is 1200 enough?

I have been eating around 1200 calories a day (according to MFP guidelines) and doing the 30 day shred for about a week and have actually gained a 1.5lbs! Am I doing something wrong? I have been reading about people upping their calorie intake but I'm not sure I know what's right and what to do!
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Replies

  • tizzie_14
    tizzie_14 Posts: 72
    Do you eat your exercise calories? If not, then try that. You should be netting a minimum of 1200 a day.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    In my humble opinion MFP settings aren't sacred. You're a young mom? You workout? In my opinion no. It's not enough. I'd suggest calculating your TDEE and BMR and then eating somewhere in between there. Futz with the exact numbers til you start losing.

    Don't forget the water.
  • MadeInDR022
    MadeInDR022 Posts: 260
    In my humble opinion MFP settings aren't sacred. You're a young mom? You workout? In my opinion no. It's not enough. I'd suggest calculating your TDEE and BMR and then eating somewhere in between there. Futz with the exact numbers til you start losing.

    Don't forget the water.

    THIS!

    A MFP pal had me look at this website

    http://calorieline.com/tools/tdee
  • tjungkunz
    tjungkunz Posts: 39
    I had to up mine to 1400-1500, especially when exercising, in order to drop some weight. I never eat ALL my exercise calories back, but definetly need some more on many of those days. Give it a try to add a little more, especially protein :)
  • Tandi_S
    Tandi_S Posts: 439 Member
    I don't believe 1200 is enough in most cases. What are your stats? When I started MFP, the auto config gave me 1270. That worked as long as I wasn't working out. When I started working out, the loss stopped because I wasn't fueling my body enough. I really do believe that a person should eat at LEAST their BMR.

    Better yet, estimate your TDEE and take off 10-20%. You can do this!
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    I personally did not think 1200 was enough when I tried it about a year ago. When I started on MFP I was set to lose 1 pound per week which gave me 1360 calories per day and that worked pretty well, but last summer I thought I would try to lower it to lose quicker and I just ended up feeling cranky, tired and lightheaded!
  • a_new_dawn
    a_new_dawn Posts: 517 Member
    I started off eating 1200 calories (and working out) and successfully lost 17lbs. My scale stopped moving so I increased to 1350 and a few days later I'd dropped a pound! It works! You dont need to starve yourself to lose weight.
  • RobynMWilson
    RobynMWilson Posts: 1,540 Member
    If you're gaining then you're def not eating enough. MFP is not the most accurate because everybody is different. It gives you a general idea but you have to tweak it to work for you. On workout days I eat 2000 calories (I burn around 300 cals per workout) and I'm 39 and maintaining my 136lbs so I would see at least 1400 cals per day. Try it for 2 weeks and see if there's a change...
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,565 Member
    It's only enough if you are 4'11" and sit all day.
    Always eat enough for the hullabloo!
  • blueyeb
    blueyeb Posts: 85
    Bump! :flowerforyou:
  • alikonner
    alikonner Posts: 67
    In my humble opinion MFP settings aren't sacred. You're a young mom? You workout? In my opinion no. It's not enough. I'd suggest calculating your TDEE and BMR and then eating somewhere in between there. Futz with the exact numbers til you start losing.

    Don't forget the water.

    THIS!

    A MFP pal had me look at this website

    http://calorieline.com/tools/tdee

    Oh wow! this is way different. I think I should try and up my calories for a little bit. Thanks so much!
  • MadeInDR022
    MadeInDR022 Posts: 260
    In my humble opinion MFP settings aren't sacred. You're a young mom? You workout? In my opinion no. It's not enough. I'd suggest calculating your TDEE and BMR and then eating somewhere in between there. Futz with the exact numbers til you start losing.

    Don't forget the water.

    THIS!

    A MFP pal had me look at this website

    http://calorieline.com/tools/tdee

    Oh wow! this is way different. I think I should try and up my calories for a little bit. Thanks so much!

    YW, if you need help figuring it out, message me. I got a bit confused with it myself when I went on the website...lol
  • alikonner
    alikonner Posts: 67
    In my humble opinion MFP settings aren't sacred. You're a young mom? You workout? In my opinion no. It's not enough. I'd suggest calculating your TDEE and BMR and then eating somewhere in between there. Futz with the exact numbers til you start losing.

    Don't forget the water.

    Yes, I'm a young mom.. and I don't work... so I'm usually around the house all day. I try to go for walks with the baby almost every day but it's just been toooooo hot for him lately. I have been doing the 30 day shred every day for about a week. I couldn't believe that it was enough.. I just got discouraged when I saw that I had gained weight! I am just new to all this and not sure how all these calculations go.. haha.. Thanks!
  • tbresina
    tbresina Posts: 558 Member
    It's only enough if you are 4'11" and sit all day.
    Always eat enough for the hullabloo!

    Whats a hullabloo?
  • hottottie11
    hottottie11 Posts: 907 Member
    water retention

    Personally, I would eat a little more than 1200, just to fuel your workouts and prevent the loss of lean mass.

    Also find it silly that she is gaining weight because she's not "eating enough". It's water retention, not fat (and DEFINITELY not muscle). I doubt that she reduced her metabolism so much that her TDEE is below 1200.
  • OSC_ESD
    OSC_ESD Posts: 752 Member
    ~ Everybody is different ... some people need more calories than 1200 to focus and feel their best, while others only need 1200 to be successful at losing weight. You have to tweak the numbers until you are comfortable and you find what works for you. Don't be bullied into opinions of eating more is better ... again, everybody is different.

    Just always remember the one " true " fact in this insane fitness craze .... You have to burn more calories than you consume to lose. If working out on a regular basis and you have a nice deficit ... you will lose. On days you do not workout ... you need to be more strict and know your numbers ... TDEE and BMR.

    3500 calories burned is 1 pound lost ... that is science. Sometimes I wonder, but science is science. Fluctuations are normal and should not be focused on unless drastic.

    I would be more concerned where your 1200 calories are coming from verses if they are enough. Are you hungry all the time ? Do you feel like you are starving ? If so, eat more dense foods such as one ingredient foods : Salmon, Chicken, Nuts, Seeds, Greek Yogurt, Berries and lots of Greens ! If you still find you experience hunger pangs ... gradually up your calories ... but be very aware of what your burn factor for the day is.

    It doesn't have to be hard .... once you understand the method to the madness ... you will see results !

    Best of luck on your journey !

    :flowerforyou:
  • Sharyn913
    Sharyn913 Posts: 777 Member
    I think a NET of 1,200 would be good, but not 1,200 minus exercise calories. Calculate your BMR/TDEE and go from there. Your body needs a minimum number just to function properly each day.
  • Kim55555
    Kim55555 Posts: 987 Member
    I have been eating around 1200 calories a day (according to MFP guidelines) and doing the 30 day shred for about a week and have actually gained a 1.5lbs! Am I doing something wrong? I have been reading about people upping their calorie intake but I'm not sure I know what's right and what to do!

    Join the group eat more to weigh less. I bumped a topic of mine titled. "I'm exercising, why am I still gaining weight"
  • cotso
    cotso Posts: 86
    1200 calories? maybe enough for breakfast!
  • tbullucks06
    tbullucks06 Posts: 128
    I was wondering the same thing myself. I like MFP more, but I was more successful losing weight on SparkPeople. I am starting back on here but I am nervous. So I guess if I do nothing for a day then 1200 is all I eat? But if I exercise then I should eat all of the extra calories?