Too few calories? How do I know?

laneydawn
laneydawn Posts: 64
in Motivation and Support
For the past few days I have been eating well, and exercising a bit each day but find I am still going over my daily calorie limit by about 100 calories a day. I try to space out my meals and snacks, and Im eating as much protein as Im supposed to so I have 2 questions:

1. Why can't I seem to stay at or under my calorie limit of 1200
2. Is 1200 calories too little? How was that amount calculated for me on MFP?

Im starting to get really discouraged....

Replies

  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    Are you logging your exercise and eating those calories back? For 1200 calories MFP assumes you're doing nothing but sitting all day. If you're exercising it's very likely that your body needs some more calories to keep going.
  • Bridgypig
    Bridgypig Posts: 1
    What exactly are you eating?
    I start with 1200 calories a day, and usually have about 800 left everyday.
    Do you get enough excercise? Everything counts. Walk 10 minutes here and there.
    Do sit ups for 5 minutes 5 times a day. That's about 200 calories burned right there. It's easy to space out excercising.
    And what are you eating? Fill your diet with LOW FAT foods. Lots of fruits, lots of veggies. Check out my diary for today and look at some of the things I eat. All low fat and super good for you!
    I had a great dinner today! And only 300 calories.
    A piece of Tilapia. Some brown rice, and some corn. I am full, and it was delicious!
  • tbetts23
    tbetts23 Posts: 303 Member
    I changed my goal to 1 lb a week. I just couldn't swing 1200 calories . I now have 1500 calories to play with. I figure if I hover between the two, I'm all good!
  • laneydawn
    laneydawn Posts: 64
    Not sure what you mean, diannethegeek, about eating my calories back? I do at least 30 minutes of exercise and I log it, yes. So for example if I burn 500 calories running, do you mean I should be eating 1500 calories? How am I going to lose weight if I eat the calories I exercise away? Sorry, I guess Im just not understanding how this is supposed to work. :sad:
  • Toriarendt
    Toriarendt Posts: 1
    MFP takes your current weight, height, etc. and calculates how many calories you need to lose the number of pounds per day that you want (usually 1 or 2) if you did NO EXERCISE. That is the 1200 that you are seeing. Therefore, when you do exercise you are burning more calories so you can "eat back" those calories and still lose the amount you want. For example if you burn 500 calories running, then you can now eat 1700 during the day and still hit your calorie goal :).
  • lostsanity137
    lostsanity137 Posts: 298 Member
    MFP takes your current weight, height, etc. and calculates how many calories you need to lose the number of pounds per day that you want (usually 1 or 2) if you did NO EXERCISE. That is the 1200 that you are seeing. Therefore, when you do exercise you are burning more calories so you can "eat back" those calories and still lose the amount you want. For example if you burn 500 calories running, then you can now eat 1700 during the day and still hit your calorie goal :).

    What they said!
    I couldn't live on 1200 cals and I have upped mine to 1500 cals and I eat my exercise calories most of the time. It works. I still lose weight consistently with those numbers.
    My problem is laziness and giving in to fast food. Ugh.
  • NatashaK29
    NatashaK29 Posts: 137
    MFP takes your current weight, height, etc. and calculates how many calories you need to lose the number of pounds per day that you want (usually 1 or 2) if you did NO EXERCISE. That is the 1200 that you are seeing. Therefore, when you do exercise you are burning more calories so you can "eat back" those calories and still lose the amount you want. For example if you burn 500 calories running, then you can now eat 1700 during the day and still hit your calorie goal :).

    Yeah, this ^
  • Mummyadams
    Mummyadams Posts: 1,125 Member
    Check out the Eat More To Weigh Less. There are many many postings and info on this.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    For the past few days I have been eating well, and exercising a bit each day but find I am still going over my daily calorie limit by about 100 calories a day. I try to space out my meals and snacks, and Im eating as much protein as Im supposed to so I have 2 questions:

    1. Why can't I seem to stay at or under my calorie limit of 1200
    2. Is 1200 calories too little? How was that amount calculated for me on MFP?

    Im starting to get really discouraged....

    1 - Because your metabolism hasn't slowed totally down yet and you are still hungry - good. Suggest you don't let it.

    2 - Yes. How calc'd?

    Look up the BMR it starts with - Tools - BMR Calc, and read what it is too.

    You selected Activity level of Sedentary probably, most women do even if it has no bearing on reality.
    You selected 2lb goal, most women do, even though it isn't recommended and may not be anywhere near wise.

    BMR x 1.25 = non-exercise daily maintenance - deficit 1000 = daily net goal 1200, which I'd bet a slight majority of women receive because of those choices made.

    You exercise, your goal goes up, you eat to that new goal, but that deficit is already in there.
  • laneydawn
    laneydawn Posts: 64
    Thanks everyone, this makes more sense to me now. Explains why Im hungry pretty much every day. Will be sure to take exercise into account going forward~!
  • imthelobster
    imthelobster Posts: 179 Member
    What exactly are you eating?
    I start with 1200 calories a day, and usually have about 800 left everyday.
    Do you get enough excercise? Everything counts. Walk 10 minutes here and there.
    Do sit ups for 5 minutes 5 times a day. That's about 200 calories burned right there. It's easy to space out excercising.
    And what are you eating? Fill your diet with LOW FAT foods. Lots of fruits, lots of veggies. Check out my diary for today and look at some of the things I eat. All low fat and super good for you!
    I had a great dinner today! And only 300 calories.
    A piece of Tilapia. Some brown rice, and some corn. I am full, and it was delicious!

    That isn't good. The MFP goal is something you want to HIT, not be significantly under...
  • itsalwaysphelan
    itsalwaysphelan Posts: 7
    What exactly are you eating?
    I start with 1200 calories a day, and usually have about 800 left everyday.
    Do you get enough excercise? Everything counts. Walk 10 minutes here and there.
    Do sit ups for 5 minutes 5 times a day. That's about 200 calories burned right there. It's easy to space out excercising.
    And what are you eating? Fill your diet with LOW FAT foods. Lots of fruits, lots of veggies. Check out my diary for today and look at some of the things I eat. All low fat and super good for you!
    I had a great dinner today! And only 300 calories.
    A piece of Tilapia. Some brown rice, and some corn. I am full, and it was delicious!

    That isn't good. The MFP goal is something you want to HIT, not be significantly under...

    What this guy said! The body really does not like to function below 1,200 calories.
  • WaterBunnie
    WaterBunnie Posts: 1,371 Member
    What exactly are you eating?
    I start with 1200 calories a day, and usually have about 800 left everyday.
    Do you get enough excercise? Everything counts. Walk 10 minutes here and there.
    Do sit ups for 5 minutes 5 times a day. That's about 200 calories burned right there. It's easy to space out excercising.
    And what are you eating? Fill your diet with LOW FAT foods. Lots of fruits, lots of veggies. Check out my diary for today and look at some of the things I eat. All low fat and super good for you!
    I had a great dinner today! And only 300 calories.
    A piece of Tilapia. Some brown rice, and some corn. I am full, and it was delicious!

    I've just looked back a few days on your food diary and you're not even eating your basic calories most days - let alone your exercise ones. You can't keep that up for long without making yourself ill. Please eat sensibly!

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