So how do we know 1200 cal is the magic number?

MCsAngel2
MCsAngel2 Posts: 49 Member
edited November 12 in Health and Weight Loss
I'm relatively new, and reading lots of the different threads about actually eating higher calories to lose weight more effecitvely. 1200 cal is MFP's recommendation to me, and I'll admit to having to argue with the instinct to eat less in order to lose more.

I'm a 5'2 39 yr old female weighing 157 at the moment. Weight loss has been good so far, I feel MFP is being really helpful with tracking calories.

So MFP says my BMR is 1343 cal and my normal daily calories burned is 1680. Desk job and zero excercising going on here, for now. I totally get the concept of what happens to your various bodily functions when you eat too few calories. And I know MFP is just a computer program and not a nutritionist. But I also know it never recommends less than 1200. No matter who you are.

Why is 1200 calories the magic number? I know some of you have found your calories need to be higher. How do we know there isn't someone whose number should be less than 1200 calories? How do I know MFP is right when it recommends 1200 cal for me? What if it should be more? What if it should be less? I'm just trying to understand the subject better.
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Replies

  • MCsAngel2
    MCsAngel2 Posts: 49 Member
    bump....can anyone answer this?
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,423 Member
    1200 is not a magic number - it's a generic recommendation that is used as a safety net to encourage people not to drop to ridiculously low calorie intake.
    Of course that isn't going to be right for everyone, but MFP is a computer programme not a human, so they have to set some lower limit.
  • dbutorac
    dbutorac Posts: 120
    When I eat 1200 calories I gain weight. I am 5'3". I don't think it is realistic to think you are going to lose weight on 1200 calories. Keep it below 1000 & you will lose.
  • UponThisRock
    UponThisRock Posts: 4,519 Member
    We don't have to know, that's why it's "magic."
  • Lesa_Sass
    Lesa_Sass Posts: 2,213 Member
    MFP is a wonderful tool but it is pretty generic across the board, and it is wrong when it comes to me.

    I recently got a fit bit and as I suspected, my BMR is way higher than 1449, the number given to me by MFP.

    This is a free tool on the internet, and do not get me wrong, it is great, but I think if we are very serious and want more accurate numbers, it is important to see a professional and get the plan that is right for us. 1200 a day was too low for me, way too low, and I weigh 115 lbs.
  • Cornwallis68
    Cornwallis68 Posts: 16 Member
    When I eat 1200 calories I gain weight. I am 5'3". I don't think it is realistic to think you are going to lose weight on 1200 calories. Keep it below 1000 & you will lose.

    Oops, I've obviously been doing it all wrong then. I've been eating over 1200 the whole time I've been on MFP, usually quite a bit more. I must be imagining my weight loss...
  • ladyraven68
    ladyraven68 Posts: 2,003 Member
    MFP did not set that number - it was set by various health organisations.

    The recommended dietry requirements for an average female are 2000 calories, so most women should lose weight on 1500-1800 calories a day,

    http://www.livestrong.com/article/309283-the-minimum-amount-of-healthy-calories-per-day/

    But you will also find that rather than rely on the MFP minimum of 1200, many people recommend you don't actually go lower than your BMR.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/512956-tdee-what-is-it-and-why-you-should-not-eat-below-your-bmr?
  • vguynes
    vguynes Posts: 753 Member
    Bump
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    One big reason 1200 is "the" is that it is difficult to get the required nutrition (fat, protein, vitamins, minerals etc) on a diet lower than 1200 cals. That being said someone smaller should be fine on 1100 cals or so. But for most people 1200 is too low itself.
  • militarydreams
    militarydreams Posts: 198 Member
    Take it with a pinch of salt. Like everything on MFP it's an approximation. It's a widely accepted number like 7 being lucky... but 7 really is magic... wait I don't know what I'm talking about.
  • MCsAngel2
    MCsAngel2 Posts: 49 Member

    But you will also find that rather than rely on the MFP minimum of 1200, many people recommend you don't actually go lower than your BMR.

    Which is what I've been wondering, since my BMR at 1343 still seems plenty low.
  • chipschipstl
    chipschipstl Posts: 20
    Supposedly it's difficult to get all the nutrients you need if you go under 1,200 calories. I think you can go under if you need to but it probably isn't great to do every day. It's better to add exercise to burn more calories have have a lower net intake, if you can.
  • ladyraven68
    ladyraven68 Posts: 2,003 Member
    When I eat 1200 calories I gain weight. I am 5'3". I don't think it is realistic to think you are going to lose weight on 1200 calories. Keep it below 1000 & you will lose.

    OK, If we're doing anecdotal evidence, I'm 4ft 11.5, and losing at 1600 per week - you don't need to deprive yourself to lose weight.

    For every person who tells you 1200 is fine, you'll have another person who tells you it's not.

    Do some research, find your BMR and TDEE, then start from there.

    http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/
  • chachita7
    chachita7 Posts: 996 Member
    We don't know... what we do know is that the body requires fuel to function and if you are expending that fuel in your daily tasks and exercise you must replenish... just like with your car.

    At first this told me to only eat 1200 - I upped it to 1500 cuz I thought it was too low... I have lost just fine. It all depends what it is that you are eating.
  • reddi2roll
    reddi2roll Posts: 356 Member
    bump
  • Qarol
    Qarol Posts: 6,171 Member
    When I eat 1200 calories I gain weight. I am 5'3". I don't think it is realistic to think you are going to lose weight on 1200 calories. Keep it below 1000 & you will lose.
    Please don't recommend to others to keep their calories so low. Only her doctor should do that, and that's in extreme cases.
  • loveflowers4
    loveflowers4 Posts: 21 Member
    I would love to know this too!! I increase my cals and gained 6 pounds from my lowest point.:sad: I'm very confused on the issue.
  • denaearly
    denaearly Posts: 1
    Forget the numbers - it's just a easy (and free) way to keep track of your eating, drinking, and exercise. No need to go to silly meetings (WW) or eat special foods (JC). If 1200 doesn't work for you, eat less.:wink:
  • lizard053
    lizard053 Posts: 2,344 Member
    We don't know the "magic" number until we find it for ourselves.

    The trick is to learn what YOU personally need to lose weight. At 5'4 and 196 pounds, I managed to lose weight by eating ~1600 calories a day and 30-90 minutes of exercise 5 days a week. Lost 50 pounds in about a year. Then I stopped exercising because I didn't feel well and gained it all back. Lost 25 at 1200 calories a day and same exercise, gained it back due to not feeling well. Lost 50 pounds in 3 months with medically assisted weight loss (~700 cals a day, 30 minutes of exercise every day minimum), got sick, gained it all back. Noticing a trend here? I'm going back down again. On days I do intense exercise I need about 1600 (intake, not net) calories. On days when I only do yoga, I have to be around 1000 to not gain weight. I'm losing slowly, but at least I'm not getting sick within a few weeks! I also found out that I have an allergy to yeast, which may have played a large role in why I get sick and gain the weight back. Maybe this time I'll keep it off!
  • stablesong
    stablesong Posts: 224
    I'm 4'9 and I lost on 1200 a day, but now I am actually gaining on 1200. Slowly, but I am. I typically eat 1100 or so, up to 1600 on exercise days because I try to eat more of my calories back. It's difficult for me to stay within my macros on 1200 calories but even if I have a perfect week, getting as close to 1200 as I can, I'm still gaining a bit every week and it doesn't make sense. My BMR is 1225 and according to MFP, my daily activity is 1320. I was able to lose at first on just a few-several hundred calories a day, but I felt like crap all the time. I feel much better if I stay higher.
  • bushidowoman
    bushidowoman Posts: 1,599 Member
    Many of us here have found that 1200 calories is not nearly enough to be successful.
    Check out this thread:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/531086-before-and-after-pics-no-starvation
    I posted a pics here showing what I looked like trying to stick to 1400 cals a day, compared to what I look like now taking in a *minimum* of 1600 cals and eating back all my exercise cals. (And I rarely have days where I only eat 1600! It's usually more like 1800-2000.)
  • o_delaisse
    o_delaisse Posts: 193 Member
    When I eat 1200 calories I gain weight. I am 5'3". I don't think it is realistic to think you are going to lose weight on 1200 calories. Keep it below 1000 & you will lose.

    I used to eat under 1000 calories a day. If you're aiming for under 1000 calories, may I respectfully ask that you read my forum post from a while ago and maybe keep it in mind? :)

    This is the link: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/521480-1000-calories-or-less-a-day
  • reddi2roll
    reddi2roll Posts: 356 Member
    When I eat 1200 calories I gain weight. I am 5'3". I don't think it is realistic to think you are going to lose weight on 1200 calories. Keep it below 1000 & you will lose.

    OK, If we're doing anecdotal evidence, I'm 4ft 11.5, and losing at 1600 per week - you don't need to deprive yourself to lose weight.

    For every person who tells you 1200 is fine, you'll have another person who tells you it's not.

    Do some research, find your BMR and TDEE, then start from there.

    http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/

    This and here is a note I came across yesterday re: same topic:

    If you want to lose fat, a useful guideline for lowering your calorie intake is to reduce your calories by at least 500, but not more than 1000 below your maintenance level. For people with only a small amount of weight to lose, 1000 calories will be too much of a deficit. As a guide to minimum calorie intake, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends that calorie levels never drop below 1200 calories per day for women or 1800 calories per day for men. Even these calorie levels are quite low.
  • tig_ol_bitties
    tig_ol_bitties Posts: 561 Member
    When I eat 1200 calories I gain weight. I am 5'3". I don't think it is realistic to think you are going to lose weight on 1200 calories. Keep it below 1000 & you will lose.
    Please don't recommend to others to keep their calories so low. Only her doctor should do that, and that's in extreme cases.

    ^^This.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    When I eat 1200 calories I gain weight. I am 5'3". I don't think it is realistic to think you are going to lose weight on 1200 calories. Keep it below 1000 & you will lose.
    Please don't recommend to others to keep their calories so low. Only her doctor should do that, and that's in extreme cases.

    And what works or doesn't for one person will not necessarily work or not work for someone else.

    Everyone assumes that their personal experiences are true for everyone. Sorry, but they're not.
  • Emili03
    Emili03 Posts: 164 Member
    MFP did not set that number - it was set by various health organisations.

    The recommended dietry requirements for an average female are 2000 calories, so most women should lose weight on 1500-1800 calories a day,

    http://www.livestrong.com/article/309283-the-minimum-amount-of-healthy-calories-per-day/

    But you will also find that rather than rely on the MFP minimum of 1200, many people recommend you don't actually go lower than your BMR.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/512956-tdee-what-is-it-and-why-you-should-not-eat-below-your-bmr?

    If you don't go lower than your BMR...how do you create a calorie deficit? That just doesnt make sense to me....through exercise I suppose but I can never depend on that i will def have time for that.
  • billsica
    billsica Posts: 4,741 Member
    I'm just going to start using this.

    16594965.jpg
  • MrDude_1
    MrDude_1 Posts: 2,510 Member
    When I eat 1200 calories I gain weight. I am 5'3". I don't think it is realistic to think you are going to lose weight on 1200 calories. Keep it below 1000 & you will lose.
    Please don't recommend to others to keep their calories so low. Only her doctor should do that, and that's in extreme cases.

    ^^This.

    I kinda laugh at the people that say this, then get their "extra" 200 cals from the ketchup and sauce on their food. or the butter on their toast.. etc.
    in other words, nutritionally they're basically eating the same thing as the person they are chastising....
    theres a big range of people in this world.. and if you are not in the middle, but rather at the extreme end of anything... you have to always keep that in mind. if you're a tiny tiny girl that doesnt do much then sit at a desk or on a couch, you 1000 is not an extreme deficit.
    But you have to keep in mind, that with limited food intake, what you take must be good, and somewhat varied from day to day. Thats the nutritional aspect you probably want to talk to a doctor about. You dont want some vitamin or mineral deficiency that grows into a problem because you keep eating the same 10 foods every day.
  • AmareeLis
    AmareeLis Posts: 2

    But you will also find that rather than rely on the MFP minimum of 1200, many people recommend you don't actually go lower than your BMR.

    Which is what I've been wondering, since my BMR at 1343 still seems plenty low.

    Hi... I just would like to share you my personal experience when reading your post. My height is 155cm, currently 65kg, and MFP recommended me 1200 also. But my weight got stuck most times when I ate 1200 or less for months! (on some week I could loose but some I wouldn't)..

    I recently been reading the boards and I will have to agree with the above. For the last week I tried eating at least my BMR calories which is 1330 and I lost 0.8kg! (I saw people recommending eating at least most of the exercise calories back, which I also did) I feel very happy coz I can eat more and actually loose some weight.. I am going to keep eating at least 1330 for this week and see how I go..
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    If you don't go lower than your BMR...how do you create a calorie deficit? That just doesnt make sense to me....through exercise I suppose but I can never depend on that i will def have time for that.

    Your BMR is what your body burns if you were comatose. It only includes basic bodily functions... breathing, heart beating, hair growing, etc.

    As soon as you wake up, get out of bed, stagger to the bathroom, you're burning above and beyond your BMR. Your normal daily activity plus your BMR plus your exercise is your TDEE - total daily energy expenditure. As long as you're eating below your TDEE, you will lose weight.
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