Weight Loss

I am not advocating a starvation diet or even thinking of eating less than 1200 calories I am just wondering...

Why is it that people on this message board will suggest to a person that is 5’10 not to go under 1200 calories, then suggest the same to someone who is my height of 4’11 (on a tall day)? Logically thinking we don’t both need 1200 calories as a minimum requirement, one of us is either undereating or overeating. My point is that if I need a minimum of 1200 calories then said 5’10 girl being a foot taller needs more than 1200. And vice versa if the minimum calories for miss 5’10 are 1200 then mine should be less than 1200. Can someone explain this reasoning to me?

In order to supply a female body with the required nutrients (we're talking vitamins and minerals here) you need a fairly healthy 1200 calorie amount of foods.  Hence the 1200 nutritional minimum.  That's for pretty much any female body.

As far as calories for weight loss is concerned look at the example:

at 5'10" 231 lbs female, my burn meter indicates 2070 BMR at a sedentary level.  I burn approx. 730 cals bicycling and swimming, so now my burn meter indicates total calories burned for the day at 2800.  To lose one lb. a  week, eat 500 calories less (2300), to lose 2 lbs. a week eat 1000 calories less (=1800 calories).

To avoid starvation mode, never eat less than 1000 calories under your burn for the day, better would be only 500 calories less.

I wish I had known this when I started in February 2008 ... I didn't find CC until mid-May, and it appears I underate and messed up my metabolism.  Don't know how long it will take to get it back on track.

Until someone more competent than myself posts their explanation, I'd venture an opinion that 1200 is some kind of a safe average which can be given to any person wanting to know about the "safe threshold" of calories they should not go under during the day. Perhaps the differences among women are not that big (despite different heights) when it comes to basic calorific maintenance of the body, and so there is no need to fuss. It differs, however, from the amount of calories burned by an "average" man, so guys in general get the number of 1800 cals (if i remember correctly). Of course in both cases we are still talking about "average" people - not extremely underweight or overweight.

Still, it is just how I understand this whole business, it doesn't have to be true...

Well, first of all, you have to keep in mind that most of us are not experts. And although a lot of people will post things like "1200-cal a day minimum" as facts, that doesn't necessarily mean it's true for everyone.

I can't find the chart-thing I'm looking for...But basically there's a chart somewhere that shows why a 5'2" woman needs no less than 1200 cals a day. It shows which percentage of calories go to each organ in the body, and explains that eating under this makes it so that these organs can't function properly.

I'm not a nutritionist or anything, but I'm pretty sure that a 5'10" woman needs more calories to ensure basic organ functions than a 4'11" woman. And I think that if you're 4'11" you can eat less than 1200 calories a day and be okay, but I don't know for sure, so don't base any of your actions on my advice, haha.

Aight, time to get my torch ready...

Haha, nah, I think it's a legit question...

Original Post by katepoo:

And I think that if you're 4'11" you can eat less than 1200 calories a day and be okay,

 This is bad advice. Do not eat less than 1200 calories a day. This is the least amount a female adult should eat to unsure that her organs have the necessary nutrients to sustain life. It is very dangerous to answer this way to a person that most likely is looking for a free non-guilty way out from having to eat 1,200.

It is very dangerous to answer this way to a person that most likely is looking for a free non-guilty way out from having to eat 1,200.

This is NOT true I am not looking for a non-guilty way out of having to eat 1,200 calories. Actually I eat 1800 a day! My questions is purely for information sake only, like I stated.

I just feel that this 1200 calorie standard is flawed and that heigth should be considered when people give advice on this website. No matter how I put my current weight and goal weight into the calculations on this site my calorie intake should be 1200 calories no more no less. Even if I put a goal weight of 15 lbs to be lost in 2 years! Obviously if this is the case there is a flaw in the advice given to taller people. That's my point. 

Hi, your thought process is normal. If one calorie makes me fat than no calories will make me skinny. Right? Your body will need 1500 calories per day to develop a healthy weight drop. Part of these calories are carbohydreates. Carbohydrates feed the brain and allow us to think and react. Too big of a depletion of carbs causes us to feel like crap, no energy and a slow cognitive reaction to things. If you don't feed your body enough protein, your body will create an catablolic enzyme that eats your muscle for protein support. When this happens our weight loss becomes proportionate to our bodies. A guy with a beer gut, may end up looking exactly the same only smaller. Meaning Beer gut guy is now pot bellied and thin. By learning to eat properly and feed the body enough protein while cutting muscle can be preserved and fat can be burned. So endith the lesson of the day. There will be a 50 question multiple choice quiz on this topic on Friday. Cheers I hope this helps M

Original Post by gpm55:

In order to supply a female body with the required nutrients (we're talking vitamins and minerals here) you need a fairly healthy 1200 calorie amount of foods. Hence the 1200 nutritional minimum. That's for pretty much any female body.

As far as calories for weight loss is concerned look at the example:

at 5'10" 231 lbs female, my burn meter indicates 2070 BMR at a sedentary level. I burn approx. 730 cals bicycling and swimming, so now my burn meter indicates total calories burned for the day at 2800. To lose one lb. a week, eat 500 calories less (2300), to lose 2 lbs. a week eat 1000 calories less (=1800 calories).

To avoid starvation mode, never eat less than 1000 calories under your burn for the day, better would be only 500 calories less.

I wish I had known this when I started in February 2008 ... I didn't find CC until mid-May, and it appears I underate and messed up my metabolism. Don't know how long it will take to get it back on track.

 

 

I love this! It makes so much sense!

go to this link.  This thread will answer all of your questions.  http://caloriecount.about.com/forums/post/872 63.html

 

 

Original Post by systemp:

Original Post by katepoo:

And I think that if you're 4'11" you can eat less than 1200 calories a day and be okay,

 This is bad advice. Do not eat less than 1200 calories a day. This is the least amount a female adult should eat to unsure that her organs have the necessary nutrients to sustain life. It is very dangerous to answer this way to a person that most likely is looking for a free non-guilty way out from having to eat 1,200.

 Hey, bucko, if you quoted my whole post you would have seen that I said I wasn't sure that was right either. I specifically said not to base her actions on what I said, so I don't see how it was dangerous advice.

Not to be rude, but are you a nutritionist, by the way? Or a doctor of some sort? Cause if you are, then sure, whatever you say goes, you know what you're talking about. But if health and nutrition are not your area of expertise, then there's no reason to get up in arms defending "facts" you read on the internet. Maybe it is okay for someone who is under 5 feet to eat less than 1200 calories a day. (To clarify, I'm not suggesting you go out and try it, so it's not more "dangerous advice")

I am 4.11 as well. And, I am also a bit older age 56.  I find that if I eat 1200 calories per day and do a reasonable exercise program of 30 minutes aerobic exercise 3-4 days per week, I peel off about 1 pound or so per week.

I have battled weight all my life.   This is the one thing that works consistently well.   I am also a registered nurse.  I feel I have had to learn a lot about diet and exercise in order to help out my patients. 

Stick with the 1200 calories.   And an occasional (no more than weekly) "splurge".   This helps your metabolism stay high.   Eating 4-5 times per day, helps as well.

You are on the right track

1,200 calories is the minimum to maintain brain function, the heart beat, repiratory system etc...

The only way a lower amount would exist is if the brain was absent (appears to be with some users) or there is no heart (often the case with myself).

:)

haha roj47, due to my just taking v.stong pills - your wee man in the picture looks like he's moonwalking!

*goes to bed*

i've been having trouble with this whole minimum/maximu calories per day thing too. i've been to websites and asked questions. but i have had enough guess work. i am goin to my family doctor and have a talk with him about the whole calorie issue and my "ideal weight".

i would recomend to everyone that they do the same if possible. because as good as sites like this may be, they can only speculate based on the information you put in the computer. they cant factor in your body stucture, muscle mass (most people dont know...doc can help with that), any medical conditions you may have. the 1200 calories for women is something i've seen on a lot of sites, so there must be some truth in. but i want to know more and i want to do this thing right, without a lot of guess work.

BellaDonna69>> Please check this site for what one doctor did for my mum :(

http://www.calorie-count.com/forums/post/9507 4.html

Cianderson08>> Grins.... Know where you are at there..... One weird feeling. To think people pay for that privilidge too!!!

Original Post by roj47:

1,200 calories is the minimum to maintain brain function, the heart beat, repiratory system etc...

The only way a lower amount would exist is if the brain was absent (appears to be with some users) or there is no heart (often the case with myself).

:)

hahahaha LMAO 

 

Hmm, I think it's funny that so many people have assumed you're some wannabe anorexic who is just praying for a way to eat under the MAGICAL number of 1200...

But your question is totally legitimate.  Surely different sized people have different "magical" numbers that they should not go below.  I agree that 1200 is probably a safe "average" to keep your body functioning, like 150 calories a day for a healthy brain, 40 for a healthy pancreas, 6 for a healthy appendix (ETA: I made these numbers up as examples)... but you're right, the magical number for a 6-foot amazon would be different than your magical number.  It would have to be...you have different sized organs, right?  An amazon eating 1200 is probably starving herself, and if you ate 1200, your body would probably be much more comfortable. 

I think 1200 is just a good general guide.  Or something for total psychos to cling to and chant instead of actually thinking about physiology.

Good question, though!

We may be mixing apples with oranges here.  1200 calories is just a rough approximation of how much a woman would have to eat to get enough nutrients to keep her heart, brains and internal organs going.  Now the OP asks if this should vary based on height?  We know the BMR certainly does.  It seems to make sense that the 1200 cal rule should.  But, is the brain, heart, and internal organs of a 4'11" woman much smaller than a 5'11" woman?  Or does the taller woman just have longer bones and muscles?  I don't know.

In any case, the right answer is that you should not go below whatever you burn - 1000 calories while making sure that you eat enough to keep your body healthy.  The amount required to keep healthy is not exaclty 1200 calories, after all, if I ate 1200 calories of chocolate, I don't think it would suffice, but it gives us a number to shoot for so we don't get too carried away.

Original Post by pumpkin314:

I think 1200 is just a good general guide.  Or something for total psychos to cling to and chant instead of actually thinking about physiology.

Haha! Good one! Finally, someone with some humour!

Mintberrykin, like you, I am tiny (4'10, I guess tinier..). I can barely reach 1200 a day and I function perfectly. I don't want to promote a lower number incase your body does want to consume at least 1200 a day. But if your body allows for a lower calorie consumption, and it makes you feel alright, I say go for it.