Alright people who supposedly get full on 1200, how do you do it?
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I don't have any trouble at all eating 1200 calories/day or even a bit less during the summer. The heat and humidity really kill my appetite. It's much harder for me to maintain that intake during the rest of the year. And yes -- I do weigh and measure everything very carefully. And yes -- I'm a very short, "old" (52) woman. Unfortunately, due to a wonky thyroid that isn't yet responding to medication even 1200 calories/day isn't resulting in much of any weight loss. That friends is the honest truth and a very huge bummer.
A typical day for me --
Breakfast: A slice of Arnold sourdough bread and a slice of Sargento cheddar cheese (190 calories) and a couple of large cups of coffee, each with Splenda and 2 tablespoons of half and half (50 calories for each cup)
Lunch is a large salad -- 3 oz. of shredded chicken breast, lots of lettuce, some banana peppers and two tablespoons each of Feta cheese and a lowish calorie dressing (around 250-300 calories depending on what dressing I use)
Afternoon "snack" is another cup of coffee (50 calories)
That leaves about 560 calories for dinner. Usually that's some type of meat protein and sauteed veggies. If what I have for dinner is much below that calorie count then I might have a snack before bed (usually Carr's whole wheat crackers at 40 calories per cracker).
ETA: Once or twice a week for breakfast I have a couple of eggs scrambled in a teaspoon of butter. That's a bit more calories than the toast and cheese listed above, so when I have eggs I cut back a bit on my calories for dinner to stay around 1200.0 -
Thank you @esausier17 and @LeslieB042812 I love my cooking and see no reason why I should eat boring food just because I am on a diet, if anything that is a recipe for a spectacular fail for me.
This is a key for me too. I feel psychologically satisfied if my food is good. I don't love cooking, but I do like the challenge of finding a recipe that is healthy, tastes good, and my kids will eat. It makes me feel like super mom/wife! Monday we had mustard-glazed chicken, paleo wedge salad (dressing made with avocados, dill, and coconut milk) with bacon on top, and the kiddos added mac & cheese as an additional side. I ate my fill of yumminess and everyone was happy. Not everyday is like that, but it makes me like cooking more!0 -
I use to be at 1200 calories a day before I adjusted my goal.
Breakfast was normally: 1 egg and 2 egg whites with plenty of spinach and tomatoes or a bowl of cereal with 1/2 cup of almond milk. Occasionally accompanied by smoothies (Spinach, frozen banana, 1/4 cup greek yogurt, water, a tablespoon of peanut butter, and a teaspoon or two of vanilla extract)
Lunch was typically peanut butter and toast or chicken and vegetables and/or canellini) from the night before or Tuna Salad (no mayo variety)
Then dinner was fish (salmon or Flounder; typically a double portion) or chicken with vegetables and potatoes or canellini beans) or over salad ) turkey black bean burgers.
Apples/ Bananas/ carrots/ cucumbers were my main snacks while at work and filled my remaining calories.0 -
LeslieB042812 wrote: »Okay, first of all, I also find it odd (and insulting) that so many people think it's impossible to be satisfied on 1200 calories. Of course, if you're 5'10 and active, then you'll be hungry on 1200 calories! But, as a 5'2" female, close to goal weight with a desk job I can absolutely feel full on 1100-1200 calories (and yes, that's with weighing in grams!) and that does not leave me with a huge weight loss, on average .5-.8 lbs/week. The first, and most important thing is for you to identify what makes sense FOR YOU. Don't pick 1200 calories because that seems like the fastest, most extreme way to lose and don't pick a higher calorie goal because people say that 1200 is crazy low.
With that said, to answer the OP's question, I did used to be starving on 1200 calories until I found the food combination and eating style that worked for me. Like WBB55 said, experiment and find what works for you because it is different for everyone. For me, whole foods that are full fat and high protein work best to fill me up, along with high volume foods. I discovered this when I played with going "Paleoish" for a month, following some of the principles of Paleo but not all and still measuring and tracking calories. I'm not a Paleo follower and I don't have any off limits foods now, but that month really helped me understand how filling avocado, chicken thighs and steak are, rather than chicken breast (which doesn't taste as good to me) but I used to eat because I grew up in the "low fat" crazy days. I learned that fat and protein help me feel full and refined carbohydrates do not (again, contrary to what I learned 20 years ago). Previously, when I was trying to "diet" to 1200 calories, I would eat a lot of 100 calorie packs of crackers, bread thins, and other "low fat" and those things would just make me hungrier.
So, what I eat now to feel full: soups (bone broth is awesome--high protein and low calorie) and salads for volume, meats, vegetables, fruits, greek yogurt, oatmeal, avocados, eggs, almonds, kashi bars (be careful with bars, look for high protein and high fiber), etc.
I am 5'10" and very active. I did 1200/day for several years. Yes, I am capable of tracking accurately.
People have different levels of hunger. Not everybody needs to eat like a pig. Some people have WAY more self-discipline than others. It is POSSIBLE to eat at that level if you want or need to do it. It does require careful pre-planning and it will not work if you are spending a lot of your calories on processed foods.
Lots of vegetables, lean proteins and some whole grains work well. Staying hydrated is also important.
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They don't, they lie.0
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Eat healthy. When i mean healthy, i mean balanced. If you feel hungry you might not be getting enough nutrients. processed food is not very filling or nutritious. Larger framed people may just have to eat more.0
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purplishblue wrote: »This isn't a thread bashing you, it's me asking how do you manage it?? I get super hungry on that little a day, however I'm wanting to try it again. What are your typical meals? Do you ever feel famished?
I was hungry all day I couldnt stand 1200 cals a day, until I upped the amount of protein I took in every day to .8g per pound of body weight. Now I am always full, I dont have cravings, and getting to 1200 seems much harder than passing it0 -
ForestFairy022 wrote: »Low calorie, high volume food. Lots of water and liquids.
This. Some kind of egg white and vegetable breakfast with a small amount of lean meat, lunch is usually soup or something liquid based with a lot of vegetables incorporated in.
Dinners are vegetable noodles or vegetable rice, stew, chili, soup, stir fry, etc. volumetric eating is my best friend and I've done it for over 10 years.0 -
azulvioleta6 wrote: »LeslieB042812 wrote: »Okay, first of all, I also find it odd (and insulting) that so many people think it's impossible to be satisfied on 1200 calories. Of course, if you're 5'10 and active, then you'll be hungry on 1200 calories! But, as a 5'2" female, close to goal weight with a desk job I can absolutely feel full on 1100-1200 calories (and yes, that's with weighing in grams!) and that does not leave me with a huge weight loss, on average .5-.8 lbs/week. The first, and most important thing is for you to identify what makes sense FOR YOU. Don't pick 1200 calories because that seems like the fastest, most extreme way to lose and don't pick a higher calorie goal because people say that 1200 is crazy low.
With that said, to answer the OP's question, I did used to be starving on 1200 calories until I found the food combination and eating style that worked for me. Like WBB55 said, experiment and find what works for you because it is different for everyone. For me, whole foods that are full fat and high protein work best to fill me up, along with high volume foods. I discovered this when I played with going "Paleoish" for a month, following some of the principles of Paleo but not all and still measuring and tracking calories. I'm not a Paleo follower and I don't have any off limits foods now, but that month really helped me understand how filling avocado, chicken thighs and steak are, rather than chicken breast (which doesn't taste as good to me) but I used to eat because I grew up in the "low fat" crazy days. I learned that fat and protein help me feel full and refined carbohydrates do not (again, contrary to what I learned 20 years ago). Previously, when I was trying to "diet" to 1200 calories, I would eat a lot of 100 calorie packs of crackers, bread thins, and other "low fat" and those things would just make me hungrier.
So, what I eat now to feel full: soups (bone broth is awesome--high protein and low calorie) and salads for volume, meats, vegetables, fruits, greek yogurt, oatmeal, avocados, eggs, almonds, kashi bars (be careful with bars, look for high protein and high fiber), etc.
I am 5'10" and very active. I did 1200/day for several years. Yes, I am capable of tracking accurately.
People have different levels of hunger. Not everybody needs to eat like a pig. Some people have WAY more self-discipline than others. It is POSSIBLE to eat at that level if you want or need to do it. It does require careful pre-planning and it will not work if you are spending a lot of your calories on processed foods.
Lots of vegetables, lean proteins and some whole grains work well. Staying hydrated is also important.
What does that have to do with eating over 1200 calories? Is someone reaching for 1500-1800 instead of 1200 now eating like a pig?
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First, if you can eat more and lose weight, DO THAT. There is no blue ribbon for eating the fewest calories. You may wish to cut your calories later and you're going to want to have some to cut!!
Staying full on 1200 is easy as pie. Lots of healthy foods! You're going to need healthy foods to get your micros in, anyway. 1200 doesn't leave room for junk food. A wide variety of fruits and veggies (in all those pretty colors) will help you get your nutrients AND keep you very full. Any idea how many strawberries it takes to get to 100 calories? Me, either. I've never eaten that many in one sitting.
Fruits, veggies, no-fat dairy, whole grain breads, fish and lean, white meats. It gives you what you need, keeps you full and helps you stay healthy!
Some days, I'm full on less than 1200.
Yep. About 300g, or what the USDA calls 16 'medium' berries. That would be about 8 of the normal-sized Driscoll's berries I get. Eating that many is no great feat.
Staying full on 1200 cals is easy if a diet of mainly vegetables, fish, and lean meat fills you up. If it doesn't, you'll have a problem. I can manage it for a couple of days at a time, but since eating my largest mixing bowl full of veg fills me up for about an hour and fish is even worse, that's as far as I can go before I'm just perpetually hungry. And exhausted - and my TDEE when I'm not exercising is only 1540.0 -
I eat typically 1200-1300 per day... I weigh pretty much all my food, and I wouldn't say I'm "full." But I'm not hungry. My typical day-
Breakfast: English muffin w/ a tsp of butter, scrambled egg plus 2 whites with a huge handful of baby spinach mixed in, 2 slices bacon and/or 1/2 cup of mixed berries
Lunch: 1.5 oz grilled chicken mixed with a chopped hardboiled egg, and a 100 cal pack of guacamole, 1 oz of baked pita chips, and 1 cup of strawberries
Dinner: either fish or chicken, baked or grilled, with a green vegetable (usually broccolini, asparagus, or grilled peppers)... Or spaghetti squash and meat sauce with Parmesan cheese (this always varies, but it's typically 350-450 calories)
Sometimes I have a snack in the afternoon- either a larabar, a bowl of cereal, a piece of fruit with cheese, or I will save my snack to have some dark chocolate after dinner.
It's doable... I don't go to bed wishing I could eat more...0 -
azulvioleta6 wrote: »LeslieB042812 wrote: »Okay, first of all, I also find it odd (and insulting) that so many people think it's impossible to be satisfied on 1200 calories. Of course, if you're 5'10 and active, then you'll be hungry on 1200 calories! But, as a 5'2" female, close to goal weight with a desk job I can absolutely feel full on 1100-1200 calories (and yes, that's with weighing in grams!) and that does not leave me with a huge weight loss, on average .5-.8 lbs/week. The first, and most important thing is for you to identify what makes sense FOR YOU. Don't pick 1200 calories because that seems like the fastest, most extreme way to lose and don't pick a higher calorie goal because people say that 1200 is crazy low.
With that said, to answer the OP's question, I did used to be starving on 1200 calories until I found the food combination and eating style that worked for me. Like WBB55 said, experiment and find what works for you because it is different for everyone. For me, whole foods that are full fat and high protein work best to fill me up, along with high volume foods. I discovered this when I played with going "Paleoish" for a month, following some of the principles of Paleo but not all and still measuring and tracking calories. I'm not a Paleo follower and I don't have any off limits foods now, but that month really helped me understand how filling avocado, chicken thighs and steak are, rather than chicken breast (which doesn't taste as good to me) but I used to eat because I grew up in the "low fat" crazy days. I learned that fat and protein help me feel full and refined carbohydrates do not (again, contrary to what I learned 20 years ago). Previously, when I was trying to "diet" to 1200 calories, I would eat a lot of 100 calorie packs of crackers, bread thins, and other "low fat" and those things would just make me hungrier.
So, what I eat now to feel full: soups (bone broth is awesome--high protein and low calorie) and salads for volume, meats, vegetables, fruits, greek yogurt, oatmeal, avocados, eggs, almonds, kashi bars (be careful with bars, look for high protein and high fiber), etc.
I am 5'10" and very active. I did 1200/day for several years. Yes, I am capable of tracking accurately.
People have different levels of hunger. Not everybody needs to eat like a pig. Some people have WAY more self-discipline than others. It is POSSIBLE to eat at that level if you want or need to do it. It does require careful pre-planning and it will not work if you are spending a lot of your calories on processed foods.
Lots of vegetables, lean proteins and some whole grains work well. Staying hydrated is also important.
What does that have to do with eating over 1200 calories? Is someone reaching for 1500-1800 instead of 1200 now eating like a pig?
Heh.0 -
heatherlewisis wrote: »I eat typically 1200-1300 per day... I weigh pretty much all my food, and I wouldn't say I'm "full." But I'm not hungry. My typical day-
Breakfast: English muffin w/ a tsp of butter, scrambled egg plus 2 whites with a huge handful of baby spinach mixed in, 2 slices bacon and/or 1/2 cup of mixed berries
Lunch: 1.5 oz grilled chicken mixed with a chopped hardboiled egg, and a 100 cal pack of guacamole, 1 oz of baked pita chips, and 1 cup of strawberries
Dinner: either fish or chicken, baked or grilled, with a green vegetable (usually broccolini, asparagus, or grilled peppers)... Or spaghetti squash and meat sauce with Parmesan cheese (this always varies, but it's typically 350-450 calories)
Sometimes I have a snack in the afternoon- either a larabar, a bowl of cereal, a piece of fruit with cheese, or I will save my snack to have some dark chocolate after dinner.
It's doable... I don't go to bed wishing I could eat more...
This is me too I don't feel "full" but I am definitely not starving or hungry. But I am only 5' and 5lbs from my goal....
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honestly, even starting out with 2 lbs a week, which is no longer feasible for me, i'm not sedentary so i was never at 1200....but i would guess all the things everyone else says.
i've noticed some days, i don't eat much more than 1200, and my fitbit takes it down to less than 1000, and i'm just not hungry, but other days, i eat all my calories and then my fitbit calories, so it balances out.
fitbit was the best thing i've gotten myself in regards to this yet. i realized when i work, i am considered active, and when i don't, i'm somewhere between sedentary and active, depending on the day.
i used to eat back exercise calories (i used different sites and things to calculate those rather than mfp). so in reality, i was eating more than, say, 1400.
but i eat huge salads a lot because i just love salads...and if i don't want a salad and want to stay full for a long time, a chicken breast will keep me full forever. i'm pretty iffy on meat, though, so it's not a constant for me...i do eat tofu, though.0 -
I did 1250 net for several months when I was starting out. I'm 5'3, mid-40s and wasn't yet that active and had lots to lose, so those are all reasons--along with having the newbie motivation thing going for me--that it wasn't too hard. I know I was counting right, because my weight loss was at or above what I was predicted to lose.
I don't think I could do 1200 now, regardless of food choice. Being more active generally and having less total body fat tends to make me want more food (I can still keep a deficit, but it's a smaller one).
That said, what worked for me was simply eating a good amount of protein and lots and lots of vegetables at every meal. Also, for me, sticking to three large (in volume, not calories) meals and no snacking worked best. I eventually got more active and ratcheted up calories (keeping it at 1250 net) and then switched to TDEE method.0 -
I have no problem feeling full on 1200 calories (low carb, whole foods, no snacking) but it's really not enough calories for me even if I'm not hungry. I start feeling unreasonably cold after awhile and my activity tends to drop which in my mind are sure signs my REE/TDEE is dropping.
I've been experimenting with fasting and alternating high/low days the last couple of months in order to lower my average calories (to comfortably increase my deficit) and so far that seems to be working a lot better (for me) than a sustained low calorie diet.0 -
azulvioleta6 wrote: »
I am 5'10" and very active. I did 1200/day for several years. Yes, I am capable of tracking accurately.
People have different levels of hunger. Not everybody needs to eat like a pig. Some people have WAY more self-discipline than others. It is POSSIBLE to eat at that level if you want or need to do it. It does require careful pre-planning and it will not work if you are spending a lot of your calories on processed foods.
Lots of vegetables, lean proteins and some whole grains work well. Staying hydrated is also important.
When did eating 1200 calories equate eating like a pig? Normal health guidelines sets the average woman should consume to 2000 calories a day.0 -
First, if you can eat more and lose weight, DO THAT. There is no blue ribbon for eating the fewest calories. You may wish to cut your calories later and you're going to want to have some to cut!!
Staying full on 1200 is easy as pie. Lots of healthy foods! You're going to need healthy foods to get your micros in, anyway. 1200 doesn't leave room for junk food. A wide variety of fruits and veggies (in all those pretty colors) will help you get your nutrients AND keep you very full. Any idea how many strawberries it takes to get to 100 calories? Me, either. I've never eaten that many in one sitting.
Fruits, veggies, no-fat dairy, whole grain breads, fish and lean, white meats. It gives you what you need, keeps you full and helps you stay healthy!
Some days, I'm full on less than 1200.
Yep. About 300g, or what the USDA calls 16 'medium' berries. That would be about 8 of the normal-sized Driscoll's berries I get. Eating that many is no great feat.
Staying full on 1200 cals is easy if a diet of mainly vegetables, fish, and lean meat fills you up. If it doesn't, you'll have a problem. I can manage it for a couple of days at a time, but since eating my largest mixing bowl full of veg fills me up for about an hour and fish is even worse, that's as far as I can go before I'm just perpetually hungry. And exhausted - and my TDEE when I'm not exercising is only 1540.
I had about 120 calories of strawberries in my smoothie yesterday. 100 calories of strawberries really isn't that much -- especially if you love them as much as I do.0 -
Eating over 1200 calories does not make a person a pig. Lots of people can eat 1500 calories and still lose weight. It's not just calories that make a person a pig.azulvioleta6 wrote: »LeslieB042812 wrote: »Okay, first of all, I also find it odd (and insulting) that so many people think it's impossible to be satisfied on 1200 calories. Of course, if you're 5'10 and active, then you'll be hungry on 1200 calories! But, as a 5'2" female, close to goal weight with a desk job I can absolutely feel full on 1100-1200 calories (and yes, that's with weighing in grams!) and that does not leave me with a huge weight loss, on average .5-.8 lbs/week. The first, and most important thing is for you to identify what makes sense FOR YOU. Don't pick 1200 calories because that seems like the fastest, most extreme way to lose and don't pick a higher calorie goal because people say that 1200 is crazy low.
With that said, to answer the OP's question, I did used to be starving on 1200 calories until I found the food combination and eating style that worked for me. Like WBB55 said, experiment and find what works for you because it is different for everyone. For me, whole foods that are full fat and high protein work best to fill me up, along with high volume foods. I discovered this when I played with going "Paleoish" for a month, following some of the principles of Paleo but not all and still measuring and tracking calories. I'm not a Paleo follower and I don't have any off limits foods now, but that month really helped me understand how filling avocado, chicken thighs and steak are, rather than chicken breast (which doesn't taste as good to me) but I used to eat because I grew up in the "low fat" crazy days. I learned that fat and protein help me feel full and refined carbohydrates do not (again, contrary to what I learned 20 years ago). Previously, when I was trying to "diet" to 1200 calories, I would eat a lot of 100 calorie packs of crackers, bread thins, and other "low fat" and those things would just make me hungrier.
So, what I eat now to feel full: soups (bone broth is awesome--high protein and low calorie) and salads for volume, meats, vegetables, fruits, greek yogurt, oatmeal, avocados, eggs, almonds, kashi bars (be careful with bars, look for high protein and high fiber), etc.
I am 5'10" and very active. I did 1200/day for several years. Yes, I am capable of tracking accurately.
People have different levels of hunger. Not everybody needs to eat like a pig. Some people have WAY more self-discipline than others. It is POSSIBLE to eat at that level if you want or need to do it. It does require careful pre-planning and it will not work if you are spending a lot of your calories on processed foods.
Lots of vegetables, lean proteins and some whole grains work well. Staying hydrated is also important.
Many an anorexic eats junk food and still starves, so it's not all about the food, either.
I'm not sure that we really need to label people as gluttons or pigs, though. I used to ask how things that that were helpful, but have now heard 10,000,000 times that people say things because they are trying to help others. So, I'll skip the asking and just say that I don't think it is helpful.
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azulvioleta6 wrote: »LeslieB042812 wrote: »Okay, first of all, I also find it odd (and insulting) that so many people think it's impossible to be satisfied on 1200 calories. Of course, if you're 5'10 and active, then you'll be hungry on 1200 calories! But, as a 5'2" female, close to goal weight with a desk job I can absolutely feel full on 1100-1200 calories (and yes, that's with weighing in grams!) and that does not leave me with a huge weight loss, on average .5-.8 lbs/week. The first, and most important thing is for you to identify what makes sense FOR YOU. Don't pick 1200 calories because that seems like the fastest, most extreme way to lose and don't pick a higher calorie goal because people say that 1200 is crazy low.
With that said, to answer the OP's question, I did used to be starving on 1200 calories until I found the food combination and eating style that worked for me. Like WBB55 said, experiment and find what works for you because it is different for everyone. For me, whole foods that are full fat and high protein work best to fill me up, along with high volume foods. I discovered this when I played with going "Paleoish" for a month, following some of the principles of Paleo but not all and still measuring and tracking calories. I'm not a Paleo follower and I don't have any off limits foods now, but that month really helped me understand how filling avocado, chicken thighs and steak are, rather than chicken breast (which doesn't taste as good to me) but I used to eat because I grew up in the "low fat" crazy days. I learned that fat and protein help me feel full and refined carbohydrates do not (again, contrary to what I learned 20 years ago). Previously, when I was trying to "diet" to 1200 calories, I would eat a lot of 100 calorie packs of crackers, bread thins, and other "low fat" and those things would just make me hungrier.
So, what I eat now to feel full: soups (bone broth is awesome--high protein and low calorie) and salads for volume, meats, vegetables, fruits, greek yogurt, oatmeal, avocados, eggs, almonds, kashi bars (be careful with bars, look for high protein and high fiber), etc.
I am 5'10" and very active. I did 1200/day for several years. Yes, I am capable of tracking accurately.
People have different levels of hunger. Not everybody needs to eat like a pig. Some people have WAY more self-discipline than others. It is POSSIBLE to eat at that level if you want or need to do it. It does require careful pre-planning and it will not work if you are spending a lot of your calories on processed foods.
Lots of vegetables, lean proteins and some whole grains work well. Staying hydrated is also important.
What does that have to do with eating over 1200 calories? Is someone reaching for 1500-1800 instead of 1200 now eating like a pig?
Yeah this mindset is nuts. You have to fuel yourself. If you're sedentary then 1200 might work but I can't see how it wouldn't be miserable if you're active and you're not eating exercise calories. And if you have trouble eating that much how the heck did you get fat?
I think we (myself included) get stuck in the mindset that you have to eat as little as possible to see results and so it's easy to form bad habits. We might not eat more because we're scared to, not necessarily because we're ~full. It has to be balance where you're not overeating but you're not undereating either.0 -
azulvioleta6 wrote: »LeslieB042812 wrote: »Okay, first of all, I also find it odd (and insulting) that so many people think it's impossible to be satisfied on 1200 calories. Of course, if you're 5'10 and active, then you'll be hungry on 1200 calories! But, as a 5'2" female, close to goal weight with a desk job I can absolutely feel full on 1100-1200 calories (and yes, that's with weighing in grams!) and that does not leave me with a huge weight loss, on average .5-.8 lbs/week. The first, and most important thing is for you to identify what makes sense FOR YOU. Don't pick 1200 calories because that seems like the fastest, most extreme way to lose and don't pick a higher calorie goal because people say that 1200 is crazy low.
With that said, to answer the OP's question, I did used to be starving on 1200 calories until I found the food combination and eating style that worked for me. Like WBB55 said, experiment and find what works for you because it is different for everyone. For me, whole foods that are full fat and high protein work best to fill me up, along with high volume foods. I discovered this when I played with going "Paleoish" for a month, following some of the principles of Paleo but not all and still measuring and tracking calories. I'm not a Paleo follower and I don't have any off limits foods now, but that month really helped me understand how filling avocado, chicken thighs and steak are, rather than chicken breast (which doesn't taste as good to me) but I used to eat because I grew up in the "low fat" crazy days. I learned that fat and protein help me feel full and refined carbohydrates do not (again, contrary to what I learned 20 years ago). Previously, when I was trying to "diet" to 1200 calories, I would eat a lot of 100 calorie packs of crackers, bread thins, and other "low fat" and those things would just make me hungrier.
So, what I eat now to feel full: soups (bone broth is awesome--high protein and low calorie) and salads for volume, meats, vegetables, fruits, greek yogurt, oatmeal, avocados, eggs, almonds, kashi bars (be careful with bars, look for high protein and high fiber), etc.
I am 5'10" and very active. I did 1200/day for several years. Yes, I am capable of tracking accurately.
People have different levels of hunger. Not everybody needs to eat like a pig. Some people have WAY more self-discipline than others. It is POSSIBLE to eat at that level if you want or need to do it. It does require careful pre-planning and it will not work if you are spending a lot of your calories on processed foods.
Lots of vegetables, lean proteins and some whole grains work well. Staying hydrated is also important.
What does that have to do with eating over 1200 calories? Is someone reaching for 1500-1800 instead of 1200 now eating like a pig?
Yeah this mindset is nuts. You have to fuel yourself. If you're sedentary then 1200 might work but I can't see how it wouldn't be miserable if you're active and you're not eating exercise calories. And if you have trouble eating that much how the heck did you get fat?
I think we (myself included) get stuck in the mindset that you have to eat as little as possible to see results and so it's easy to form bad habits. We might not eat more because we're scared to, not necessarily because we're ~full. It has to be balance where you're not overeating but you're not undereating either.
i eat at least 1500 calories a day.... i'm a pig....
in fact, sometimes i drink that many calories in a day....
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Blueseraphchaos wrote: »azulvioleta6 wrote: »LeslieB042812 wrote: »Okay, first of all, I also find it odd (and insulting) that so many people think it's impossible to be satisfied on 1200 calories. Of course, if you're 5'10 and active, then you'll be hungry on 1200 calories! But, as a 5'2" female, close to goal weight with a desk job I can absolutely feel full on 1100-1200 calories (and yes, that's with weighing in grams!) and that does not leave me with a huge weight loss, on average .5-.8 lbs/week. The first, and most important thing is for you to identify what makes sense FOR YOU. Don't pick 1200 calories because that seems like the fastest, most extreme way to lose and don't pick a higher calorie goal because people say that 1200 is crazy low.
With that said, to answer the OP's question, I did used to be starving on 1200 calories until I found the food combination and eating style that worked for me. Like WBB55 said, experiment and find what works for you because it is different for everyone. For me, whole foods that are full fat and high protein work best to fill me up, along with high volume foods. I discovered this when I played with going "Paleoish" for a month, following some of the principles of Paleo but not all and still measuring and tracking calories. I'm not a Paleo follower and I don't have any off limits foods now, but that month really helped me understand how filling avocado, chicken thighs and steak are, rather than chicken breast (which doesn't taste as good to me) but I used to eat because I grew up in the "low fat" crazy days. I learned that fat and protein help me feel full and refined carbohydrates do not (again, contrary to what I learned 20 years ago). Previously, when I was trying to "diet" to 1200 calories, I would eat a lot of 100 calorie packs of crackers, bread thins, and other "low fat" and those things would just make me hungrier.
So, what I eat now to feel full: soups (bone broth is awesome--high protein and low calorie) and salads for volume, meats, vegetables, fruits, greek yogurt, oatmeal, avocados, eggs, almonds, kashi bars (be careful with bars, look for high protein and high fiber), etc.
I am 5'10" and very active. I did 1200/day for several years. Yes, I am capable of tracking accurately.
People have different levels of hunger. Not everybody needs to eat like a pig. Some people have WAY more self-discipline than others. It is POSSIBLE to eat at that level if you want or need to do it. It does require careful pre-planning and it will not work if you are spending a lot of your calories on processed foods.
Lots of vegetables, lean proteins and some whole grains work well. Staying hydrated is also important.
What does that have to do with eating over 1200 calories? Is someone reaching for 1500-1800 instead of 1200 now eating like a pig?
Yeah this mindset is nuts. You have to fuel yourself. If you're sedentary then 1200 might work but I can't see how it wouldn't be miserable if you're active and you're not eating exercise calories. And if you have trouble eating that much how the heck did you get fat?
I think we (myself included) get stuck in the mindset that you have to eat as little as possible to see results and so it's easy to form bad habits. We might not eat more because we're scared to, not necessarily because we're ~full. It has to be balance where you're not overeating but you're not undereating either.
i eat at least 1500 calories a day.... i'm a pig....
in fact, sometimes i drink that many calories in a day....
LOL! You have no self discipline, such a shame :P0 -
Blueseraphchaos wrote: »azulvioleta6 wrote: »LeslieB042812 wrote: »Okay, first of all, I also find it odd (and insulting) that so many people think it's impossible to be satisfied on 1200 calories. Of course, if you're 5'10 and active, then you'll be hungry on 1200 calories! But, as a 5'2" female, close to goal weight with a desk job I can absolutely feel full on 1100-1200 calories (and yes, that's with weighing in grams!) and that does not leave me with a huge weight loss, on average .5-.8 lbs/week. The first, and most important thing is for you to identify what makes sense FOR YOU. Don't pick 1200 calories because that seems like the fastest, most extreme way to lose and don't pick a higher calorie goal because people say that 1200 is crazy low.
With that said, to answer the OP's question, I did used to be starving on 1200 calories until I found the food combination and eating style that worked for me. Like WBB55 said, experiment and find what works for you because it is different for everyone. For me, whole foods that are full fat and high protein work best to fill me up, along with high volume foods. I discovered this when I played with going "Paleoish" for a month, following some of the principles of Paleo but not all and still measuring and tracking calories. I'm not a Paleo follower and I don't have any off limits foods now, but that month really helped me understand how filling avocado, chicken thighs and steak are, rather than chicken breast (which doesn't taste as good to me) but I used to eat because I grew up in the "low fat" crazy days. I learned that fat and protein help me feel full and refined carbohydrates do not (again, contrary to what I learned 20 years ago). Previously, when I was trying to "diet" to 1200 calories, I would eat a lot of 100 calorie packs of crackers, bread thins, and other "low fat" and those things would just make me hungrier.
So, what I eat now to feel full: soups (bone broth is awesome--high protein and low calorie) and salads for volume, meats, vegetables, fruits, greek yogurt, oatmeal, avocados, eggs, almonds, kashi bars (be careful with bars, look for high protein and high fiber), etc.
I am 5'10" and very active. I did 1200/day for several years. Yes, I am capable of tracking accurately.
People have different levels of hunger. Not everybody needs to eat like a pig. Some people have WAY more self-discipline than others. It is POSSIBLE to eat at that level if you want or need to do it. It does require careful pre-planning and it will not work if you are spending a lot of your calories on processed foods.
Lots of vegetables, lean proteins and some whole grains work well. Staying hydrated is also important.
What does that have to do with eating over 1200 calories? Is someone reaching for 1500-1800 instead of 1200 now eating like a pig?
Yeah this mindset is nuts. You have to fuel yourself. If you're sedentary then 1200 might work but I can't see how it wouldn't be miserable if you're active and you're not eating exercise calories. And if you have trouble eating that much how the heck did you get fat?
I think we (myself included) get stuck in the mindset that you have to eat as little as possible to see results and so it's easy to form bad habits. We might not eat more because we're scared to, not necessarily because we're ~full. It has to be balance where you're not overeating but you're not undereating either.
i eat at least 1500 calories a day.... i'm a pig....
in fact, sometimes i drink that many calories in a day....
LOL! You have no self discipline, such a shame :P
Those who eat the most and still lose win, right?0 -
for breakfast i have hard boiled egg. salad protein bar. lunch is noodles, dinner is meat and potatoes and vegies. two fruit snacks a day. done. 1200 cals0
-
azulvioleta6 wrote: »LeslieB042812 wrote: »Okay, first of all, I also find it odd (and insulting) that so many people think it's impossible to be satisfied on 1200 calories. Of course, if you're 5'10 and active, then you'll be hungry on 1200 calories! But, as a 5'2" female, close to goal weight with a desk job I can absolutely feel full on 1100-1200 calories (and yes, that's with weighing in grams!) and that does not leave me with a huge weight loss, on average .5-.8 lbs/week. The first, and most important thing is for you to identify what makes sense FOR YOU. Don't pick 1200 calories because that seems like the fastest, most extreme way to lose and don't pick a higher calorie goal because people say that 1200 is crazy low.
With that said, to answer the OP's question, I did used to be starving on 1200 calories until I found the food combination and eating style that worked for me. Like WBB55 said, experiment and find what works for you because it is different for everyone. For me, whole foods that are full fat and high protein work best to fill me up, along with high volume foods. I discovered this when I played with going "Paleoish" for a month, following some of the principles of Paleo but not all and still measuring and tracking calories. I'm not a Paleo follower and I don't have any off limits foods now, but that month really helped me understand how filling avocado, chicken thighs and steak are, rather than chicken breast (which doesn't taste as good to me) but I used to eat because I grew up in the "low fat" crazy days. I learned that fat and protein help me feel full and refined carbohydrates do not (again, contrary to what I learned 20 years ago). Previously, when I was trying to "diet" to 1200 calories, I would eat a lot of 100 calorie packs of crackers, bread thins, and other "low fat" and those things would just make me hungrier.
So, what I eat now to feel full: soups (bone broth is awesome--high protein and low calorie) and salads for volume, meats, vegetables, fruits, greek yogurt, oatmeal, avocados, eggs, almonds, kashi bars (be careful with bars, look for high protein and high fiber), etc.
I am 5'10" and very active. I did 1200/day for several years. Yes, I am capable of tracking accurately.
People have different levels of hunger. Not everybody needs to eat like a pig. Some people have WAY more self-discipline than others. It is POSSIBLE to eat at that level if you want or need to do it. It does require careful pre-planning and it will not work if you are spending a lot of your calories on processed foods.
Lots of vegetables, lean proteins and some whole grains work well. Staying hydrated is also important.
Uh thanks. I have tons of self discipline. I ate a super strict diet for 4 months preparing for a bodybuilding show, a diet full of veggies, lean proteins and whole grains. I STILL would not be full on 1200 calories.
People do have different hunger levels, that's true. Just because they have a higher one does not make one a pig.0 -
azulvioleta6 wrote: »LeslieB042812 wrote: »Okay, first of all, I also find it odd (and insulting) that so many people think it's impossible to be satisfied on 1200 calories. Of course, if you're 5'10 and active, then you'll be hungry on 1200 calories! But, as a 5'2" female, close to goal weight with a desk job I can absolutely feel full on 1100-1200 calories (and yes, that's with weighing in grams!) and that does not leave me with a huge weight loss, on average .5-.8 lbs/week. The first, and most important thing is for you to identify what makes sense FOR YOU. Don't pick 1200 calories because that seems like the fastest, most extreme way to lose and don't pick a higher calorie goal because people say that 1200 is crazy low.
With that said, to answer the OP's question, I did used to be starving on 1200 calories until I found the food combination and eating style that worked for me. Like WBB55 said, experiment and find what works for you because it is different for everyone. For me, whole foods that are full fat and high protein work best to fill me up, along with high volume foods. I discovered this when I played with going "Paleoish" for a month, following some of the principles of Paleo but not all and still measuring and tracking calories. I'm not a Paleo follower and I don't have any off limits foods now, but that month really helped me understand how filling avocado, chicken thighs and steak are, rather than chicken breast (which doesn't taste as good to me) but I used to eat because I grew up in the "low fat" crazy days. I learned that fat and protein help me feel full and refined carbohydrates do not (again, contrary to what I learned 20 years ago). Previously, when I was trying to "diet" to 1200 calories, I would eat a lot of 100 calorie packs of crackers, bread thins, and other "low fat" and those things would just make me hungrier.
So, what I eat now to feel full: soups (bone broth is awesome--high protein and low calorie) and salads for volume, meats, vegetables, fruits, greek yogurt, oatmeal, avocados, eggs, almonds, kashi bars (be careful with bars, look for high protein and high fiber), etc.
I am 5'10" and very active. I did 1200/day for several years. Yes, I am capable of tracking accurately.
People have different levels of hunger. Not everybody needs to eat like a pig. Some people have WAY more self-discipline than others. It is POSSIBLE to eat at that level if you want or need to do it. It does require careful pre-planning and it will not work if you are spending a lot of your calories on processed foods.
Lots of vegetables, lean proteins and some whole grains work well. Staying hydrated is also important.
I'm also going to pass on 1200 calories a day. My TDEE is around 2600 calories, so that would put me at ~1400 calorie deficit per day and I'd net around 500 calories.
0 -
I had to do 1200 for some months
I filled up on veggies and fruit
I eat it all and it is all about balance
this is one of my 1200-ish days And yes i weigh EVERYTHING! to the gram
Plan and pre-log and it is doable...for some time. There isnt much room ofcourse. And to not be hungry i ate a lot of protein and veggies
After some time i could go up and now 10 months later and 105 pounds less than i was i eat between 1300 to 1600 a day sometimes more. All depends on my exercise or if i am hungry or not.
But i fuel my body what it needs.
0 -
3dogsrunning wrote: »azulvioleta6 wrote: »LeslieB042812 wrote: »Okay, first of all, I also find it odd (and insulting) that so many people think it's impossible to be satisfied on 1200 calories. Of course, if you're 5'10 and active, then you'll be hungry on 1200 calories! But, as a 5'2" female, close to goal weight with a desk job I can absolutely feel full on 1100-1200 calories (and yes, that's with weighing in grams!) and that does not leave me with a huge weight loss, on average .5-.8 lbs/week. The first, and most important thing is for you to identify what makes sense FOR YOU. Don't pick 1200 calories because that seems like the fastest, most extreme way to lose and don't pick a higher calorie goal because people say that 1200 is crazy low.
With that said, to answer the OP's question, I did used to be starving on 1200 calories until I found the food combination and eating style that worked for me. Like WBB55 said, experiment and find what works for you because it is different for everyone. For me, whole foods that are full fat and high protein work best to fill me up, along with high volume foods. I discovered this when I played with going "Paleoish" for a month, following some of the principles of Paleo but not all and still measuring and tracking calories. I'm not a Paleo follower and I don't have any off limits foods now, but that month really helped me understand how filling avocado, chicken thighs and steak are, rather than chicken breast (which doesn't taste as good to me) but I used to eat because I grew up in the "low fat" crazy days. I learned that fat and protein help me feel full and refined carbohydrates do not (again, contrary to what I learned 20 years ago). Previously, when I was trying to "diet" to 1200 calories, I would eat a lot of 100 calorie packs of crackers, bread thins, and other "low fat" and those things would just make me hungrier.
So, what I eat now to feel full: soups (bone broth is awesome--high protein and low calorie) and salads for volume, meats, vegetables, fruits, greek yogurt, oatmeal, avocados, eggs, almonds, kashi bars (be careful with bars, look for high protein and high fiber), etc.
I am 5'10" and very active. I did 1200/day for several years. Yes, I am capable of tracking accurately.
People have different levels of hunger. Not everybody needs to eat like a pig. Some people have WAY more self-discipline than others. It is POSSIBLE to eat at that level if you want or need to do it. It does require careful pre-planning and it will not work if you are spending a lot of your calories on processed foods.
Lots of vegetables, lean proteins and some whole grains work well. Staying hydrated is also important.
Uh thanks. I have tons of self discipline. I ate a super strict diet for 4 months preparing for a bodybuilding show, a diet full of veggies, lean proteins and whole grains. I STILL would not be full on 1200 calories.
People do have different hunger levels, that's true. Just because they have a higher one does not make one a pig.
And to add to that, I object to the idea that those who need more than 1200 do so because they fill up on "junk" as well.0 -
Blueseraphchaos wrote: »azulvioleta6 wrote: »LeslieB042812 wrote: »Okay, first of all, I also find it odd (and insulting) that so many people think it's impossible to be satisfied on 1200 calories. Of course, if you're 5'10 and active, then you'll be hungry on 1200 calories! But, as a 5'2" female, close to goal weight with a desk job I can absolutely feel full on 1100-1200 calories (and yes, that's with weighing in grams!) and that does not leave me with a huge weight loss, on average .5-.8 lbs/week. The first, and most important thing is for you to identify what makes sense FOR YOU. Don't pick 1200 calories because that seems like the fastest, most extreme way to lose and don't pick a higher calorie goal because people say that 1200 is crazy low.
With that said, to answer the OP's question, I did used to be starving on 1200 calories until I found the food combination and eating style that worked for me. Like WBB55 said, experiment and find what works for you because it is different for everyone. For me, whole foods that are full fat and high protein work best to fill me up, along with high volume foods. I discovered this when I played with going "Paleoish" for a month, following some of the principles of Paleo but not all and still measuring and tracking calories. I'm not a Paleo follower and I don't have any off limits foods now, but that month really helped me understand how filling avocado, chicken thighs and steak are, rather than chicken breast (which doesn't taste as good to me) but I used to eat because I grew up in the "low fat" crazy days. I learned that fat and protein help me feel full and refined carbohydrates do not (again, contrary to what I learned 20 years ago). Previously, when I was trying to "diet" to 1200 calories, I would eat a lot of 100 calorie packs of crackers, bread thins, and other "low fat" and those things would just make me hungrier.
So, what I eat now to feel full: soups (bone broth is awesome--high protein and low calorie) and salads for volume, meats, vegetables, fruits, greek yogurt, oatmeal, avocados, eggs, almonds, kashi bars (be careful with bars, look for high protein and high fiber), etc.
I am 5'10" and very active. I did 1200/day for several years. Yes, I am capable of tracking accurately.
People have different levels of hunger. Not everybody needs to eat like a pig. Some people have WAY more self-discipline than others. It is POSSIBLE to eat at that level if you want or need to do it. It does require careful pre-planning and it will not work if you are spending a lot of your calories on processed foods.
Lots of vegetables, lean proteins and some whole grains work well. Staying hydrated is also important.
What does that have to do with eating over 1200 calories? Is someone reaching for 1500-1800 instead of 1200 now eating like a pig?
Yeah this mindset is nuts. You have to fuel yourself. If you're sedentary then 1200 might work but I can't see how it wouldn't be miserable if you're active and you're not eating exercise calories. And if you have trouble eating that much how the heck did you get fat?
I think we (myself included) get stuck in the mindset that you have to eat as little as possible to see results and so it's easy to form bad habits. We might not eat more because we're scared to, not necessarily because we're ~full. It has to be balance where you're not overeating but you're not undereating either.
i eat at least 1500 calories a day.... i'm a pig....
in fact, sometimes i drink that many calories in a day....
LOL! You have no self discipline, such a shame :P
Those who eat the most and still lose win, right?
Absolutely! I was joking;)0 -
Blueseraphchaos wrote: »azulvioleta6 wrote: »LeslieB042812 wrote: »Okay, first of all, I also find it odd (and insulting) that so many people think it's impossible to be satisfied on 1200 calories. Of course, if you're 5'10 and active, then you'll be hungry on 1200 calories! But, as a 5'2" female, close to goal weight with a desk job I can absolutely feel full on 1100-1200 calories (and yes, that's with weighing in grams!) and that does not leave me with a huge weight loss, on average .5-.8 lbs/week. The first, and most important thing is for you to identify what makes sense FOR YOU. Don't pick 1200 calories because that seems like the fastest, most extreme way to lose and don't pick a higher calorie goal because people say that 1200 is crazy low.
With that said, to answer the OP's question, I did used to be starving on 1200 calories until I found the food combination and eating style that worked for me. Like WBB55 said, experiment and find what works for you because it is different for everyone. For me, whole foods that are full fat and high protein work best to fill me up, along with high volume foods. I discovered this when I played with going "Paleoish" for a month, following some of the principles of Paleo but not all and still measuring and tracking calories. I'm not a Paleo follower and I don't have any off limits foods now, but that month really helped me understand how filling avocado, chicken thighs and steak are, rather than chicken breast (which doesn't taste as good to me) but I used to eat because I grew up in the "low fat" crazy days. I learned that fat and protein help me feel full and refined carbohydrates do not (again, contrary to what I learned 20 years ago). Previously, when I was trying to "diet" to 1200 calories, I would eat a lot of 100 calorie packs of crackers, bread thins, and other "low fat" and those things would just make me hungrier.
So, what I eat now to feel full: soups (bone broth is awesome--high protein and low calorie) and salads for volume, meats, vegetables, fruits, greek yogurt, oatmeal, avocados, eggs, almonds, kashi bars (be careful with bars, look for high protein and high fiber), etc.
I am 5'10" and very active. I did 1200/day for several years. Yes, I am capable of tracking accurately.
People have different levels of hunger. Not everybody needs to eat like a pig. Some people have WAY more self-discipline than others. It is POSSIBLE to eat at that level if you want or need to do it. It does require careful pre-planning and it will not work if you are spending a lot of your calories on processed foods.
Lots of vegetables, lean proteins and some whole grains work well. Staying hydrated is also important.
What does that have to do with eating over 1200 calories? Is someone reaching for 1500-1800 instead of 1200 now eating like a pig?
Yeah this mindset is nuts. You have to fuel yourself. If you're sedentary then 1200 might work but I can't see how it wouldn't be miserable if you're active and you're not eating exercise calories. And if you have trouble eating that much how the heck did you get fat?
I think we (myself included) get stuck in the mindset that you have to eat as little as possible to see results and so it's easy to form bad habits. We might not eat more because we're scared to, not necessarily because we're ~full. It has to be balance where you're not overeating but you're not undereating either.
i eat at least 1500 calories a day.... i'm a pig....
in fact, sometimes i drink that many calories in a day....
LOL! You have no self discipline, such a shame :P
Those who eat the most and still lose win, right?
let me correct that for you:
those who drink the most and still lose win, right?
LOL0
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