1200 Calories or Less! Please Read!

natashabamford7

if its so bad then why has my fitness pal set this as a goal for me ?

because mfp is designed for you to eat back burned calories, so you're netting at least 1200.

so if I don't exercise then eating 1200 cals is fine?

Honestly, mfp is a calculator that has very little to go on. If you give it an aggressive 2 lbs per week goal, it will probably give you something lower than your actual BMR, unless you're really short. I do TDEE minus 20%, so I don't even have to think about exercise calories. I'm eating 1550 every day, exercising for 3 and losing about 1.5 lbs a week.

Thank you,
I get really confused with all this stuff. I have worked out my TDEE - 20% and its around 1400 so I'm setting that as my goal from now one

Shawnee63

~rolls eyes~ Why would MFP give calorie counts of 1200 if it didn't work? And to force yourself to eat a spoon or whatever of peanut butter just to get in those extra calories is just crazy... I listened to all the jabber of people on this site saying others are not eating enough or not eating the right food or blah blah! Just do what YOU want, only YOU know how your body reacts to the calories and types of food you are taking in. Everyone is so preachy here. =S

Thank you!!!!! I did a lot of research on this site, and others, figured and figured and refigured the numbers, I.e BMR ,TDEE , I let MFP figure my calories and for the most part, the calories were the same, give or take a few. I tried for 2 months to eat the over 1600 calories I was supposed to eat. I ate nuts, started putting 1/2 and 1/2 milk in my cereal. I was eating large bowls of ice cream late at night trying to get in to 1600 calories. I ate 3 very nutritionally sound meals a day , yogurt, apple sauce, gronola as snacks, but I COULD NOT make my calorie goal without eating/stuffing my self daily with those other high calorie/fat foods far into the night. Some people make those of us who say they can't eat a lot of calories feel terrible, like there is something wrong with us. I'be never been a big eater - I got fat dieting. I am happy for those who can eat loads of calories and are losing, I just can't and I had to get off here for a while because I thought there HAD to be something wrong with me. I had to find what works for me.

mamadon

I have been doing around 1200 a day for almost a year, but I guess it doesn't work in the long run and I will eventually fail. Hmmm, I feel pretty darn good though. Oh well.

Akimajuktuq

This is all just TOO FUNNY!!!!!! Let's beat this horse to death, then revive it, then beat the hell out of it again, just for fun!!!!

MYOB!!!! Unless you have MD after your name, don't worry about what anyone else is doing. See your doc, who should be monitoring whether something is working for you or not. Not some stranger on a message board. But the entertainment is priceless!

Actually, when it comes to nutrition and exercise advice, I'd prefer the person doesn't have MD in their name.

My thoughts exactly! DOCTORS ARE NOT NUTRITIONISTS!

FOR EXAMPLE: My nephew has leukemia and his DOCTORS tried to tell my sister that she should be giving him soda and candy and pizza and not to feed him fruits and vegetables..... PLEASE someone tell me how that makes ANY sense.

I call BS. No doctor said this.

Call my sister and ask her yourself.

Is your nephew terminal? If so, then I would agree with the doctor. Let him eat whatever the heck he enjoys.

Is your nephew having trouble eating, or keeping his weight up, due to chemo or other? If so, then again, eating something is most important. He needs food.

Vegetables are not always the answer. If your sister has concerns she should seek a second opinion from another qualified MD.

That's what I was wondering-when a relative of mine went through cancer/radiation treatment she lost a lot of weight in a short period of time. Her doctor's were telling her to eat anything she could keep down, to try and get her weight loss to slow down.

Yeah, cuz when one is already sick, junk food really helps. Being malnourished is obviously the way to treat severely ill people. No doubt they will feel so much better by avoiding nutrient dense foods. I totally can believe the Doctor would give advice to feed anything the kid wants. Too bad the majority of doctors, and MFP members, can't follow the logic that what we eat does affect health.

AlyssamR6712

~rolls eyes~ Why would MFP give calorie counts of 1200 if it didn't work? And to force yourself to eat a spoon or whatever of peanut butter just to get in those extra calories is just crazy... I listened to all the jabber of people on this site saying others are not eating enough or not eating the right food or blah blah! Just do what YOU want, only YOU know how your body reacts to the calories and types of food you are taking in. Everyone is so preachy here. =S

Thank you!!!!! I did a lot of research on this site, and others, figured and figured and refigured the numbers, I.e BMR ,TDEE , I let MFP figure my calories and for the most part, the calories were the same, give or take a few. I tried for 2 months to eat the over 1600 calories I was supposed to eat. I ate nuts, started putting 1/2 and 1/2 milk in my cereal. I was eating large bowls of ice cream late at night trying to get in to 1600 calories. I ate 3 very nutritionally sound meals a day , yogurt, apple sauce, gronola as snacks, but I COULD NOT make my calorie goal without eating/stuffing my self daily with those other high calorie/fat foods far into the night. Some people make those of us who say they can't eat a lot of calories feel terrible, like there is something wrong with us. I'be never been a big eater - I got fat dieting. I am happy for those who can eat loads of calories and are losing, I just can't and I had to get off here for a while because I thought there HAD to be something wrong with me. I had to find what works for me.

MAYBE BECAUSE YOU SAID YOU WERE STUFFING YOUR FACE WITH ICE CREAM. did i miss my point? PEOPLE NEED TO EAT CLEAN, not eat **** tons of junk with a billion calories.


Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Weight Loss Tools

Liss_Bee

~rolls eyes~ Why would MFP give calorie counts of 1200 if it didn't work? And to force yourself to eat a spoon or whatever of peanut butter just to get in those extra calories is just crazy... I listened to all the jabber of people on this site saying others are not eating enough or not eating the right food or blah blah! Just do what YOU want, only YOU know how your body reacts to the calories and types of food you are taking in. Everyone is so preachy here. =S

Thank you!!!!! I did a lot of research on this site, and others, figured and figured and refigured the numbers, I.e BMR ,TDEE , I let MFP figure my calories and for the most part, the calories were the same, give or take a few. I tried for 2 months to eat the over 1600 calories I was supposed to eat. I ate nuts, started putting 1/2 and 1/2 milk in my cereal. I was eating large bowls of ice cream late at night trying to get in to 1600 calories. I ate 3 very nutritionally sound meals a day , yogurt, apple sauce, gronola as snacks, but I COULD NOT make my calorie goal without eating/stuffing my self daily with those other high calorie/fat foods far into the night. Some people make those of us who say they can't eat a lot of calories feel terrible, like there is something wrong with us. I'be never been a big eater - I got fat dieting. I am happy for those who can eat loads of calories and are losing, I just can't and I had to get off here for a while because I thought there HAD to be something wrong with me. I had to find what works for me.

Nothing at all wrong with you. I'm the same, I felt sort of bullied into eating more and not that I gained but was not losing for almost a month. I went back to eating all 1200 everyday and some of my exercise or all of my exercise calories. I also give myself treats on the weekends. Opinions are fine, everyone has them, just as everyone has to figure out what works best for THEM.

Amitysk

would sit back and watch... but, a black cat crossed my path to the popcorn.

Kitties!!

Akimajuktuq

thank you!
unfortunately these people won't all listen to you
its so frustrating!
i just end up deleting them if they are on my friends list, i can't motivate and support someone who doesnt eat.
my favorite are the people who say they physically can't eat more, makes me LOL

I do a high fat diet, I have up to ten carbs a day. I am satiated and I cannot eat anymore. If you tried the same diet you would get it. Stop making assumptions about someone just because you think you know everything. There are hundreds of lifestyles and it is entirely up to those people on what they eat.

10g carbs per day? :indifferent:

Yeah, I don't know whether to laugh or cry (I'm leaning towards "cry"). I'm ketogenic and I eat a fat based diet too. And I don't act like vegetables are the be all and end all of everything, but doesn't one want to eat a few veggies with the meat and fat? There is just NO need to starve oneself on a high fat diet. But of course skinny is more important than healthy for many of us. :noway:

I never said I didn't, I do, you can have **** loads of food like brocolli. I don't avoid anything apart from carbs, moron.

Actually, no. One cup of broccoli has 6 grams of carbs. So, you are avoiding vegetables for the most part. I agree that 20 grams of carbs is doable, and maybe even 10 occasionally, but 900 calories is ridiculous and unnecessary. But I'm coming from a health stand point, not an "eat as little as possible" standpoint.

You don't help your argument by calling people "morons", especially people who agree with a ketogenic lifestyle. Careful with that pointing finger because there are four more pointing back at you.

guroprincess

I'm female, quite short (5'2"), and have a lot to lose (I'm 194lb right now.) I net between 1200-1400 cal/day. I never find myself hungry, and I make sure that I hit my nutritional goals for the day. Sometimes I eat under that range, sometimes I eat over it. I'm taking responsibility for my own health. I don't see how you expected coming onto MFP ranting about how everyone is ~doin it rong~ (my way or the highway type thinking) was going to gain you any favorable replies.

Then again we have this type of thread at least 10 times a month so. Not sure why I'm surprised.

If you net 1200-1400 then she's not talking about you in the first place. she's talking about people who eat less than 1200 and don't eat back their exercise calories.

Actually if you re-read the OP she did say people who eat 1200 as well.

Yep. Though I'm still curious why 1200 is the magical cut off number.

Liss_Bee

I have been doing around 1200 a day for almost a year, but I guess it doesn't work in the long run and I will eventually fail. Hmmm, I feel pretty darn good though. Oh well.

AND you have done amazing with it! Keep it up. =]

Cindyinpg

This is all just TOO FUNNY!!!!!! Let's beat this horse to death, then revive it, then beat the hell out of it again, just for fun!!!!

MYOB!!!! Unless you have MD after your name, don't worry about what anyone else is doing. See your doc, who should be monitoring whether something is working for you or not. Not some stranger on a message board. But the entertainment is priceless!

Actually, when it comes to nutrition and exercise advice, I'd prefer the person doesn't have MD in their name.

My thoughts exactly! DOCTORS ARE NOT NUTRITIONISTS!

FOR EXAMPLE: My nephew has leukemia and his DOCTORS tried to tell my sister that she should be giving him soda and candy and pizza and not to feed him fruits and vegetables..... PLEASE someone tell me how that makes ANY sense.

I call BS. No doctor said this.

Call my sister and ask her yourself.

Is your nephew terminal? If so, then I would agree with the doctor. Let him eat whatever the heck he enjoys.

Is your nephew having trouble eating, or keeping his weight up, due to chemo or other? If so, then again, eating something is most important. He needs food.

Vegetables are not always the answer. If your sister has concerns she should seek a second opinion from another qualified MD.

That's what I was wondering-when a relative of mine went through cancer/radiation treatment she lost a lot of weight in a short period of time. Her doctor's were telling her to eat anything she could keep down, to try and get her weight loss to slow down.

Yeah, cuz when one is already sick, junk food really helps. Being malnourished is obviously the way to treat severely ill people. No doubt they will feel so much better by avoiding nutrient dense foods. I totally can believe the Doctor would give advice to feed anything the kid wants. Too bad the majority of doctors, and MFP members, can't follow the logic that what we eat does affect health.

I see nothing wrong with that. There is NOTHING wrong with any foods and no foods are junk. Some are more nutrient dense than others. A child, or an adult for that matter, suffering with no appetite and not getting enough should be encouraged to eat higher calorie foods. There is still plenty of nutrition in pizza and ice cream by the way.

iechick

~rolls eyes~ Why would MFP give calorie counts of 1200 if it didn't work? And to force yourself to eat a spoon or whatever of peanut butter just to get in those extra calories is just crazy... I listened to all the jabber of people on this site saying others are not eating enough or not eating the right food or blah blah! Just do what YOU want, only YOU know how your body reacts to the calories and types of food you are taking in. Everyone is so preachy here. =S

Thank you!!!!! I did a lot of research on this site, and others, figured and figured and refigured the numbers, I.e BMR ,TDEE , I let MFP figure my calories and for the most part, the calories were the same, give or take a few. I tried for 2 months to eat the over 1600 calories I was supposed to eat. I ate nuts, started putting 1/2 and 1/2 milk in my cereal. I was eating large bowls of ice cream late at night trying to get in to 1600 calories. I ate 3 very nutritionally sound meals a day , yogurt, apple sauce, gronola as snacks, but I COULD NOT make my calorie goal without eating/stuffing my self daily with those other high calorie/fat foods far into the night. Some people make those of us who say they can't eat a lot of calories feel terrible, like there is something wrong with us. I'be never been a big eater - I got fat dieting. I am happy for those who can eat loads of calories and are losing, I just can't and I had to get off here for a while because I thought there HAD to be something wrong with me. I had to find what works for me.

MAYBE BECAUSE YOU SAID YOU WERE STUFFING YOUR FACE WITH ICE CREAM. did i miss my point? PEOPLE NEED TO EAT CLEAN, not eat **** tons of junk with a billion calories.


Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Weight Loss Tools

I'm in maintenance and I eat a mostly whole foods, plant based diet which is pretty 'clean'. However, I lost my extra weight eating SAD (the standard American diet) and counting calories. Didn't start changing my diet to 'clean' until AFTER I had transitioned into maintenance. Weight loss is about calories. Period.

mamadon

I have been doing around 1200 a day for almost a year, but I guess it doesn't work in the long run and I will eventually fail. Hmmm, I feel pretty darn good though. Oh well.

AND you have done amazing with it! Keep it up. =]

Thanks!

Phoenix_Warrior

~rolls eyes~ Why would MFP give calorie counts of 1200 if it didn't work? And to force yourself to eat a spoon or whatever of peanut butter just to get in those extra calories is just crazy... I listened to all the jabber of people on this site saying others are not eating enough or not eating the right food or blah blah! Just do what YOU want, only YOU know how your body reacts to the calories and types of food you are taking in. Everyone is so preachy here. =S

Thank you!!!!! I did a lot of research on this site, and others, figured and figured and refigured the numbers, I.e BMR ,TDEE , I let MFP figure my calories and for the most part, the calories were the same, give or take a few. I tried for 2 months to eat the over 1600 calories I was supposed to eat. I ate nuts, started putting 1/2 and 1/2 milk in my cereal. I was eating large bowls of ice cream late at night trying to get in to 1600 calories. I ate 3 very nutritionally sound meals a day , yogurt, apple sauce, gronola as snacks, but I COULD NOT make my calorie goal without eating/stuffing my self daily with those other high calorie/fat foods far into the night. Some people make those of us who say they can't eat a lot of calories feel terrible, like there is something wrong with us. I'be never been a big eater - I got fat dieting. I am happy for those who can eat loads of calories and are losing, I just can't and I had to get off here for a while because I thought there HAD to be something wrong with me. I had to find what works for me.

MAYBE BECAUSE YOU SAID YOU WERE STUFFING YOUR FACE WITH ICE CREAM. did i miss my point? PEOPLE NEED TO EAT CLEAN, not eat **** tons of junk with a billion calories.


Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Weight Loss Tools

whoa. You need to chill. Maybe a latte would help? Vokda?

Liss_Bee

~rolls eyes~ Why would MFP give calorie counts of 1200 if it didn't work? And to force yourself to eat a spoon or whatever of peanut butter just to get in those extra calories is just crazy... I listened to all the jabber of people on this site saying others are not eating enough or not eating the right food or blah blah! Just do what YOU want, only YOU know how your body reacts to the calories and types of food you are taking in. Everyone is so preachy here. =S

Thank you!!!!! I did a lot of research on this site, and others, figured and figured and refigured the numbers, I.e BMR ,TDEE , I let MFP figure my calories and for the most part, the calories were the same, give or take a few. I tried for 2 months to eat the over 1600 calories I was supposed to eat. I ate nuts, started putting 1/2 and 1/2 milk in my cereal. I was eating large bowls of ice cream late at night trying to get in to 1600 calories. I ate 3 very nutritionally sound meals a day , yogurt, apple sauce, gronola as snacks, but I COULD NOT make my calorie goal without eating/stuffing my self daily with those other high calorie/fat foods far into the night. Some people make those of us who say they can't eat a lot of calories feel terrible, like there is something wrong with us. I'be never been a big eater - I got fat dieting. I am happy for those who can eat loads of calories and are losing, I just can't and I had to get off here for a while because I thought there HAD to be something wrong with me. I had to find what works for me.

MAYBE BECAUSE YOU SAID YOU WERE STUFFING YOUR FACE WITH ICE CREAM. did i miss my point? PEOPLE NEED TO EAT CLEAN, not eat **** tons of junk with a billion calories.


Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Weight Loss Tools

whoa. You need to chill. Maybe a latte would help? Vokda?

Oooo me too please? Latte with vodka?

RGv2

It took me changing to 1200 calories to finally start losing weight and end my love affair with food. My doctor gave me the green light to continue with it as long as I continue to feel good and it doesn't affect my energy levels. Please don't tell me how this will ruin me for life. I want to get to a lower weight before I start the muscle building. I know I won't eat a 1200 calorie diet for the rest of my life. There are even days I do feel hungrier than others and I (gasp) go a little over. This is all about learning and making progress that works for me. I don't go to bed hungry and I don't feel like I am going to pass out from starvation. I have however, learned that sometimes I will feel hungry and that doesn't mean I need to eat something every time. I have lived the past 20 years eating way too much because I was "hungry". At this point in my mission to lose weight and get healthy, eating 1200 calories is working for me. I am learning to recognize the true feeling of hunger, not the bored, emotional, because it's there, it tastes so good or just a little more kind of hunger (I really wasn't hungry)

If you don't believe in 1200 then don't do it. Don't discourage people to stop doing what works for them.

Why not maintain the muscle now which is much easier, than have to go through all of the work to try to build muscle later. As a female you're behind the 8 ball even more when it comes to trying to gain muscle mass. After your "noob gains", it takes painstaking hours in the gym, eating more than you burn (which means gaining fat as well), then cutting to get rid of the gained fat and lifting to maintain the gained muscle. Why not just do the cut now. That's what step you'd be on.

Maintain the muscle mass now, throw away the scale, mark progress with the tape measure, and be happier in the end...IMHO.

CurlyRobin

I agree with you.

Serah87

It took me changing to 1200 calories to finally start losing weight and end my love affair with food. My doctor gave me the green light to continue with it as long as I continue to feel good and it doesn't affect my energy levels. Please don't tell me how this will ruin me for life. I want to get to a lower weight before I start the muscle building. I know I won't eat a 1200 calorie diet for the rest of my life. There are even days I do feel hungrier than others and I (gasp) go a little over. This is all about learning and making progress that works for me. I don't go to bed hungry and I don't feel like I am going to pass out from starvation. I have however, learned that sometimes I will feel hungry and that doesn't mean I need to eat something every time. I have lived the past 20 years eating way too much because I was "hungry". At this point in my mission to lose weight and get healthy, eating 1200 calories is working for me. I am learning to recognize the true feeling of hunger, not the bored, emotional, because it's there, it tastes so good or just a little more kind of hunger (I really wasn't hungry)

If you don't believe in 1200 then don't do it. Don't discourage people to stop doing what works for them.

Why not maintain the muscle now which is much easier, than have to go through all of the work to try to build muscle later. As a female you're behind the 8 ball even more when it comes to trying to gain muscle mass. After your "noob gains", it takes painstaking hours in the gym, eating more than you burn (which means gaining fat as well), then cutting to get rid of the gained fat and lifting to maintain the gained muscle. Why not just do the cut now. That's what step you'd be on.

Maintain the muscle mass now, throw away the scale, mark progress with the tape measure, and be happier in the end...IMHO.

:drinker:

VelvetMorning

I've noticed, and experienced, with people who eat 1,200 calories or less they'll have a cheat day once in awhile that is generally extreme. This cheat day brings up their calories from the past week/month up to (likely) 1,200 (or more) per day when averaged out.

Anyway, I eat 1,200 calories a day or less. I work late, eat dinner (carbycarbs), a few snacks and it's all "clean" or whatever everyone calls generally healthy choices nowadays which is pretty darn filling. I feel great! I've been maintaining on this for a few years. I'm 5'4, 105-108 pounds. And yes! I splurge on some days and get right back on track the next. Its been pretty good thus far!

Different foods have different values that your body requires. If I eat a pizza I'll have a ton more calories than what I'd normally intake, but I'd get very little nutrition out of it. If I eat a salad, I'll have way less calories, but get a lot of vitamins/nutrition out of it and therefore feel more content; even if I'm not hitting 1,200+ a day.

nena49659

This is all just TOO FUNNY!!!!!! Let's beat this horse to death, then revive it, then beat the hell out of it again, just for fun!!!!

MYOB!!!! Unless you have MD after your name, don't worry about what anyone else is doing. See your doc, who should be monitoring whether something is working for you or not. Not some stranger on a message board. But the entertainment is priceless!

Actually, when it comes to nutrition and exercise advice, I'd prefer the person doesn't have MD in their name.

My thoughts exactly! DOCTORS ARE NOT NUTRITIONISTS!

FOR EXAMPLE: My nephew has leukemia and his DOCTORS tried to tell my sister that she should be giving him soda and candy and pizza and not to feed him fruits and vegetables..... PLEASE someone tell me how that makes ANY sense.

I call BS. No doctor said this.

Call my sister and ask her yourself.

Is your nephew terminal? If so, then I would agree with the doctor. Let him eat whatever the heck he enjoys.

Is your nephew having trouble eating, or keeping his weight up, due to chemo or other? If so, then again, eating something is most important. He needs food.

Vegetables are not always the answer. If your sister has concerns she should seek a second opinion from another qualified MD.

That's what I was wondering-when a relative of mine went through cancer/radiation treatment she lost a lot of weight in a short period of time. Her doctor's were telling her to eat anything she could keep down, to try and get her weight loss to slow down.

Yeah, cuz when one is already sick, junk food really helps. Being malnourished is obviously the way to treat severely ill people. No doubt they will feel so much better by avoiding nutrient dense foods. I totally can believe the Doctor would give advice to feed anything the kid wants. Too bad the majority of doctors, and MFP members, can't follow the logic that what we eat does affect health.

Sometimes, you have to let people eat what they can have an appetite for.

I'm really sick of people on this site telling others that they don't believe what their saying. Do you really believe that all these people are coming on here to lie and make you look like a fool?