How long can you stay on a 1200-1400 calorie diet?

Options
mylosingtool0612
mylosingtool0612 Posts: 7
in Health and Weight Loss
How long can I do this? Is it too much if I restrict for 20 weeks?
I have less than 30 Pounds to lose (or max. 30)?
«134

Replies

  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
    Options
    You probably should not eat so few calories. You're young. How tall are you? What is your current weight and height?
  • arguablysamson
    arguablysamson Posts: 1,706 Member
    Options
    It took me 10 months and 27 days to drop 173 lbs on between 1,100 and 1,650 calories.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1257158/from-363-4-to-197-7-lbs-my-one-meal-a-day-success-story

    Be sure and give your body a break at least twice a month, but you can do it and be fine.
  • jerehfoy
    jerehfoy Posts: 18 Member
    Options
    I am currently eating 1200 cals a day. When you reach a certain weight and don't change for a period of time then it is time to change it again. One of the best things you can do is lower your sodium intake. Salt dehydrates your cells. Also change your macros to 30% fat and carbs and 40% protein
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,136 Member
    Options
    I lasted 2 days before I said eff this.
  • Emilia777
    Emilia777 Posts: 978 Member
    edited April 2015
    Options
    I’ve been at 1300 for about 5 weeks now; I have about 10-15lbs to lose. I lost 45lbs at 1200 in the past (that took a few months). It’s definitely do-able, but the question is if it’s the right call for you. Either way, I’d recommend strength training if you go with a bigger deficit, to help you hold on to your muscle mass.
  • aubreyjordan
    aubreyjordan Posts: 276 Member
    Options
    I did it for about 2 months, eating back some exercise calories as well. I'm now doing 1520 + some exercise calories and I feel a lot better. It was really hard for me to stay at 1300. There were several days that I would just eat over because I was hungry (not binge, but just eat more). But it depends on you how long you can stay in that range. If you're shorter, then it is probably manageable but if you're average/tall and/or have a job that is any level above sedentary, then probably not. But again, it all depends on you.
  • WaterBunnie
    WaterBunnie Posts: 1,370 Member
    Options
    Unless there's a medical reason for losing quickly I'd say set it higher than the 1200 absolute minimum. I read someone on here who said she'd set her calorie allowance to what her maintenance would be if she was already at her ideal weight which I thought was a brilliant idea since she'd be learning straight away how to eat forever but still lose slowly in the meantime. I'm thinking of trying that but not eating back exercise to create a higher deficit when I get closer to goal.
  • lloydbutterfly
    lloydbutterfly Posts: 1 Member
    Options
    I have been on a 1200 calorie diet for 4 weeks only list 3 pounds. I am very disappointed
  • Arliah
    Arliah Posts: 266 Member
    Options
    I was on 1200 calories for year, and it crashed my metabolism and had my doctor call me at 9pm after she saw the lab results, completely panicked. Lesson learned: Don't do it for too long. It will take me quite some time to undo the damage I did by restricting my food intake so severely.
  • Arliah
    Arliah Posts: 266 Member
    Options
    lloydbutterfly wrote: »
    I have been on a 1200 calorie diet for 4 weeks only list 3 pounds. I am very disappointed
    "Only"? 3 lbs in 4 weeks is good. What did you expect? oO
  • alicaramik2
    alicaramik2 Posts: 71 Member
    Options
    Three months, so far. I haven't had any problems sticking to it. Very rarely hungry and I feel better than I have in years. I'm very careful to hit my macros as closely as possible and drink enough water to float a small navy. Of course, I'm a fairly short and middle aged woman who doesn't get a lot of exercise. Your calorie needs may be very different from mine.
  • Emilia777
    Emilia777 Posts: 978 Member
    Options
    Arliah wrote: »
    I was on 1200 calories for year, and it crashed my metabolism and had my doctor call me at 9pm after she saw the lab results, completely panicked. Lesson learned: Don't do it for too long. It will take me quite some time to undo the damage I did by restricting my food intake so severely.

    I’m sorry this happened to you, but I am surprised. You think the caloric deficit is to blame? I ask because loads of people eat around this number, and I wasn’t aware of any health risks…
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
    Options
    Emilia777 wrote: »
    Arliah wrote: »
    I was on 1200 calories for year, and it crashed my metabolism and had my doctor call me at 9pm after she saw the lab results, completely panicked. Lesson learned: Don't do it for too long. It will take me quite some time to undo the damage I did by restricting my food intake so severely.

    I’m sorry this happened to you, but I am surprised. You think the caloric deficit is to blame? I ask because loads of people eat around this number, and I wasn’t aware of any health risks…

    Too many people UNNECESSARILY eat at this number at the expense of their lean muscle mass.

    It's a foolish, foolish thing to do.

    Many posts in this thread are making me smh.

  • mylosingtool0612
    mylosingtool0612 Posts: 7
    Options
    Hey thanks a lot!
    Yeah, I have to stay low in order to lose (metabolism things) AND I am sitting all day (12 hours) in the library, just having 1 hour rest that I usually use for eating :disappointed: . I am 5 ft 6 : )
  • blossomingbutterfly
    blossomingbutterfly Posts: 743 Member
    Options
    It didn't take you a few weeks to gain those lbs. Go slowly, build new eating habits, start changing your life so you can keep up the lifestyle afterwards and continue to be at the weight you want. I don't see what the rush is. I am at 1830 cal/day and I am losing 1lb a week or so very happily. I could eat less, but what's the rush? Your body needs food to live. 1200 is so restrictive, at least IMO.
  • Arliah
    Arliah Posts: 266 Member
    Options
    Emilia777 wrote: »
    Arliah wrote: »
    I was on 1200 calories for year, and it crashed my metabolism and had my doctor call me at 9pm after she saw the lab results, completely panicked. Lesson learned: Don't do it for too long. It will take me quite some time to undo the damage I did by restricting my food intake so severely.

    I’m sorry this happened to you, but I am surprised. You think the caloric deficit is to blame? I ask because loads of people eat around this number, and I wasn’t aware of any health risks…
    I wasn't, either. It took some input from some friendly people here that made me look into this a little more.
    In short, my blood work, which had always been stellar (and was in Feb 2014, shortly before I started the 1200 calories), came back screwed up in Feb this year. My thyroid was almost completely dormant, and as a result (you can google the correlation between this), my cholesterol, liver and kidney numbers were incredibly abnormal. I effectively put my body into the starvation mode because I am not completely sedentary, so the calories I netted were by no means enough. Believe me, I was surprised and shocked as well. The last thing I wanted to do was jeopardize my health. I have been eating a little more (around 1350) for 5 weeks now, and just had my blood re-tested, and the numbers were a little better again. Nowhere near normal, but yes, eating closer to the appropriate number of calories my body needs had a positive effect and is slowly getting my metabolism back to normal.

    I am not a doctor, obviously, and I am not saying that it *has* to be or *will* be like this for everyone. I also don't think that a few months of 1200 will have the same effect. It was just a word of caution :)
  • Emilia777
    Emilia777 Posts: 978 Member
    Options
    mamapeach910 wrote: »
    Emilia777 wrote: »
    Arliah wrote: »
    I was on 1200 calories for year, and it crashed my metabolism and had my doctor call me at 9pm after she saw the lab results, completely panicked. Lesson learned: Don't do it for too long. It will take me quite some time to undo the damage I did by restricting my food intake so severely.

    I’m sorry this happened to you, but I am surprised. You think the caloric deficit is to blame? I ask because loads of people eat around this number, and I wasn’t aware of any health risks…

    Too many people UNNECESSARILY eat at this number at the expense of their lean muscle mass.

    It's a foolish, foolish thing to do.

    Many posts in this thread are making me smh.

    It’s funny you should mention that, I was just looking at research about what the minimum caloric intake is to preserve muscle mass. The general consensus seems to be that if you’re (1) above 1,200 calories for women / 1,500 for men, (2) doing strength training, and (3) eating lots of protein, loss of muscle mass is minimized. I haven’t read any of the actual science articles though.

    I think it depends on what’s best for each individual.

    Some sources: http://evidencemag.com/fat-loss-deficit/, http://www.acaloriecounter.com/diet/calorie-deficit-to-lose-weight/, http://ratfactor.com/fat-loss-calculator#fatvsweight
  • lisafrancis888
    lisafrancis888 Posts: 119 Member
    Options
    I've been on 1200 for 5 weeks and lost 5 lbs. I do eat back excercise calories though. I am eating vegetables most days with chicken usually. Having oats and fruit for breakfast and usually a cheese or tuna sandwich for lunch. I think I'm eating better than I ever have. I could do this for a long time if I wanted. I've completely cut out biscuits and crisps and haven't had any pastry products since I started. Had a little blip over Easter but feel healthy.
  • mylosingtool0612
    mylosingtool0612 Posts: 7
    Options
    Notice I said 1200-1400? :D I am eating more like 1400... : )
    So I just wondered if something like 4-5 months strictly sticking to it would kill me, I eat high density foods, very nutritional. Paleo since 2012.... Recently tried vegan, but is not my thing I guess.
  • Arliah
    Arliah Posts: 266 Member
    edited April 2015
    Options
    alicaramik2 wrote: »
    Three months, so far. I haven't had any problems sticking to it. Very rarely hungry and I feel better than I have in years. I'm very careful to hit my macros as closely as possible and drink enough water to float a small navy. Of course, I'm a fairly short and middle aged woman who doesn't get a lot of exercise. Your calorie needs may be very different from mine.
    Yep, that's what I did. I was hardly every hungry, even had trouble sometimes to eat enough, drank enough water, and I felt better than I've had in years. I am 5.3, 35 years (well, in a few days anyway), so I guess I am short and almost middle-aged as well :)

    Again, as I've said in my post above, I am not claiming that what I did to myself will happen to everyone. But it obviously can.

Categories