To think 1200 calories a day isn’t enough?

[Tigerwhocamefortea]

I have always been slim and been lucky not to carry weight, however after having my second DC I am at least a stone heavier than I want to be and need to do something about it.

I tried using Myfitness plan to log things and based on losing 2lb a week, which I thought was a sensible slow amount, it it tells me I can only eat 1200 calories a day! Surely this is far too few?

I’m 9 stone and only 5ft 4 OP - I’m slim size8/10 - 8.5 stone sounds tiny tbh, but then bone mass/breast size etc would be a factor I guess.
After having my DS I was 11 stone, which I hated, as I’d never weighed more than 9.5 stone previously- I didn’t diet at all, I just ran around like a mad chicken after my son, went off food because of exhaustion and naturally lost baby weight.
It is said that if it takes 9 months to put weight on during pregnancy, then you need to give it 9 months to get it off.

I know that isn't massively overweight

It isn't over weight at all. You're bang slap in the middle of the healthy weight bmi range! I would think about healthy eating and try not to focus too heavily on calorie counting, especially with your history and the fact that you're breastfeeding, at only 4 months in you might find that you naturally drop a little weight over the next few months.

You'll struggle to lose weight, as you're already quite slim, although breastfeeding will use up some extra calories. But the 'rules' for weight loss like losing 2 pounds a week work a lot better with people who have weight to lose.

You might do better with just concentrating on eating good food in sensible portions, cutting the chocolate down as much as possible (a small amount each day - you can buy good dark chocolate in Aldi that comes in a cardboard sleeve with 5 mini bars inside, try to have just one each day) and being as active as you can - are you able to do something like running with a buggy, a buggy fit class, or swimming with the baby?

The taller and more active you are, the more calories you need. MFP also clearly states this which is why the base calories provided (ie the 1200) is for sedentary people and it lets you eat more with any extra movement / exercise. It’s designed to be used with a fitness wearable because the sedentary calories is what my entirely bedbound aunt has used to successfully lose weight prior to an operation.

5 ft 7 and 10 stone is almost slap bang in the middle for your healthy weight, it isn’t overweight at all! 8 stone 5 that you were before has you at underweight.

I wouldn’t be actively trying to lose weight at all, if you want your body to look better then eat a healthier diet and do weights or something to tone up.

If you only need to lose a stone, 2lb a week is quite fast so it's probably right. It is doable tho- the thing I find hardest when using MFP is recognising that although I'm staying under my calorie allowance, a high percentage of my calories is still coming from fat which is obviously not ideal. If you really bulk up your veg at expense of normal size portion of protein/ carbs then you'll prob be able to do it without being starving

If you only need to lose a stone, 2lb a week is quite fast so it's probably right. It is doable tho- the thing I find hardest when using MFP is recognising that although I'm staying under my calorie allowance, a high percentage of my calories is still coming from fat which is obviously not ideal. If you really bulk up your veg at expense of normal size portion of protein/ carbs then you'll prob be able to do it without being starving

The Rosemary Connelly diet was always based on 1400 calories a day but you had to go out for a daily walk or exercise also.
I don't think it's enough if you are breastfeeding.
It took me 6 months to lose 4 stone on calories 1200 a day post partum when I was 21. That doesn't work any more at 57 I have a gastric band.

I wouldn’t be trying to cut calories and diet whilst breastfeeding.
However I would shift my focus to good nutrition. Grazing on chocolate all day is terrible. You should find if you eat proper portions of healthy nutritious food you lose weight naturally.

It is if you want to lose weight at a good pace - you could probably lose weight if you ate a bit more but then it will take a longer time. I would try it and see how you get on - if you’re feeling tired and faint then it’s not enough.

I have to eat no more than 900kcal to lose just 1lb a week so 1200 to lose two would be great for me!

The less you have to lose the harder it is.

Do you exercise? You can eat more calories if you burn them.

I used to eat back half of my exercise calories (for example: I average 400 calories a day and would add 200 of them onto my 1,200)

Oh just seen you’re breastfeeding - I would then say it’s not enough. You need quite a lot of energy to make milk.

with the IIFYM.com do you minus the 20% from what they give you or Do what they give you? (macro calculator)

I have never counted calories. I lost 3 stone, and am maintaining, with Paul Mackenna and Food Cpmbining it's simple just don't eat carbs and protein at the same meal. Oh and eat fruit on an empty stomach. Cut down on caffienated drinks esp. fizzy ones. The weight will drop of with no extra exercise.

I know 8.5 stone is too little for my height and so I am aiming for 9 stone. I have a very petite bone structure and small boobs (I used to be a ballerina) but carrying a spare tyre around my waist at the minute!

I don’t do any exercise other than running round after a 2 year old and a 4 month old!

I followed the MFP calorie count suggestion and ended up losing 1.5 kilos a week rather than 2lbs... so my opinion would be that it's going to be too little!

Remember also that it depends what kind of calories you eat... like, if you eat 1,200 cals of refined carbs and sugary stuff, you probably won't lose weight as effectively as if you eat 1,500 cals more weighted towards a healthy protein/fat/carbs balance and plenty of fresh fruit and veg.

@QuckTheDuck You take 20% off the TDEE total x

So you want to put weight on? I have a lovely easy exercise to slim a muffin top. Are you interested?

I’m short and slim, and 1200 calories is what I need to consume just to maintain my weight according to the NHS, let alone lose weight! Luckily I’m trying to gain weight so I don’t have to faff around with calorie counting.

I agree that is a difficult amount of calories to work with. Some sandwiches at M&S are like 500 calories, a chocolate bar could be 2-300 calories etc, it all adds up really quickly. You have to really balance it out between meals and skip out on eating some of your favourites etc. It’s probably easier if you cook and meal plan, I used to eat out and buy food virtually full time so it was more difficult for me.

Depends on how big, active and old you are.

Me being a short, mostly sedentary, post meno 58 yo, I'd barely lose weight on 1200.

If your BFing then presumably you need to more than allow for the calories you're outputting in your input so 1200 sounds too few for you.

1200 is far too few for most people, but especially if you are breastfeeding.

Please don’t cut your calories to silly amounts whilst breastfeeding. You need calories to make milk and your baby will suffer if you’re not eating enough.

Swap your junk snacks for healthy ones and fill up on protein, fats and veg at meals.

I cook nearly everything from scratch so found MFP too time consuming. Given I'm intolerant to a few stuff I'm struggling with getting enough food so weight loss is not happening at the moment. Makes me feel so useless tbh.

It's fine if you are fairly sedentary and not massively overweight. I've done it and it works fine- just prepare yourself to be hungry for a few days while your body gets used to it.

Wait until you're in your 50s. If I want to lose weight, I have to go down to 800 per day. Anything over 1500 per day and I gain and I do HIT, martial arts and pilates and have a high level of muscle (23% body fat). It's shit. The alternative is more shit though.