1,200 is what is recommended to stay healthy and lose weight. It may go lower through exercise and with medical advice. Under 1,200 may throw your body into what is referred to as a starvation mode. As I stated before when I went drastically below 1,200 calories I was losing weight and hair by the handfuls. And I went below 1,200 with my doctors OK. I was eating a balanced diet, but not enough to be healthy. When I added 200 calories my hair stopped falling out, and a lot of my depression went away. I now stay around 1,200 and I am losing about 4 to 5 pounds a month.
It takes about 3,500 calories to lose a pound. My doctor gave me a formula to determine calories. Take the weight you want to be and multiply it by 11. That is the approximate calories needed to maintain that weight. You will lose weight because you are heavier. For example, I want to weigh 135 so it is 135 X 11=1,485 calories to maintain a weight of 135. At 165 I will continue to lose weight as I need 1,850 to maintain a weight of 165; a savings of 330 calories a day. Or 2,300 calories a week, 10,395 a month. This is about 3 pounds a month.
Carol (Quote)
It also helps to change your routine so your body doesn't anticipate and get in a rut. This works for calories and excercise. Ex. If you are staying at 1441 calories a day, multiply that by 7 and then vary the number of calories per day for a week.
Mon - 1300 cal; Tues - 1500 cal; Wed - 1300 cal; Thurs - 1600 cal; Fri - 1287 cal; Sat - 1400 cal; Sun - 1700 cal. It is still the same number of calories for that week.
This really works!! Your body does not get in a rut and you do not feel deprived because you have a couple of days where you can treat yourself a bit. It works the same with exercising. Mix it up and don't work the same muscle group 2 days in a row. You can do cardio every day. If your body gets to where it can anticipate the normal, it settles in and holds on, making it hard to lose again. Change is good!!