Does 1200 Cals and Not Much Exercise Work?

GuessIgottalog

So Ive adjusted MFP to help me lose 2 lbs a week but I think it only works out to lose 1.4lbs a week. This would be because I am 155-160lbs and 5'9 I figure. I don't care what I weigh, I just want to fit into size 6 (28) jeans and not the stretchy kind. I want no overlap of fat over my pants. I want to be comfortable in my own body and clothes. I will exercise a bit here and there though, like 25 min walks on lunch breaks and skating once a week plus lifting 2 nights a week. I sit on my bum all day mon to friday so....can't be eating too much or i will end up with the secretary spread!!!!

malibu927

1200 calories works for almost everyone. But given your size and weight, it's probably too aggressive a goal for you. .5-1 pound per week is a good aim for you.

CMNVA

I started at 5'7", 156 lbs, sedentary and did 1200 calories. It worked.

jemhh

malibu927 wrote: »

1200 calories works for almost everyone. But given your size and weight, it's probably too aggressive a goal for you. .5-1 pound per week is a good aim for you.

This.

Raising your calorie goal, as well as eating exercise calories, will increase the chances of your body composition making positive rather than negative changes as you lose weight.

RoxieDawn

Perhaps adjust your fitness and calorie goals????? Body composition changes take a lot more than you are doing both strength training wise and calories goals.

Gotrek1

I was on 1500 Calories (Man) and I lost tons of weight (too fast probably) without diet change or exercise just portion control/tracking... I switched to 1740 calories a day now and still loosing just as fast (but added some exercise now (walking)).

H_Ock12

I'm 5'8", started out at 185lbs and now at 146lbs....while eating 1200 calories a day, running once a week, and working out three days with cardio and weights.

GuessIgottalog

CMNVA wrote: »

I started at 5'7", 156 lbs, sedentary and did 1200 calories. It worked.

Nice, how long did it take? How much did you lose?

GuessIgottalog

jemhh wrote: »

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malibu927 wrote: »

1200 calories works for almost everyone. But given your size and weight, it's probably too aggressive a goal for you. .5-1 pound per week is a good aim for you.

This.

Raising your calorie goal, as well as eating exercise calories, will increase the chances of your body composition making positive rather than negative changes as you lose weight.

Can you elaborate on this please? pos vs neg changes????

GuessIgottalog

RoxieDawn wrote: »

Perhaps adjust your fitness and calorie goals????? Body composition changes take a lot more than you are doing both strength training wise and calories goals.

So deficit, some cardio and weights won't cut it for body comp??? What else is there to do?

GuessIgottalog

MotherOfSharpei wrote: »

I'm 5'8", started out at 185lbs and now at 146lbs....while eating 1200 calories a day, running once a week, and working out three days with cardio and weights.

Great! Sounds awesome to me and totally easy to stick with for the most part.

crzycatlady1

I lost my extra weight with no exercise and averaging more than 1,200 calories a day. Your calorie number seems a bit low?

jemhh

GuessIgottalog wrote: »

show previous quotes

jemhh wrote: »

malibu927 wrote: »

1200 calories works for almost everyone. But given your size and weight, it's probably too aggressive a goal for you. .5-1 pound per week is a good aim for you.

This.

Raising your calorie goal, as well as eating exercise calories, will increase the chances of your body composition making positive rather than negative changes as you lose weight.

Can you elaborate on this please? pos vs neg changes????

When you lose weight, you lose both fat and lean. Eating at a moderate calorie deficit while performing resistance training and eating enough protein helps to minimize muscle loss. Not doing that means that you will be losing more muscle than necessary. People who do this often get to their weight loss goal and find that they look the same, just smaller, meaning that their muffin tops, etc. are still there.

cheryldumais

I'm 60 years old and have been doing 1200 calories a day with walking (8000 steps a day 6 days a week) and have lost 63 pounds. I started out with no exercise at all. My loss interestingly is about 1.4 pounds per week. I started with 97 pounds to lose but am still losing at the same rate. I have a sedentary job and don't do the gym. I'm not suggesting this is the best route only saying it works. I do eat back about half of my walking calories so end around 1150 to 1250 per day depending on the day. I eat a healthy 1200 calories though. I think that's important in order to maintain this level once in maintenance which I expect, because I'm sedentary, will be about 1500 cal/day. Yes 1.4 pounds a week is slow but I feel like I could eat this way forever and don't feel deprived at all.