1200 calorie successes?

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  • motivatedmartha
    motivatedmartha Posts: 1,108 Member
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    Like others here I am at 1200 cals and eat back around 50% of my exercise cals. I lost 46lbs without suffering too much doing this but due to a mobility issue, alongside a few extended trips (each 7 weeks long) I have regained 20lbs. This is because I stopped being mindful of what I was eating - not eating crap but just eating too much - while I was unable to walk, swim or do any other form of exercise. Now fit and mmobile and back on to 1200 cals and rigorously logging and hoping that this time around I will maintain better. If I do a lot of exercise one day and don't eat back at least some of them I get really hangry and hubby's life becomes miserabl :D
  • ridiculous59
    ridiculous59 Posts: 2,861 Member
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    jenniferburton6802 wrote: »
    I have been averaging 1100 to 1200 calories per day. Started Jan 27/17, as of today I am down 102 lbs from starting weight of 246.
    I am 67 years old and fairly active for my age but have had no real issues with this calorie level as long as I watch my macros (especially protein)

    Awesome weight loss!! I'm 58 and have lost 90 pounds on 1200 calories. Protein is the tricky one for me too. And it can't be protein from legumes or other plant sources or else I just feel sluggish. Maybe because the high carbs tilt my macros? I hadn't thought of that before. Thanks for the insight :)
  • brianna3152
    brianna3152 Posts: 10 Member
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    I am 37/5'/196. I started at 230 on Oct 2nd 2017. I eat 1200/day Sun-Fri, then on Saturday I take a day off (without going too crazy). I lose roughly 0.5-2 lbs every week. I assume that will slow down once I weigh less. I don't pay any attention to macros and I am a vegan. I don't often feel too hungry unless I don't eat enough protein. I also have an Apple Watch, so I eat back whatever calories MFP tells me I can based on my activity through that.
  • sarahpedrys
    sarahpedrys Posts: 16 Member
    edited January 2018
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    I've been eating 1200 calories a day, but add 300 because I'm breastfeeding an older baby. I've been at it for almost a month, and have lost 8lbs. It's been maintainable for me. I'm 5'2" and 185lbs.
  • Sam29a
    Sam29a Posts: 201 Member
    edited January 2018
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    WinoGelato wrote: »
    Amybcb wrote: »
    Thick_Chickk wrote: »
    To everyone saying 1200 is too low or a default number.. I realize that it may be true for some. I've lost significant amounts of weight four times, once when I was 20 years old and the other three times after my pregnancies. I've been at this game for awhile and even at my highest weight, I don't lose on even 1500 kcals. The only time I can lose is on 1200 kcals. I was just looking for some motivation from others as I have to lose again.

    I have found the same to be true since having kids (and being 41 now!). If I eat more than 1200 calories a day, I just don't lose. I am short too (5'2") and I see many others around my height have been able to lose on 1200 and stay around that many calories so that is inspiring.

    You're inspired by people who eat the minimum recommended calories for women and decide to stick with it? I'm also 5'2 and started out with a 1200 cal goal, but was inspired by those who ate more calories and still lost weight - so I aspired to be like them. I increased my calories, and my activity, and ended up losing my ~ 35 lbs eating between 1600-1900 cals and am now maintaining with a TDEE of around 2100. I also have a desk job, 2 kids and am 43.

    I wish I could motivate myself to be more active and eat more. I lost most of my weight on 1200 calories. Now losing the last few pounds very slowly on 1300 calories. I tend to join the gym for a month and then give up once the month is up. I just can't stick to it. Eating less is just easier, I hope someday I could make exercise a habit. It just hasn't happened yet.
  • Alzzi76
    Alzzi76 Posts: 504 Member
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    ChelleDee07 wrote: »
    I started Jan 11th of last year at 260 lbs with the 1200 calorie/day. In 8 months and 4 days (Sept 15th) I had lost over 100 lbs. I have been maintaining since with a 1500 calorie/day during the week and relaxed (no logging, weight and eating more freely) weekends. I go up a little on Monday mornings and back at it and have my weight right back in check by Wednesday morning, sometimes Thursday.
    dgzkl1b635yk.jpg

    your awesome!! o:)<3 well done
  • Alzzi76
    Alzzi76 Posts: 504 Member
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    I luv seening b4 and after pics. I hava a few of my own only its up down up down like a yoyo.. this time... (cross fingers).. it's going to be permanent! :|:)
  • aliblain
    aliblain Posts: 175 Member
    edited January 2018
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    Yes, I’m on 1200 and managing well on it- eating plenty of veg and protein. Have lost 8 pounds in 20 days so far. I’m 5 foot 7 and do a desk job 3 days a week. The rest of the days I’m moderately active running after two children. I started out at 185 pounds and aiming for 140.
  • amfmmama
    amfmmama Posts: 1,420 Member
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    1200 is not the default for all women. I have put in to lose 2 lb a week. My starting weight was 227 and I am far from sedentary. My goal is 1310. I have lost pretty steadily since starting back up.
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,572 Member
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    I'm 5'4" and just a slow person. Like...I'll barely run across the street if the light is changing.

    I usually drive it home on 1200 calories for the last couple weeks of my diet. I see a huge difference/results when I do this. I don't cut on 1200 for extended periods of time though.
  • AMC110
    AMC110 Posts: 188 Member
    edited February 2018
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    amfmmama wrote: »
    1200 is not the default for all women. I have put in to lose 2 lb a week. My starting weight was 227 and I am far from sedentary. My goal is 1310. I have lost pretty steadily since starting back up.

    Exactly, I know factors such as height have an effect but it confuses me when someone says they started out at 1200 when they weighed about 260 lbs. I was given a calorie goal of 1360 when I joined and weighed close to 260 lbs. It only reduced to 1200 when I had gotten down to 228 lbs.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
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    dfein001 wrote: »
    Over 10 pounds in 30 days.... using this to maintain a 1200 net daily with exercise. I am about to up that limit as soon.

    You're a guy so your minimum is 1500 cals.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
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    I started off on 1200 but it wasn't sustainable (was always hangry!) even though I am only 5ft 2. I [only] had 20lbs to lose, ate 1450 plus exercise calories to lose 0.5lb a week.
  • aquamarinex
    aquamarinex Posts: 42 Member
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    Am on 1250 a day since November and lost 13lbs but I think that's partly because I cut my carbs in my macros too to a third of what I used to eat. I have another 15lbs to go to get to goal weight of 126lbs.
  • SkimpyMrsCarter
    SkimpyMrsCarter Posts: 105 Member
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    I started with 1200 calories and lost 2lbs a week consistently, i lost 44lbs counting calories now i do intermittent fasting and that works even better for me.
  • firef1y72
    firef1y72 Posts: 1,579 Member
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    WinoGelato wrote: »
    Amybcb wrote: »
    Thick_Chickk wrote: »
    To everyone saying 1200 is too low or a default number.. I realize that it may be true for some. I've lost significant amounts of weight four times, once when I was 20 years old and the other three times after my pregnancies. I've been at this game for awhile and even at my highest weight, I don't lose on even 1500 kcals. The only time I can lose is on 1200 kcals. I was just looking for some motivation from others as I have to lose again.

    I have found the same to be true since having kids (and being 41 now!). If I eat more than 1200 calories a day, I just don't lose. I am short too (5'2") and I see many others around my height have been able to lose on 1200 and stay around that many calories so that is inspiring.

    You're inspired by people who eat the minimum recommended calories for women and decide to stick with it? I'm also 5'2 and started out with a 1200 cal goal, but was inspired by those who ate more calories and still lost weight - so I aspired to be like them. I increased my calories, and my activity, and ended up losing my ~ 35 lbs eating between 1600-1900 cals and am now maintaining with a TDEE of around 2100. I also have a desk job, 2 kids and am 43.

    ^^this
    If I'd have tried to eat 1200 Calories I would have crashed, burned and given up before I came anywhere near my 142lb weight loss. I can count the number of times I ate below 2000 on one hand and I still lost at 1-3lb/week (obviously higher rate at the beginning and then slowed). While I freely admit that my activity level is not usual and is extremely high, I've been maintaining at an average of 3000 Calories (don't always log all food now and when I do it's to ensure I'm eating enough) for 4.5 months with a blip at Christmas that was sorted with a week of eating at 2500.

    Why do people seem to aspire to eat so little? Seriously, you want to preserve as much lean muscle mass as possible so you don't need to keep eating so low.

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