Seriously ... 1200 calories or less

This seems to be an excellent calorie calculation.

http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/calorie-calculator.html

I've been cutting about 20% from what is recommended on this calculation and I've seen some really nice results. I'm losing fat and gaining strength.

Thanks for this - its really flexible. I 'played around' with the hours to see what my body would burn 1) just sleeping all day 2) sleeping normal hours with the rest sedentary 3) just doing a normal day with no exercise and 4) a day with exercise. I know that these are never totally accurate as they do not take into account individual specifics, but it is a great guide.

No problem. I see that many people are confused about BMR and TDEE. This is like a one stop shop to get a general guide of what your maintenance would be on a typical day for you. Take that typical day, reduce your calories by a reasonable amount and there you go.

I'm losing weight on 1830 calories, but I'm a big tall bloke. This site has got to be the best thing since sliced bread, it's really helping me. I've been meaning to start losing weight for some years and then a friend told me about myfitnesspal. Last night I had a vindaloo and a couple of glasses of red wine and was still on target! I've got 37Kg to lose and it should be gone in time for Christmas. Just a note of caution to others, I keep forgetting to drink enough (water or whatever) which can be really bad. If you don't drink enough this can make you feel hungry, so don't forget the regular drinks! :happy:

Using this method (http://blogs.menshealth.com/health-headlines/calculate-your-daily-calorie-needs/2010/07/13) to calculate, I should eat 3193 calories a day (including 30-60 minutes of moderate activity) to lose 2 lbs. a week. MFP sets my goal at 2800 per day to lose 2 lbs.

The reality is probably somewhere in between. One size doesn't fit all, but we all need a base number to start from. I see both of these as guidelines. I try to eat around this level, but most days, my net usually hits around 2000 calories a day. I feel fine and I'm losing fairly steadily. Once my body type shifts from obese to a much healthier level, I'm gonna have to start watching the numbers more closely, but this is where I have been most successful to this point. I could drop bigger numbers quicker if weight loss was my only goal, but health is a marathon, not a sprint.

I think it's important to start by evaluating your goals, find your own starting level and make adjustments as you need to, staying as close as possible to the recommended guidelines. I think on some level, both the op and those who disagree make very valid points. There are basic guidelines that we all have to stay close to for good health. The key is finding where you fit as an individual and go with it.

Ok, so I've read all the posts in this thread and I figured I would add my opinion according to my personal experience. I started losing weight in March of 2008. I ate very little and lost a lot of weight quite quickly, within a year 90-100lbs gone. That being said, I have not lost a pound since then. I have not changed my eating habits. I know now since I started keeping the food diary that I hardly eat at all. I am having trouble eating 1200 calories that was recommended. Also, I have gotten a fitness assessment at the gym this last week and I have 35.6% body fat. So, the only conclusion I can come up with is to agree with the people saying that you have to eat more to loss weight and gain muscle. Right now I am so stuck....I am having so much trouble just trying to train myself to even eat 1200 after all this time and now that I've started exercising I don't know what to do. I am painfully aware that I am what they call here "skinny fat". It is quite depressing that I have wasted so much of my time just wanting to be "skinny" that I have caused myself maybe more harm than good.
Anyway, I don't know if this is helpful to anyone, or if someone has some advice for me but I just wanted to share my experience.

Some people got all butt hurt and offended ;D
and I've realized there are only a few people who took it way too hard
ALSO i realized all the ripped body builders and people (both men and women) who replied, were very supporting,
so thanks for supporting ;D not that this is a cause or anything haha
ANYWAY! at the end of the day, I'm fit as f**k, so do what ever the FU*CK YOU WANNA DO

The last line of your post here says (maybe) you finally got the point. Do what works for YOU.,.. and let others do what works for them. What works for a body builder (whatever you call it), isn't necessarily what works for someone who is just trying to get in the normal range on the BMI chart and live a healthier life.

Ah, to have the metabolism of a 20 year old! I should have looked at some of the poster's ages before commenting. There's a world of difference between a 20 year old guy who's super fit and a 40 year old chick that's 100 lbs overweight. Big difference.

Some people got all butt hurt and offended ;D
and I've realized there are only a few people who took it way too hard
ALSO i realized all the ripped body builders and people (both men and women) who replied, were very supporting,
so thanks for supporting ;D not that this is a cause or anything haha
ANYWAY! at the end of the day, I'm fit as f**k, so do what ever the FU*CK YOU WANNA DO

The last line of your post here says (maybe) you finally got the point. Do what works for YOU.,.. and let others do what works for them. What works for a body builder (whatever you call it), isn't necessarily what works for someone who is just trying to get in the normal range on the BMI chart and live a healthier life.

Ah, to have the metabolism of a 20 year old! I should have looked at some of the poster's ages before commenting. There's a world of difference between a 20 year old guy who's super fit and a 40 year old chick that's 100 lbs overweight. Big difference.

Hey! Good luck kwest. Hope to see you again in the posts... I like a lively debate! :happy: :happy:

I started MFP in Jan. I followed the 1200 and after the original "water weight" I stopped losing. I tried eating more, working out more, etc, but nothing. I wasn't gaining or losing. I wasn't even losing inches. I thought...I will just try eating below 1200 and see what happens...um, I started losing. I average a 2 pounds a week. I eat about 1000 calories a day with 2 "cheat days" when I eat 1200 + some of my exercise calories. I am 5'5". It just wasn't working...not everyone's bodies are built the same. Just sayin

I fully agree that everyone should do what works best for them as individuals. But unless you've tried different things, you can't really say what works best for you.

It's been my experience that with just about everything in life, there is such a thing as trying too hard. If you're dating and try to hard, you make the person you're trying to date run scared thinking you're desperate. If you're in school, learning all through the semester is better than cramming right before the test. Trying to run... you're better off slowing your pace and having enough endurance to run the whole distance than trying to sprint as fast as you can and burning out quickly. Family vacations were the epitome of trying too hard... soooo much work and fuss trying to make something the perfect relaxing moment! :laugh:

So why wouldn't losing weight be any different? Why wouldn't it be better to set an easily attainable goal with a small to moderate calorie deficit?

BTW... just upped my calories to 1840 plus exercise calories, and I'm still losing weight while "on maintenance." Yet a few years ago, I was struggling to lose while eating less than 1000 a day and blamed my crappy middle age metabolism. :laugh:

Just to highlight what has been said here. You need to bear in mind also that if you are losing weight on a VLCD, a large percentage of that will be lean mass and not fat. The number on the scale needs to be a low priority - health, wellbeing and fitness should take precedent.

Ok, so I've read all the posts in this thread and I figured I would add my opinion according to my personal experience. I started losing weight in March of 2008. I ate very little and lost a lot of weight quite quickly, within a year 90-100lbs gone. That being said, I have not lost a pound since then. I have not changed my eating habits. I know now since I started keeping the food diary that I hardly eat at all. I am having trouble eating 1200 calories that was recommended. Also, I have gotten a fitness assessment at the gym this last week and I have 35.6% body fat. So, the only conclusion I can come up with is to agree with the people saying that you have to eat more to loss weight and gain muscle. Right now I am so stuck....I am having so much trouble just trying to train myself to even eat 1200 after all this time and now that I've started exercising I don't know what to do. I am painfully aware that I am what they call here "skinny fat". It is quite depressing that I have wasted so much of my time just wanting to be "skinny" that I have caused myself maybe more harm than good.
Anyway, I don't know if this is helpful to anyone, or if someone has some advice for me but I just wanted to share my experience.

There are so many people here only interested in the number on the scale going down, and not worried how much of that loss is actually lean muscle, not fat.

Good luck with your goals.

I just saw someone with700 calories each day, and burning a considerable amount of it with people sayin WTG, Well done...etc. Are they serious?

I know this post isn't calling out anyone in particular, but remember, this doesn't necessarily apply to everyone. I'm VERY short and have a small bone structure. Following even this advice (maintenance cals - even only 10%) takes me right around that magic 1200, by the time I'm near my goal the minimal 10% is under 1200, I believe.

Yeah, if you're a 6 foot, 300 pound man exercising daily, 1200 cals is definitely not the way to go. But for the other 5 foot desk job girls, 1200 is not starvation. Rather than take these rules as hard and fast ("never eat less than 1200 no matter who you are or what your situation!"), it's much better to work out the best plan for your personal weight loss. Of course this isn't to say every shortie can eat this much (or little, rather), as I know of several in my family alone who can eat much more thanks to vigorous daily exercise.

I still keep myself over 1200 a day because I like how I feel best around 1300, but there are definitely people over 10 years old that 1200 is just fine for.

EXACTLY!!!! And - PLEASE don't get all TESTY when you prescribe something for other people, especially if your circumstances are QUITE different than theirs. At my tiny size, even 1200 calories will NOT allow me to lose weight, no matter how much extra exercise i pack into the day. I am 55 yrs. old, I KNOW MY OWN BODY. YOU do NOT. Dang! I am soooo crabby from this!

http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/calories-to-lose-weight

Thanks for posting thisI calculated my calories and -20% of my maintenance came out to be EXACTLY what I have my goal as...YES! Glad to know I'm on the right track!

I know this post isn't calling out anyone in particular, but remember, this doesn't necessarily apply to everyone. I'm VERY short and have a small bone structure. Following even this advice (maintenance cals - even only 10%) takes me right around that magic 1200, by the time I'm near my goal the minimal 10% is under 1200, I believe.

Yeah, if you're a 6 foot, 300 pound man exercising daily, 1200 cals is definitely not the way to go. But for the other 5 foot desk job girls, 1200 is not starvation. Rather than take these rules as hard and fast ("never eat less than 1200 no matter who you are or what your situation!"), it's much better to work out the best plan for your personal weight loss. Of course this isn't to say every shortie can eat this much (or little, rather), as I know of several in my family alone who can eat much more thanks to vigorous daily exercise.

I still keep myself over 1200 a day because I like how I feel best around 1300, but there are definitely people over 10 years old that 1200 is just fine for.

^^^^ This! ^^^^

But what if you have to lose X pounds by a certain date? I don't have the time to do anything long term. I need to drop another 13 pounds in a little over 4 months.

Not to be mean, but... there's is no valid reason anyone has to lose X pounds by a certain date.

^^ this