Confused About Calories

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SerenityGelsinger
SerenityGelsinger Posts: 80 Member
in Food and Nutrition
So I see that lots of people don't think 1200 calories is enough. That's what MFP said I should be eating a day? Is that not enough? When I exercise I do eat back most if not all the calories. I sit at a desk all day. I'm a little confused.

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  • anulle2009
    anulle2009 Posts: 580 Member
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    when I first started i was on 1200cals. but as i lost weight it just wasnt enough anymore, so I increased my intake. It all depends on you and what you feel is right for you. everyone has their own thoughts but it comes down to you.. MFP wont ever go below 1200 cals either though.
  • joyfulteach
    joyfulteach Posts: 419 Member
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    1200 is the minimum. If you put in you want to loose 1 lb. a week you will probably get more calories or you can exercise to get more calories.
  • treehopper1987
    treehopper1987 Posts: 505 Member
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    It depends on the person; activity level throughout the day, weight, height...
  • kaybigs
    kaybigs Posts: 8
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    always eat your exercise calories!! all of them!!
  • jimmie25
    jimmie25 Posts: 266
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    it's all about the activity level i guess. my job requires me to be on my feet 9hrs a day, so i'd be starving if i ate only 1200cals.
  • hauer01
    hauer01 Posts: 523 Member
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    I also have a desk job! I have been on a successful 1200 day diet for a couple of weeks now. At some point, I will increase it, but for now, this is what is working for me. And I usually don't have much of a problem with the 1200 day, I work out everyday, so I get to eat more than that anyway.
  • Pashen4fit
    Pashen4fit Posts: 63
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    always eat your exercise calories!! all of them!!
    Thanks I learned something new today :-)
    I didn't no you should eat as much as you burned
  • SerenityGelsinger
    SerenityGelsinger Posts: 80 Member
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    I just assumed since it asked you all those questions etc that it was telling you the correct amount. I've been losing weight on 1200 calories but I have found myself getting hungry lately. How would I know the amount to eat and still lose weight?
  • divamsm
    divamsm Posts: 79 Member
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    I'm having the same problem! I've only lost 7 lbs and upon my weigh in which should have been yesterday, I had gained 3+ lbs. I haven't really gone over my calories, but did drink over the weekend a bit...but was still within my calories. I'm working out 4-5 days a week and already stuck at a plateau! I was sooo stoked and pumped that I was going to do it this time, but I'm starting to get really discouraged. I never, ever cry, but I've been crying all day today. I just don't know what to do anymore. I've had a hysterectomy, so I know it's not my period or anything female. Last night I was reading through some of the blogs and forums, and found this website freedieting.com. I re-calculated my daily calories and while MFP says I should be eating 1200 calories per day, this one says 1625, with 1360 at a very, bare minimum. I almost always eat all my exercised off calories. So, now I've changed my goals, etc. hoping that's the problem. HELP! I don't want to give up again....I really want to stick with it, but I need to see some results. Even my measurements aren't really showing much. Still wearing the same clothes with very little extra room in them. I'm about to just say screw it, or sew my mouth up. What am I doing wrong??
  • SerenityGelsinger
    SerenityGelsinger Posts: 80 Member
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    Okay I checked out that site freedieting.com and it says to lose weight I should eat 1477 calories and for extreme fat loss 1232. So I'm eating even less than the one for extreme fat loss! I just don't want to end up doing damage to my body or lose too fast at first and then suffer for it later.
  • SerenityGelsinger
    SerenityGelsinger Posts: 80 Member
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    Anyone else have advice?
  • IvoryParchment
    IvoryParchment Posts: 651 Member
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    Your calorie requirement depends on age, weight, height, gender, activity level, and some other health related things like growth (in children), increased work of breathing (in people with pneumonia), fever, etc. Menstruating women lose calories that must be replaced by building blood every month, though they usually don't lose as much blood as one would think. People with hormonal issues like low thyroid may consume fewer calories than the calculated basal metabolic rate.

    As you get older, you need less calories. There's no way around it. If you want to eat what you did before, you need to exercise more.

    Also, there aren't many 18 year olds with high blood pressure. 50-75% of seniors have it, usually involving retaining salt and water. That weighs something, too.

    I'm older and would love to lose 2 lbs a week. MFP tells me to eat 1200 kcal, but that's only enough to lose 1/2 lb a week at sedentary exercise level. I set my activity to sedentary. Eating my exercise calories is my reward for working out. I've never worked out so often in my life. :smile:
  • McKayMachina
    McKayMachina Posts: 2,670 Member
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    I think people who generalize that 1200 calories/day is not enough for every single human are being too simplistic.

    I'm short and female. 1200 is ideal.

    If you're a 350-lb. man over 6 feet tall, then hailz to the no 1200 won't cut it.

    But that intake is great for loss for some, IMHO. Everyone has an opinion. Hear them all then form your own. Adapt it as new information becomes available to you. Just like with anything. :)
  • Aerohead21
    Aerohead21 Posts: 333 Member
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    Agreed. Your calorie needs depends upon you and your demographics. I'd say a big reason you are getting 1200 calories is because you input sedentary for your activity level and you have a low level of exercise based on what you answered for how much exercise you want to do.

    Someone told me quite a while ago that it seems a misnomer to select sedentary if you have a sit down job but work out a lot. The examples it supplies under each activity level aren't strictly your work. They are just trying to give you an idea. So if you find that you are actually pretty active and getting hungry while eating well, you *may* need to increase your calories and change your settings.
  • tyrog11
    tyrog11 Posts: 35 Member
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    People concentrate on the number of calories too much...its the type of food you are eating that matters the most. You should do some research on Protein, Carbs, and Fat (ultimately cutting and leveling the glucose/insulin in your body to a fat burning -not muscle burning- level)...those 3 things are what will determine if you gain or lose weight. Of course I don't mean that you can consume 5000 calories/day and be sedentary and lose weight. While I always know my calorie intake (thanks to MFP) I really don't care what it is...never did in the 4 months I lost 90 pounds anyway.
  • beachdiva2010
    beachdiva2010 Posts: 180 Member
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    This question is sooo frustrating, and can be very confusing to the newcomer. When I joined MFP 6 months ago, it set me up for the 1200 cal per day. And the scale didn't budge, nor did it give me enough energy for the day. But after listening to several people, I realized that I HAD to increase my calories each day (1400/1500) eating 6 small meals 300-350 cal per meal.

    This much I do know....you have got to fuel your body with the right foods all day long to keep your metabolism running all day. For those that are doing less than 1200 cal per day, that is so unhealthy and will catch up with you. You can not work out and not fuel your body correctly and expect great results. Low calories is a very temporary fix and can create greater health problems. Trust me, there is NO magic pill, or magic caloric number. You have to take the time to find the right caloric intake for your age, energy, and intensity of exercise.

    Good luck!!
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,967 Member
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    You have to enter in all your information (height ,weight, age, etc) and MFP will give you a more accurate number. There is no magic number of calories that everyone needs. It depends on how big you are and your gender.
  • SerenityGelsinger
    SerenityGelsinger Posts: 80 Member
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    Okay thanks. I've entered all my information, and I didn't say sedentary but the one next to it (can't remember what the term is). I've lost 12 pounds in a month and while I am super happy I have always heard two pounds a week is the most you should lose if you want to keep it off. Also I've been feeling irritable and a little weak. So I guess that just answered my quesion! I'll bump up the calories a tad and see what happens. I don't exercise a ton right now because I have severe Achilles tendonosis so walking and light weights (since I just started) are all I'm able to do. I used to run but somewhere along the line my tendons got mad!!:smile:
  • SerenityGelsinger
    SerenityGelsinger Posts: 80 Member
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    Oops! I guess I did sedentary. I changed it and now I have 1300 calories. I'll try this for awhile.

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