Structuring a 1200cal day

LittleTikiBirdy

I generally just skip dinner. Here's my typical day:

Breakfast:
550 calories:
1/2 cup oats with 6 dates, cinnamon, sliced fruit & a huge mug of herbal tea.
If I went for a morning walk, I get bonus peanut butter.

Lunch:
550 calories:
Huge shredded cabbage/carrot/coleslaw salad with a tin of beans or vegetarian meats and a lot of sauce (e.g. fat-free mayo + wholegrain mustard, lemon juice, apple vinegar, etc - skip the oil.) Pepper on top and another huge mug of tea.

Dinner:
0 calories
I'm usually working in the evenings so I drink heaps of water and the food goes down properly because I'm on my feet being busy. If I get low blood sugar, I put a dollar in the candy machine and have a few lollies.

Supper:
100 calories
Mug of tea, sugar-free jelly with strawberries

If I want something, I have tea with sweetener and a dash of soy milk, or lemon+vinegar water sweetened with sugar-free cordial. Usually I'm just thirsty. Also, post-workout = protein powder mixed in cold water

olive1968

I'm another shorty with a desk job, so I'm on 1200. I've also noticed since my kids have gotten bigger that I am much less active than I used to be. Oddly, I find 1300 much easier to handle, so if I exercise enough to earn some calories, I'll eat back a bit of them. But, as many here are quick to point out, the exercise trackers seem to wildly over estimate your burn so I have to be super careful or I get nowhere.

What I try to do, is have a 200-300 calorie breakfast, a 300-400 calorie lunch, 100 calorie snacks, and then 500 or so for dinner.

But I have started and stopped this process so many times, so who knows if this is even close!

peleroja

BigMama24mfp wrote: »

Maybe my input here isn't welcome but anytime I see people trying a 1200 calorie diet I feel obligated, as a lifetime failed dieter, to say something. 1200 calories is too few calories, it is simply starvation. Look into the Minnesota Starvation Experiment. Participants were put on a 1560 calorie diet for 24 weeks with disastrous results.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minnesota_Starvation_Experiment

Try this calculator to determine your BMR as well as your TDEE. You may be surprised to find out you burn many more calories than you think. http://www.health-calc.com/diet/energy-expenditure-advanced
My advice for effective, long term weight loss is to reduce your intake by 500 calories at most.

I burn 3000 calories a day and eat 2500.

As so many other people on this thread have stated, that's great if you're taller/heavier/more active, but for those of us on the shorter/smaller/more sedentary side, that's not realistic.

I maintain on 1500-1600/day if I don't exercise, and can bump that up to about 2000/day with a six-mile run (more on Saturdays when I do a longer run, less on my Friday rest day.) 2500/day would have me gaining a pound per week even if I were also running 40 miles a week. One size does not fit all and your target must be tailored to your body and lifestyle. For a lot of us, 1200/day isn't a particularly aggressive goal and can easily mean less than a pound per week of loss.

OP, when I was on 1200/day, I usually found it easier to do on two meals, which allowed me to have larger portions. I also stuck pretty much just to protein (whether meat/fish or legumes/eggs) and vegetables, and I ate very little in the way of treats because I just didn't have room for them in my diet if I was getting adequate protein, fat, and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals.) It definitely requires planning and consideration to fuel your body properly on a tight caloric budget. I was big on large salads with seafood, chicken, or eggs and a ton of raw vegetables (and dressing with some oil to make sure I got enough fat), protein bars (still am even in maintenance - 20g of protein for ~200 calories is a good deal, nutritionally-speaking) and piles of roasted/steamed vegetables. I stuck to low-calorie condiments for the most part (mustards, hot sauce, herbs), didn't drink my calories (water, black coffee, a little Coke Zero was pretty much it) and didn't eat many grains because I found breads etc just didn't fill me up like protein and fibrous vegetables did.

queenofpuppies

breakfast: 120 calories (2% fage yogurt)
lunch: 160 calories-300 calories (usually a salad with protein or a stew I made in bulk)
Dinner: 600 calories of whatever I want
snacks and drinks: avoided but I have slush calories to cover them
I also take vitamins everyday to make sure I'm not too deficient and I try make sure I get enough protein, fat, and fiber from food every day but its really hard to max all three so I may be readjusting. I also eat back 75% of what I burn so many days I eat way more than 1200.
Good luck!

juliebowman4

WinoGelato wrote: »

I would structure it so that I had more than 1200 cals to eat - either by exercising more or evaluating my numbers to make sure that 1200 was really an appropriate calorie level for me!

I tried 1200 for a few weeks and was constantly starving. I lost most of my weight netting 1500 cals and then 1700 cals.

I usually DO structure it that way.....and I'll eat back half of my exercise calories.
But I'm 4wks post broken foot.....so.....you get the picture.

azulvioleta6

300
400
(200)
300

I'm actually aiming for 1400 these days, but many of my days look like the above. There is no one right way to do things!

CoffeeNCardio

I'm quite fulfilled and happy on 1200 calories (I'm 5'2" and JUST got out of the obese category). My days are different every day. Sometimes I eat hardly anything all day and have a big dinner, some days I "snack" the entire day and don't have any sit down meals. We have a two year old, so the small bites throughout the day tend to be par for the course anyway. My diary is public access if you want to see. There's some not great stuff on there as well as some delightfully healthy stuff. I aim for maximum intake with the fewest calories, that's my only structure.

WinoGelato

juliebowman4 wrote: »

WinoGelato wrote: »

I would structure it so that I had more than 1200 cals to eat - either by exercising more or evaluating my numbers to make sure that 1200 was really an appropriate calorie level for me!

I tried 1200 for a few weeks and was constantly starving. I lost most of my weight netting 1500 cals and then 1700 cals.

I usually DO structure it that way.....and I'll eat back half of my exercise calories.
But I'm 4wks post broken foot.....so.....you get the picture.

Yup - that's a different story! Hope you have a speedy recovery!

jnnyp

I stick to porridge or weetabix for breakfast and use almond milk for lower calories. What I prep for lunch, I will have for dinner so it's similar calories. I have quinoa, small portion of rice or sweet potato with lots of vegetables. Vegetables fill you up and it's low on calories. I will snack on fruits or yogurt too. If you find that you might go over then do some exercise

maidentl

BigMama24mfp wrote: »

Maybe my input here isn't welcome but anytime I see people trying a 1200 calorie diet I feel obligated, as a lifetime failed dieter, to say something. 1200 calories is too few calories, it is simply starvation. Look into the Minnesota Starvation Experiment. Participants were put on a 1560 calorie diet for 24 weeks with disastrous results.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minnesota_Starvation_Experiment

Try this calculator to determine your BMR as well as your TDEE. You may be surprised to find out you burn many more calories than you think. http://www.health-calc.com/diet/energy-expenditure-advanced
My advice for effective, long term weight loss is to reduce your intake by 500 calories at most.

I burn 3000 calories a day and eat 2500.

You might be surprised to find that my TDEE without any exercise is 1600 calories. 1200 calories is not starvation for everyone.

juliebowman4

tiffkittyw wrote: »

BigMama24mfp wrote: »

Maybe my input here isn't welcome but anytime I see people trying a 1200 calorie diet I feel obligated, as a lifetime failed dieter, to say something. 1200 calories is too few calories, it is simply starvation. Look into the Minnesota Starvation Experiment. Participants were put on a 1560 calorie diet for 24 weeks with disastrous results.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minnesota_Starvation_Experiment

Try this calculator to determine your BMR as well as your TDEE. You may be surprised to find out you burn many more calories than you think. http://www.health-calc.com/diet/energy-expenditure-advanced
My advice for effective, long term weight loss is to reduce your intake by 500 calories at most.

I burn 3000 calories a day and eat 2500.

Your BMR changes with age and activity level (I.e, sedentary desk job). I am also hypothyroid which the calculators don't account for. Without accounting for my hypothyroidism my BMR is around 1,300 calories. I exercise 7 days a week but I use those calories on the weekend. I go by a weekly deficit rather than daily (i.e maintain a 1,200 daily average over the week).

Ha! Newly diagnosed hypothyroid here too.

I like the idea of a weekly deficit, rather than daily......it would make it easier to plan for meals out with friends

azulvioleta6

That assumes a normal BMR, which you do not have if you have hypothyroidism.

mlboyer100

First, you never want to eat less than 1200, a good range is 1300-1400. Second, its not so much the calories, or lack of them, that makes you lose weigh, its more important to balance out the macros. I agree with a post above that 1200 calories will trigger starvation mode and can actually make you gain weight! there are several ways to determine your caloric intake. Here is one method:
Take your current weight x 11 = Caloric Baseline
Take Caloric Baseline + 400 (Calorie burn for exercise) = Caloric Needs to maintain weight
Take Caloric Needs - 750 (Calorie Deficit) = Calorie Target per day
If its under 1200, round up to at least 1200 or more
If its more than 2300, round down to 2300
This assumes you are working out for 30-45 minutes, five days a week. In order to keep your body fueled so you don't get tired, and not lose muscle mass while losing weight, macros should be set to 50% Protein, 30% Carbs, 20% Fat = 100% this can be tweaked no more than 5% in any one macro.
The important thing is to track everything you eat and drink.

I've followed this plan and went from 168 to 127 in nine months. It works! I'm healthier now than I have been in years and this is the lowest weight I've been since High School! If you want more information on how I did this, PM me. You can do it too!

juliebowman4

mlboyer100 wrote: »

First, you never want to eat less than 1200, a good range is 1300-1400. Second, its not so much the calories, or lack of them, that makes you lose weigh, its more important to balance out the macros. I agree with a post above that 1200 calories will trigger starvation mode and can actually make you gain weight! there are several ways to determine your caloric intake. Here is one method:
Take your current weight x 11 = Caloric Baseline
Take Caloric Baseline + 400 (Calorie burn for exercise) = Caloric Needs to maintain weight
Take Caloric Needs - 750 (Calorie Deficit) = Calorie Target per day
If its under 1200, round up to at least 1200 or more
If its more than 2300, round down to 2300
This assumes you are working out for 30-45 minutes, five days a week. In order to keep your body fueled so you don't get tired, and not lose muscle mass while losing weight, macros should be set to 50% Protein, 30% Carbs, 20% Fat = 100% this can be tweaked no more than 5% in any one macro.
The important thing is to track everything you eat and drink.

I've followed this plan and went from 168 to 127 in nine months. It works! I'm healthier now than I have been in years and this is the lowest weight I've been since High School! If you want more information on how I did this, PM me. You can do it too!

You kinda lost me at 'starvation mode'.

azulvioleta6

mlboyer100 wrote: »

First, you never want to eat less than 1200, a good range is 1300-1400. Second, its not so much the calories, or lack of them, that makes you lose weigh, its more important to balance out the macros. I agree with a post above that 1200 calories will trigger starvation mode and can actually make you gain weight! there are several ways to determine your caloric intake. Here is one method:
Take your current weight x 11 = Caloric Baseline
Take Caloric Baseline + 400 (Calorie burn for exercise) = Caloric Needs to maintain weight
Take Caloric Needs - 750 (Calorie Deficit) = Calorie Target per day
If its under 1200, round up to at least 1200 or more
If its more than 2300, round down to 2300
This assumes you are working out for 30-45 minutes, five days a week. In order to keep your body fueled so you don't get tired, and not lose muscle mass while losing weight, macros should be set to 50% Protein, 30% Carbs, 20% Fat = 100% this can be tweaked no more than 5% in any one macro.
The important thing is to track everything you eat and drink.

I've followed this plan and went from 168 to 127 in nine months. It works! I'm healthier now than I have been in years and this is the lowest weight I've been since High School! If you want more information on how I did this, PM me. You can do it too!

Oh please. I am tall, active and ate at 1200 for several years. No starvation mode. It doesn't work that way.

c613477

mlboyer100 wrote: »

First, you never want to eat less than 1200, a good range is 1300-1400. Second, its not so much the calories, or lack of them, that makes you lose weigh, its more important to balance out the macros. I agree with a post above that 1200 calories will trigger starvation mode and can actually make you gain weight! there are several ways to determine your caloric intake. Here is one method:
Take your current weight x 11 = Caloric Baseline
Take Caloric Baseline + 400 (Calorie burn for exercise) = Caloric Needs to maintain weight
Take Caloric Needs - 750 (Calorie Deficit) = Calorie Target per day
If its under 1200, round up to at least 1200 or more
If its more than 2300, round down to 2300
This assumes you are working out for 30-45 minutes, five days a week. In order to keep your body fueled so you don't get tired, and not lose muscle mass while losing weight, macros should be set to 50% Protein, 30% Carbs, 20% Fat = 100% this can be tweaked no more than 5% in any one macro.
The important thing is to track everything you eat and drink.

I've followed this plan and went from 168 to 127 in nine months. It works! I'm healthier now than I have been in years and this is the lowest weight I've been since High School! If you want more information on how I did this, PM me. You can do it too!

50% protein? That is a very high protein intake and 20% fat is a little low. I developed kidney problems with 40% protein and am now aiming for no more than 30. It is best not to generalize statements like this. I had no previous kidney issues prior to my switch in macros.

maidentl

mlboyer100 wrote: »

First, you never want to eat less than 1200, a good range is 1300-1400. Second, its not so much the calories, or lack of them, that makes you lose weigh, its more important to balance out the macros. I agree with a post above that 1200 calories will trigger starvation mode and can actually make you gain weight! there are several ways to determine your caloric intake. Here is one method:
Take your current weight x 11 = Caloric Baseline
Take Caloric Baseline + 400 (Calorie burn for exercise) = Caloric Needs to maintain weight
Take Caloric Needs - 750 (Calorie Deficit) = Calorie Target per day
If its under 1200, round up to at least 1200 or more
If its more than 2300, round down to 2300
This assumes you are working out for 30-45 minutes, five days a week. In order to keep your body fueled so you don't get tired, and not lose muscle mass while losing weight, macros should be set to 50% Protein, 30% Carbs, 20% Fat = 100% this can be tweaked no more than 5% in any one macro.
The important thing is to track everything you eat and drink.

I've followed this plan and went from 168 to 127 in nine months. It works! I'm healthier now than I have been in years and this is the lowest weight I've been since High School! If you want more information on how I did this, PM me. You can do it too!

1200 is not "starvation mode." Repeating that it is does not make it so. Weight loss is only about calories. People use a wide variety of macro ratios and all seem to lose weight on their chosen path just fine. Even if someone were eating too little they would still lose weight and they most certainly won't gain. That's not scientifically even possible.