Calorie intakes

kristenjane56
kristenjane56 Posts: 4
in Food and Nutrition
I'm extremely new to this calorie counting stuff. :)
MFP suggests that I aim for 1,200 calories a day, but at the moment I'm at 985 with an hour or so until I go to bed. I'm feeling pretty satisfied, I might have a hot chocolate or something just before I go to bed but do I really need to get to 1,200 calories or will 1,000 + or - a few be OK long term?
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Replies

  • dls06
    dls06 Posts: 6,774 Member
    You need at least 1200 calories for your body just to function. I would not eat less.
  • cramernh
    cramernh Posts: 3,335 Member
    I'm extremely new to this calorie counting stuff. :)
    MFP suggests that I aim for 1,200 calories a day, but at the moment I'm at 985 with an hour or so until I go to bed. I'm feeling pretty satisfied, I might have a hot chocolate or something just before I go to bed but do I really need to get to 1,200 calories or will 1,000 + or - a few be OK long term?

    Nope, not at all
  • Melimel845
    Melimel845 Posts: 2
    are you doing 1200 net calories? cause i work out and burn 3 to 600 calories a day do i have to intake 1200 net after my workout? I feel like that defeats the purpose of the workout?
  • em9371
    em9371 Posts: 1,047 Member
    to OP and melimel845, have a look here, it will explain how much you should eat and why.
    Using MFP calories a deifict of 500 cals per lb is alreay included, not counting exercise so you should eat back your exercise cals. If you dont eat back exercise you are creating the defict twice which is not healthy.
    If you work out cals from TDEE, choose the activity level to reflect the amount of exercise you do, then you dont need to log and eat back exercise cals as its included in your allowance already.
    You should never net below your BMR either way so 1200 is too low.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/538381-in-place-of-a-road-map?error_user_id=6110710&error_username=em9371
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    there's no magic target, if you're satisfied and getting a good range of foods in your diet you're doing fine.
  • rlwinton
    rlwinton Posts: 101
    I am also confused by the calorie intake, but I have the opposite problem. If I don't work out I always go over my 1250 cal limit that MFP set for me. Am I doing something wrong? I feel so hungry throughout the day and don't feel I have a lot of room to move within that limit, or am I just overeating and just used to it? I am 5'2 at 135 lbs, trying to lose around 10 lbs slowly - 1/2 - 1 lb per week.
  • Lisamar74
    Lisamar74 Posts: 114
    I've only been doing this for couple of days and don't get how you could ever get all things right - calorie consumption, fat, protein etc. Surely you'll go over on one some days and under on others. It will be swings and roundabouts.
    This website is similar to weight watchers and they tell you you must eat all your points but that you can save them for your naughty days so I imagine this may be the same?
  • lmelangley
    lmelangley Posts: 1,039 Member
    I'm not a doctor or nutritionist, but here's my take after being on her for a year:
    1. Everyone is different. 1200 is the average number of calories a person shouldn't go under, but that' average, only. For me, personally, I hit plateaus if I don't eat at least 1300.
    2. We track by the day because that's easiest, but this is more of an "over time" situation. Your average calories for the week (add them up, divide by 7) should probably not go below. 1200. I say probably because we're all different.
    3. That being said, I think consistency is helpful. So, I wouldn't intentionally eat 800 calories for 6 days so I could eat 3600 one day on a regular basis.

    Bottom line is, we all have to figure out what works for each of us. That's why these forums are so great - you can get a lot of varied input.
  • anat0my
    anat0my Posts: 15
    I go under my calorie consumption as much as a I go under, and I've never suffered any ill effects. I think having a varied calorie intake can be good for your metabolism c:
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    most likely even 1200 cals is too low, as it is for most people. Here is a guide for setting weekly weight loss goals, and on top of the original goal, you should be eating back the cals you burn from exercise:
    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.

    with the amount you have to lose that would put you at 1.0lbs/week at the most
  • rileamoyer
    rileamoyer Posts: 2,412 Member
    DO NOT under eat your target/goal calories on a regular basis! Most of the above posters have said it for you.
  • rlwinton
    rlwinton Posts: 101
    So how much should the intake be each week for someone wanting to lose one lb a week?
  • stellaskies
    stellaskies Posts: 161 Member
    If you're not hungry, don't eat. That's how we all got chubby in the first place, right?
  • misticache
    misticache Posts: 364 Member
    bump
  • learningtolove
    learningtolove Posts: 288 Member
    if your not hungry don't eat. Your not going to go into starvation mode and deplete your stores in one day. That being said don't make a habit of it.
  • maria_jason
    maria_jason Posts: 17 Member
    For me personally, I was not eating my 1200 calories and I eventually stopped losing, before I reached my goal. I then increased my calorie intake a bit (1300) and made sure I ate at least the 1200, and it helped. I don't think we should eat just to eat, but we need a certain amount to be "healthy".
  • Erihppas
    Erihppas Posts: 121 Member
    Ok, let me get this right:

    My goal is to eat 1200 calories a day. I work out pretty consistently and on certain days burn up to 500 calories during a fitness class. This would mean that at the end of the day, with my eating only my 1200 calories, I'd have only used 700 calories, so I'd need to eat 500 more calories to stay within my 1200 calories....

    So just eating 1200 calories is enough to burn the amount of weight I want to loose per week? I don't know why this seems so foreign to me.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    So how much should the intake be each week for someone wanting to lose one lb a week?

    you set that with your goal - 1 lb a week http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/my_goals

    500 calories a day deficit per pound a week loss is the ballpark.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    My goal is to eat 1200 calories a day. I work out pretty consistently and on certain days burn up to 500 calories during a fitness class. This would mean that at the end of the day, with my eating only my 1200 calories, I'd have only used 700 calories, so I'd need to eat 500 more calories to stay within my 1200 calories....

    If you input your exercise into myfitnesspal it increases your daily target by the amount you exercise, so your 1200 would become 1700. If you "ignore" that and eat 1200 then your daily deficit will be 500 higher than it would have been.

    MFP doesn't set a goal below 1200 which can make it harder to follow what's going on if your calculated goal should be 1100.
  • Erihppas
    Erihppas Posts: 121 Member
    Thanks!
  • ghsamia
    ghsamia Posts: 18 Member
    Most of the information I've read advises against going under 1200 calories a day for a female. Our bodies need a certain amount of calories to function properly. Maybe try to get in some higher calorie fiber at the beginning of the day, such as oatmeal. It may not be a healthy suggestion, but I often mix 1/4 cup of oatmeal in 1/3 cup of pancake mix. It keeps me full longer and gives me fiber. Hope this helps. :happy:
  • megsmom2
    megsmom2 Posts: 2,362 Member
    One day certainly wont hurt you, any more then one day of overindulging would. But its a. good idea to stick close to the numbers the program gives you. Its set up so you can succeed.
  • Nastasha915
    Nastasha915 Posts: 124 Member
    So how much should the intake be each week for someone wanting to lose one lb a week?

    I don't know about the whole week but I upped my calorie from 1200 to 1475 (daily). I exercise 4 days a week and am still averaging a pound a week. On days that I work out I usually don't eat all my exercise calories back. On days that I don't work out I don't find it difficult not to go over my calorie count and still am satisfied and not hungry through out the day. I say play with your calories for a little while until you can find a nice balance between losing the kind of weight you want and not being hungry all that time. Starving yourself, for me, is the quickest way to binge. Good luck.
  • rlwinton
    rlwinton Posts: 101
    Thanks Natasha - glad this thread is up! I am wanting to lose weight/tone up in a healthy way and definately not wanting to binge!
  • mariiyah
    mariiyah Posts: 136 Member
    ok, I know everyone asks it & it must be annoying but please can someone just help me understand this.

    MFP set my daily Calorie Intake at 1200.

    taking today as an example:

    so far i've eaten 1367 calories.
    burned 585 calories doing cardio.

    so 1367-585 = 782 (is 782 the net here? should I eat another 418 calories to take the net back up to 1200 and would that help me lose 1.5-2lbs per week, which is my goal weight to lose per week?)
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    Target 1200 + 585 exercise - 1367 calories eaten = 418 calories "in hand" which some people would say you should eat, others would say eat a percentage of them, others would say eat your BMR etc etc.

    So don't expect one answer.

    Yes, 1367 - 585 is the "net calories" as I understand it.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    You need at least 1200 calories for your body just to function

    but you don't have to eat them all if you have fat reserves to use as well.
  • ladyraven68
    ladyraven68 Posts: 2,003 Member
    ok, I know everyone asks it & it must be annoying but please can someone just help me understand this.

    MFP set my daily Calorie Intake at 1200.

    taking today as an example:

    so far i've eaten 1367 calories.
    burned 585 calories doing cardio.

    so 1367-585 = 782 (is 782 the net here? should I eat another 418 calories to take the net back up to 1200 and would that help me lose 1.5-2lbs per week, which is my goal weight to lose per week?)

    If you want to maintain the same defict, for the same weight loss goal that you set up on MFP, and your calorie burn is accurate, then yes, eat them - eat until your "Remaining" calories on your diary page are at zero.
  • gracielulu1985
    gracielulu1985 Posts: 2
    "Don't eat when not hungry" Aint that the truth!!!

    I have been trying to stay away from bread. I dont think I will ever go back to regular bread or ICE CREAM! Weight Watcher ice cream and Skinny Cow from now on. :)
  • hydrocannon
    hydrocannon Posts: 10
    I know you're not supposed to eat under 1200 cal a day or you'll start to lose lean muscle (read this online not 100% sure if it's true). I am currently eating 1400cals on rest days and 1600-1800 when I workout and basically burn 300-400 calories so my net is still over 1200 :)

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