why are 1200 cal diets criticised on here?

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  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
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    isulo_kura wrote: »
    00mid wrote: »
    I, including many others have lost on that number of calories.

    On reason of than the nutrition argument is the majority come back 6 months or more later asking why they put all their weight back on, basically because they were eating unsustainable amount and as soon as they hit their goal and ate normally their weight reappeared.

    People who lose slowly have the same likelihood of regaining the weight as those who lose quickly.
  • ZebsterBC
    ZebsterBC Posts: 198 Member
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    If you browse the forums for a while, you'll see a trend. People with unrealistic expectations, some with admitted eating disorders, all gravitating to the most extreme way to lose weight. Attempting to steer people away from that by encouraging weight loss at a rate that is more likely to be sustainable is a good thing.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
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    ZebsterBC wrote: »
    Attempting to steer people away from that by encouraging weight loss at a rate that is more likely to be sustainable is a good thing.

    *No* deficit is sustainable.
  • kami3006
    kami3006 Posts: 4,978 Member
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    Mr_Knight wrote: »
    ZebsterBC wrote: »
    Attempting to steer people away from that by encouraging weight loss at a rate that is more likely to be sustainable is a good thing.

    *No* deficit is sustainable.

    Pretty sure she meant sustainable until you're ready to move on to maintenance.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    edited March 2015
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    kami3006 wrote: »
    Mr_Knight wrote: »
    ZebsterBC wrote: »
    Attempting to steer people away from that by encouraging weight loss at a rate that is more likely to be sustainable is a good thing.

    *No* deficit is sustainable.

    Pretty sure she meant sustainable until you're ready to move on to maintenance.

    Larger deficits mean getting to maintenance quicker. Smaller deficits mean you have to diet longer.

    And there is tons of empirical evidence that the longer a restriction (diet or otherwise) is in effect, the greater the odds of non-adherence.
  • Angierae75
    Angierae75 Posts: 417 Member
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    For me, personally, it's too low. I couldn't sustain 1200 calories. I didn't have the energy to exercise to "earn" more, and I was always hungry.

    At 1400, I've lost 22 pounds (I've only maintained for the last month because I wasn't being as careful as I could be, but I'm back on track now) and I'm rarely hungry. It's _easier_ to eat at 1400 than at 1200. So I'm only losing 1# per week, not 2#. That's fine, because I'm losing at a rate I can sustain.
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
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    Mr_Knight wrote: »
    kami3006 wrote: »
    Mr_Knight wrote: »
    ZebsterBC wrote: »
    Attempting to steer people away from that by encouraging weight loss at a rate that is more likely to be sustainable is a good thing.

    *No* deficit is sustainable.

    Pretty sure she meant sustainable until you're ready to move on to maintenance.

    Larger deficits mean getting to maintenance quicker. Smaller deficits mean you have to diet longer.

    And there is tons of empirical evidence that the longer a restriction (diet or otherwise) is in effect, the greater the odds of non-adherence.

    Thanks for linking the tons of empirical evidence that discusses small caloric deficits (10-15% below maintenance calorie needs) maintained for longer periods and how that lessens the chances of adherence!
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    edited March 2015
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    Smaller deficits needing longer periods of caloric restriction to achieve the same weight loss is something we know from CICO. If you believe in CICO, then you believe in that, by definition.

    If you don't believe in CICO, there probably isn't sufficient common ground upon which ot have a meaningful conversation. :smile:

    :drinker:
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
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    ZebsterBC wrote: »
    If you browse the forums for a while, you'll see a trend. People with unrealistic expectations, some with admitted eating disorders, all gravitating to the most extreme way to lose weight. Attempting to steer people away from that by encouraging weight loss at a rate that is more likely to be sustainable is a good thing.

    yup, this. weight loss winners are the ones eating the most while losing, not forcing themselves to lose 30lbs in 2 months or less.
  • ogmomma2012
    ogmomma2012 Posts: 1,520 Member
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    If BMR calculators are mostly correct, eating at or beneath 1200 is dangerous especially long term because you are not eating enough to even sustain a comatose body. I have a large amount of weight to lose, and weight loss has been dramatic for me. I am also losing a little hair, a by-product of eating below my BMR.

    HOWEVER, I don't have metabolic issues or other medical problems that might make a 1200 calorie diet important to weight loss. I could lose weight slower, but it was important for my health to lose faster.
  • kami3006
    kami3006 Posts: 4,978 Member
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    Mr_Knight wrote: »
    kami3006 wrote: »
    Mr_Knight wrote: »
    ZebsterBC wrote: »
    Attempting to steer people away from that by encouraging weight loss at a rate that is more likely to be sustainable is a good thing.

    *No* deficit is sustainable.

    Pretty sure she meant sustainable until you're ready to move on to maintenance.

    Larger deficits mean getting to maintenance quicker. Smaller deficits mean you have to diet longer.

    And there is tons of empirical evidence that the longer a restriction (diet or otherwise) is in effect, the greater the odds of non-adherence.

    I was just referring to your quibbling over the word sustainable.

  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
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    If BMR calculators are mostly correct, eating at or beneath 1200 is dangerous especially long term because you are not eating enough to even sustain a comatose body. I have a large amount of weight to lose, and weight loss has been dramatic for me. I am also losing a little hair, a by-product of eating below my BMR.

    HOWEVER, I don't have metabolic issues or other medical problems that might make a 1200 calorie diet important to weight loss. I could lose weight slower, but it was important for my health to lose faster.

    If you're losing your hair as a by-product of eating so little then you're doing damage to your health... a 1.5lb/week weight loss goal is probably a better option...
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
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    Mr_Knight wrote: »
    kami3006 wrote: »
    Mr_Knight wrote: »
    ZebsterBC wrote: »
    Attempting to steer people away from that by encouraging weight loss at a rate that is more likely to be sustainable is a good thing.

    *No* deficit is sustainable.

    Pretty sure she meant sustainable until you're ready to move on to maintenance.

    Larger deficits mean getting to maintenance quicker. Smaller deficits mean you have to diet longer.

    And there is tons of empirical evidence that the longer a restriction (diet or otherwise) is in effect, the greater the odds of non-adherence.

    This is so true!! The quicker you can get it over with, the better! Less chance of caving from constant dieting and just giving up.

  • ZebsterBC
    ZebsterBC Posts: 198 Member
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    kami3006 wrote: »
    Mr_Knight wrote: »
    ZebsterBC wrote: »
    Attempting to steer people away from that by encouraging weight loss at a rate that is more likely to be sustainable is a good thing.

    *No* deficit is sustainable.

    Pretty sure she meant sustainable until you're ready to move on to maintenance.

    Thanks for quoting. I couldn't see past the jail bars.

    Sustainable until they reach maintenance, but I'm sure we all know what I meant.

    The method that gets them to goal weight is ultimately fastest and if they give up because the diet is too restrictive, it's not really that fast after all.
  • ogmomma2012
    ogmomma2012 Posts: 1,520 Member
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    ana3067 wrote: »
    If BMR calculators are mostly correct, eating at or beneath 1200 is dangerous especially long term because you are not eating enough to even sustain a comatose body. I have a large amount of weight to lose, and weight loss has been dramatic for me. I am also losing a little hair, a by-product of eating below my BMR.

    HOWEVER, I don't have metabolic issues or other medical problems that might make a 1200 calorie diet important to weight loss. I could lose weight slower, but it was important for my health to lose faster.

    If you're losing your hair as a by-product of eating so little then you're doing damage to your health... a 1.5lb/week weight loss goal is probably a better option...

    It is set to 1.5 but my calorie limit is still 1350. The Dr. and my nutritionist aren't concerned, they are bascially leaving it up to me because I still have QUITE a bit left to lose.
  • maidentl
    maidentl Posts: 3,203 Member
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    Mr_Knight wrote: »
    kami3006 wrote: »
    Mr_Knight wrote: »
    ZebsterBC wrote: »
    Attempting to steer people away from that by encouraging weight loss at a rate that is more likely to be sustainable is a good thing.

    *No* deficit is sustainable.

    Pretty sure she meant sustainable until you're ready to move on to maintenance.

    Larger deficits mean getting to maintenance quicker. Smaller deficits mean you have to diet longer.

    And there is tons of empirical evidence that the longer a restriction (diet or otherwise) is in effect, the greater the odds of non-adherence.

    This is so true!! The quicker you can get it over with, the better! Less chance of caving from constant dieting and just giving up.

    This is how I feel! People say to lower my "aggressive" goal to 1 pound per week. Yeah, that gives me 1220 calories. WOW! Twenty more calories! I can lower it to .5 pounds per week but with 40 pounds left to go I would really rather NOT have to diet for the next two years.
  • HeySwoleSister
    HeySwoleSister Posts: 1,938 Member
    edited March 2015
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    I'm pretty tiny, as people go.

    I didn't have so much to lose, even to start.

    I'm over 40.

    I'm a lazy-a22 couch potato. FULL CARB, yo.

    Lost weight easily on 1400+ Woo! Yolo!


  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
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    ZebsterBC wrote: »
    kami3006 wrote: »
    Mr_Knight wrote: »
    ZebsterBC wrote: »
    Attempting to steer people away from that by encouraging weight loss at a rate that is more likely to be sustainable is a good thing.

    *No* deficit is sustainable.

    Pretty sure she meant sustainable until you're ready to move on to maintenance.

    Thanks for quoting. I couldn't see past the jail bars.

    Sustainable until they reach maintenance, but I'm sure we all know what I meant.

    The method that gets them to goal weight is ultimately fastest and if they give up because the diet is too restrictive, it's not really that fast after all.
    And some can easily struggle with binging, further slowing down progress.
    maidentl wrote: »
    Mr_Knight wrote: »
    kami3006 wrote: »
    Mr_Knight wrote: »
    ZebsterBC wrote: »
    Attempting to steer people away from that by encouraging weight loss at a rate that is more likely to be sustainable is a good thing.

    *No* deficit is sustainable.

    Pretty sure she meant sustainable until you're ready to move on to maintenance.

    Larger deficits mean getting to maintenance quicker. Smaller deficits mean you have to diet longer.

    And there is tons of empirical evidence that the longer a restriction (diet or otherwise) is in effect, the greater the odds of non-adherence.

    This is so true!! The quicker you can get it over with, the better! Less chance of caving from constant dieting and just giving up.

    This is how I feel! People say to lower my "aggressive" goal to 1 pound per week. Yeah, that gives me 1220 calories. WOW! Twenty more calories! I can lower it to .5 pounds per week but with 40 pounds left to go I would really rather NOT have to diet for the next two years.

    If it's giving you only a 20 calorie increase then that means you should be losing around 1lb/week right now anyways.
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
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    ana3067 wrote: »
    If BMR calculators are mostly correct, eating at or beneath 1200 is dangerous especially long term because you are not eating enough to even sustain a comatose body. I have a large amount of weight to lose, and weight loss has been dramatic for me. I am also losing a little hair, a by-product of eating below my BMR.

    HOWEVER, I don't have metabolic issues or other medical problems that might make a 1200 calorie diet important to weight loss. I could lose weight slower, but it was important for my health to lose faster.

    If you're losing your hair as a by-product of eating so little then you're doing damage to your health... a 1.5lb/week weight loss goal is probably a better option...

    It is set to 1.5 but my calorie limit is still 1350. The Dr. and my nutritionist aren't concerned, they are bascially leaving it up to me because I still have QUITE a bit left to lose.

    Are you eating back your exercise calories? At this point I'd opt for 1lb/week because it wouldn't be worth subjecting my body to more health concerns tied to caloric/nutritional deficiencies.
  • kscm02
    kscm02 Posts: 24 Member
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    I've discovered that on 1400 I don't lose any and since going back to 1200 I'm losing again :) right now I'm not very active between work and taking 2 college classes plus driving my girls to and from activities i don't have 5 min to put together. The first couple days ya I was hungry a bit more but I feel like my stomach is adjusting and I feel full on much less than I was eating pre- weight loss journey. I think once I am finished with school I can then use some of that (sitting on my butt for hours reading text books/writing papers) time toward exercise and then maybe I'll experiment with eating those workout calories and see if I can still lose weight that way. Which will then be more likely those 1400 cal. It's kinda the same thing. 1400+exercise=1200=weight loss
    1200+no exercise=weight loss
    Just two different ways of saying the same thing.

    So let peace reign,
    Karen