1200 calories a day diet

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Replies

  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    I average 1200 and eat a wide variety of foods.

    Spend some time in the produce department. You'll find that there are many different foods in there!

    You don't have to eat the same thing every single day. Whatever your calorie limit may be, a variety of different foods is good for the body...and the soul.
  • skemes5
    skemes5 Posts: 23 Member
    Kalikel wrote: »
    I average 1200 and eat a wide variety of foods.

    Spend some time in the produce department. You'll find that there are many different foods in there!

    You don't have to eat the same thing every single day. Whatever your calorie limit may be, a variety of different foods is good for the body...and the soul.

    Thank you! I will be making a trip to go food shopping today to get more things
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    skemes5 wrote: »
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    skemes5 wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    elphie754 wrote: »
    Why on every single 1200 calorie thread do people jump in and question the OPs choice of eating 1200 calories? The OP didn't ask if her calorie goal was accurate. Please don't derail another thread.

    Because often, as indeed was the case here, the OP is getting 1200 calories because they set an over-aggressive goal for the amount of weight they have to lose.

    I don't know about an over aggressive goal i put in my height 5ft and weight 130lbs and the goal weight i would like to be which is 115/120lbs and it gave me a recommended 1 pound per week.

    I know see that i can change that to .5lbs per week. Because as I said i am new to this app. I followed what it recommended, and now that I see it doesn't quite work for me i can adjust it

    Unless the app has changed, it doesn't recommend a goal rate of loss for you -- you choose that. That's not to say you're at fault, lots of people choose the higher rate.

    Next to the 1 pound per week it said "recommended" that was when i first put in all of my data. I now can change it to whatever I want.

    Weird. It's been a while since I set mine, so thanks for clarifying.
  • skemes5
    skemes5 Posts: 23 Member
    juggernaut1974 wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    elphie754 wrote: »
    Why on every single 1200 calorie thread do people jump in and question the OPs choice of eating 1200 calories? The OP didn't ask if her calorie goal was accurate. Please don't derail another thread.

    Because often, as indeed was the case here, the OP is getting 1200 calories because they set an over-aggressive goal for the amount of weight they have to lose.

    Agreed...with only 10-15 lbs to lose and being (relatively) small to begin with, even a pound a week is pretty aggressive

    I just changed it to .5lbs and got more calories. Also i added exercise that I'm doing as well as including my steps that are calculated from my phone so all of this has helped a lot !
  • skemes5
    skemes5 Posts: 23 Member
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    skemes5 wrote: »
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    skemes5 wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    elphie754 wrote: »
    Why on every single 1200 calorie thread do people jump in and question the OPs choice of eating 1200 calories? The OP didn't ask if her calorie goal was accurate. Please don't derail another thread.

    Because often, as indeed was the case here, the OP is getting 1200 calories because they set an over-aggressive goal for the amount of weight they have to lose.

    I don't know about an over aggressive goal i put in my height 5ft and weight 130lbs and the goal weight i would like to be which is 115/120lbs and it gave me a recommended 1 pound per week.

    I know see that i can change that to .5lbs per week. Because as I said i am new to this app. I followed what it recommended, and now that I see it doesn't quite work for me i can adjust it

    Unless the app has changed, it doesn't recommend a goal rate of loss for you -- you choose that. That's not to say you're at fault, lots of people choose the higher rate.

    Next to the 1 pound per week it said "recommended" that was when i first put in all of my data. I now can change it to whatever I want.

    Weird. It's been a while since I set mine, so thanks for clarifying.

    Yea I definitely changed it now that I see it isn't right for me :)
  • PinkPixiexox
    PinkPixiexox Posts: 4,142 Member
    I did the 1200 plan for around 3 months - for me, it was no life. I was also ignorantly eating that amount not realising that eating so little wasn't even necessary for me! I upped my calories and lose at a nice rate on around 1500. Much better! :D
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
    senecarr wrote: »
    If you're going to eat the same 1200 calories every day, I'd go with this:
    http://www.health.harvard.edu/womens-health/getting-your-vitamins-and-minerals-through-diet
    1,200-calorie sample menu that meets the daily DRIs* for a woman 51 to 70 years of age

    Breakfast

    8 oz nonfat yogurt

    ½ cup sliced papaya

    ½ cup sliced kiwi

    1 oz (14 halves) walnuts

    4 oz skim milk

    Lunch

    1 small whole-wheat pita

    Green salad:

    1 cup dark green lettuce

    1 red or orange pepper

    1 cup grape tomatoes

    ½ cup edamame beans

    1 tbsp. unsalted sunflower seeds.

    Salad dressing made with 1 tbsp. olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and pepper

    Dinner

    4 oz broiled wild salmon and yogurt sauce (1 tbsp. Greek-style nonfat yogurt, 1 tsp. lemon juice, 1 clove chopped garlic)

    ¼ cup cooked barley and ¼ cup cooked lentils with spices to taste

    1 cup steamed baby bok choy

    * Dietary reference intakes.

    Menu provides 1,155 calories:

    33% of calories from fat,

    40% from carbohydrate, and

    27% from protein

    Vitamins and minerals and their amounts in the sample menu, above (DRIs are listed in parentheses)

    Vitamin A, 1,031 mcg (700 mcg)

    Vitamin C, 383 mg (75 mg)

    Vitamin D, 12 mcg (10 mcg)

    Vitamin E, 11 mg (15 mg)

    Vitamin K, 156 mcg (90 mcg)

    Thiamin, 1.3 mg (1.1 mg)

    Riboflavin, 1.8 mg (1.1 mg)

    Niacin, 14 mg (14 mg)

    Vitamin B6, 2.23 mg (1.5 mg)

    Folate, 556 mcg (400 mcg)

    Vitamin B12, 10.6 mcg (2.4 mcg)

    Pantothenic acid, 5.5 mg (5 mg)

    Calcium, 1,222 mg (1,200 mg)

    Copper, 900 mcg (1,156 mcg)

    Iron, 11 mg (8 mg)

    Magnesium, 355 mg (320 mg)

    Manganese, 2.8 mg (1.8 mg)

    Phosphorus, 1,530 mg (700 mg)

    Selenium, 90 mcg (55 mcg)

    Zinc, 8.6 mg (8 mg)

    Potassium, 4.7 g (4.7 g)

    Please note this diet is deficient in iron if you are a woman in child-bearing years.
  • skemes5
    skemes5 Posts: 23 Member
    PinkPixiexox wrote: »
    I did the 1200 plan for around 3 months - for me, it was no life. I was also ignorantly eating that amount not realising that eating so little wasn't even necessary for me! I upped my calories and lose at a nice rate on around 1500. Much better! :D

    Yea I'm realizing that! Thank you for sharing and good luck on your continued journey :smile:
  • skemes5
    skemes5 Posts: 23 Member
    WBB55 wrote: »
    senecarr wrote: »
    If you're going to eat the same 1200 calories every day, I'd go with this:
    http://www.health.harvard.edu/womens-health/getting-your-vitamins-and-minerals-through-diet
    1,200-calorie sample menu that meets the daily DRIs* for a woman 51 to 70 years of age

    Breakfast

    8 oz nonfat yogurt

    ½ cup sliced papaya

    ½ cup sliced kiwi

    1 oz (14 halves) walnuts

    4 oz skim milk

    Lunch

    1 small whole-wheat pita

    Green salad:

    1 cup dark green lettuce

    1 red or orange pepper

    1 cup grape tomatoes

    ½ cup edamame beans

    1 tbsp. unsalted sunflower seeds.

    Salad dressing made with 1 tbsp. olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and pepper

    Dinner

    4 oz broiled wild salmon and yogurt sauce (1 tbsp. Greek-style nonfat yogurt, 1 tsp. lemon juice, 1 clove chopped garlic)

    ¼ cup cooked barley and ¼ cup cooked lentils with spices to taste

    1 cup steamed baby bok choy

    * Dietary reference intakes.

    Menu provides 1,155 calories:

    33% of calories from fat,

    40% from carbohydrate, and

    27% from protein

    Vitamins and minerals and their amounts in the sample menu, above (DRIs are listed in parentheses)

    Vitamin A, 1,031 mcg (700 mcg)

    Vitamin C, 383 mg (75 mg)

    Vitamin D, 12 mcg (10 mcg)

    Vitamin E, 11 mg (15 mg)

    Vitamin K, 156 mcg (90 mcg)

    Thiamin, 1.3 mg (1.1 mg)

    Riboflavin, 1.8 mg (1.1 mg)

    Niacin, 14 mg (14 mg)

    Vitamin B6, 2.23 mg (1.5 mg)

    Folate, 556 mcg (400 mcg)

    Vitamin B12, 10.6 mcg (2.4 mcg)

    Pantothenic acid, 5.5 mg (5 mg)

    Calcium, 1,222 mg (1,200 mg)

    Copper, 900 mcg (1,156 mcg)

    Iron, 11 mg (8 mg)

    Magnesium, 355 mg (320 mg)

    Manganese, 2.8 mg (1.8 mg)

    Phosphorus, 1,530 mg (700 mg)

    Selenium, 90 mcg (55 mcg)

    Zinc, 8.6 mg (8 mg)

    Potassium, 4.7 g (4.7 g)

    Please note this diet is deficient in iron if you are a woman in child-bearing years.

    Thank you for the info!!
  • TrickyDisco
    TrickyDisco Posts: 2,869 Member
    skemes5 wrote: »
    I don't know.. I've only been doing this for 3 days, i have seen some results especially in my stomach which is great. But, I've literally eaten the same food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day. It's the only way i know how to keep it within the 1,200 calories a day. This can't be life!! Also almost everything that i eat isn't in their database so i have to guess I'm picking the right thing.

    On 1200 too and admit I eat the same breakfast and similar lunches most days but try to vary my evening meals and snacks. If the foods you eat aren't in the database can't you add them using the nutrition info from the labels? Then you won't have to guess. Or look the food up on another site - Nutritiondata is a great site, has loads more info on foods than the mfp database.
  • skemes5
    skemes5 Posts: 23 Member
    TrickyDisco wrote: »
    skemes5 wrote: »
    I don't know.. I've only been doing this for 3 days, i have seen some results especially in my stomach which is great. But, I've literally eaten the same food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day. It's the only way i know how to keep it within the 1,200 calories a day. This can't be life!! Also almost everything that i eat isn't in their database so i have to guess I'm picking the right thing.

    On 1200 too and admit I eat the same breakfast and similar lunches most days but try to vary my evening meals and snacks. If the foods you eat aren't in the database can't you add them using the nutrition info from the labels? Then you won't have to guess. Or look the food up on another site - Nutritiondata is a great site, has loads more info on foods than the mfp database.

    Thank you!!
  • amillenium
    amillenium Posts: 281 Member
    I eat 1200 (and usually a portion of my exercise calories). To make it work I need to have lots of veggies and lean protein. I think there are a lot of ways to make that interesting but those are also the foods I would prefer to eat. I do a lot of salads, recipes with zoodles, and pretty hot on spaghetti squash right now. It's doable but also easy to blow the day out of the water with just a small indulgence but when that happens I log it and move on!
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    skemes5 wrote: »
    I don't know.. I've only been doing this for 3 days, i have seen some results especially in my stomach which is great. But, I've literally eaten the same food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day. It's the only way i know how to keep it within the 1,200 calories a day. This can't be life!! Also almost everything that i eat isn't in their database so i have to guess I'm picking the right thing.

    No - 1200 calories is NOT your new lifestyle. 1200 calories is the default minimum to lose weight. You can likely eat more and lose (albeit more slowly). Many people choose slower loss because it is closer to their new maintenance.

    Add exercise & eat more than 1200.

    Choose a lower weekly goal and eat more than 1200.

    Either way....find something you can live with for awhile.
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1234699/logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide/p1
  • juliebowman4
    juliebowman4 Posts: 784 Member
    My diary is open, and I stick to a range of 1200-1400 a day
    Feel free to have a look and get ideas. There are oodles of choices and combinations....
  • MarcyKirkton
    MarcyKirkton Posts: 507 Member
    skemes5 wrote: »
    Thank you all for the advice!! If you have some food options that you can suggest it would be greatly appreciated. I don't really cook myself so a lot of my food is from outside. But i know there has to be health options. I usually cook dinner but breakfast and lunch is outside. I don't think I'm set to the two pounds a week. It is only 1pound a week. I will keep this up. I honestly have seen my stomach get smaller in the 3 days i have done this which to me means i used to eat a lot of junk. Thank you again! And i wish you all well on your journey as well.

    I love fish tacos. I e en cook several filets at once and then they are ready.
  • skemes5
    skemes5 Posts: 23 Member
    MarcyKirkton wrote: »
    skemes5 wrote: »
    Thank you all for the advice!! If you have some food options that you can suggest it would be greatly appreciated. I don't really cook myself so a lot of my food is from outside. But i know there has to be health options. I usually cook dinner but breakfast and lunch is outside. I don't think I'm set to the two pounds a week. It is only 1pound a week. I will keep this up. I honestly have seen my stomach get smaller in the 3 days i have done this which to me means i used to eat a lot of junk. Thank you again! And i wish you all well on your journey as well.

    I love fish tacos. I e en cook several filets at once and then they are ready.

    Great idea! Thank you!!
  • skemes5
    skemes5 Posts: 23 Member
    juliebowman4 wrote: »
    My diary is open, and I stick to a range of 1200-1400 a day
    Feel free to have a look and get ideas. There are oodles of choices and combinations....

    I will friend request you if that's ok. I don't see how i can view your
    juliebowman4 wrote: »
    My diary is open, and I stick to a range of 1200-1400 a day
    Feel free to have a look and get ideas. There are oodles of choices and combinations....

    I don't see how I can view it. When I click on your name it says user is private. Would it be ok to friend request you?
  • skemes5
    skemes5 Posts: 23 Member
    TeaBea wrote: »
    skemes5 wrote: »
    I don't know.. I've only been doing this for 3 days, i have seen some results especially in my stomach which is great. But, I've literally eaten the same food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day. It's the only way i know how to keep it within the 1,200 calories a day. This can't be life!! Also almost everything that i eat isn't in their database so i have to guess I'm picking the right thing.

    No - 1200 calories is NOT your new lifestyle. 1200 calories is the default minimum to lose weight. You can likely eat more and lose (albeit more slowly). Many people choose slower loss because it is closer to their new maintenance.

    Add exercise & eat more than 1200.

    Choose a lower weekly goal and eat more than 1200.

    Either way....find something you can live with for awhile.
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1234699/logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide/p1

    Thank you! Yes i finally figured out how to adjust things a bit. I've been adding my steps and exercise as well as decreasing the weekly goal. It was difficult trying to do the 1200 and now i see it wasn't right for me
  • skemes5
    skemes5 Posts: 23 Member
    amillenium wrote: »
    I eat 1200 (and usually a portion of my exercise calories). To make it work I need to have lots of veggies and lean protein. I think there are a lot of ways to make that interesting but those are also the foods I would prefer to eat. I do a lot of salads, recipes with zoodles, and pretty hot on spaghetti squash right now. It's doable but also easy to blow the day out of the water with just a small indulgence but when that happens I log it and move on!

    Lol yes i have to accept tha once in a while i will blow it too. Thank you for the advice
  • alanahp93
    alanahp93 Posts: 56 Member
    edited November 2015
    Im also on 1200 cals just to lose anything a week because Im so close to my goal and im 5'2. To be honest when I first started dieting it was really hard, I didn't realise just how much I was eating and how to calculate calories before mfp. For the first week I was constantly craving snacks. After about 2 weeks I discovered new foods at the groceries and I felt like I needed less and less food each day to feel full. The best way I can describe it is that my always hungry tummy shrunk to the size it should be lol
    Everyones diffrent, maybe start slow with just cutting the snacks and working up to the 1200 when you feel more comfortable and have more recipes? Good luck!
  • skemes5
    skemes5 Posts: 23 Member
    alanahp93 wrote: »
    Im also on 1200 cals just to lose anything a week because Im so close to my goal and im 5'2. To be honest when I first started dieting it was really hard, I didn't realise just how much I was eating and how to calculate calories before mfp. For the first week I was constantly craving snacks. After about 2 weeks I discovered new foods at the groceries and I felt like I needed less and less food each day to feel full. The best way I can describe it is that my always hungry tummy shrunk to the size it should be lol
    Everyones diffrent, maybe start slow with just cutting the snacks and working up to the 1200 when you feel more comfortable and have more recipes? Good luck!
    alanahp93 wrote: »
    Im also on 1200 cals just to lose anything a week because Im so close to my goal and im 5'2. To be honest when I first started dieting it was really hard, I didn't realise just how much I was eating and how to calculate calories before mfp. For the first week I was constantly craving snacks. After about 2 weeks I discovered new foods at the groceries and I felt like I needed less and less food each day to feel full. The best way I can describe it is that my always hungry tummy shrunk to the size it should be lol
    Everyones diffrent, maybe start slow with just cutting the snacks and working up to the 1200 when you feel more comfortable and have more recipes? Good luck!

    Thank you for sharing! Yea i miss soda lol but I haven't had a sip and I'm proud of myself. I also see how poorly i used eat!! I am glad I'm doing this and it's more for a healthier lifestyle. Losing weight will be a great bonus!!
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