Should I really be at 1200 calories?

AubreySue81
AubreySue81 Posts: 167 Member
in Food and Nutrition
So, I've read a few times that MFP is kind of notorious about putting people at 1200 calories.

Maybe I'm just over-thinking things, but now I am starting to wonder if I should be at 1200 calories a day. I'm 31, 5ft 0 in, I have a desk job but at a Fighter Fitness class at the local MMA gym 6 days a week (the toughest workout I've ever done) and a light 7th day at home (usually just yoga or walking on the treadmill). Also during the week I'll try to get some time (15-20 mins) in on the treadmill AND elliptical.

I apologize if this question has been asked countless times before, but any help is appreciated.

Thanks in advance! ~Aubrey~

Replies

  • Michelle81285
    Michelle81285 Posts: 107
    Mine is set at 1200 but I always eat back the calories that I burn off when I do cardio so I make sure I eat the 1200 plus the 300+ that I burn off or else I plateau and wont lose weight.
  • kaylasue_mustlose
    kaylasue_mustlose Posts: 27
    MFP sets you at whatever combination ends up coming out for you after you choose how much you weigh now...what you want to weigh...and how quickly you think you can get there. I get 1200 calories/day, too but I was a little aggressive when I chose how much I wanted to lose at 2lbs/week...Maybe you chose this too? Weight loss on here is kind of like a mathematical equation...But if you are eating back your workout calories then you should be able to eat probably 600 or so more calories/day with the awesome workouts that you are describing. Nobody can answer how many calories that you should be eating really...you see people that are your same age and height and they weigh 96lbs...everyone is different...what works for me may not work for you. you should just decide if you want to eat back your exercise calories or not...log everything...and see what happens at the end of the week. If you were eating on the low--1200 side and your scale didn't budge...you might want to attempt to eat back your workout calories and see if that helps the next week. Calorie-intake is something that is going to have to change through out your weight loss to keep your metabolism on its toes but eventually when you hit your goal weight you will have a calorie intake that stays consistent that you can maintain. And really don't think so much about it...It is simple... hit the gym HARD and burn off calories + the calories that your body naturally burns with daily functions----and eat healthy....then you will be burning more than you are eating...and that equals weight loss. Plus I bet your body is changing besides just "losing weight"....Nobody knows how much you weigh by looking at you but they can see your arms and legs toning up and your stomach getting smaller, etc....stick with it!!!! you are doing great and you are going to get GREAT results!
  • AubreySue81
    AubreySue81 Posts: 167 Member
    Thanks ladies!

    I guess that brings up another topic. I was always afraid to eat back all of my exercise calories. I was thinking that I didn't want to eat them all back....was I wrong then? I'm not starving myself, I just don't eat them all back. Maybe I'm just over-thinking things. Lol, that tends to happen sometimes. :laugh:
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    Based on your age, height and weight (assuming your ticker is current) your BMR is in the neighbourhood of 1,526 and you're targeting a net of 1,200. That's 300 below BMR, using Harris Benedict on sedentary (ad based on your post you're not sedentary) your current maintenance would be around 1,830.

    I'd suggest that you need to eat back your exercise calories just to make sure you're adequately fueled for your workouts.
  • turningstar
    turningstar Posts: 393 Member
    ^^^agree with brian
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
    When MFP put you at 1200 calories/day it did so because you probably said you want to lose 2 lbs/week... plus the deficit is built in to your daily activity whether you exercise or not. They are expecting you to NET 1200. So even if you eat back all your exercise calories, you should still (in theory) still lose 2 lbs/week.
  • AubreySue81
    AubreySue81 Posts: 167 Member
    Based on your age, height and weight (assuming your ticker is current) your BMR is in the neighbourhood of 1,526 and you're targeting a net of 1,200. That's 300 below BMR, using Harris Benedict on sedentary (ad based on your post you're not sedentary) your current maintenance would be around 1,830.

    I'd suggest that you need to eat back your exercise calories just to make sure you're adequately fueled for your workouts.

    Ahhh...thanks Brian!! That explains it perfectly for me. :smile: (Yes my ticker is current, as of Monday). Guess it's time to start eating more!
  • mcarter99
    mcarter99 Posts: 1,666 Member
    I suggest you add up your estimate for your TOTAL calorie expenditure for a week, divide it by 7, and subtract the calories needed to get the weight loss you seek. If you want 2 lbs/week, subtract 1000. For 1 lb/week, subtract 500.

    There is no reason you can't eat below your BMR which is why not even conservative old MFP has it for a minimum. They have 1200 for a minimum because your goal with food is to get nutrients. BMR doesn't apply to your nutrients. The only way your BMR will be unmet is if you don't have body fat to burn.
  • OregonNiki1978
    OregonNiki1978 Posts: 5 Member
    According to the class I am in right now (studying to become a dietetic tech then RD), you can find your caloric need by multiplying your current weight (in pounds) by 10 to 12 (depending on activity level) That will give you your MAINTENANCE goal. Then you subtract the amount you want to lose per week ( 1 pound of body fat = 3500 calories a week or 500 calories a day) but it's a bad idea to go below 1200 calories/day for nutritional reasons.
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
    According to the class I am in right now (studying to become a dietetic tech then RD), you can find your caloric need by multiplying your current weight (in pounds) by 10 to 12 (depending on activity level) That will give you your MAINTENANCE goal. Then you subtract the amount you want to lose per week ( 1 pound of body fat = 3500 calories a week or 500 calories a day) but it's a bad idea to go below 1200 calories/day for nutritional reasons.

    Can you ask someone about that because I read that it was x14 to maintain and x10-12 to lose... at least that's what I recall. Is that old info?
  • amnesobel
    amnesobel Posts: 11
    I have no idea!!! But it is a question that I am also interested in. I am 5'1' 122lbs. I am running a 12 minute mile 3 to 4 times a week and then doing 40 minutes of strength training. I want to be somewhere between 105 and 115. Before I had kids I was 98lbs. I am a little flabby in the tummy(I only have a flabby 2 pack) and I want my 6 pack back. I have started to eat a healthier diet since working out. Here is My calorie intact for the last 6 days on MFP. I have eaten this way my entire life.
    Wednesday 1288 cal
    Thursday 1269cal
    Friday 708 cal
    Saturday 1095 cal
    Sunday 1138
    Monday 846 cal
    I have only ever eaten when my body tells me I am hungry. I have my entire life eaten somewhere between 700-1200 calories a day. After having my 2 kids I was a happy 115 I have always been a person that maintains her weight no matter what and never dieted watched what I ate or even exercised. But 4 years ago I got the Mirena IUD put in and in 1 year I gained 15lbs. I got the mirena removed and lost 8lbs doing nothing. Now I am hovering/maintaining at 122. I want to be at 115 again. So I am eating healthier Higher protein low carbs and working out but not modifying my calorie intake.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    According to the class I am in right now (studying to become a dietetic tech then RD), you can find your caloric need by multiplying your current weight (in pounds) by 10 to 12 (depending on activity level) That will give you your MAINTENANCE goal. Then you subtract the amount you want to lose per week ( 1 pound of body fat = 3500 calories a week or 500 calories a day) but it's a bad idea to go below 1200 calories/day for nutritional reasons.

    Can you ask someone about that because I read that it was x14 to maintain and x10-12 to lose... at least that's what I recall. Is that old info?

    I agree with you're info. I wouldn't ever go below bwx10 for any sustained period of time.
  • tjradd73
    tjradd73 Posts: 3,495 Member
    I am 5'3" and when I started this site I was 181lbs...MFP gave me 1200 base cals also! eating JUST that for the first 3 months and not working out...and then slowly adding in exercise and eating back those cals as well...I lost 60lbs in 7 months....seemed to work fine for me :)
  • shaynak112
    shaynak112 Posts: 751 Member
    It seems like you should eat 1200 plus some of your exercise calories. If I were you, I wouldn't eat ALL the exercise calories if you want to lose weight though.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    I am 5'3" and when I started this site I was 181lbs...MFP gave me 1200 base cals also! eating JUST that for the first 3 months and not working out...and then slowly adding in exercise and eating back those cals as well...I lost 60lbs in 7 months....seemed to work fine for me :)

    because you ate back the exercise cals so that you don't create too large of a deficit.
  • tjradd73
    tjradd73 Posts: 3,495 Member
    I am 5'3" and when I started this site I was 181lbs...MFP gave me 1200 base cals also! eating JUST that for the first 3 months and not working out...and then slowly adding in exercise and eating back those cals as well...I lost 60lbs in 7 months....seemed to work fine for me :)

    because you ate back the exercise cals so that you don't create too large of a deficit.

    TRUE DAT!! I only ate 1200 when I DIDN'T workout...as soon as I added exercise I added more food!!! MFP gives you the amount according to the settings you put in (current weight, goal weight, and goal loss/week)...if you burn more, you eat more!! You should still lose the GOAL amount if you "NET" MFPs cal goal for you :)
  • geekyjock76
    geekyjock76 Posts: 2,720 Member
    Another thing you have to consider is that you are 1)aiming to cut body fat and 2)engaging in an intense training regimen. One thing is certain - make sure you eat enough to fuel your workouts but still be at a reasonable deficit to slowly drop body fat. It does you no good to drop your intake so severely that you "may" lose weight but feel like utter crap during workouts.
  • Bonny619
    Bonny619 Posts: 311 Member
    What you heard sounds a lot more accurate to me. I weigh 148 pounds so x 10 that gives me 1480. To create a deficit to lose I wouldn't be eating nearly enough calories with x 10-12 for maintenance.


    According to the class I am in right now (studying to become a dietetic tech then RD), you can find your caloric need by multiplying your current weight (in pounds) by 10 to 12 (depending on activity level) That will give you your MAINTENANCE goal. Then you subtract the amount you want to lose per week ( 1 pound of body fat = 3500 calories a week or 500 calories a day) but it's a bad idea to go below 1200 calories/day for nutritional reasons.

    Can you ask someone about that because I read that it was x14 to maintain and x10-12 to lose... at least that's what I recall. Is that old info?
  • jpohoney
    jpohoney Posts: 66 Member
    this was posted a couple of days ago explaining about why you eat back your workout calories

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12
  • geekyjock76
    geekyjock76 Posts: 2,720 Member
    I'd rather use lean body mass x 12 or 13 rather than body weight and figure out their BMR. Using the body weight x 10 formula, a 350 lb person would be given an estimated 3500 calories...
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    I'd rather use lean body mass x 12 or 13 rather than body weight and figure out their BMR. Using the body weight x 10 formula, a 350 lb person would be given an estimated 3500 calories...

    I get what you're saying :)

    Although seeing as how studies show that muscle doesn't actually require that many more cals than fat (10 & 4 I "think" it was) the BMR & TDEE are still going to be well up there fore someone that heavy.
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
    this was posted a couple of days ago explaining about why you eat back your workout calories

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    Props!
    BRUCE-LEE-APPROVES-GIF.gif

    Dont forget to Friend Request if you are using the info.


    OP, 1200+eating back burned cals=closer to where you should be netting.
    Or
    Net it every day and eat below TDEE.
    It's less stressful!
  • mccbabe1
    mccbabe1 Posts: 737 Member
    yess 1200 calories aint jack! lol.. you can check your "BMR" basic metaloc rate on here.. go to the top under tools and under bmr.. and put in your info.. fast.. tells you how many calories you burn if you did literally nothing all day.. like laid in bed... so the calories you need to stay alive.. breath... mine is 1,745 and im only on a 1200 calorie day also.. (i exercise though and earn back).. but yes.. this plan does work but NOT a crash "diet" either.. where you loose fast.. its real life/real eating..and decisions/portion control big time... its my 9th day now on MFP.. and i like that im not deprived.. and i cant imagein not having at least this 1200 calories.. I already get light headed at times as is! :bigsmile:
  • mccbabe1
    mccbabe1 Posts: 737 Member
    Based on your age, height and weight (assuming your ticker is current) your BMR is in the neighbourhood of 1,526 and you're targeting a net of 1,200. That's 300 below BMR, using Harris Benedict on sedentary (ad based on your post you're not sedentary) your current maintenance would be around 1,830.

    I'd suggest that you need to eat back your exercise calories just to make sure you're adequately fueled for your workouts.

    yEPPPPPPPPPPP

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