1250 calories?

If you never leave your couch it's ok.


But I shouldn't talk, that's usually where I am at even with exorcise.

I would eat a bit more. I normally have about 1500 or so and I'm about the same height as you. I've dropped about 10 lbs and am at my goal weight. You can always reduce your calories later on if you want to.

That's incredibly low, and not sustainable. You'd be unsatiated and end up falling off the wagon. Re-adjust it, quickly!!

If you are relatively active, a physical job or just working out 3-7 days a week
you need to eat higher than that. You are a 36 year old female? i don't know your exact stats
but depending on your height and activity level, it can range from 1500-2000 calories for effective weight loss.
Just my opinion, in the end it's trial and error to see what works for you. Although no matter what anyone says,
1200 calories is way too low =P

I hate it when people say 1200 is not sustainable, yes it is, we eat wayyyyy too much food, that's why we're fat!

That's incredibly low, and not sustainable. You'd be unsatiated and end up falling off the wagon. Re-adjust it, quickly!!

Wow that's incredibly opinionated!

As you can see - the answer is varied. You need to find some middle ground to what you want to achieve and how you think you can do it. If you think it's too low, it probably is. Some of us don't think it is. Some others consume twice (or more) that.

I say do some research and enter what you think you can actually eat in a day (or do it over a couple of days) and see if you think that's sustainable....

Don't rely on others opinions. It's too fickle, varied and often bro-science... Do what works for you.

might be too low. try it out, see how you feel, adjust accordingly

Yeah, change your weight loss goal.. or exercise like heck every day so you get some extra calories to eat!

Do u want to lose weight?? They set me at 1200 and I lost 17 lbs in 11 weeks. Now maintaining and they gave me 1230.

1230 to MAINTAIN? You poor thing Even at my goal weight, my maintenance would be 1700 calories.

I hate it when people say 1200 is not sustainable, yes it is, we eat wayyyyy too much food, that's why we're fat!

Ya, I would have no idea what I'm talking about. Did you notice my weight loss? Hello???

Hey! It depends how much u entered into lose aswell - and def the exercoise u plan to do!
As a personal example - i started at 83KG and MFP told me to consume 1440cals a day (with the goal to workout 4 times a week at 40mins)

Now Im 74.5Kg (lost 8.5kg / 19lb) and have injured my back so currently entered 1x40min workout a week and MFP put me on 1250 to lose!!!! which is hard, but as Im learning, it's about what foods you eat ..... one lot of carbs can leave me stranded for the day, otherwise if I have lotsa right foods (veg, fruit, seeds etc) then Im generally sweet.....

If you dont feel comfortable with it after experimenting, then perhaps consider upping them to 1280 or 1300 !! Its your body, MFP is only a generalised guide :O)
Best of luck!! Please feel free to add me (just dont judge my dinner tonight - hungry jacks! hehehe)
xxx from aus

I have read thru the posts on this topic and found a great varied opinions from my experience 1250 is attainable

I'm a 31 yr old male and i have a target of 1300 calories before exercise. On days i don't do exercise i find it very manageable, its really just about the foods you eat and experimenting with difference combinations. But there are definitely foods that are wasted calories on days you don't do workouts, bread, rice, pasta, execessive fruit, steaks being the major ones

I eat 5 meals a day, with 2 larger meals and 3 smaller meals.

Vegetables and chicken breasts are a great low calorie main meal.
finding breakfasts that are low calories are a great help too, muesli with milk works for me
Having a large milk drink (blueberry, yoghurt and milk) fills me up for one of my snacks, as does an apple.

The foods i eat are very affordable and can be boring at times, but I'm not heavy, just a few kilos over my goal weight now and haven't found my weight loss decreasing as i get closer to my goal, but I have my priorities and a weight loss is it atm.

When i wanna go out or eat a carb heavy meal i wait til a day that im doing exercise and i earn it. Ive lost 1kg a week since signing up to myfitnesspal and have always been 20-50% above my protein requirement, and fulfilled my fibre requirements while keeping all other nutritional categories well below their levels. I'm definitely never starving, mal-nutritoned or resulting in weight loss due to muscle loss.

That's incredibly low, and not sustainable. You'd be unsatiated and end up falling off the wagon. Re-adjust it, quickly!!

Wow that's incredibly opinionated!

As you can see - the answer is varied. You need to find some middle ground to what you want to achieve and how you think you can do it. If you think it's too low, it probably is. Some of us don't think it is. Some others consume twice (or more) that.

I say do some research and enter what you think you can actually eat in a day (or do it over a couple of days) and see if you think that's sustainable....

Don't rely on others opinions. It's too fickle, varied and often bro-science... Do what works for you.

^this!

I'm a 5'7" female age 42 starting weight 170lb so very similar stats to the op. I set my activity level to sedentary (desk job) and goal as 1lb a week and it gave me a target of 1430 cals per day. I do between 100-200 cals of exercise every day so eat about 1550 cals. This week my cals have been reduced to 1300, I guess because I am within 7 lb of my goal. So if the op feels 1200 cals is too low it is probably because she's set her weight loss at 2lb per week and changing it to 1 lb per week will give her more calories.

I hate it when people say 1200 is not sustainable, yes it is, we eat wayyyyy too much food, that's why we're fat!

Ya, I would have no idea what I'm talking about. Did you notice my weight loss? Hello???

You are MY HERO.... Does that feel better now??

Seriously, congrats on YOUR success. You aren't the only one that has found what works for them. I say continue merry on your way and let others work out what's best for them.