1200 Calories?! Can you lose weight no matter what you eat?!

blondielou1992

Hello!

I'm currently trying to lose about 8 pounds and keeping a calorie count with my fitness pal.

I am already quite petite at 5ft 2 and about 120 pounds.

Out of curiosity, say for example I ate foods like crisps and chocolate during the day which would be getting burned off but kept within the 1000 - 1200 calorie daily guildelines would this mean that I would still lose weight?

Does healthy eating just speed up the process?!

I do eat very healthy eg apples, pears, eggs, tuna but I really struggle to cut out a packet of crisps or chocolate throughout the day!

RGv2

Yes, if you're under TDEE it doesn't matter what makes up those calories in order to lose weight. That doesn't mean to go out and eat a diet that consists of candy, what it means is you can still eat the foods you enjoy in moderation as long as they fit in your calories.

1000-1200 calories sounds low for a 22 yr old female with only a few lbs to lose.

acheben

Yes, you can eat any form of calories and as long as you maintain a calorie deficit, you will lose weight. If all you're eating is chocolate and crisps, you're probably not going to feel very full or satisfied, which may cause you to over eat.

Also, based on the numbers you gave us, it looks like you're trying to lose 1lb/week which, might be too aggressive since you only have 8lb left to lose. If you reduce your weight loss to .5lb/week, you would be able to eat 250cals more per day.

7elizamae

You can eat whatever you choose; if you remain at a calorie deficit, you will lose weight. Your body doesn't 'know' whether you're eating crisps or carrots. Nice, huh?

tabby_123

Theoretically, yes. However, it might be wise since you are dealing with limited calories to ensure that those you are afforded count! Fibrous and proteinous meals will allow you to feel fuller longer, making those calories go farther!

KHaverstick

Yes. I'm also petite, and my goal is 1200 cal/day. And I DO eat chocolate and chips (crisps), etc. And I do lose weight. I lost 69 lbs (most of that with the help of MFP) a couple of years ago, and I've lost 32 lbs so far after baby #2, with only 6 or 7 lbs to go to get to my goal. I don't cut out or restrict any type of food.

Liftng4Lis

Yep.

higgins8283801

You can; but 1200 is already really low and I wouldn't want waste what calories I can eat on junk.
I am 5'2. I have lost 43lbs and am 127lbs currently and eat about 1400-1800 a day (depending on exercise) and lose roughly a half pound a week at that.

NoelFigart1

Yes, you can eat 1200 calories of chocolate and lose weight. Strict loss of weight is totally about consuming less than you burn. That's it.

The reason certain foods are touted as "healthy" or "low-calorie" or "diet-friendly" have more to do with volume and long-term satiety than it does with anything else.

Ferinstance 200 calories of broccoli covers half a PLATE. 200 calories of chocolate will fit in the palm of your hand. Check out What Does 200 Calories Look Like to get an idea. If I eat a really big salad with lots of different veggies, a good amount of protein and a bit of fat (like, you know, dressing and/or cheese) to increase feelings of satiety, I am not going to be hungry for a long time. If I eat the same amount of calories as, say, a large serving of french fries, I might be hungry quicker and desire to consume too many calories.

The thing is, our food desires and needs are more complex than simply wanting/needing a large volume of food. While (to pick a number completely at random, honest!) 79 calories of broccoli might be a larger volume and have lots of nutrients I need, people also eat for pleasure. So, I might decide that in this instance, the Lindt truffle might be a better use of those 79 calories in this particular instance.

Don't get me wrong. I love veggies and eat some with most meals. Fruit is a favorite thing to eat as well. I'm all about nourishing yourself well.

But that Evil Foods mentality is nonsense and micromanages a macro problem with a MUCH simpler solution.

holly55555

Technically yes, but your body will look very different eating only chips and chocolate than if you eat well and work out.

This is when you get an issue called "skinny fat".

PeachyCarol

I eat around that much, and while you could, it wouldn't do much for your lean body mass as you lose weight.

Your muscles love protein.

You might also likely come to feel quite hungry after a while.

It's quite possible to fit either a small packet of crisps or a bit of chocolate in as a snack into an otherwise healthy day even on 1200 calories. Eat yogurt or oatmeal and fruit for breakfast or toast and eggs, some lean protein and salad for lunch, and protein, a small amount of whole grains and more veggies for dinner. This should leave you around 100-150 calories for a discretionary snack. You'll still have your treats, lose weight, and have better body composition once you do.

blondielou1992

that's great! Thanks everyone !

segacs

Technically yes, but there are two big things to consider:

1. With only 1200 calories to work with, you have a lot less room for error when trying to hit your RDAs on necessary nutrients each day, unlike someone eating twice that amount, who can afford to have more wasted empty calories. Being low on vital nutrients occasionally is no big deal. But if you have a long-term nutritional deficiency, it's gonna have consequences to your health.

2. With only 1200 calories to work with, if you consume a lot of empty calories, you're going to have a harder time feeling full and satisfied. Which, in turn, might lead to binging behaviour or feeling needlessly restricted and hungry all the time. Which is no fun, and probably means you'll be less likely to keep it up over time.

I agree with the others -- allow yourself some snacks, but try to make sure you hit your minimums on things like vitamins, calcium, iron, protein and healthy fats each day. If you're doing that, you can spend the remaining calories however you like.

angiewf

'All calories are NOT created equal', according to Dr Robert Lustig. I recommend his book 'Fat Chance', which has a lot to say about the metabolice effects of sugars.

auddii

segacs wrote: »

Technically yes, but there are two big things to consider:

1. With only 1200 calories to work with, you have a lot less room for error when trying to hit your RDAs on necessary nutrients each day, unlike someone eating twice that amount, who can afford to have more wasted empty calories. Being low on vital nutrients occasionally is no big deal. But if you have a long-term nutritional deficiency, it's gonna have consequences to your health.

2. With only 1200 calories to work with, if you consume a lot of empty calories, you're going to have a harder time feeling full and satisfied. Which, in turn, might lead to binging behaviour or feeling needlessly restricted and hungry all the time. Which is no fun, and probably means you'll be less likely to keep it up over time.

I agree with the others -- allow yourself some snacks, but try to make sure you hit your minimums on things like vitamins, calcium, iron, protein and healthy fats each day. If you're doing that, you can spend the remaining calories however you like.

All of this.

segacs

It's like, okay, it's fine to splurge on a new TV or dinners out sometimes. But you have to make sure you've paid your rent and your electric bill first.

blondielou1992

segacs wrote: »

It's like, okay, it's fine to splurge on a new TV or dinners out sometimes. But you have to make sure you've paid your rent and your electric bill first.

PeachyCarol

angiewf wrote: »

'All calories are NOT created equal', according to Dr Robert Lustig. I recommend his book 'Fat Chance', which has a lot to say about the metabolice effects of sugars.

Please ignore this advice. Lustig is a fear-mongering idiot.

CapnVillainBLK

Google Mark Haub, he lost 27 lbs in 2 months on what he called his convenience store diet.

BetterThanExpected

Not necessarily. Macros do count. http://www.colinmcnulty.com/blog/2011/11/22/a-calorie-is-not-a-calorie-is-not-a-calorie/ Your body reacts differently to carbs/fat/protein. The largest difference is between carbs and fat, because carbs cause your body to release insulin and fat doesn't. The only way fat can make you fat is if you combine it with large amounts of carbs/sugar. AND, in addition, you will be fuller on a diet higher in protein and fat and lower in carbs.
I'm not saying that people CAN'T lose weight on a higher carb diet, because obviously it's been done, but if you're ever eating low amounts of calories and find that you still aren't losing weight, you need to check your macros.

texaswindsong

I love the freedom of eating a healthy diet and not feeling bad about a snack in the evenings. Because I'm fitting it into my calorie limit, I can actually ENJOY it instead of feeling guilty.

TheresaYoung32

If your question is can you eat anything you want and lose weight by staying around 1200 calories I guess to answer your question is with another set of questions then you figure it out
What's diabetes?
What's heart disease?
What's high blood pressure?
What's cancer?
What's skinny fat?
If you know anything about these problems that millions face I guess you should know the answer.

elphie754

tmrmaxchill wrote: »

If your question is can you eat anything you want and lose weight by staying around 1200 calories I guess to answer your question is with another set of questions then you figure it out
What's diabetes?
What's heart disease?
What's high blood pressure?
What's cancer?
What's skinny fat?
If you know anything about these problems that millions face I guess you should know the answer.

While yes, certain nutrients can impact these (like sodium and cholesterol) losing weight in general for someone who is obese, reduces most of these risks, regardless of intake.

Also- what does cancer have to do with what you eat?

Roxiegirl2008

Yes you can. For me personally I need to have a balanced diet to feel full and have the energy for my workouts.