How to eat 1200 calories without starving?

idk319

I cannot stick to my goal even if I pre log the foods I will eat, I tend to eat other things along with them

MichelleSilverleaf

Is 1200 absolutely necessary, is my first question?

idk319

I want to lose 7 lbs.
I am 5'9" and 135 lbs

DebLaBounty

It's kind of impossible to make a suggestion without knowing a little about what you're eating now. Are you eating protein? If not, add in some eggs - that is something that satisfies me. Most people here will recommend that you drink a lot of water and zero calorie fluids to help fill you up and keep yourself hydrated.

MichelleSilverleaf

If 1200 is what MFP gave you, your weekly loss goal may be too aggressive. Setting it to .5lbs a week will probably be easier for a 7lb loss and give you more calories.

dhimaan

idk319 wrote: »

I want to lose 7 lbs.
I am 5'9" and 135 lbs

Wrong approach IMO.

idk319

I usually eat up to my maintenance calories and actually some days I eat more than my maintenance calories and log those foods in for the next day - so I have less to eat the next day.
It's a bad cycle
I'm female btw
I recently moved to a place that has all my favorite things (desserts)
So it's difficult to resist cakes, ice cream and things like that.
Sometimes I try to fit in a few treats in my day but it usually makes me eat above my calorie goal
I even tried for half a lb a week with 1470 calories

idk319

My maintenance calories are 1700

ObviousPanda

For breakfast I usually have a bagel thin toasted with a tablespoon of peanut butter. It's about 205 calories.
Today for lunch I made 5oz of chicken and a can of spinach. It was about 240 calories.
That still leaves 755 calories for dinner and a small snack.
Drink water, don't use up your calories on drinks. I have coffee in the morning with 2tsp sugar (30 calories) and sometimes I drink green tea.
It can be done. Lean meats and vegetables are great for feeling full and staying under your calorie goal.

hale03071

Sounds like a self control issue not something anyone can really help you with. You have to decide if you want to eat higher calorie foods. Also, I am not entirely convinced that being your height and current weight you should even lose 7 lbs and still be considered healthy. Maybe you just want to tone up? Try exercising and doing light weights, you'll achieve better body composition.

hale03071

I am 5'9" and 187 lbs currently and I can easily eat under 1400 calories and eat plenty of food without being hungry. Its about choices....I eat no sugar, no grains and only have non-starchy vegetables and extremely limited low sugar fruit. Not saying that it will work for everyone, but I am better not eating my trigger foods (mainly anything with sugar), its like breaking an addition.

MichelleSilverleaf

idk319 wrote: »

I usually eat up to my maintenance calories and actually some days I eat more than my maintenance calories and log those foods in for the next day - so I have less to eat the next day.
It's a bad cycle
I'm female btw
I recently moved to a place that has all my favorite things (desserts)
So it's difficult to resist cakes, ice cream and things like that.
Sometimes I try to fit in a few treats in my day but it usually makes me eat above my calorie goal
I even tried for half a lb a week with 1470 calories

And how long did you keep at that?

I agree with hale, sounds like a control issue. Pushing calories to the next day in order to I presume balance your current day just lets you avoid facing what needs work. Who says you have to resist cakes, ice cream etc? That kind of thinking could also be defeating you.

aribel95

Exercises so you can eat more.

jayemes

idk319 wrote: »

I usually eat up to my maintenance calories and actually some days I eat more than my maintenance calories and log those foods in for the next day - so I have less to eat the next day.

I don't think this is even a thing. If you ate it today you log it today. You can say you ate it next Tuesday but you didn't. You're only lying to yourself. Weight loss is science. CICO. If you want to eat more, exercise. If you keep eating more and logging it on another day you're never going to get where you want to be.

prima_donut

It does sound like a self control issue. You need to figure out what areas of dieting you have a better time controlling. for some people that might mean exercising more to give them more calories, for another person it might mean a reduced eating window (like skipping breakfast or dinner in exchange for larger, more satisfying meals). If you need to have higher calorie days to feel satisfied, I would recommend staggering your calorie levels daily throughout the week, but, and this is important, plan the daily levels in advance. so if you want to average out 1200, maybe give yourself more than that on days you anticipate needing a treat (like weekends) and eating under that amount on other days to balance it out, but making sure it is done carefully and with you in control, not as a bandaid solution after you have overeaten. Some people do better with larger amounts of lower calorie foods, others are more satisfied by a small piece of cheese than a plate of vegetables. Hard to give you more specific advice without knowing details of your regular eating style and triggers to overeating.

AnnPT77

idk319 wrote: »

I usually eat up to my maintenance calories and actually some days I eat more than my maintenance calories and log those foods in for the next day - so I have less to eat the next day.
It's a bad cycle
I'm female btw
I recently moved to a place that has all my favorite things (desserts)
So it's difficult to resist cakes, ice cream and things like that.
Sometimes I try to fit in a few treats in my day but it usually makes me eat above my calorie goal
I even tried for half a lb a week with 1470 calories

With only 7 pounds to lose, the bolded would be a healthier & better approach.

Losing too fast risks losing more lean mass alongside fat, which would cause you to require even fewer maintenance calories (slightly). Bad plan.

So, target 0.5 pounds, and maybe get some extra activity to earn more calories.

Beyond that, only you can decide whether you want to lose 7 pounds, more than you want to eat tasty but non-satiating treats.

kimny72

OP set your goal to half-a-lb per week. Focus on getting enough protein, fat, and fiber as some combination of those will help you feel full. If you get snacky in between meals, try keeping yourself busy, drinking something with no calories, chewing gum, and stock up on low-cal snacks.

You are already at a pretty low weight for your height. Is this just a number you decided to reach? Are you not happy with something specific about your body? Maybe recomp would be better for you.

fiddletime

I'm eating 1200 cal at 5'2". It's kind of tough and if I slip below 1200 I'm hungry. I think you're too hungry and should go back to your 1470 and stick with it. You'll lose weight slowly, which will help you to keep it off.

Lenala13

At that height, you're already at the lower end of a healthy BMI. Have you considered recomp/strength training instead to get the look you want?

lorrpb

You already are at the low end of your BMI. Why do you feel you need to lose 7 lbs?

TeaBea

idk319 wrote: »

I want to lose 7 lbs.
I am 5'9" and 135 lbs

With less than 10 pounds to lose your weekly weight loss goal should be no more than 1/2 pound a week. That will give you more calories.

Also, MFP gave you a calorie goal before exercise. If you do exercise, you should be eating more.

Aggressive weight loss makes it harder for your body to support existing lean muscle mass. If you want to lower body fat....a lower weekly weight loss goal will help.