1200 Calorie Goal?
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When I started, I had about 90 lbs to lose, so I set my loss to 2lbs/week, and I was given 1200 calories. That was painful. I'm 5'5 and I was 215, so I upped it to 1450 and I still lost around 2lbs/week. Those extra 250 calories made a HUGE difference for me. I'm almost 40 lbs down and my recalculated goal for 1lb/week is I think 1200 calories. It is still painful and I won't do it yet. I'm at 1350 and those extra 150 calories makes a big difference.
So if you're eating 1200 and it feels really restrictive, play around with a few extra for a little while. This shouldn't be a painful process, it should be something you are able to sustain.7 -
Homemade popcorn is great snack on 1200 calories8
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I also have a goal of 1200, which is for me probably on the high side because my actual calorie needs have been measured as 1200 a few years ago, around my current weight. Snacks I eat just everything, but I log them in the morning before eating any and if I see I'm getting into trouble with the meals, I don't eat them at all and get them out. Is 1m62 considered "petite"? I'm not that tall, but there are smaller women than me.1
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LivingtheLeanDream wrote: »I'm just wondering how many of you including the OP actually need to be eating as little as 1200 cals a day. Usually it's only applicable to those who are very petite/ older...
It's about sustainability. If you can't consistently eat those few calories then how will you stick to it? And thus begins the yo yo dieting cycle - proved by all the returning posters who are back for the nth time here to tackle their weight loss.
Btw I am petite, lost 20lbs+ eating 1700-1800 cals a day/ 0.5 lb a week. And the best thing :- I haven't regained, this is year 5 at maintenance for me.
How are your maintenance calories that high being petite?2 -
LivingtheLeanDream wrote: »I'm just wondering how many of you including the OP actually need to be eating as little as 1200 cals a day. Usually it's only applicable to those who are very petite/ older...
It's about sustainability. If you can't consistently eat those few calories then how will you stick to it? And thus begins the yo yo dieting cycle - proved by all the returning posters who are back for the nth time here to tackle their weight loss.
Btw I am petite, lost 20lbs+ eating 1700-1800 cals a day/ 0.5 lb a week. And the best thing :- I haven't regained, this is year 5 at maintenance for me.
HUmmmm
I'm 5'6 and started at 300lb so def not petite.
My cal goal is 1200 cuz im lazy as all get out and very morbidly obese.
Just saying there seams to be many variables to take into consideration when calculating your calories.3 -
Hello, my calorie goal on MFP has been set to 1200 calories a day for me, and while I have a few friends on here none of them have similar calorie goals. Most of my friends here aim between 1500-2100 calories a day, and that's closer to what I'll be eating during maintenance, so I was wondering if anyone here has a 1200 calorie goal and would like to be friends.
It would be interesting to see what kind of meals and snacks other lower calorie friends eat, hoping to get some new ideas!
Oh and I have an open diary so whoever else is 1200 calories you can take a look at how I eat for motivation as well!
Im on 1200 a day as well been doing it on here for 44days
My dairy is not open cuz my diet is shocking! lol
I don't eat a varied diet I just stick to what I like and whats easy.
Feel free to add me if you want2 -
LivingtheLeanDream wrote: »I'm just wondering how many of you including the OP actually need to be eating as little as 1200 cals a day. Usually it's only applicable to those who are very petite/ older...
It's about sustainability. If you can't consistently eat those few calories then how will you stick to it? And thus begins the yo yo dieting cycle - proved by all the returning posters who are back for the nth time here to tackle their weight loss.
Btw I am petite, lost 20lbs+ eating 1700-1800 cals a day/ 0.5 lb a week. And the best thing :- I haven't regained, this is year 5 at maintenance for me.
I realise 1200 calories isn't something I can sustain-- but I'm not trying to eat 1200 calories for the rest of my life, just for loss and then I'll add in denser calorie foods slowly once I reach my goal.
Myfitnesspal recommended 1200 calories a day for me so that's what I aim for, and the way I use my calories leaves me full all day long, not feeling hungry or tired or deprived of anything. So while I see you could feel concerned because in your experience more calories worked for you, I want to meet other people who also feel full and happy while on a "diet" of around 1200 calories daily.
Good work keeping maintenance though!
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LivingtheLeanDream wrote: »I'm just wondering how many of you including the OP actually need to be eating as little as 1200 cals a day. Usually it's only applicable to those who are very petite/ older...
It's about sustainability. If you can't consistently eat those few calories then how will you stick to it? And thus begins the yo yo dieting cycle - proved by all the returning posters who are back for the nth time here to tackle their weight loss.
Btw I am petite, lost 20lbs+ eating 1700-1800 cals a day/ 0.5 lb a week. And the best thing :- I haven't regained, this is year 5 at maintenance for me.
I realise 1200 calories isn't something I can sustain-- but I'm not trying to eat 1200 calories for the rest of my life, just for loss and then I'll add in denser calorie foods slowly once I reach my goal.
Myfitnesspal recommended 1200 calories a day for me so that's what I aim for, and the way I use my calories leaves me full all day long, not feeling hungry or tired or deprived of anything. So while I see you could feel concerned because in your experience more calories worked for you, I want to meet other people who also feel full and happy while on a "diet" of around 1200 calories daily.
Good work keeping maintenance though!
Well that's good to know, thanks for replying. how long you've been doing 1200 and do you eat exercise cals back?1 -
LivingtheLeanDream wrote: »LivingtheLeanDream wrote: »I'm just wondering how many of you including the OP actually need to be eating as little as 1200 cals a day. Usually it's only applicable to those who are very petite/ older...
It's about sustainability. If you can't consistently eat those few calories then how will you stick to it? And thus begins the yo yo dieting cycle - proved by all the returning posters who are back for the nth time here to tackle their weight loss.
Btw I am petite, lost 20lbs+ eating 1700-1800 cals a day/ 0.5 lb a week. And the best thing :- I haven't regained, this is year 5 at maintenance for me.
I realise 1200 calories isn't something I can sustain-- but I'm not trying to eat 1200 calories for the rest of my life, just for loss and then I'll add in denser calorie foods slowly once I reach my goal.
Myfitnesspal recommended 1200 calories a day for me so that's what I aim for, and the way I use my calories leaves me full all day long, not feeling hungry or tired or deprived of anything. So while I see you could feel concerned because in your experience more calories worked for you, I want to meet other people who also feel full and happy while on a "diet" of around 1200 calories daily.
Good work keeping maintenance though!
Well that's good to know, thanks for replying. how long you've been doing 1200 and do you eat exercise cals back?
I've been doing 1200 for just like 40 days or something so far? I'll probably go up to around like 1800 calories a day for maintenance once I've reached my goal, and no I don't eat them back but it's because I don't exercise haha. The only exercise I do for now is just walking to and from work, which I already accounted for when I set my activity level in the beginning of the app, so I just disregard those unless I do more activity than normal. In which case I'll usually have an extra snack but I find myself so full throughout the day with the way I eat anyways, I don't have an appetite for any more food.0 -
I’m at 1200 and have been for the last 45 days. I have lost 18lbs in that time. I like to mix up my food because I get bored but stick with the sand breakfast except on Saturdays. If you need any Neal ideas lmk1
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Also at 1200 calories. I try to do high protein to keep me full longer. So far, it has not been a struggle (Thank the Lord). If I’m hungry at the end of my calories, I eat something healthy! So some days I end up around 1300 cal.
What helps me is to log everything the night before (I pack a lunch for work) and then the next day I just eat what I’ve prepared and logged. So far, so good for me!
Feel free to add, I’ve got an open diary.3 -
Feel free to add me ( I don't know how to add people yet) I previously lost 36kgs using mfp on a 1200 daily calorie goal unfortunately I gained it all back so I'm here for round 2 haha0
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Hey, I’d love to connect. I also was given a goal of 1200 Cals without exercise. I’ll be getting back to the gym soon after a few months off. 1200 cals seems low to me so I upped it to 1600, is that a bad idea? Just never went down to 1200 cals esp once I start working out again that seems really low.0
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LivingtheLeanDream wrote: »I'm just wondering how many of you including the OP actually need to be eating as little as 1200 cals a day. Usually it's only applicable to those who are very petite/ older...
It's about sustainability. If you can't consistently eat those few calories then how will you stick to it? And thus begins the yo yo dieting cycle - proved by all the returning posters who are back for the nth time here to tackle their weight loss.
Btw I am petite, lost 20lbs+ eating 1700-1800 cals a day/ 0.5 lb a week. And the best thing :- I haven't regained, this is year 5 at maintenance for me.
I share your thoughts that many, many people don’t need to go as low as 1200 to lose, and that what they may not realize is that choosing an aggressive rate of loss may result in loss of lean body mass, make it difficult to sustain the deficit long enough to reach goal, and may result in actually lowering their maintenance calories in the long run thus creating a self fulfilling prophecy where you always have to eat lower cals in order to lose or maintain the loss.
I’m another petite female over 40 who opted for a modest deficit and slower rate of loss while focusing on increasing my activity level - lost the weight I wanted while eating 1600-1900 cals and my maintenance TDEE for 118 lbs is 2200 cals.
I know that because of stats that people enter, and rates of loss they think sound good when they set up profiles - MFP often spits out a 1200 cal goal and a lot of people do “fine” on that amount. It is really important to remember that MFP expects you to eat back any exercise calories, and that not as many people are as Sedentary as they think they are.
Ok, off my middle age bossy rabbit soap box.
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I think that for some, an aggressive loss for a couple of weeks can help keep up momentum and adherence. I agree that not everyone understands this and maybe stays at steep deficit for too long.
I personally like to cut quickly. In my eyes, I will lose just as much muscle being in a deficit for 5 freaking months to lose 5 pounds, rather than getting some fat off quickly and getting back to training in maintenance.
To those women who are short and light maintaining on 2200. Good for you. Many of us do not.
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It’s nice to hear someone say this.I think that for some, an aggressive loss for a couple of weeks can help keep up momentum and adherence. I agree that not everyone understands this and maybe stays at steep deficit for too long.
I personally like to cut quickly. In my eyes, I will lose just as much muscle being in a deficit for 5 freaking months to lose 5 pounds, rather than getting some fat off quickly and getting back to training in maintenance.
To those women who are short and light maintaining on 2200. Good for you. Many of us do not.
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I'm at 1200 cal (before exercise, at least!) Pretty tall too. I've had to try and change my macros a bit to try and keep me from getting toooo hungry, but mostly it's fine. Always looking for more friends so add me if you want 0
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I'm 5'4 and trying for 1150 calories per day (adding a bit when I exercise). It's been sustainable for me, but I've kinda had to work up to it if that makes sense3
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Yup, I can relate. My goal is actually between 1200-1300 calories a day. MyFitnessPal says it should be 1390, but I find that's too high and I don't lose anything when I eat that much. It's not a "one size fits all" situation. You can't compare yourself to others and the "recommended calorie goals" are a guideline at best. Everyone is different, you have to tweak things and see what works for you.5
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Y goal is 1200 without exercise. I would love it if you add me as a friend so to see your meals too! It is hard. I eat too much sometimes, especially because I workout a lot and hard. Then I am soooo hungry. But I always try to keep under my calories with exercise goal. But I need to loose about 10 pounds and it would be easier if I stuck to the 1200 calorie goal. I hate being 5'0"!!!
ditto 5 ft is so hard on the weight management ugh
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