Questions about caloric intake

K

Kea

0
I've never been one to take in alot of calories, at the most about 1500 a day, usually about 1200 a day, but I'm just guesstimating. My trainer at Bally's said that I should only take in about 1200 a day to lose weight because that was what a test said that I expended during the day just breathing.

Is 1200 too little? I'm worried about starving my body without intending to.
 
Yeah thats too low sweetie. With your stats 1800 calories is what you need to maintain your weight so to lose it take in 1400 calories. I just don't think anyone no matter what your weight should go below 1350, especially if you are working out. I would get another trainer.

So my 2 cents... bounce between 1350 and 1550 calories. It keeps your metabolism guessing, will cut out fat, but will still provide you with plenty of needs for your body.
Get in 1 protien/1 carb a meal. 5-6 times a day. Starch/simple carbs (oatmeal, potatos, 100% whole wheat bread, fruits) early in the day, fiberous carbs (veggie) at night.

You were right to think there was something off by that.
 
Also depends on what exercise you're doing. On days I don't work out I only eat around 1200-1300. On days I work out I eat upwards of 1700.
 
How thorough of an assessment did your trainer do? I do nutrition programs as part of my online business, and before I create a calorie range for a client I do a very thorough assessment where they answer PAGES of questions. Determining the right calorie level is not that easy. Do you have any health problems that affect metabolism, such as diabetes, hypothyroid, or PSOS? 1200 is really, really low...could be very damaging to your body and not very beneficial for weight loss.

Can you tell me more about the test that you had done to determine what you burn just breathing? And by that do you mean your resting metabolic rate?

Sarah
 
Sarah, the assessment wasn't very thorough at all, it was just asking me questions like the type of body I have (small body frame for me), if I have any health problems (none), and yes, the test determined that my RMR was 1200, so the computer at Bally's put me on a 1200 calorie a day diet. The personal trainer seemed to think it was perfectly fine. Should I not be listening to this stuff? Is it too low?
I am seeing results, meaning I'm seeing the number on the scale decrease, but I don't know if that is fat decreasing or muscle.
 
Yeah, personally I think there is a LOT more to determining the right calorie level than that, and that it's something that a computer can't do because there are SO many things to factor in. But, that's just my opinion and the way I do things.

Knowing your RMR is helpful in determining calorie level. Yours isn't real high, but I've seen lower. I don't know enough about you to know what level you need, but I am guessing more than 1200.

Sarah
 
Personal trainers should not give out eating menus unless they are certified nutritionists or registered dietitians. Bally's is well-known for being clueless and just plain bad business people.

1200 is too low for you. Period. You know this because you were smart enough to post here and get some additional feedback. Knowing how many calories you need to bring in is essential to fat loss, but it is not rocket science.

Here is a calculator to get you started. It is a calculator so it only gives an ESTIMATE.

Keep working out and eating well. 1200 will give you some results... but as you said "am I burning fat or muscle???"
 
Thanks Lynn, that calculator really helped. What I'd like to know is how do I get in 1500 calories without getting in too much fat? I already take in about 5-6 small meals a day, and I feel full most days now, even though I'm only taking in about 1100 calories.
 
If I were you I would slowly increase my caloric intake every day. I would start out this week by bumping it up to 1200 calories a day, then next week 1300, then 1400, and then finally your goal of 1500. If you eat 5 meals a day each of them will be around 300 calories which isn't very much really.
 
As Teresand77 said it isn't much. 300 calories each meal is one way to think of it. Personally I like to have a bigger breakfast, snack, medium lunch, snack, smaller dinner (bean rollup with brown rice for example) and another snack.

If you eat one protein and one carb at each meal it will leave you satisfied for about 3 hours. Then it's time to eat again. This is how you can get in so many meals per day. Like I said, they are small meals.

Don't worry about getting too much fat. Stick with one carb/one protein and you will be good to go.
 
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