1200 calories a day for women

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  • ashaluna13
    ashaluna13 Posts: 5 Member
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    babylinguist wrote: »
    I'm 5'0. I can be happy on 1200 if I eat the right things. The second I add somewine or pop in there, I can feel the lack of food.

    But, I use 1200 as a base and rarely eat below 1400 with my fitbit adjustment.

    1200 is low, but for shorter women, it's somewhat easier.

    I would agree I'm 5'3 on 1200 a day. I keep it more as a guide line. If I bust through I don't really stress about it. My goal is 1lbs a week. I'm just short.

    I feel better when I keep to it actually. I just eat more veggies and less carbs. I've always been one to eat small portions so might be why it works.
  • JadeHall27
    JadeHall27 Posts: 9 Member
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    I'm 5'5", weighing approximately 174, I've set my goal to loose 2lb a week and my calorie intake is at 1220. I've only been doing this since Sunday so I'm really really new to this, but so far so good, some days I do feel like I could do with eating more but my weight is causing me back problems, so the sooner the better for me personally....saying that, when I get to comfortable point I will knock it down to a lower goal...
  • minties82
    minties82 Posts: 907 Member
    edited May 2015
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    If you are under 5 feet tall, MFP doesn't like you to eat much. I'm 4'11" and it would tell me to eat less than 1200 if it could! I choose to eat 1350.

    My grandma is 69 and on 1200 a day, she's only lost 5.6kg in the time it has taken me to lose 29kg. It's a lot harder when you are older and also very short, we are the same height.
  • ExRelaySprinter
    ExRelaySprinter Posts: 874 Member
    edited May 2015
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    I don't think i've ever in my adult life eaten under 1200 calories (unless i was ill or very very hungover ;) )!
    I think most women who are on 1200 cals, do some exercise..... enabling them to eat more.
  • TiffanyR71
    TiffanyR71 Posts: 217 Member
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    I'm eating 1200 a day. I am satisfied and have plenty of energy. 1200, to stay well-nourished, is tricky- it doesn't leave much room for non-nutritive calories. I stick to it, make very healthy choices, and save up exercise calories for a couple of glasses of wine on the weekends. My TDEE is only 1800, so, to lose 1 lb a week, I need to be at 1300.

    More calories doesn't necessarily equal more nutrients- my diet may very well be more healthy than someone's who's eating much more... It's really dependent on the individual and her specific choices.
  • cgilbert501
    cgilbert501 Posts: 5 Member
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    I am 5'2", 48 years old. I want to lose 35 pounds. I have mine set at 1500 just because I have gone as low as 800 (drs. orders - i was 237 pounds at that time) and was starving but I lost 95 pounds in less than a year. SInce I got off that diet though, I gained 35 which I am now trying to lose again
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,627 Member
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    i did it for 2 months.

    it was a horrible 2 months

    i did learn i love to exercise though LOLOL

    mine is set at 1450 and i still lose about 2 pounds a week (i do workout 5 times a week and eat back some, and sometimes all, of those calories ;) )

  • pelpelpel
    pelpelpel Posts: 32 Member
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    I eat 1200, I'm 5-7 and been doing it since jsn, lost 32lb. I'm pretty happy with it- don't feel starved or anything, but far more mindful about what I eat. I sometimes I eat few exercise calories back and sometimes for me it's ok to go over- like a glass of wine at the weekend etc I think it encourages me to eat better, more healthy food :) I know a lot of people on here say you shouldn't but it works for me :) just gotta find what works for you :) x x x
  • pelpelpel
    pelpelpel Posts: 32 Member
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    I eat 1200, I'm 5-7 and been doing it since jsn, lost 32lb. I'm pretty happy with it- don't feel starved or anything, but far more mindful about what I eat. I sometimes I eat few exercise calories back and sometimes for me it's ok to go over- like a glass of wine at the weekend etc I think it encourages me to eat better, more healthy food :) I know a lot of people on here say you shouldn't but it works for me :) just gotta find what works for you :) x x x
  • pedidiva
    pedidiva Posts: 199 Member
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    I am on 1200 Calories/day and doing well. I am older (57) and it is the calorie allotment that MFP gave me. I eat very nutrient dense foods. Not hungry. I do have to plan for indulgences, but it is workable for me.
  • bclarke1990
    bclarke1990 Posts: 287 Member
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    I'm a 24 year old male losing weight on 1500. It's probably too low, but I eat filling meals and try to get lots of high volume nutritious food and I'm doing alright. Oatmeal, chicken, vegetables, eggs, etc. Some days I feel pretty hungry at night but I've lost almost 90 lbs so it's a temporary sacrifice and it seems to work for me.

    I don't know if women feel less "hungry" than men on similar calories, since men tend to burn more, but speaking from experience if you make good food decisions and avoid sugary/fat junk you can make it on 1500 and lower.
  • lthames0810
    lthames0810 Posts: 722 Member
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    I made the mistake of calulating on Scooby what my maintenance will be at my goal weight. (Shouldn't have looked ahead.) At age 60, 5'6", I'll only have a TDEE of 1375, without taking into consideration that I'll be even older by the time I hit goal.

    May as well learn to cope with 1200 a day since 1375 isn't significantly better.
  • SuggaD
    SuggaD Posts: 1,369 Member
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    lthames0810 wrote: »
    I made the mistake of calulating on Scooby what my maintenance will be at my goal weight. (Shouldn't have looked ahead.) At age 60, 5'6", I'll only have a TDEE of 1375, without taking into consideration that I'll be even older by the time I hit goal.

    May as well learn to cope with 1200 a day since 1375 isn't significantly better.

    I looked at this. Ouch!
  • shadowfax_c11
    shadowfax_c11 Posts: 1,942 Member
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    I had a Dr tell me to do 1200. I'm 5'5 at the time was 276 and live a very active lifestyle including working in animal care, farrier work and practicing martial arts 6 hours a week or more. Luckily for me I don't think very highly of Drs in general and that advice specifically. Although I did try 1400 for a few days and lost a lot of weight really fast and was exhausted and miserable and unable to use my brain at all. Then I found MFP. Plugged in my stats, put on a Fitbit and started eating what the app said. It has been 7 weeks. Currently down 18 pounds.
  • spzjlb
    spzjlb Posts: 599 Member
    edited May 2015
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    I'm like many other posters. I am 50 yrs old and 5 ft 4 in, eating in this range for 5 months. 1200 cals is tough at the start, but like the others, once I learned to manage my nutrition, it is OK and I can fit in small snacks, too. There is very little wiggle room, however, so eating at a restaurant or a special supper will easily put me over. ON THE OTHER HAND, if I didn't drink alcohol, 1200 cals would be piles easier for me. But, that is my choice. Plus, I exercise a bit every single day to give me a little more calories to eat.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    I need more, thus the earn with exercise part of it for me.
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,627 Member
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    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    I need more, thus the earn with exercise part of it for me.

    thats why i started exercising LOL

    i love it now. still feels strange saying that ;)
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    callsitlikeiseeit wrote: »
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    I need more, thus the earn with exercise part of it for me.

    thats why i started exercising LOL

    i love it now. still feels strange saying that ;)

    YES! This is whack! ......okay, except lifting....and biking.....oh and sex. These are all exercises I can get on board with :wink:
  • lizfiz50
    lizfiz50 Posts: 179 Member
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    1330 is low for me and I'm still significantly overweight and tall. It's do-able, but you need to be smart about how much nutrition you're getting. I was really under-eating at one point and nearly fainted at work.

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