1200 Calories

kaseyAnne425

I know that eating 1200 calories is not the most recommended plan, however I seem to have had success with that plan (not anymore.. haha). I've recently added exercise to my plan and the scale hovers around 185/186/187, with no real loss. It's quite frustrating, because I don't know if it's because I'm eating too few calories? I want to lose about 30 pounds and want to see the weight start to come off (I'm trying to be patient). Could someone help me out? I don't want to increase my caloric intake in fear of it really effecting what I'm trying to do.

Thanks

diannethegeek

MFP is designed for you to eat back some of your exercise calories and still be at a caloric deficit, so yes, I'd always recommend increasing your calories when you add exercise.

That being said, it's not uncommon to see no change or even a slight gain on the scale when you start a new workout program or increase an old one because our bodies flood sore muscles with water to help cushion and heal them. This could be masking any fat loss that is going on.

pastryari

I know that eating 1200 calories is not the most recommended plan, however I seem to have had success with that plan (not anymore.. haha). I've recently added exercise to my plan and the scale hovers around 185/186/187, with no real loss. It's quite frustrating, because I don't know if it's because I'm eating too few calories? I want to lose about 30 pounds and want to see the weight start to come off (I'm trying to be patient). Could someone help me out? I don't want to increase my caloric intake in fear of it really effecting what I'm trying to do.

Thanks

So what you're doing isn't working but you don't want any advice on how to change that then?

Okay, good luck.


Also, right at the beginning of your post you say that you know 1200 cals isn't the most recommend plan but you seem to have success with it. Then you go on to say how you're not having success and want to know how to change that. Unless you have to veer from your (not working) 1200 plan.


Just checked your diary. You're not even logging consistently.

Achrya

I know that eating 1200 calories is not the most recommended plan, however I seem to have had success with that plan (not anymore.. haha). I've recently added exercise to my plan and the scale hovers around 185/186/187, with no real loss. It's quite frustrating, because I don't know if it's because I'm eating too few calories? I want to lose about 30 pounds and want to see the weight start to come off (I'm trying to be patient). Could someone help me out? I don't want to increase my caloric intake in fear of it really effecting what I'm trying to do.

Thanks

Stop working out. I heard somewhere that it helps.

escloflowneCHANGED

You speculate that you are eating too few calories but you don't want to eat more calories?

Okay, good luck.

kaseyAnne425

I know that eating 1200 calories is not the most recommended plan, however I seem to have had success with that plan (not anymore.. haha). I've recently added exercise to my plan and the scale hovers around 185/186/187, with no real loss. It's quite frustrating, because I don't know if it's because I'm eating too few calories? I want to lose about 30 pounds and want to see the weight start to come off (I'm trying to be patient). Could someone help me out? I don't want to increase my caloric intake in fear of it really effecting what I'm trying to do.

Thanks

So what you're doing isn't working but you don't want any advice on how to change that then?

Okay, good luck.


Also, right at the beginning of your post you say that you know 1200 cals isn't the most recommend plan but you seem to have success with it. Then you go on to say how you're not having success and want to know how to change that. Unless you have to veer from your (not working) 1200 plan.

Actually no.. I said it WAS working for me, but since adding exercise, I'm not seeing the results that I used to. I would just like to know the healthiest route to go from more experienced users here.. Geez.

kaseyAnne425

Seems like I sent the wrong message across. I'm looking for advice.. not sarcasm. Cut me a break. Eating on 1200 calories USED to work for me when I was not exercising. Now that I am, I'm not really moving on the scale nor am I feeling a difference in my clothing. I'm not quite sure how much to increase my caloric intake, I know nothing about this stuff. All I wanted was help from someone more experienced than me..

Achrya

Seems like I sent the wrong message across. I'm looking for advice.. not sarcasm. Cut me a break. Eating on 1200 calories USED to work for me when I was not exercising. Now that I am, I'm not really moving on the scale nor am I feeling a difference in my clothing. I'm not quite sure how much to increase my caloric intake, I know nothing about this stuff. All I wanted was help from someone more experienced than me..

Eat more food. If you're working out you need to eat those calorie back; you gotta fuel your body for it to perform for you.

Commander_Keen

Then stop exercising.
Or do different exercises..
or Increase your intake and work out longer and harder, the end result will still be the same.

LaurenAOK

Actually no.. I said it WAS working for me, but since adding exercise, I'm not seeing the results that I used to. I would just like to know the healthiest route to go from more experienced users here.. Geez.

The healthiest route to go would be to eat more calories, but you said you didn't want to do that, so I'm not sure how else we can help you.

While it's true that you can lose weight eating 1200 (as you have been), there are healthier ways to lose weight, especially once you've added exercise in. You've got to be open to increasing your calories, though. Doing so has helped hundreds of people on this site, including myself.

Here's a great thread about how to calculate your caloric needs: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/912920-in-place-of-a-road-map-3-2013

Good luck with everything.

lilcassers

yes you are. 1200 is okay if you don't workout. But when you work out you're burning at least 200 calories. Your body needs fuel! I would increase to 1400 for a month and see what happens. Else you will go into starvation mode and plateau.

Faye_Anderson

Seems like I sent the wrong message across. I'm looking for advice.. not sarcasm. Cut me a break. Eating on 1200 calories USED to work for me when I was not exercising. Now that I am, I'm not really moving on the scale nor am I feeling a difference in my clothing. I'm not quite sure how much to increase my caloric intake, I know nothing about this stuff. All I wanted was help from someone more experienced than me..

I weigh less than you and I'm not exercising but before pregnancy I was losing very well eating 1800 calories (currently maintaining on 2100). I don't think you are eating enough :flowerforyou:

trogalicious

1. You don't log all the time.
2. Even the days you do, you still aren't regularly hitting 1200.
3. Are you actually weighing your food? Legit, not guessing weighing.
4. How are you guessing your calorie burn, do you use a HRM? No?


Start doing those regularly. At least those.
Give it 4-6 weeks.

If you still aren't losing, adjust upwards. I'm willing to bet that you're undereating/overestimating calories burned. Something is wrong in the equation, just have to figure out what it is exactly, and the burden is on you.. .not the forum.

Bijee

MFP is designed for you to eat back some of your exercise calories and still be at a caloric deficit, so yes, I'd always recommend increasing your calories when you add exercise.

That being said, it's not uncommon to see no change or even a slight gain on the scale when you start a new workout program or increase an old one because our bodies flood sore muscles with water to help cushion and heal them. This could be masking any fat loss that is going on.

As this user said it is designed for you to modify your calories when you work out. in additon to logging your food log your exercise so you can see how much more you can go over. This method works. When I did weight watchers it incorporated the same thing (increased eating for working out). You have to fuel your workouts and give your body something to burn.

Good luck, hope it helps!

AndreaGrace29

I was exercisizing several times a week and also maintaining a certain number of calories a day. It took FOREVER to see any significant loss. Once I stopped working out, (and continued monitoring/restricting calories), I started losing a pound a week. Not working out just worked better for me.

conniemaxwell5

Seems like I sent the wrong message across. I'm looking for advice.. not sarcasm. Cut me a break. Eating on 1200 calories USED to work for me when I was not exercising. Now that I am, I'm not really moving on the scale nor am I feeling a difference in my clothing. I'm not quite sure how much to increase my caloric intake, I know nothing about this stuff. All I wanted was help from someone more experienced than me..

Go to www.fitnessfrog.com and calculate your TDEE. Eat TDEE - 20%. This will include your exercise calories. It will likely be substantially more than 1200 calories. Work your way up over a couple of weeks. You may see a little gain to begin with but wait it out. Your body will need to get used to the added calories because your metabolism has slowed. TDEE - 20% will probably result in about 1 pound a week loss.

born2drum

1. You don't log all the time.
2. Even the days you do, you still aren't regularly hitting 1200.
3. Are you actually weighing your food? Legit, not guessing weighing.
4. How are you guessing your calorie burn, do you use a HRM? No?


Start doing those regularly. At least those.
Give it 4-6 weeks.

If you still aren't losing, adjust upwards. I'm willing to bet that you're undereating/overestimating calories burned. Something is wrong in the equation, just have to figure out what it is exactly, and the burden is on you.. .not the forum.

Can you give us your stats? Just judging by your weight alone you are in starvation mode. Your body or any 185lb body cannot burn fat(stored fat mind you) at 1200 calories. You body will begin to store fat because it thinks its starving. You should be at no less and no more than 1700 calories plus exercise. You can't expect to lose weight by eating 1200 calories. Try eating at 1700 calories plus working out for 2 weeks. I promise you will see the scale move. Also, this isn't an over night thing either

da_bears10089

1. You don't log all the time.
2. Even the days you do, you still aren't regularly hitting 1200.
3. Are you actually weighing your food? Legit, not guessing weighing.
4. How are you guessing your calorie burn, do you use a HRM? No?


Start doing those regularly. At least those.
Give it 4-6 weeks.

If you still aren't losing, adjust upwards. I'm willing to bet that you're undereating/overestimating calories burned. Something is wrong in the equation, just have to figure out what it is exactly, and the burden is on you.. .not the forum.

^this is wonderful advice. also log your exercise and eat back those exercise calories. Too much of a deficit isn't a good thing.

diannethegeek

Seems like I sent the wrong message across. I'm looking for advice.. not sarcasm. Cut me a break. Eating on 1200 calories USED to work for me when I was not exercising. Now that I am, I'm not really moving on the scale nor am I feeling a difference in my clothing. I'm not quite sure how much to increase my caloric intake, I know nothing about this stuff. All I wanted was help from someone more experienced than me..

There are two ways to determine how many calories to eat.

1. Set your MFP profile up accurately (and reasonably - set it to lose 1 pound/week) and log your food and exercises every day. MFP will tell you how much you should be eating.
2. Figure out your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) and take a moderate cut from that (10-20%). There are a lot of online calculators for this but I usually use: http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

trogalicious

1. You don't log all the time.
2. Even the days you do, you still aren't regularly hitting 1200.
3. Are you actually weighing your food? Legit, not guessing weighing.
4. How are you guessing your calorie burn, do you use a HRM? No?


Start doing those regularly. At least those.
Give it 4-6 weeks.

If you still aren't losing, adjust upwards. I'm willing to bet that you're undereating/overestimating calories burned. Something is wrong in the equation, just have to figure out what it is exactly, and the burden is on you.. .not the forum.

Can you give us your stats? Just judging by your weight alone you are in starvation mode. Your body or any 185lb body cannot burn fat(stored fat mind you) at 1200 calories. You body will begin to store fat because it thinks its starving. You should be at no less and no more than 1700 calories plus exercise. You can't expect to lose weight by eating 1200 calories. Try eating at 1700 calories plus working out for 2 weeks. I promise you will see the scale move. Also, this isn't an over night thing either

I love misquotes.

Squamation

Rule #1: never ask MFP message boards about eating on 1,200 calories.

My Advice:

If you're nervous about upping your calories first take a hard look at your logging. Are you really logging everything? Are you sure you're not already eating over 1,200? Do you take "bites" of things during the day/while you're cooking and don't log it?

I used to eat 1,200 but stalled out and so I upped my calories to 1,300. I stuck with it for over a month and nothing happened. Then I took a hard look at what I was really eating and saw that i was actually consuming 100-200 extra calories a day without realizing it. It was all through taking small bites here and there of foods I was making for my kids/husband/myself. 100-200 doesn't sound like a lot, but it was enough to stall my progess and put me in maintenance.

So I stopped "tasting" while cooking, put my calories back down to 1,200 (where I had been getting results originally) and have started to see progress again.

{edit} For exercise I do strength training 3x a week and *try* to run as well but its very sporadic and varies from week to week how much I get in, anywhere between 0-5x a week.


This is just what happened with my body and how I chose to handle it- don't know if it will work for you, but hopefully it at least gives you something to think about.

Feel free to add me as a friend.