Any ladies on 1200 cals

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2

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  • madameb80
    madameb80 Posts: 18 Member
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    Thank you for all your advice and tips peeps. I'm only on day 2. I chomped into 200 cals of my exercise cals and when I submitted the diary for the day it seemed ok. The headache I was referring to was a figure of speech for how confusing counting calories can be haha. I lost 6 stone with SW kept 4 off. Now I'm counting I'm shocked at how many cals I was consuming in a day.
  • Polo265
    Polo265 Posts: 287 Member
    edited August 2017
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    My calorie limit is 1200 also and I eat back almost all of my Fitbit adjustment. I've only been on MFP for 7 days, but I've lost 2 1/2 lbs.
  • MichelleSilverleaf
    MichelleSilverleaf Posts: 2,028 Member
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    SuzySunshine99 wrote: »
    Losing slower is not a bad thing. This is not a race. You need to eat enough to get basic adequate nutrition.

    ^All of this.
  • 92joann
    92joann Posts: 67 Member
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    I'm on 1200 and eat back exercise calories, losing 2lbs a week. In fact, knowing I'm eating the calories back is my biggest motivation to exercise! I think that's ultimately the goal, to keep it sustainable and promote long term healthy habits. But you don't have to eat them if it works for you.
  • Klmom123
    Klmom123 Posts: 91 Member
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    I'm 1200. I almost always eat all of that and half my exercise calories . It comes off super slow, but it comes off. I'm about 3 lbs from my goal of 15 lbs .
  • TnTWalter
    TnTWalter Posts: 345 Member
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    I'm 1200 also but doing the keto diet...I've done 2 calculators and 1 says 1149 and the other 1129 or something. what's up with that? I just put 1200 as my goal. I just put 0 calories for workouts. But I'm on day 1 this time around [ugh...].
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    perkymommy wrote: »
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    1,200 is generally considered to be the lowest a woman should go. If you are "exercising plenty," you will probably want to consider that as a factor in your calorie needs at some point.

    I was close to 1,200 when I was at the end of my weight loss (I was about 1,300, I believe), but I was eating back exercise calories to ensure I met my nutritional needs, kept my energy up, and avoiding unnecessary muscle loss.

    I usually had a light breakfast and lunch and had most of my calories for dinner because that's my personal preference.

    Not everyone is the same. I get 1200 per day and lose better on 1000-1100 calories per day. I lose much slower eating 1200 per day and rarely eat them all. I also can not eat my exercise calories back.

    That's why I said "generally." There are some people for whom 1,200 or lower is an appropriate goal, but most women find that (when logging accurately) they can eat more and still lose weight.
  • babygrl626
    babygrl626 Posts: 3 Member
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    I'm on 1200 too but I'm also a nursing mom so I give myself extra calories/day. Just trying to make sure I don't go overboard too much and my biggest thing is getting more exercise. On here now bc my 2mo old is quiet and my 20mo old is passed out on my lap lol. But we'll get out this afternoon since the weather's so nice! The weight came right off after my first baby but this time around it's not falling off as easy. Before I saved most of the calories for dinner, but right now while I'm adjusting to watching what I eat again & my husband has been working so many side jobs he doesn't get home til late, I have a big breakfast with my daughter, a decent lunch, then see where I'm at for dinner. Also trying to drink more water so I keep feelin full and don't want to eat as much.... only on my second day back here but I know I'll lose the weight much easier while I'm still nursing. Again, my biggest issue is exercising more. While I'm still nursing though I'll give myself something more like 1700-2200/day though
  • ashbabe25
    ashbabe25 Posts: 173 Member
    edited August 2017
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    1200 here as well and I've found it pretty easy to keep it in check for the past few months. I have a protein shake in the morning, usually a sandwich or leftovers for lunch and I cook every night so I can really keep a handle on what I'm feeding my family. Generally my lunch and dinner are similar calorie wise and I'll have fruit or something in between breakfast and lunch if I'm hungry. My biggest struggle is staying hydrated.
  • daisy98green
    daisy98green Posts: 1 Member
    edited August 2017
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    I've been on 1200 calories a day for about 2 weeks or so now. I eat back my workout calories. Right now, I am eating a smoothie of 5 strawberries, half a banana, and 4 tbsp of light vanilla yogurt with water for consistency, somtimes with a slice of cinnamon bread in the morning. Sometimes I do oatmeal instead (1 packet of Quaker instant flavor). If I'm a tad hungry by 10, I will ear one graham cracker. For lunch, I do 5 strawberries, .25 cup blueberries, 3 stalks celery, 1 tbsp peanut butter or hummus, and a protein of some sort (usually deli meat). I will sometimes add in a roll, cheese, or granola bar. By this time, there is between 400 and 600 calories left for supper. This just depends a lot on what is at home.

    I only run a mile consistently for exercise, but have begun also doing abdominal workouts and other things.

    MFP is set at to lose 1.5 pounds per week. I am doing about that every week (really haven't been on it long enough to know for sure). I do have a very active job that has me walking 3 to 4 miles a day (according to a pedometer on my phone, so don't know how completely accurate that is). I don't eat my work calories back. If I get hungry, I either drink water or eat something with few calories that will tide me over until the next meal.

    I'm hitting right around 1200 a day. If I go over 100 or so, I don't freak about it. The one main thing I do, is just be concienscious of what I put in my body. I am 5' 3.5" and 137 pounds. My goal is 130, so I am getting close to that magic number. I also didn't begin at 1200 calories. At first, I logged the food I regularly ate (about 2100). Then I cut it back to 1800 after a week or so. Then after a couple weeks, to 1400. I stayed here for a month or so and then down to 1200. I won't go lower than this, but by slowly lowering my count, I have been able to not feel as hungry.
  • rachhan90x
    rachhan90x Posts: 12 Member
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    I'm at 1,200 as well, I normally have a small breakfast and lunch, and then a big dinner. I don't eat my exercise calories back either and I seem to be losing quicker now that I'm not. I'm doing that purely because I have a holiday coming up in September though. So kind of want to lose as much as possible as quick as possible atm.
  • MeemawCanDoIt
    MeemawCanDoIt Posts: 92 Member
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    perkymommy wrote: »

    Not everyone is the same. I get 1200 per day and lose better on 1000-1100 calories per day. I lose much slower eating 1200 per day and rarely eat them all. I also can not eat my exercise calories back.
    I eat around 1,000-1,100 calories, too. I'm content with that. I'm losing weight steadily and feel just fine. I don't eat my exercise calories back, either. We know our own bodies.
  • DebLaBounty
    DebLaBounty Posts: 1,172 Member
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    I've been on 1200 a day, too, for the last 2 months. I eat back nearly all my exercise calories and have continued to lose weight.
  • tobehappy2017
    tobehappy2017 Posts: 41 Member
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    I am at 1220 now(from mid-July),started at 1470.It is getting harder since trying to hit the protein goal as a ovo-lacto vegetarian.But getting there,going over 100 cal(+1220) on most days since i am trying to tweak my meals.
    Trying cottage cheese,eggs,lentils/beans,protein powder,milk as daily sources.
  • goldthistime
    goldthistime Posts: 3,214 Member
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    I did 1200 when I first started, and didn't eat back my exercise calories. But I was STARVING. I started cheating in my logging and having days I binged and didn't log, it just wasn't sustainable for me. Then I started eating back part or all of my exercise calories and things got better. Except on days when I didn't exercise. I was way too hungry again. Eventually I upped my activity level on MFP and reduced my goals and got to a more sustainable number (1450), and STILL ate back some of my calorie burns. All my friends back then also did 1200 a day and all eventually had problems too.

    Personally I see nothing wrong with starting off a bit aggressively but just keep in mind that you're going to have to ease up, and the scales may "overreact" during the transition to eating more. If you become scale obsessed (as I did) this can be painful. Much less if you do a little reading about glycogen and associated water levels and how the scale is affected.

    But that's later, I guess. Mostly just want to wish you healthy success, and encourage you to ease up when you need to.
  • OliveGirl128
    OliveGirl128 Posts: 801 Member
    edited August 2017
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    I'm currently in a small cut at 1,200-1,300ish, to get my maintenance window a bit lower, (to give me a cushion going into the fall/winter, as is my maintenance pattern). I don't intentionally exercise right now. I'm following the DASH diet protocol, for overall health, and going by their 1,200 calorie outline right now. Finding it pretty easy and not dealing with hunger at all. Down about 1/2lb this week, which is right on track for where I should be

    https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/dash/followdash

    eta: I've modified the plan slightly and bumped veggie intake up/adjusted fruit down, and I also try to get in 1 serving of nuts/seeds/beans a day, instead of the 3 a week the plan recommends.
  • betterjude
    betterjude Posts: 8 Member
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    I'm on 1200 a day after using ankerl to work out my nutritional needs, I'm walking about an hour and half each day, which strava tells me has burned 799 calories... well that's what is posted on MFP. I didn't realise I should eat some of those extra calories, which exercise "earns us"" . My problem is what could and should I eat to stay within macros, I dare not use protein as I'm worried about carb overload? Suggestions please?
  • OliveGirl128
    OliveGirl128 Posts: 801 Member
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    betterjude wrote: »
    I'm on 1200 a day after using ankerl to work out my nutritional needs, I'm walking about an hour and half each day, which strava tells me has burned 799 calories... well that's what is posted on MFP. I didn't realise I should eat some of those extra calories, which exercise "earns us"" . My problem is what could and should I eat to stay within macros, I dare not use protein as I'm worried about carb overload? Suggestions please?

    800 calories for walking is really high, are you sure that's accurate? When I walk I do 15 minute miles and 30 minutes/2 miles only burns a little over 100 calories. And that's a pretty fast, consistent pace.
  • theycallmewy
    theycallmewy Posts: 15 Member
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    hi do you suggest having a 16/8 diet with 1200 calories? I've done that before but now i'm struggling due to health issues. Can I drink lemon water during fasting?
  • MichelleSilverleaf
    MichelleSilverleaf Posts: 2,028 Member
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    theycallmewy wrote: »
    hi do you suggest having a 16/8 diet with 1200 calories? I've done that before but now i'm struggling due to health issues. Can I drink lemon water during fasting?

    If you're struggling why do it?

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