factor exercise in. MFP sets you up for weight loss on diet alone, which is why you are supposed to eat back your exercise calories if you're using MFP's plan.
Also, keep in mind, you are selecting 2 pounds per week to get 1200 calories, while that other site (and Helloitsdan) is selecting 1 pound per week. If you are getting 1200 calories per week for a 2 pound loss, MFP will probably give you around 1700 calories if you pick just 1 pound a week, for comparison.0 -
This is true!
I hate overthinking crap so I factor in all my calories because truthfully you never know when you will get in your training!
Life happens but if you under eat...0 -
Hi Christine,
Maybe this site http://fitnessvideosandplans.com/ can help you to get better understanding on how to lose wight fast and in a healthy way. You'll get great advices and tips that I'm sure you'll gonna love to follow and apply.
I am looking forward to see your changes soon.0 -
this for 'JDbeckers'. Hope you find it. x0
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Ok so i am curious about number of calories as well... We are almost the same size, I'm 5'8 and my starting weight was 210 (i'm currently 205) When i signed up myfitnesspal set my calories at 1200 so i'v been tryingvto eat around 1200 calories a day. According to the calorie counter linked above at freedieting.com it says i should be eating 1808 for fat loss or 1648 for extreme fat loss and according to helloitsdan i need to be eating about 2000 calories. I'm soooo confused. Why did myfitnesspal.com set my calories so low if i should be consuming way more than that.
Help :-)
This is what I mean about confusion.
Dan also said to me that I need to eat 2000 calories a day, whereas MFP had set it for 1200 losing 2lbs a week. I have changed it to 1lb a week loss and it's put it at 1620 cals a day. So now I'm thinking I will try that, but I'm kinda scared, I don't want to eat more and end up gaining, but don't want to not eat enough and not lose the weight! I'm going to try the 1620 for the next 2 weeks and see what happens. (It's just that holiday in May - 17 weeks to go, 2 weeks of experiment is quite a lot then!) x
Just to ease your mind. DON'T be concerned about a gain right after you increase calories. An increase in calories leads to an increase in glycogen storage, which can lead to an increase in water weight. So don't panic on that. The real key is that the body will be more willing to burn fat reserves if you eat enough calories to fuel yourself. Fat is an endocrine organ, meaning it's responsible for the creation and regulation of several hormones in the body, particularly appetite controlling hormones and reproductive hormones. Because of this, the body doesn't like to get rid of it, other than small bits at a time. If you're eating enough food, your body will be comfortable burning fat, because it knows it can replenish it if necessary. If you aren't eating enough, your body will be afraid about burning fat, because it needs it for all those functions. That's why slow steady weight loss is much more successful, as the body can slowly adjust. So don't stress over a small gain. You will adjust and start losing again.
Also, 2 weeks is not enough time to experiment with something, at least a month is better, and really 3 months is best.0 -
When you want to lose weight safely and for the long-term, you need to focus on losing no more than 2 pounds per week. Nutritionists and health experts say that 2 pounds per week is a healthy rate of weight loss for most people, and steady weight loss will get results in the long-term.0
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So Is it safe to assume that what MFP says about the 1200 calorie a day for a 2 pound a week weight loss + eating back (sometimes) your workout calories a day is OK???
Sorry I am 5'5 and have 50+ pounds to lose and want to make sure im on track,
I work our 5x a week. Just dont want to get discouraged....0 -
If I may say, in looking at your diary you are eating a ton of "dirty carbs" and not nearly enough protein. Personally I think MFP has the setting way too high on carbs and way too low on protein. Try to stay within 30 carbs per meal and match it with some high protein. You have to start somewhere but its good to tweak your diet after awhile to incorporate some better foods and they will go a lot further too. In addition, please patient, it takes time to lose weight and its very easy to get frustrated. I agree with others that a 2 lb a week weight goal is somewhat unrealistic as a life style change. Best of luck to you0
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So Is it safe to assume that what MFP says about the 1200 calorie a day for a 2 pound a week weight loss + eating back (sometimes) your workout calories a day is OK???
Sorry I am 5'5 and have 50+ pounds to lose and want to make sure im on track,
I work our 5x a week. Just dont want to get discouraged....
Bad idea.
TDEE is appx 2200 so only cut to 1600.
Keep in mind that losing lean mass can effect your heart.
Your heart is a muscle.0 -
This is a great article... it made so much sense to me
http://ext-app-mfp.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/208407-how-to-repair-a-damaged-metabolism-stavation-mode
good luck to you too!
Thank you SO much for posting that article! Very informative!0 -
It's simple but so hard.Set your goals for 1 lb weight loss per week.
NO MORE!
And eat lean meats, low fat dairy, nuts, whole grains, fresh fruits and veggies.
Do both cardio and resistance exercise.
AND EAT BACK YOUR EXERCISE CALORIES~!
That's it.
pretty much this. work on making healthy lifestyle changes - but keep in mind that you cant do this quickly, and 1lb loss per week is reccommended, especially if you dont have a massive amount of weight to lose. you havent put your starting weight on so i am only guessing.
When i started i was set to 1200 cals to lose 1lb per week, and i am 5ft5. i stuck to it for about 3 months and lost about a pound each week and then upped my cals to lose 1/2lb when i was close to my goal. everyone is different though, and as you are quite tall, 1200 cals might not be enough for your body to shed the weight.
and yes, eat back the exercise calories, especially if you burn over 500 cals a session when you work out. good luck!
I have failed time and time again.
I do not think I have it in me to punch back from obesity again.
The prospect of gaining weight scares me at this stage of my life.0
This discussion has been closed.
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