Why 1200 calories isn’t for me

darlibby

I maintain on 1300s. Sucks.

fr33sia12

When you say "eat normal again" what do you mean?
Do you mean eating like you did before you started losing weight, or at maintenance calories you should be eating? Just wondering because a lot of people use this phrase. For me I'm eating normally now, just less calories than I burn and when I get to my goal weight I'll still eat what I'm eating now, just more calories.

MFP tells me I should be eating 1200 calories to lose 2lb a week. I'm eating around 1400 calories (more when I exercise) and am still losing 2lb a week.

MandaLuvsHockey

This has been a good food for thought post for me. I was doing MFP last year and did ok but I got so fed up trying to make meals I liked and stay within my set goals.
I have started again and while I am at 1200/day I will look at it differently. I have already hooked up my fitbit to my account and I will use those extra calories when I choose to. I think this will make a huge difference as for the most part I felt full last time, I just just missing that little extra - the ketchup, a slice of cheese etc. Using just a 100-200 more per day should make a hugh difference.

There is so much information out there, and most of it contradicts so its really hard to know the right path to take at times

Semele0

SisterSueGetsFit wrote: »

The 1200 calorie diet seems good in theory. For some reason several women seem to think this is the magic number. Let me tell you it’s not.

With that being said, I lost almost 60 pounds in 9 months following it. BUT... in the long term it just wasn’t sustainable. I Gained back almost 20 of those 60 pounds once I started eating normally again. While I lost the weight, it wasn’t healthy and it wasn’t safe. I don’t look good naked because I lost too fast and have no firmness. I’m skinny fat, so to speak. I didn’t learn how to “really eat” I only learned how to eat very little and get by. It was stupid and I was stupid.

1200 calories doesn’t allow me to live my life. It doesn’t allow for that extra drink or dessert. It causes me anxiety.

I’m back at it after maintaining at a 45 pound weight loss for a year. Doing it better this time. My goal is 1400 to 1500 cal a day and I’m so much happier. I want to comment so badly on every thread about 1200 calorie diets, but I simply don’t have the energy and people need to learn for themselves.

So, what’s your reason for not following a 1200 cal a day diet?

I think this way of putting things is wrong! It was not the 1200 per se that were wrong for you, you just had a too high deficit for you build and activity level, so you lost too much too fast without building muscle. If you lost with 1500 it means that 1500 is already a deficit, so 1200 is too much, but it's not true for everybody! 1500 is my maintenance level, and I'm not saying BS, before starting I tracked everything I was eating for two weeks without trying to limit myself and I was between 1400/1600 a day. I feel full with 1500, I wouldn't lose! Yesterday I went over my calories because I went for a pizza with my boyfriend, and I was too full to eat all of eat, so I just ate half. I then put my dinner in the diary and it said I ate 1470cals for the day. I was too full with 1470 Cal's. People on the forum are always saying that everybody is different and has different needs, so way many cannot see that there are people who are not starving with 1200 Cal's but just lightly restricting? If someone says that 1200 is too low for them usually the problem is that they put a higher weight loss rate than what they could sustain, in fact they usually lose with more calories. So please stop telling everybody that 1200 is too low all the time! If I just have to accept that there are people who eat 3000 cals a day and that's right for them, you have to accept that 1200 is the right number for others!

smolmaus

I lost on 1200 before but just tried again to lose a few vanity lbs (0.5lb/week) and its been a disaster. Huge binge after just 10 days and I'm p sure I've messed up my period cycles. I am only 5'2" and 105lb so pretty small but it's still just not enough for me.

I was kinda doing it as a test of discipline as much as anything but didn't properly account for the fact I lift and run now and even eating back exercise calories to make it 1200kcal net is just not feasible.

callsitlikeiseeit

I average around 1350. i maintain at 1600. As far as being satiated, a lot of it depends on your macros and if youve found the sweet spot of what keeps you full.

LivingtheLeanDream

I never did 1200 either because I would have been hangry! I was able to lose 0.5lb a week eating 1600-1750 cals gross (depending on how active I was). I'm 5ft 2". I had 20lbs to lose. I did TRY to do 1200 but within a few weeks and reading on the forums here I realised I didn't have to deprive myself. In July I will be in maintenance 5 years. Just wish I'd have found MFP years ago.

MrsPinterest34

I’m 5’1.5” (2). Started at 175lb currently 138lb. It’s been 1 year 4 months. MFP recommends 1290 cal for 1 pound a week with light activity. I’m guessing it wil be 1200 calories for 2lbs. Since I like to eat I’m okay with losing at a slow rate of 0.5lb a week or less. I eat between 1400-1500. If I walk 20,000k steps I eat up to 1700-1800. 1200 calories is not realistic for me, I want my body to slowly adjust to my new lower weight. I’m also trying to avoid lose skin since I have been big my entire life. So far the slow weight loss approach is working and I haven’t given up on any food. Im easily bored and enjoy cooking meals from different cultures. I’m just eating in moderation and keeping track of my intake and walking. This works well for me and it’s sustainable.

MandaLuvsHockey

MrsPinterest34 wrote: »

I’m 5’1.5” (2). Started at 175lb currently 138lb. It’s been 1 year 4 months. MFP recommends 1290 cal for 1 pound a week with light activity. I’m guessing it wil be 1200 calories for 2lbs. Since I like to eat I’m okay with losing at a slow rate of 0.5lb a week or less. I eat between 1400-1500. If I walk 20,000k steps I eat up to 1700-1800. 1200 calories is not realistic for me, I want my body to slowly adjust to my new lower weight. I’m also trying to avoid lose skin since I have been big my entire life. So far the slow weight loss approach is working and I haven’t given up on any food. Im easily bored and enjoy cooking meals from different cultures. I’m just eating in moderation and keeping track of my intake and walking. This works well for me and it’s sustainable.

You are my goals -seriously. The only exception is I would like to get to about 160 (currently 180) faster than 0.5 a week, but once that is gone I am happy with a low number per week. What you are doing is sustainable to me so that gives me hope that I may be able to do similar

IDK but somewhere along the line I forgot that at some point I should be able to up the calories a bit as I dont always want to be losing 1-2 per week. That gives me something to look forward to.

Lillymoo01

1200 gave me no more than 1/2 pound a week loss as I am a wee little thing. There was no way I could survive on that little so walked my little butt off to get extra calories. It was so much easier having that wriggle room for a treat here and there. I seriously don't know how people go week in week out on 1200. Even in maintenance I still burn around 500 extra calories a day so that I can enjoy 2000 calories.

kimothyschma

I agree. I am 5’5” and when I was a young, dumb college sophomore I thought those “small and sedentary” descriptions applied to me. I walked everywhere and went to the gym everyday. Yeah, they didn’t. I lost 20 pounds, but I couldn’t maintain it. I had brain fog and was starving all the time. It didn’t take long for me to snap and go on a months long binge where I gained back the 20 plus an additional 30.

Ten years later, I’ve lost 65 pounds in the past year eating 1800. I hope this time it’s more sustainable. On the other hand, I don’t think I would have understood this without having a first hand experience.

LivingtheLeanDream

darlibby wrote: »

I maintain on 1300s. Sucks.

That's low , are you very petite/light/older?

firef1y72

I'm a short, middle aged woman and would be biting my arm off if I tried to survive on 1200. I've been marathon training since the beginning of the year and was eating 3500-4000 Calories a day, put on 8lb during that time and started cutting again last week. I totally freaked when MFP gave me 1300 to eat, I can do that much in a meal if I'm fuelling for a long run the next day. But I forgot it adds my exercise/fitbit Calories on. Granted I'm an outlier as far as activity level goes but I worked out I could still eat 2500 Calories and lose just over 1lb/week.

Davidsdottir

quiksylver296 wrote: »

I would freak out and binge after a week! But I’m 5’9 and my maintenance calories are about 2300. So I can lose a half pound a week on about 2000 calories and not lose my mind! Which is awesome!

I'm 5'5" but am in the same boat. 2000 calories for me to cut.

Pastaprincess1978

OP and others - do you feel 200 cals more makes a huge difference to perceived/hunger?

Pastaprincess1978

Also OP - height, weight and age? I'm 40, 169cm and currently approx 62kg - I find I need about 1400 a day or I'm hangry and feel weak.

EllieTheLondoner

Bodies are weird.

I settled on 1200 kcal a day through a bit of experimenting, as it was high enough to give me some 'wiggle room' - I was eating around 800 kcal a day at one point, and being shouted at by MFP. At the weekends I allow for a little more, as long as the overall kcal deficit for the week is between 6k and 8 k, I usually lose 0.5kg. (no, I'm not very sedentary, I'm definitely not petite, I just have a body with a horribly sluggish metabolism).

I find 1200kcal pretty easy to work with, but I have the luxury of working from home so can cook every meal, and most of the food I eat is protein with a boat load of veggies. I seldom snack as I'm just not hungry. But it took me years of overhauling my diet to get to this place.

I've only been sticking at this for about 6 weeks now, so perhaps I'll come back in 6 months and complain bitterly. But it's the first time in many years of trying that I'm able to manage weight loss without going to crazy extremes. Eating higher calories a day will leave me maintaining and not losing.

Some of us just have bodies that won't let us have any fun!

SisterSueGetsFit

Pastaprincess1978 wrote: »

Also OP - height, weight and age? I'm 40, 169cm and currently approx 62kg - I find I need about 1400 a day or I'm hangry and feel weak.

I'm 5'5" (165 cm) and 160 pounds (72.5 kg). I'm 41. For ME, a few more calories helps. It also helps me learn to eat healthy, not just eat 1200 calories. Again, just my experience.

RoxieDawn

I was given the magic 1200 when I first started. I'm older (49 now)/sedentary (outside of exercise)/short (5'3.75"). It seems to comfortable for some and miserable for others. I fit in the miserable category.

One of my overall goals and still is, is to push my TDEE as far as I could through exercise and NEAT (non exercise) improvements so that I can be able to eat more this was both to lose my initial weight and be able to maintain on a higher intake. Fast forward almost 5 years, I now maintain on 2100-2200.

kiela64

To lose 1.5lb/week, mfp gives me 1280cal. I’m aiming for 1530cal, for 1lb/week. I’m 5’2 and about 200lbs.

But if you look at my diary it’s a little wonky. I spent my first week “back” trying to first just count what I was eating “normally” which was about 2100cal/day on a day where I didn’t binge. Then to find my minimum hunger level. I can eat below 1200 and not be starving (for a 2lb loss I’d need to eat 1030cal and while I’m never going to do that, it’s technically possible).

but meal timing at 1200 becomes crucial. I can’t wait to eat, I can’t eat dinner with my family because I need to eat at 3 or 4pm etc. If I wait, or something isn’t exact, I get headaches, fatigue, and brain fog. I’m not able to think about other things.

If I lived alone, maybe I could do 1280 but because I like eating socially (dinner with my family, dates with my SO, going out with friends) I need more room to maneuver. But I also try not to just eat when I’m not hungry to meet 1530 every day. If I’m sedentary and not with people I can take advantage and eat less to save those calories for something more fun than idk an extra yogurt or something. I like food!!