1200 Calorie Diet???? Seriously???

jofjltncb6

I feel like a lot of people seem to miss the point that MFP suggests a 1200 NET calorie intake and that really seems to be based more for people who are more sedentary with their day to day activities. Obviously, if you're working out you need to fuel your body. So much of this is just common sense.

More common sense is that *most* people who are given a 1200 calorie limit by MFP almost certainly shouldn't eat so little. It's counterproductive to a long-term goal of sustained and optimal weight loss.


(Note, I said "most", not "all". Yes, I acknowledge that 1200 calories is the correct number for a certain few people.)

ETA: The above is specifically for women. For men, I would suggest that almost *no* adult males should restrict themselves to only 1200 calories...and certainly not for an extended period of time.

Sabine_Stroehm

I feel like a lot of people seem to miss the point that MFP suggests a 1200 NET calorie intake and that really seems to be based more for people who are more sedentary with their day to day activities. Obviously, if you're working out you need to fuel your body. So much of this is just common sense.

More common sense is that *most* people who are given a 1200 calorie limit by MFP almost certainly shouldn't eat so little. It's counterproductive to a long-term goal of sustained and optimal weight loss.


(Note, I said "most", not "all". Yes, I acknowledge that 1200 calories is the correct number for a certain few people.)

This.
For some, shorter, older, more sedentary folks, 1200 is the right answer. For the average person who selected 2LBS a weight and allowed it to default to 12,00 it's not.
The key is: know your TDEE and BMR.

albayin

1200 or lower is the only way to make my weight go down...but I am not saying it's right or wrong...

warrenrose12

i,m 5,4 and 1200 is plenty enough food calories but if you go eating high calorie foods (bread , wraps, burgers, pizza, donuts choclate muffins the list goes on.)obviously you will crave for more and go outside your daily calories, fruit and vegetables are low in calories and you can eat loads of good healthy food, i can stuff my self with loads of veggies and fruit and be quite satisfied and be under my calories , it is like i said eating other foods with high calorie content is what brings you undone. i found this out the hard way.

sokkache

for the 1200 calorie thing, some people actually fit really well into that category. I have a feeling that some people also force themselves to be in this category and may go out of control within a few months. I eat about 1600 calories a day, give or take a few hundred, it's not a big deal for me.

You see, there's a difference between living a healthy lifestyle and losing weight. To lose weight, you simply have to have less calories in your body. And that's what most people like. Healthy lifestyles make your body feel great. I have no desire to eat fast food or soda anymore. It is possible to eat all junk food and still lose weight. But it's the way your body feels afterwards. I would much rather feel energetic and clear-minded rather than bloated and lazy.

Nutella91

1. You do not need to "eat clean." (you can eat a variety of foods, lose weight, and meet nutritional needs)
2. Drink the lemon water if you like the taste, but it will do nothing for weight loss.
3. Meal timing is personal preference.
4. You can eat lunch meat and still lose weight. (and be healthy)
5. You do not have to limit condiments. (if it fits into your day, go for it.)
6. You do not have to limit dairy. (unless you have a medical reason)
7. You do not have to limit fruit. (fruit has numerous nutritional benefits)
8. The only reason somebody should be restricting sugar is because of a medical reason. (sugar is carb, so track that.)

i love you

Widadita

A 1200 calorie diet works perfectly for me. But it also depends on your gender, age and weight. For example as a 130 lbs woman, I eat right and healthy and I don't starve myself with my 1200 calories diet, but if I was like 250 lbs for example, yeah, it would be hard for me.

MaritzK

The less you weigh already the more small changes matter. When I eat 1500 calories I don't think I would lose the last 4 pounds. I just need 1200 calories. And most importantly, when you eat clever you can eat a lot of food!

jennifer_417

Long lists of "rules" like this, based on pseudoscientific myths, are why people fail at dieting.

PlumpKitten

1200 calories is not necessarily starving yourself.
From your photo, you look like a muscular guy, so you'd probably starve on that. My guy friends can diet on 2000 a day if they are also exercising.
But I am a 5'1" woman with a small Asian frame. While I go to the gym, and chase after my kids!, I also have a job that keeps me sitting most of the time.
I maintain weight at 1500-1600. So to lose even modestly, I have to eat at about 1200.
One program advised that I go down to 1000 a day - but I can't maintain that.
If I chose wisely, though, I can eat 1200 during the week and feel reasonably full - and then splurge a bit if I'm going out, or if it's a weekend / holiday.

smc864

Long lists of "rules" like this, based on pseudoscientific myths, are why people fail at dieting.

:flowerforyou:

jenilynnr

Thank you for saving me the work of responding to that post. It was utterly ridiculous.

jofjltncb6

Thank you for saving me the work of responding to that post. It was utterly ridiculous.

You're welcome.



Wait, what? To which post were you referring?


(FYI, if you use the "quote" link instead of the "reply", it will quote the original post. Yeah, it's a little confusing, and yes, they could/should probably fix that.)

bumblebreezy91

1. You do not need to "eat clean." (you can eat a variety of foods, lose weight, and meet nutritional needs)
2. Drink the lemon water if you like the taste, but it will do nothing for weight loss.
3. Meal timing is personal preference.
4. You can eat lunch meat and still lose weight. (and be healthy)
5. You do not have to limit condiments. (if it fits into your day, go for it.)
6. You do not have to limit dairy. (unless you have a medical reason)
7. You do not have to limit fruit. (fruit has numerous nutritional benefits)
8. The only reason somebody should be restricting sugar is because of a medical reason. (sugar is carb, so track that.)

saeyokoyama

I eat waay under that and i don't have any medical ailments at all....

jofjltncb6

I eat waay under that and i don't have any medical ailments at all....

Strong first post.

And I guess that settles it. There are zero problems with a "waay under" 1200 calorie diet.

/thread

buffmermaid

Same here. I am a small 5'1" female. If I'm eating really clean, 1200 is good for me. If I eat more than that, I will get full. The guy who started this post, is a man. Of course 1200 is ridiculous for him.

Strokingdiction

I knew this post OP was going to be awesome the moment I saw all those ?'s.

Thank you for the hilarity.

skydancer5

So at a petite 5'3" 123 lbs. (27% BMI), I've been on the 1200 calorie diet on here for 3 months now. I have lost 1 lb (literally) and virtually no inches. I'm discouraged. I work out 3 times a week and have a physical job, (I coach figure skaters). I'm on a weight plateau, I can't seem to get off of....for 15 years now, lol. I suppose age is a factor, I'm 55. I don't need to lose weight per se, but want to convert body fat to muscle. I'm concerned about eating less, I don't want my body to go into starvation mode, but it seems for me, 1200 calories is too much??? I do like seeing my protein vs fat vs carb intact on this site. Any thoughts?

jofjltncb6

So at a petite 5'3" 123 lbs. (27% BMI), I've been on the 1200 calorie diet on here for 3 months now. I have lost 1 lb (literally) and virtually no inches. I'm discouraged. I work out 3 times a week and have a physical job, (I coach figure skaters). I'm on a weight plateau, I can't seem to get off of....for 15 years now, lol. I suppose age is a factor, I'm 55. I don't need to lose weight per se, but want to convert body fat to muscle. I'm concerned about eating less, I don't want my body to go into starvation mode, but it seems for me, 1200 calories is too much??? I do like seeing my protein vs fat vs carb intact on this site. Any thoughts?

Are you weighing and measuring all of your food?

You can't convert fat to muscle. You can lose/gain fat and you can lose/gain muscle, but these two processes are not connected.

Starvation mode as it has been used in the context of a reasonable calorie deficit is a myth.

RHachicho

You are right when you say that a 1200 calorie diet is too low for most people. It truly is. You are also correct that if you truly want to look GOOD and not just lose weight then you need to get into exercise good and proper. That is also true. However this is where thy wisdom ends my friend. A lot of what you hold to is hokum and bro science. Sorry but it is. Clean eating is also semi important. It's a good practice. But by no means is it a holy grail everyone has to stick to.

princessnarmor

I don't think there is a magic formula of weight loss that blankets the entire population. I think its more reasonably, "what works for you and your body."

I'm so different from everyone even on this forum. What you can eat and lose weight is probably entirely different that what I can eat and lose weight."

I do think that there are some rules to live by. I do think 1200 calories for most people are wayyy too little. I did that and lost weight for a month, then found myself so hungry that I ended up binge eating for a week.

I'm allergic to all things cane sugared whereas someone else on here can eat it in moderation and do just fine. I guess my point is: listen to your own body. Notice what you overeat and can't seem to control. For me, baked Cheetos are out! I can't eat
a normal portion. Sugar is out. I'm an addict and can't control that plus I break out in hives. I do have to limit fruit as well. Wheat
is a pretty big deal too. I'm allergic to that and crave it like crazy. Can't lose weight when I'm eating it either. Hand me a potato and I'm good to go!

If it works for you and its healthy and physically reasonable, then do it. If it doesn't work for you, chunk it in the garbage and try something else.

I do think that whoever is running this website needs to get a grip on their 1200 calorie a day assessment.

samantharaecherry

First week on 1200 calorie plan and have lost eight pounds.

midas1022

An average person would never starve to death eating 1200 calories a day. There have been many many studies on a 1200 calorie diet and it has been proven every time that it increases your life expectancy. One size doesn't fit all. If your small or large or active or not it all depends on the person but that's the exception not the rule. 1200 calories is a good solid number for most.

jofjltncb6

An average person would never starve to death eating 1200 calories a day. There have been many many studies on a 1200 calorie diet and it has been proven every time that it increases your life expectancy. One size doesn't fit all. If your small or large or active or not it all depends on the person but that's the exception not the rule. 1200 calories is a good solid number for most.

Cites of studies showing a 1200 calorie diet *causes* increased life expectancy (in humans, of course)?

And reference for claim that "1200 calories is a good solid number for most"?

Unknown

This content has been removed.

LiftAllThePizzas

First week on 1200 calorie plan and have lost eight pounds.

Do you think you've lost 8 lbs of body fat? That would require your body to have burned 5,200 calories per day.

chrisdavey

I found a better list. (Courtesy of Sidesteel)

You don't need to eat clean.
You don't need to avoid white bread or potatoes or beans or rice or _____________ (insert food here) unless you've got an intolerance/allergy/medical condition.
You don't need to eat breakfast to get your metabolism started.
You probably don't need to pay any attention to GI.
Your metabolism doesn't get kick-started and you don't rev it up.
Eating frequently is fine but it doesn't "boost your metabolism".
Don't waste your money on Raspberry Keytones and you should probably turn off Dr. Oz.
You are not toning.
You will not bulk up, ladies.
You also don't "gain muscle really easily". Yes, YOU.
Low carbing is not dangerous.
Low carbing is not metabolically superior.
You can eat food before bed.
You can eat food IN bed.
There is no specific time at which eating will cause you to gain fat.
The little pink dumbbells do not constitute "lifting weights".
That glass of blended up "juice" that you're replacing your meals with, probably isn't "cleansing" any "toxins".
"Hot Pants" don't make you lose fat, although they may make your wallet lighter.
You don't need to burn off that bowl of cereal or piece of chicken.
You don't need to worry about whether you're burning carbs or fat.
You don't need to worry about how much fat you burned during your workout, or how much muscle you gained during that set of bosu-ball dumbbell flies.
You don't "shock your body"
You don't "confuse your mucles"
Stop switching up your lifting program. How about stick to something and add weight to the bar.
Just because you saw it in a documentary doesn't mean it's a good idea or even remotely research-based.
You don't need to zig-zag or carb cycle or do the 17 day butt wash or the cabbage donkey stew diet.
2 weeks is not a plateau.

Start here:
1) Eat within a reasonable caloric intake for your goals.
2) Consume adequate protein and fat.
3) Consume at least enough carbs to allow you to train with intensity.

(And can you just use some common sense with food selection?)

4) Lift weights
5) Get rest.
6) Repeat
7) And quit worrying about all the other crap.



Be patient.

P.S I don't eat breakfast. Metabolism seems to be just fine.

joeherbert48

1. You do not need to "eat clean." (you can eat a variety of foods, lose weight, and meet nutritional needs)
2. Drink the lemon water if you like the taste, but it will do nothing for weight loss.
3. Meal timing is personal preference.
4. You can eat lunch meat and still lose weight. (and be healthy)
5. You do not have to limit condiments. (if it fits into your day, go for it.)
6. You do not have to limit dairy. (unless you have a medical reason)
7. You do not have to limit fruit. (fruit has numerous nutritional benefits)
8. The only reason somebody should be restricting sugar is because of a medical reason. (sugar is carb, so track that.)

I wholeheartedly agree with you. I have been on frozen foods (Lean Cuisine, Banquet and Pizza) for nearly a year now diet and eating hotdogs, spaghetti, sause, ketchup, mustard, miracle whip along the way along with candy kisses (couple a day) for sweets or jolly rancher hard candies (1 or 2 per day if I have a need or want) and ranch style red pepper beans and have lost plenty of weight. Slowly for sure but it still comes off and I get to ENJOY what I eat not eat to lose weight so much as eat what I feel like eating. My doctor keeps saying I can have ANYTHING I want as long as I eat things in MODERATION. That's where most people fail is the moderation part. They can't just eat ONE slice of pizza or 4.5oz of beans. They want the whole pizza and the whole can of beans an expect to lose weight.

There are so many things good out there with low calorie, low fat, low saturated fats and low cholesterol and salt it;s funny. Why people can't find a diet plan that works is they don't stay on them long enough and expect to lose like 5-10lbs a week (some a day lol) It takes TIME for weight to come off if you like eating and certain foods. It's not going to happen in a day sometimes weeks or months you might not lose anything at all.

Recently I gained 7lbs because I started eating wrong and out of moderation. I was consuming chips and dips and whole pizza's and candy and junk foods well over the moderation limit I had established. I paid for it with that 7lb gain. Then I went back to a "balanced" diet of calories, carbs, fat and protein and within a couple of "WEEKS" lost those 7lbs again.

So, you can eat anything you want folks, just learn what "moderation" means. A whole bag of candy is not moderation. lol A whole pizza is not moderation. A whole bag of chips is not moderation in one sitting.

Just because you intake 1200 calories if they aren't balanced with the carbs and fat and protein (like you eat a ton of fat or a ton of carbs doing so (processed carbs) you won't lose weight and you might even gain weight.

Plus, you do NOT need to drink tons of water each day. Sure it helps clean your kidneys out but it's not necessary for weight loss. I don't drink any water and barely a 32oz container of tea or diet coke a day. (Most times just half).

One thing I did notice though is get OFF the whole grains like cereal and breads and anything with whole grain. This stuff was made for cows to eat not us. During that time I had gained 7lbs I had been eating a cup ana half of cereals all supposedly good for you and they might be for other nutritious values, but not for losing weight. I cut those out and of course as I said the weight came off.

I also cut out most of the candy and sweets I had been eating like candy kisses and tootsie pops and jolly ranchers. Again getting rid of the "crappy" carbs is good for you. Eat more FRUIT in place of candy. I went to apples, oranges, grapes, banana's and an occassional alvacado. One thing I found with eating fruit over candy is that the fiber content keeps you feeling full longer.

All this within a 1500mg low sodium requirement also. I'd say that's pretty healthy eating on my part even if you don't like the menu.

MelodyandBarbells

An average person would never starve to death eating 1200 calories a day. There have been many many studies on a 1200 calorie diet and it has been proven every time that it increases your life expectancy. One size doesn't fit all. If your small or large or active or not it all depends on the person but that's the exception not the rule. 1200 calories is a good solid number for most.

It's not about starving to death, so much as the physical discomfort and deprivation on such little calories leads to poor compliance and eventual diet failure. More calories means you can incorporate more things you like and can actually eat more food. I can still learn from the 1200 calorie people; by eating lower calorie meals here and there I can fit even more of the stuff I truly want from time to time