1200 calorie recommendation

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  • fitoverfortymom
    fitoverfortymom Posts: 3,452 Member
    WickAndArtoo wrote: »

    Any tips for riding the wave? I am a notorious binger with no self control. I'm okay if it's just me home alone but if my fiancé throws out the idea to go to fast food I accept every time and eat three peoples shares worth of food... I love fast food for some reason even though I shop and cook extremely healthy. It's so frustrating!

    I googled a lot about "mentally prepared for weight loss" and read a lot of articles on how to resist those temptations. I also love fast food, and still eat it. But I don't order big *kitten* burgers, I usually get a chicken sandwich with a side salad (the superfood salad at Chick Fil A is my favorite). It still fits the need of convenience food in my life, but I can fit it into my calories (the meal I get at chick fil a is under 500, leaving me plenty of room for breakfast and lunch).

    My diary is open, so feel free to take a look at what I eat.

    Unfortunately, I can't fix anyone's willpower. It's just something you have to resolve to do when you are ready.

    The only thing I truly gave up three months ago when I started was Pepsi. There just wasn't going to be room for it in my diet, and I dislike diet soda. I switched to sparkling water and haven't looked back.

  • peaceout_aly
    peaceout_aly Posts: 2,018 Member
    WickAndArtoo wrote: »
    peaceout_aly wrote: »
    WickAndArtoo wrote: »
    Is anyone actually able to do this? If so what are you eating and how do you manage to never slip up?!

    I used to. Snacked throughout the day, no alcohol, lots of protein and coffee. I was hungry all the time and too skinny.

    What's your calorie limit now? Are you working on weight loss, gain, or maintenance? I can't even imagine the calories if I drank :smiley: !! That would be impossible to reach this goal!

    Now it's 1,400 but I usually eat around 1,600 because I allow myself exercise calories (and then some) since I am in a bulk. All of it is being put towards gains - close to a 250 cal surplus (when I don't wimp out and eat at maintenance... bulking is hard!)
  • WickAndArtoo
    WickAndArtoo Posts: 773 Member
    peaceout_aly wrote: »
    WickAndArtoo wrote: »
    peaceout_aly wrote: »
    WickAndArtoo wrote: »
    Is anyone actually able to do this? If so what are you eating and how do you manage to never slip up?!

    I used to. Snacked throughout the day, no alcohol, lots of protein and coffee. I was hungry all the time and too skinny.

    What's your calorie limit now? Are you working on weight loss, gain, or maintenance? I can't even imagine the calories if I drank :smiley: !! That would be impossible to reach this goal!

    Now it's 1,400 but I usually eat around 1,600 because I allow myself exercise calories (and then some) since I am in a bulk. All of it is being put towards gains - close to a 250 cal surplus (when I don't wimp out and eat at maintenance... bulking is hard!)

    I am assuming you are lifting weights, not just doing body weight workouts?
  • WickAndArtoo
    WickAndArtoo Posts: 773 Member
    fitoverfortymom wrote: »
    WickAndArtoo wrote: »

    Any tips for riding the wave? I am a notorious binger with no self control. I'm okay if it's just me home alone but if my fiancé throws out the idea to go to fast food I accept every time and eat three peoples shares worth of food... I love fast food for some reason even though I shop and cook extremely healthy. It's so frustrating!

    I googled a lot about "mentally prepared for weight loss" and read a lot of articles on how to resist those temptations. I also love fast food, and still eat it. But I don't order big *kitten* burgers, I usually get a chicken sandwich with a side salad (the superfood salad at Chick Fil A is my favorite). It still fits the need of convenience food in my life, but I can fit it into my calories (the meal I get at chick fil a is under 500, leaving me plenty of room for breakfast and lunch).

    My diary is open, so feel free to take a look at what I eat.

    Unfortunately, I can't fix anyone's willpower. It's just something you have to resolve to do when you are ready.

    The only thing I truly gave up three months ago when I started was Pepsi. There just wasn't going to be room for it in my diet, and I dislike diet soda. I switched to sparkling water and haven't looked back.

    Thank you, I actually will snoop on your diary, thanks for allowing that!

    That is so great you can eat in moderation at a fast food restaurant. I have a very all or nothing mentality, it's been a struggle all my life. I actually have a MUCH easier time cutting out things entirely than for example eating just one Big Mac etc (my go to is two Big Macs and a side of chicken nuggets... it's weird and obsessive but I just love it! I eat healthy 90 percent of the time and I am moderately active so I have never weighed more than 130 even with this stupid binge problem). I think I will google those superpowers also... smart move!
  • WickAndArtoo
    WickAndArtoo Posts: 773 Member
    Lounmoun wrote: »
    WickAndArtoo wrote: »
    Lounmoun wrote: »
    WickAndArtoo wrote: »
    Is anyone actually able to do this? If so what are you eating and how do you manage to never slip up?!

    My goal is 1200 without exercise. With exercise it is more like between 1200-1500.
    I find prelogging my food for the whole day to be helpful to meeting and sticking to my goals.
    Use a digital food scale.
    I eat lots of different foods. Focus on calorie goal, protein and several servings of vegetables and fruits a day.
    I don't have a mentality that I can never go over my goal, that I need to be a perfect dieter. I have maintenance calorie days sometimes. Look at your weekly calories instead of just daily.

    This is how I typically eat:
    Breakfast- things like Greek yogurt, granola bars, cereal with milk, sandwich, dinner leftovers, fruit, cottage cheese (about 200-300 calories)
    Lunch- sandwich, salad, or dinner leftovers (about 300-500 calories)
    Dinner- something different every night of the month. (about 500-600 calories) I have soup once a week usually.
    Snacks- things like fruit, chips, popcorn, pretzels, chocolate, cookies, granola bar, carrots, celery, broccoli, trail mix, deviled eggs, pickles, cottage cheese (about 100-300 calories)

    Wow thank you! This was so helpful. Do you manage to reach your protein goal each day? That's the only thing I seem to lack many of the days.


    My MFP protein goal is 20%. Looking at my report I usually get 45-70 g of protein daily. Most of the time it is in that range.
    Calories is most important for weight loss though so you can lose even if you get more or less than the reccomended macros.

    I see, that makes sense! Maybe I am focusing on that part a little too much.
  • BeadDiva1
    BeadDiva1 Posts: 27 Member
    @WickAndArtoo Never go by a recommendation. Calculate to find out what the required amount of calories you should intake based on your own data. Use a TDEE calculator. The one on iifym.com is pretty accurate. I eat between 1400-1800 calories a day. And I've been very successful. 7 lbs. from my goal weight. My TDEE is 2300 calories. In order for my body to burn 1 lb of fat a week I need to be in a 500 calorie deficit. Since I leave room for error I eat below 1800. I have lost 35 lbs in a lil over a year. Never go by a recommendation or someone elses numbers because they were successful. Find out your own based on your data, activity level, age, weight and height.
  • ridiculous59
    ridiculous59 Posts: 2,901 Member
    I've lost 85 pounds and it's taken me nearly 3 years. My original goal was 150 and i'm at 147. I'd like to get to 145 for some wiggle room. You dont say how old you are but I've found that it's been harder to lose the weight in my 50's than when I was in my 20's and 30's.

    For most of the time I ate 1200. But of course life happens and I over indulged at times. That's the difference though...I over indulge AT TIMES. Not all the time, like before.

    I like routine so my breakfast and lunch dont vary much. A smoothie or greek yoghurt and fruit for breakfast most days. In the summer I make a big salad on sunday evening and eat that for lunches during the week. I just add some protein like a can of tuna or leftover chicken breast. In the winter I make a big pot of soup on sunday evenings and that's my lunch for the week, with some protein. Dinners are mostly just a protein and some veggies. I don't eat pasta or rice and very little bread. But I like potatoes.

    I'm an all or nothing type person too. I cannot have simple carbs otherwise I crave them continually. For example, November started out with people bringing in their leftover Halloween candy into work to share. I ended up gaining 3 pounds in November because I couldnt stop craving sweet things. I'm back on track now but it was rough!

    If something is utterly amazing then eat it. Don't beat yourself up over it. But don't waste your calories on stuff that you eat out of habit. You know, like the bag of chips are open and you just keep mindlessly shoving them into your mouth.

    I try to move every day. At least 60 minutes of running, stretching, skiing, snowshoeing, paddling, walking, cycling, free weights, or whatever. That's the one area of my journey where I like variety.

    Hope this helps. It's simple in that its not rocket science. But it's difficult because it takes so much effort. It's so totally worth it though.
  • WickAndArtoo
    WickAndArtoo Posts: 773 Member
    @BeadDiva1 thank you! I did the calculator on that site and found that they recommend 1290 at the 20% level and at the very most (according to them at 25% of my TDEE) I would be at 1210, so the blanket statement of 1200 was a little off!
  • WickAndArtoo
    WickAndArtoo Posts: 773 Member
    @ridiculous59 wow thank you so much for your response!!! You sound so much like me in the way you eat and things that work for you. Thank you for giving me a bunch of ideas. I am young (26) and so far I have never had any luck losing weight ... other than when I worked at jobs where I walked all day. It's weird I had a relatively easy time quitting cigarettes, and alcohol, but quitting fast food for me is incredibly difficult. Thank you so much for your support, it really gave me a boost.
  • spzjlb
    spzjlb Posts: 599 Member
    You've got a lot of great advice here!

    Using 1200 cal per day, I lost 30 lbs in 2014 (I was over 50 yrs old) and am active, but not as much as @RunRutheeRun. I work out intensely for 30-40 min nearly every day (seriously, I only miss rarely). I ate back most exercise calories but also was cautious - I was a careful logger but likely overestimated my food intake and greatly underestimated my calorie burns.

    The exercise was so helpful in giving me the caloric wiggle room to have wine and extra food that went a long way to making me feel satisfied.

    I read here on the board once that it's helpful to keep your hunger range between 3 and 7 on a scale of 10. So, never get hungrier than a 3, otherwise uncontrolled earring can be problematic. On the other hand, learn to feel satisfied with a 7 level of fullness. We don't have to gorge ourselves. Being accustomed to not being stuffed is important mental task.l

    Good luck
  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
    OP - It's not fast food, but Lean Cuisines (and other brands) are fast and they are food. Plenty of variety there too and decent protein in many. Tonight I had spaghetti and meat sauce served over 200g of zoodles and a good sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. Filling and delicious. Pair that with an Apple and cottage cheese, tangerines or a Yasso bar for dessert for a 450-500 calorie meal. Sprimp alfredo over broccoli, butter squash ravioli over roast butternut squash and snap peas. Lots of great combos with little effort. Not a drive-thru, but the next best thing. You can get pretty creative with 1200 calories, but no need to be perfect. Everyone slips up st some point.
  • successgal1
    successgal1 Posts: 996 Member
    I'm on 1200 but following closer to my fitbit recommendation of less. I average 1100 a day. I have been getting more calories on significantly more active days, but I'm not working on fitness now, just 100% focusing on cico.

    How do I do it and not slip? I'm tired of being fat. Period. I'm done. I'm in a position right now where I have the time and money to focus on nutrition in my calories, and I'm no longer bound by some employer telling me when I can eat.

    I also have a vacation in march. I won't make my goal of 135 but I might make 145. That will reopen a whole section of my closet.

    I'm not allowing a "slip" until Christmas, and even then I'll be watching it. Thanksgiving took too long to get over.

    Anyway. I've been a yoyo all my life, but 188 is the fattest I've ever been, thanks to that last stressful job (added 30 lbs in 2 years). It gave me the money to make the break, but at the expense of my health. Not. Going. Back.

  • peaceout_aly
    peaceout_aly Posts: 2,018 Member
    WickAndArtoo wrote: »
    peaceout_aly wrote: »
    WickAndArtoo wrote: »
    peaceout_aly wrote: »
    WickAndArtoo wrote: »
    Is anyone actually able to do this? If so what are you eating and how do you manage to never slip up?!

    I used to. Snacked throughout the day, no alcohol, lots of protein and coffee. I was hungry all the time and too skinny.

    What's your calorie limit now? Are you working on weight loss, gain, or maintenance? I can't even imagine the calories if I drank :smiley: !! That would be impossible to reach this goal!

    Now it's 1,400 but I usually eat around 1,600 because I allow myself exercise calories (and then some) since I am in a bulk. All of it is being put towards gains - close to a 250 cal surplus (when I don't wimp out and eat at maintenance... bulking is hard!)

    I am assuming you are lifting weights, not just doing body weight workouts?

    Yup! 60-90 minutes of weight lifting per day! For upper body I usually use 15-20 lb. dumbbells, moderate weight (55-85 lbs.) for back work outs and trying to increase my shoulder strength (10-45 lbs.) For legs I usually use anywhere from 180-405 lbs. on the squat rack and press along with lower weight accessory work.

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