1200 calories

Kaysteroni

I'm doing 1200 calories.
Anyone else doing that much or around that.

Looking for motivation buddies.
Add me!

jacksonkris8

I am.. lm a shorty so its the only way for me to lose... ☺️

SawahTeal

I try to do 1200. It just seems unrealistic for me. I end up giving up and going crazy after a week. For me, I do around 1500 to not lose my mind.

johnnylakis

I did it for 6 months. Went to bed hungry, woke up hungry. Lost 36 pounds. Stopped blood pressure medicine. Stopped cholesterol medicine. So worth it!

slefko

I'm 4'11 so I am trying to stick to around 1200 calories, but increase if I workout!

juliemargaretkim

I've been doing 1200 since August -- most days I make between 1100 and 1200 and it has worked! I started at 152, set a goal weight loss of 20 lbs, and now have increased that to 30 lbs. I'm going to make it too -- my CW is 133 (as of this a.m.!) So even though now it's usually 1 lb. /week, I feel like all I need is time. I load up with protein during the day and have a huge salad with veggies and fish (usually salmon) or chicken at night -- and a glass of red wine! Greens and veggies keep me full enough. And I walk/run (with a very energetic dog) every day. Tracking the calories has been the only way I've been able to lose, and that is motivation for me. The clothes are looser (and some are fitting that haven't) and I feel so much lighter -- I never want to go back, so it's been easy to avoid the sugar and carbs so far but I'm slightly worried about the coming couple of months...

norahclancy

I was doing 1200 but then started the gym and have more calories. To be honest eating the right things made it hard to eat that many calories...Not sure what the new calorie count is going to be like.

lynnethomas_218

I am also doing 1200 but I'm very confused about the additional calories required when working out. I do between 30-50 minutes of Tae Bo each day and do increase calories to accommodate that. However in 48 days I weigh 2 pounds more than when I started. How accurate are the calorie counts when it comes to exercise here??? I'm not noticing a big difference in my clothes either. I also enjoy a glass of wine most nights. I'm not giving up because I feel so much better but I should be down 10-15 lbs. by now. Does anybody have any solution to this? I am 58 years old. Thanks

Mary_Anastasia

I should be sticking to that. I have a veryyyyy slow metabolism, so the 1400 that MFP gives me isn't quite low enough for me to lose weight on...My nutritionist said my maintenance intake is 1,330, I'd have to eat less than that to lose weight. I'm 5'7" if that makes a difference.

trigden1991

OP you made a thread earlier asking if 1200 calories was right and were told that you could/should be eating more.

If your deficit is too great, you are likely to burn yourself out quicker.

allotmentgardener

I am - add me if you like

hickpony

SawahTeal wrote: »

I try to do 1200. It just seems unrealistic for me. I end up giving up and going crazy after a week. For me, I do around 1500 to not lose my mind.

Agreed! I can have half of my allowance by breakfast and then it's not even as big as my breakfasts used to be. I feel like I'm starving myself trying to get to 1200!

hickpony

johnnylakis wrote: »

I did it for 6 months. Went to bed hungry, woke up hungry. Lost 36 pounds. Stopped blood pressure medicine. Stopped cholesterol medicine. So worth it!

But.... "Went to bed hungry, woke up hungry." How do you do that???

Kaysteroni

jacksonkris8 wrote: »

I am.. lm a shorty so its the only way for me to lose... ☺️

I'm short too. I'm 4'9"

mcp883

hickpony wrote: »

johnnylakis wrote: »

I did it for 6 months. Went to bed hungry, woke up hungry. Lost 36 pounds. Stopped blood pressure medicine. Stopped cholesterol medicine. So worth it!

But.... "Went to bed hungry, woke up hungry." How do you do that???

You shouldn't be going to bed hungry at least not every night

jacksonkris8

A hungry body will keep holding onto the fat... you have to feed it if you want it to go

mcp883

I've stuck mostly to 1200 a day and I've lost 20 pounds in 2 months. It can work if your careful with what you eat I. E fillling heathly food and I think it's not too difficult to maintain longterm. But this 2nd month I've cheated too many times and haven't lost as much as I could. Trying not to let it get me down though. Good luck with your regime

singingflutelady

hickpony wrote: »

johnnylakis wrote: »

I did it for 6 months. Went to bed hungry, woke up hungry. Lost 36 pounds. Stopped blood pressure medicine. Stopped cholesterol medicine. So worth it!

But.... "Went to bed hungry, woke up hungry." How do you do that???

That's not necessarily for weight loss

mcp883

juliemargaretkim wrote: »

I've been doing 1200 since August -- most days I make between 1100 and 1200 and it has worked! I started at 152, set a goal weight loss of 20 lbs, and now have increased that to 30 lbs. I'm going to make it too -- my CW is 133 (as of this a.m.!) So even though now it's usually 1 lb. /week, I feel like all I need is time. I load up with protein during the day and have a huge salad with veggies and fish (usually salmon) or chicken at night -- and a glass of red wine! Greens and veggies keep me full enough. And I walk/run (with a very energetic dog) every day. Tracking the calories has been the only way I've been able to lose, and that is motivation for me. The clothes are looser (and some are fitting that haven't) and I feel so much lighter -- I never want to go back, so it's been easy to avoid the sugar and carbs so far but I'm slightly worried about the coming couple of months...

Same I've been doing OK but Christmas is going to be tough...

Kaysteroni

I'm going to let myself eat a bit more on Christmas but the next day I'm back to my normal calories

lynn_glenmont

jacksonkris8 wrote: »

A hungry body will keep holding onto the fat... you have to feed it if you want it to go

Second part is partially true, but first part is not true at all. It doesn't work that way. In fact, the two parts of the sentence contradict each other.

"A hungry body will keep holding onto the fat" = hungry body can do work without energy (i.e., without consuming enough calories and without tapping energy stores) -- unless you're trying to imply that hungry body will preferentially break down muscle and organs for energy rather than fat, even if fat is abundant.

"you have to feed it if you it to go" = body won't be able to do things without energy (true--but see how it contradicts the first part of the sentence?) and the only way to get energy to do things is by feeding it (not true--body can also use energy stored in fat, muscle, etc.). But yes, if you want to function optimally, have energy for productive workouts, etc., you don't want to consistently have too large a deficit.

Whether anyone's personal experience of feeling hungry equals too large a deficit, and what constitutes too large a deficit, is going to vary from person to person.

jacksonkris8

http://healthyliving.azcentral.com/body-burn-fat-hungry-2823.html
http://dailyburn.com/life/health/abel-james-hunger-dieting-for-weight-loss/

These are two articles that explain that your body holds onto fat as a reserve if you starve it... that was my point. After a long period of time... yes it will let it go, but the bodies initial response to hold onto it.

singingflutelady

jacksonkris8 wrote: »

http://healthyliving.azcentral.com/body-burn-fat-hungry-2823.html
http://dailyburn.com/life/health/abel-james-hunger-dieting-for-weight-loss/

These are two articles that explain that your body holds onto fat as a reserve if you starve it... that was my point. After a long period of time... yes it will let it go, but the bodies initial response to hold onto it.

Those articles are full of pseudoscience. Here is a better article on the subject
http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/starvation-mode/

leanjogreen18

jacksonkris8 wrote: »

http://healthyliving.azcentral.com/body-burn-fat-hungry-2823.html
http://dailyburn.com/life/health/abel-james-hunger-dieting-for-weight-loss/

These are two articles that explain that your body holds onto fat as a reserve if you starve it... that was my point. After a long period of time... yes it will let it go, but the bodies initial response to hold onto it.

I had no idea how misinformed I was until I came here to mfp. There are a lot of knowledgable folks on here that have helped me to see that the majority of information out there is bunk in terms of weight loss. Actual scientific studies prove this "starvation mode" as is used in most "diet" websites is not the whole truth as we are led to believe.

nursekirsty

I'm starting tomorrow - you can add me for support if you want? In fact anyone can

jacksonkris8

I guess we just do what works for us. I know that i am never starving and what i do works for me... i guess that is what it comes down to...

singingflutelady

jacksonkris8 wrote: »

I guess we just do what works for us. I know that i am never starving and what i do works for me... i guess that is what it comes down to...

No one is disputing that. We are disputing the "starvation mode" "your body hold onto fat" thing.

jacksonkris8

Ok. Got it. Thanks!

JaxxieKat

My calories are set around 1240. I workout hard six days a week. I do strength training four days a week, take an hour and a half dance class once a week, and except for one total rest day per week, I practice tap dance for 30 minutes. So, by the time it's all said and done, I'm eating closer to 1400 calories, but I still lose about a pound a week.

thephillistein

lynnethomas_218 wrote: »

I am also doing 1200 but I'm very confused about the additional calories required when working out. I do between 30-50 minutes of Tae Bo each day and do increase calories to accommodate that. However in 48 days I weigh 2 pounds more than when I started. How accurate are the calorie counts when it comes to exercise here??? I'm not noticing a big difference in my clothes either. I also enjoy a glass of wine most nights. I'm not giving up because I feel so much better but I should be down 10-15 lbs. by now. Does anybody have any solution to this? I am 58 years old. Thanks

Hey Lynne,

Exercise is so important for building and maintaining muscle (especially as you get older), and for feeling well, but the calorie counts on here are guesstimates at best, and don't account for age/metabolism/fitness level. I'm sorry to say that it's nearly impossible to exercise the pounds away, especially because the more you do a particular kind of exercise, the more used to it your body gets, and therefore the fewer calories you burn. That's right, the better you get at Tae Bo, the FEWER calories you'll burn. But that doesn't mean it's a waste of energy! So I'd focus on how the exercise makes you feel, rather than how much food you think you're working off. And if working out leaves you starving, build more of your meals around fatty protein sources (like fish), nutrient dense veggies (dark greens) and complex carbs (whole grains). Those are the food groups that'll give you the best return on your investment, and leave you with the most sustainable energy to get through a workout.

Your body is your best guide on this. So if eating more on days you work out hasn't resulted in weight loss, keep it around 1200-1300 every day no matter how much exercise you do. And switch up your workout routine so you're always challenging yourself.

I also recommend keeping the wine to 1-2 nights a week as a treat... not all calories are created equal, and drinking alcohol, which the body processes as pure sugar (and turns into pure fat), isn't doing you any favors. This is the hardest part of dieting for me, but it's also the change that makes the biggest difference.

And yes, it sucks so hard. But every time you're feeling deprived or frustrated just remember it's not forever. The choice you make today NOT to have whatever thing you're craving (that will sabotage your progress!) is one step closer to having it, guilt-free, once you hit goal.

You can do it!!

TeaBea

lynnethomas_218 wrote: »

I am also doing 1200 but I'm very confused about the additional calories required when working out. I do between 30-50 minutes of Tae Bo each day and do increase calories to accommodate that. However in 48 days I weigh 2 pounds more than when I started. How accurate are the calorie counts when it comes to exercise here??? I'm not noticing a big difference in my clothes either. I also enjoy a glass of wine most nights. I'm not giving up because I feel so much better but I should be down 10-15 lbs. by now. Does anybody have any solution to this? I am 58 years old. Thanks

MFP gave you a calorie deficit BEFORE exercise. So people who choose to exercise earn more calories.

However, everything here is an estimate.

Calories required for your age, weight, activity is an estimate. Lots of factors can change this....MFP just went with "norms." Logging food is also an estimate. Some people use a food scale for everything solid, and a measuring cup for everything liquid. This method is going to be way more accurate. Calorie burns are hard to pin down and a number of factors will change your calorie burns over time. WATER WEIGHT - sore muscles hold water, high sodium days equal water retention, time of month equals water retention....basically the scale can lie.

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1234699/logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide/p1

Keeping the weight off is ultimately about lifestyle changes. If you plan on wine several times a week forever, then fit it into your goals. Too many calories turn to fat. I eat chocolate (sugar) almost every day of the week.