**Small girls** 1200 calories a day?!

You should consume about 1200 calories a day to reach your goal weight of 105 lbs.

This is at a reasonable weight loss average of 0.8 lbs per week, which should be reached by July 13, 2009.

This is what it tells me for my height (60")weight (121lbs) and  goals(105lbs).  Now if I eat 1200 calories (set at a Sedentary life style)  Then I increase my activity levels while eating the same amount of calories will that be too much of a deficit?  I have been hitting a plataeu for the past few weeks, after dropping 10lbs. I raised my calorie intake but I think in doing so I has caused my plateau.  1200 calories seems to come with this big warning attached to it but I am not a very big person to start out with, but it kinda scares me at the same time.

Any advice?

It tells everyone that. I really wish they'd change it, as it's below most people's bmr & the bare minimum for survival.

If you post your age/height you'll get some good recommendations from other CC'ers regarding calorie intake.

1,200 *does* come with big warnings attached, but that calorie intake *is* relevant for smaller/shorter people.

Use phord's calculator at http://www.phord.com/cc/ for a more accurate reading.

I'm just over 5'1" and currently weigh 123.  I eat 1337 calories a day, but I zig zag them.  This is working for me, but this close to my goal (115) I'm losing very slowly, at about a pound a week.  And that's okay with me.  My daily deficit averages out to about a deficit of 500 calories a day.

I haven't looked at your profile, but I think you're a lot younger than me, so you can probably up your calorie intake more.  There is another shorty on here that eats an amazing amount of calories and still loses weight... I'm not so lucky, ha!  See how you feel, if you are starving every day then you're obviously not eating enough to keep your body happy, and you'll have to find your own happy medium.

Good luck!

I've calculated your bmr at just over 1300 calories (1345 to be precise).  That's the min you should be eating or you risk the dreaded starvation mode.  I'd aim for that (providing of course you're not doing a lot of exercise that will give you too big of a deficit).

For a sedentary lifestyle, you should be burning about 1600 calories a day, so if you're adding a lot of exercise on top of that, you're going to need to eat more.  Don't forget as you get closer to your goal weight, you'll have to make your deficit smaller so your body doesn't freak out and hold on to every last lbs. :)

Hope that helps - good luck!

hi!

I'm 5'2 and when I did my BMR 2 years ago (24 years old and 106 pounds), I got 1050 calories! At the time, I didn't work out at all and I decided if I wanted to increase my BMR and be able to eat more food, I needed to start a work out routine!

I've been working out for  the past 2 years and it tremendously helped my BMR. Now I eat an average of 1550 cals per day and I don't gain weight (I'm 100 pounds). But I work out 5 days a week! I love working out, I gained muslce and I feel fit =) and I can eat more foods than before without feelings guilty! I try to eat healthy foods too, but I always have to have chocolate and cookies =)

Original Post by colorado_sunshine:

1,200 *does* come with big warnings attached, but that calorie intake *is* relevant for smaller/shorter people.

Use phord's calculator at http://www.phord.com/cc/ for a more accurate reading.

 

 

 

 Does their burn rate include BMR? 

I am 41, 5 feet even.  It tells me to eat 1227 calories a day and burn 1900 calories.

But I think this is off because I walk about 60 miles a week and do strength training every other day for 1/2 hour.  1227 calories seems really low for that level of activity.

Original Post by black_lilies:

hi!

I'm 5'2 and when I did my BMR 2 years ago (24 years old and 106 pounds), I got 1050 calories!

That doesn't sound right at all!  How did you calculate it?  I plugged in those numbers and got 1294 as your BMR.

I did it in a my university health center! they had this little machine you breath in first thing in the morning. I think it measure the oxygen and the co2 or something =P

I had a 23% fat at the time too. I had very little muscle. I think that was why! THe diatitian was surprised it was so little too =S but now i'm much much better. I havent had the opportunity to repeat the test. It was expensive! but I can tell I'm much better from my current stats and cals!

Original Post by madamq:

Original Post by colorado_sunshine:

1,200 *does* come with big warnings attached, but that calorie intake *is* relevant for smaller/shorter people.

Use phord's calculator at http://www.phord.com/cc/ for a more accurate reading.

 

 

 

 Does their burn rate include BMR? 

I am 41, 5 feet even.  It tells me to eat 1227 calories a day and burn 1900 calories.

But I think this is off because I walk about 60 miles a week and do strength training every other day for 1/2 hour.  1227 calories seems really low for that level of activity.

 The 1227 is your BMR. The options default to giving you the most weight loss you can without going under your BMR. You can just use the burn rate and subtract however many you want from that instead.

Uggg!!! the dreaded 1200 calories!!!! I am 5' even and I feel terrible when I eat that little. It's really no way to live your life.  Plus, I believe it slows down your metabolism so when you start eating more, you gain weight easily.  If you have any interest in lifting weights, check out the book New Rules of Lifting for Women by Lou Schuler.  It has done wonders for me.

About a year ago, I went on Nutrisystem, which is a balanced meal plan with added fruits, veggies, dairy, and protein.  I lose quickly on it in the first week, then 1-2 pounds every week thereafter.  I decided after 2 months that I would do the plan myself with regular food, and still lose about 1-2 pounds a week (I only have 10 pounds till goal now).  My daily intake is between 1100-1300...I never feel hungry, eat the food I love to eat (portion control) and just focus my energy on other things instead of eating strictly because I am bored.  I break my food intake down into 5 meals: breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner, and dessert and at LEAST 64-72 oz of water a day.  I am 5'4", 149 pounds, size 8, and feel great.  I think that every person has different needs...and even though I do pilates for strength training 3-4 times a week only (full time student and mom), I still don't seem to be in a deficit...or at least my body isn't telling me that.  As long as 1-2 pounds a week slides off, I'm not fixing what isn't broken.

Original Post by black_lilies:

I did it in a my university health center! they had this little machine you breath in first thing in the morning. I think it measure the oxygen and the co2 or something =P

I had a 23% fat at the time too. I had very little muscle. I think that was why! THe diatitian was surprised it was so little too =S but now i'm much much better. I havent had the opportunity to repeat the test. It was expensive! but I can tell I'm much better from my current stats and cals!

Wow, that's crazy low!  I'm glad you've built some muscle and are doing much better now. :)  The number I gave you is the average person with your stats.

Original Post by kukua:

Original Post by black_lilies:

I did it in a my university health center! they had this little machine you breath in first thing in the morning. I think it measure the oxygen and the co2 or something =P

I had a 23% fat at the time too. I had very little muscle. I think that was why! THe diatitian was surprised it was so little too =S but now i'm much much better. I havent had the opportunity to repeat the test. It was expensive! but I can tell I'm much better from my current stats and cals!

Wow, that's crazy low!  I'm glad you've built some muscle and are doing much better now. :)  The number I gave you is the average person with your stats.

Thank you! =) me too!