My 1200 calorie story

SGSmallman

I am on a similar journey fighting the intake battle currently on 2700 moving up to 3000 a day scary process Seeing as i started on 1850 calories a day but i'm now 2 stone lighter and it really is crazy that you can eat more enjoy your training and feel happy while losing weight

TheCaren

I like this post so much better than the ones I usually read, telling me I'm stupid for doing 1200 calories, or starving to death, or whatever. Yours is just simply sharing your experience. You're awesome.

I lost the bulk of my weight on 1240 calories and I ate back my exercise calories (which I suspect is where you may have gone wrong and gotten your symptoms from, but I'm not sure).

When my weight loss stalled toward the end, I did some reading and learned about BMR and TDEE, and also did the TDEE minus 20% and generally ate somewhere around that number while I lost the rest of the weight. Of course, doing TDEE you don't eat your exercise calories as long as it's calculated based on your current exercise level.

I'm on maintenance now and also am using a number similar to my TDEE number (without any deficit) and I'm not worrying about eating exercise calories because I based my TDEE on no exercise. So when I do exercise, I have a few extra calories to work with. When I don't, oh well.

Great post. Thanks for sharing.

Faye_Anderson

I think the problem is that MFP sets 1200 as a goal for most people not taking into account weight, height, calories consumed normally etc.

I eat 1200 but thats because I need approx 1400 to maintain, im 5 ft 4 lbs and quite petite, however someone who is 20 stone plus eating a 3,000 calorie a day diet is going to suffer badly on 1200, its just common sense, just reduce your calories by around 500 to what you were having originally. And in my case that takes me down to 1200.

I'm really sorry but I think you may be wrong, according to the calculators your BMR is around 1485 your TDEE will be higher than this, that is the number you should cut from, you definitely shouldn't go under 1485, that's what your body would burn if you were in a coma :flowerforyou:

LorinaLynn

Yay!

hananah89

Love this.

deksgrl

I did my BMR (1941) and my TDEE (3009) at 20% TDEE says I should have 2407 calories. That's hella scary! People, tell me is that right?? I'm struggles to just eat the 1670 MFP says I should eat. I, too, WAS one of those 1200 people.

A properly set MFP + exercise goal should be somewhere around the same ballpark as a TDEE -% goal.

Since you have 100 pounds to lose, you could potentially take a 30% cut for awhile. So, for example, 3000 - 30% would be 2100.

MFP's nearly 1700 + exercise probably puts you up around the 2000 or 2100 range.

Eventually as your weight decreases, your percent cut would decrease as well.

bcattoes

I think the problem is that MFP sets 1200 as a goal for most people not taking into account weight, height, calories consumed normally etc.

I eat 1200 but thats because I need approx 1400 to maintain, im 5 ft 4 lbs and quite petite, however someone who is 20 stone plus eating a 3,000 calorie a day diet is going to suffer badly on 1200, its just common sense, just reduce your calories by around 500 to what you were having originally. And in my case that takes me down to 1200.

I'm really sorry but I think you may be wrong, according to the calculators your BMR is around 1485 your TDEE will be higher than this, that is the number you should cut from, you definitely shouldn't go under 1485, that's what your body would burn if you were in a coma :flowerforyou:

It's what the average person of that size would burn. It's important to remember that those calculators give population based averages. Individual results may vary.

Serah87

100% AGREE!!!!!!! :drinker:

monkeypantz

At least I'm not the only one. 1200 calories a day helped me lose my first 20lbs or so, but I was so tired all the time and easily fell off the wagon - then I plateau and wasn't losing any.

I'm back and eating healthy, exercising often and not obsessing over calories - using MFP to keep a track of what I am eating and exercise, not counting the calories (I think I am the only person on this site doing it). I'm also mainly using it for the support of the forums and blogging facilities.

Good Luck X

She_Hulk

Thank you for taking the time to share this with us! I hope it encourages many. :flowerforyou:

ami5000psu

I think the problem is that MFP sets 1200 as a goal for most people not taking into account weight, height, calories consumed normally etc.

I eat 1200 but thats because I need approx 1400 to maintain, im 5 ft 4 lbs and quite petite, however someone who is 20 stone plus eating a 3,000 calorie a day diet is going to suffer badly on 1200, its just common sense, just reduce your calories by around 500 to what you were having originally. And in my case that takes me down to 1200.

One of my favorite MFP friends is 5'0". She eats at least 1700 calories and has lost over 100 pounds. It's true that she works out/lifts weights like a beast, but it's possible you do gain on 1400 calories because your metabolism is shot. I don't know a whole whole lot about it to get into more specifics, but just know that it's possible for someone your height to eat more than 1200 calories and still lose weight.

Ooooh! Ooh! Me! I've done it!

SoDamnHungry

Love this. I also started out at 1200 calories looooooong long ago and was afraid to eat my exercise calories. I was exhausted, felt like crap, and was netting 800 some days. It was amazing how eating more didn't even slow my weight loss at all, and I didn't feel like sleeping all day. So glad I figured that out fast.

mforman32

It is really interesting how differently everyone's bodies work.
I never knew about eating calories back,but after each pregnancy I stuck to1200 calorie diet and worked out everyday and never had an ill effect,but I also had a very good vitamin regimen and am frequently tested for vitamin deficiencies.
There is so much that goes into what will happen to one body but not the next and people really need to remember that.
It is good to look at others for inspiration,but we all must remember each body is different and will react differently.

melmckay99

I did 1200 calories when I first started. Rarely ate back my exercise calories and dropped nearly 20 lbs in just a few months (I didn't have a lot to lose to begin with). I was extactic at the weight loss but then came the binge/starvecycle of eating. I feel like my relationship with food controls me now. If I'm not measuring and counting everything I'm just blindly stuff my face with whatever junk food I can get my hands on. For the last 2-3 weeks I have regularly been eating about 1800-2000 each day and it seems to be helping with alot of things. I feel satisified, the binges eating is happeneing less and less and I am just enjoying my food a lot more. If only I knew then what I know now....ahh well. Live and learn.

Thanks for posting this thread!

judyde

I think the problem is that MFP sets 1200 as a goal for most people not taking into account weight, height, calories consumed normally etc.

I eat 1200 but thats because I need approx 1400 to maintain, im 5 ft 4 lbs and quite petite, however someone who is 20 stone plus eating a 3,000 calorie a day diet is going to suffer badly on 1200, its just common sense, just reduce your calories by around 500 to what you were having originally. And in my case that takes me down to 1200.

If you use the guided feature in setting your goal on MFP, it does ask for your gender, age, height and starting weight. It's telling me to eat a net 1,350 calories a day at sedentary level.

changing4life

I've always struggled wtih how much to eat. I am 55, work a desk job, with very little exercise. My BMR is 1640. Should I just eat at 1640 and don't eat back exercise calories? Or should I do what MFP tells me to do and that is eat 1490, and eat back exercise calories. My metabolism is VERY sluggish.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

cxdyer

I've been wondering this about upping intake, when you increased from 1200 did you gain before you started losing? Did you maintain for a bit? Did things slow down? What was the transition period like and how long was it?

I was one of the 1200 or less calorie deficit eaters, its the only way i knew how to diet. Then I met some folks on here that were very non-judgemental yet helpful and they encouraged me to slowly increase to 1400 then to 1600 calories along with working out. I started doing 30 day shred and increased my calorie intake. I did gain about 5 pounds the first week but I've since lost it. Most importantly, in the 13 days I've been doing 30DS I've lost about 4 inches (2 of them in my waist). I am seeing results and the scale is not proof of how great I'm doing. Thank you MFP friends who helped me through this cycle.

Alluminati

:drinker: As I former member of the 1200 club, seeing these posts (especially with the SLEW of 1200 calorie posts we get daily) pleases me greatly.

Word.

llfretwell

This post is what I needed to read more than anything. I have just began to increase my calories from basically STARVING myself at 1200 calories for so long. Thank you SO MUCH!!!! I appreciate reading your story more than you know!!

Brige2269

I did my BMR (1941) and my TDEE (3009) at 20% TDEE says I should have 2407 calories. That's hella scary! People, tell me is that right?? I'm struggles to just eat the 1670 MFP says I should eat. I, too, WAS one of those 1200 people.

A properly set MFP + exercise goal should be somewhere around the same ballpark as a TDEE -% goal.

Since you have 100 pounds to lose, you could potentially take a 30% cut for awhile. So, for example, 3000 - 30% would be 2100.

MFP's nearly 1700 + exercise probably puts you up around the 2000 or 2100 range.

Eventually as your weight decreases, your percent cut would decrease as well.

Thank you. Thinking about eating 2000 calories puts me in a cold sweat. LOL. I'm gonna try it.