Not to beat a dead horse....
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In my experience, there are two kinds of people who say they are eating 1200 calories.
Group A is the 1200 calories and more group. They always eat *at least* 1200 calories and include at least a part of their exercise calories, usually eating closer to 1500-1800 calories. While some people will wonder if 1200 is a good net goal for them if they're particularly tall, active, or male, most of us aren't concerned about the people NETTING 1200 calories.
Group B is the 1200 or less group. They always eat *less than* 1200 calories, ignoring exercise calories, and often mention that they work out for 2 hours a day, are training for a 5K, etc. They may also be tall, active, or male, but they eat 1200 or less per day, and usually their diaries show an amount closer to 900-1100 per day. They put in a very aggressive goal and then often ignore the recommendations and eat even less.
There are, of course, circumstances where 1200 calories GROSS are appropriate, but too many people here on MFP who eat 1200 GROSS actually shouldn't be, in my experience.
Agreed...
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I'll just go ahead and beat the dead horse:
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In my experience, there are two kinds of people who say they are eating 1200 calories.
Group A is the 1200 calories and more group. They always eat *at least* 1200 calories and include at least a part of their exercise calories, usually eating closer to 1500-1800 calories. While some people will wonder if 1200 is a good net goal for them if they're particularly tall, active, or male, most of us aren't concerned about the people NETTING 1200 calories.
Group B is the 1200 or less group. They always eat *less than* 1200 calories, ignoring exercise calories, and often mention that they work out for 2 hours a day, are training for a 5K, etc. They may also be tall, active, or male, but they eat 1200 or less per day, and usually their diaries show an amount closer to 900-1100 per day. They put in a very aggressive goal and then often ignore the recommendations and eat even less.
There are, of course, circumstances where 1200 calories GROSS are appropriate, but too many people here on MFP who eat 1200 GROSS actually shouldn't be, in my experience.
^That0 -
They are fine for small sedentary women. But the thing to remember on 1200 cals it is very difficult to get enough protein and fat, while getting all the micro nutrients (vitamins and minerals) you need, which leaves very little room for any treats or empty calories.
100g of protein is 400 calories, only 1/3 of the way to the magic number. Essential fats are, what, 30 grams or 270 cals so only half way in total for these macros.
It does take effort to get everything into 1200 calories, but equally there are people eating 1800 or 2400 with probable micronutrient deficiencies.
Your diet should consist of much more than 30 grams of fat. Try 0.3-0.4 grams per lb of body weight (if overweight 0.3, normal weight 0.35 to 0.4, obese can do less). So if you are 160lbs normal BF% you should aim for 60 grams of fat as a minimum which is 540 cals, + 400 for protein now at 940 cals and you still have to make sure you get enough fiber, vitamins and minerals.
And yes some people that eat more may still have micro deficiencies, but there is much less of a chance of that than those on such a low caloric intake.0 -
Since I've chimed in on a couple of the 1200 posts, I'll bite.
It's not 1200 that I'm 'against', it's extreme calorie restriction. I just don't want anyone to be hungry, nor set unrealistic goals for themselves and give up.
Sure, some people are just fine on 1200+. But most people aren't.
MFP set me to 1200 when I started out because I was all 'Imma lose 2lbs a week and be awesome skinny so fast! YEAH!" That didn't happen. I was miserable, I was discouraged. I was hungry. I honestly knew nothing about weight loss other than extreme calorie restriction. I won't get into the blah blah blahs of it but starving myself was what worked in the past. That's what I was doing because 1200 calories a day is in no way an appropriate amount of fuel for my life.
And then I found in place of a road map. I read, I went to links, I measured my body, I used online calculators of all sorts, I read some more, used more calculators, took an online class on nutrition and continue to read. Basically I spent a few months learning about, well, being healthy.
I feel a lot more confidant about actually losing weight and being healthy now that I've learned a few things about weight loss, nutrition and exercise. I just want to encourage others, who may be in a similar situation I was when I started out to do the same, I guess.
There may be a lot of snark in the forums but, armed with the search function and a few key phrases, there sure is a lot of really great information readily available.0 -
I am in no way trying to start a debate but have a simple question. For those who are strongly against 1200 calories diets, do you truly believe they are for no one?
I see many saying that if you stick to it you are killing your metabolism. MFP set me at 1200 calories. I work out 6 times a week and eat back all my exercise calories so I normally actually eat between 1500-1600 on most days. I do have a day every week or two where I do go over. At this setting, right now I am set to lose 1.2 lbs a week. I am 5'1 and I have about 33 lbs left to lose. Right now it is working for me. When I get within ten pounds, I plan on changing my settings to only losing .5 lbs a week.
I checked the TDEE calculators online and I feel more comfortable using MFP. I have a heart rate monitor for my workouts so I can get a more accurate calorie burn and my activity level is set at light activity. I am a stay at home mom.
It just seems like as soon as anyone mentions 1200 calories, everything blows up. Again not trying to start THE big debate but just trying ot understand if it is a blanket statement that no one should be on such a low diet.
The problem is, people come on here and choose "I want to lose 2 pounds per week" when that is not a feasible goal for them. This sets them too low, usually the default minimum of 1200.
Another problem is, people do not understand that MFP does not include exercise, they think that eating exercise calories will undo their hard work. So they are not eating 1200 Net, they are eating just 1200.
This is okay for some people who are very petite, sedentary, and older, but it is not for everyone. In your case, you seem to be doing it exactly right, so don't worry about it.0 -
I think the thing to remember too, that I see people eating is, certain people who want to eat only 1200 cals a day are not eating healthy 1200 cals. If you eat fast food, and sweets, chips to add up to your daily then thats one thing.
MFP cals for me says 1700 or something. I changed it to 1200 and I make sure to eat fruits, veggies, protein, dairy, fiber at each meal or somewhere during the day. I am successfully losing weight at a healthy weight. Not that is works for everyone, but just contributing to the conversation.
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I am following a 1200 calorie a day diet (most days) and do occasionally come in around 900. I am doing so under the watchful eye of a doctor. That being said, 1200 calories can be enough IF you are eating the right foods so that your body is getting the nutrients that it needs. I take fish oil tablets, eat a good amount of protein and very closely watch my net carbs - and I steer clear of most white foods (breads, pastas, etc). I started at 179 pounds and am down to about 162. I'm losing anywhere from 1.5-3.5 on average per week. I would most likely be losing more but I'm up against a medicine I take that was putting on 1.5-2 pounds per week before my current caloric plan. I'm 5" and still have a significant amount to lose but as long as you are getting the nutrients your body needs, I don't see anything wrong with 1200 GOOD calories a day.0
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I think you will find that no one has a problem with netting 1200 calories. It's the ones who want to net less than 1200 that will get themselves into trouble.0
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"choose "I want to lose 2 pounds per week" when that is not a feasible goal for them. "
Why is it not a feasible goal for them? Losing up to 2 lbs. per week is considered a safe, conservative goal outside of this forum. Even MFP allows all users to choose up to 2 lbs/week. It would be easy enough to program it so only people with X or greater pounds to lose may select that goal. It lets them select it because it's considered safe.0 -
just try it and see if it works for you.0
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Just...so...tired....
I love you Jan!!!0 -
...not trying to start THE big debate...
Uh, yes you are, otherwise why post?
Uh no I am not and because I had a question. I actually think this turned into a constructive discussion. Usual it turns into either people saying they do it to some extreme or others saying they should simply eat more. I wanted to avoid that and just get my question answered and it has been.0 -
Just...so...tired....
I love you Jan!!!
:blushing: 0 -
In my experience, there are two kinds of people who say they are eating 1200 calories.
Group A is the 1200 calories and more group. They always eat *at least* 1200 calories and include at least a part of their exercise calories, usually eating closer to 1500-1800 calories. While some people will wonder if 1200 is a good net goal for them if they're particularly tall, active, or male, most of us aren't concerned about the people NETTING 1200 calories.
Group B is the 1200 or less group. They always eat *less than* 1200 calories, ignoring exercise calories, and often mention that they work out for 2 hours a day, are training for a 5K, etc. They may also be tall, active, or male, but they eat 1200 or less per day, and usually their diaries show an amount closer to 900-1100 per day. They put in a very aggressive goal and then often ignore the recommendations and eat even less.
There are, of course, circumstances where 1200 calories GROSS are appropriate, but too many people here on MFP who eat 1200 GROSS actually shouldn't be, in my experience.
And recently, we've discovered a subset. Group A people masquerading as Group B people. :huh:0 -
Just...so...tired....
This made me LOL at my desk. Thank you.0 -
just try it and see if it works for you.
It works for me, it works for everyone when done right. It's simple math. Math doesn't only work for the obese. It does take careful logging but it's not impossible. The people it doesn't work for are usually logging intermittently or inaccurately, impatient, overestimating their exercise or all of the above.0 -
"choose "I want to lose 2 pounds per week" when that is not a feasible goal for them. "
Why is it not a feasible goal for them? Losing up to 2 lbs. per week is considered a safe, conservative goal outside of this forum. Even MFP allows all users to choose up to 2 lbs/week. It would be easy enough to program it so only people with X or greater pounds to lose may select that goal. It lets them select it because it's considered safe.
It depends...it is a feasible goal if you have quite a few Lbs to lose...it is not a feasible goal if you have very few cosmetic Lbs to lose...you simply don't have the fat stores neccesary to lose that quickly.0 -
OP to be honest it sounds like you are fine. I think it just depends on the person. My setup has been similar to yours and worked great. I only recently switched to TDEE because I wanted to work with more of an average with more calories and a slightly slower rate of loss, but I think they both work fine.
Sometimes people don't use their heads and get overly defensive about constructive criticism, and I think that is what makes people blow up.0 -
Your diet should consist of much more than 30 grams of fat. Try 0.3-0.4 grams per lb of body weight (if overweight 0.3, normal weight 0.35 to 0.4, obese can do less). So if you are 160lbs normal BF% you should aim for 60 grams of fat as a minimum which is 540 cals, + 400 for protein now at 940 cals and you still have to make sure you get enough fiber, vitamins and minerals.
DRI is well below that, about 20 grams in fact for the essential fatty acids but as long as you don't waste them I still had nearly half the calories to go and plenty to spend on fats which I would agree with. The foods you eat with the protein and fat in come with minerals and vitamins too, so you don't have a problem with the calories just picking the right foods is hard work.
70 grams of fat is the DRV for a 2000 calorie intake (as per the labels) so would expect to eat less while running at a deficit.0 -
I started with 1200 calories a day in August, and as of today I've lost 14 lbs. Not a huge loss, but as long as the numbers keep going down, I can handle it. If I'm being totally honest though, most days I probably have more like 1300-1400 calories. I work crazy shift work, and it makes it hard sometimes. I'm female, 48 yrs old, 5'2", and currently 186 lbs., so I have quite a bit to lose. I'm also very sedentary, my job involves sitting for 12 hrs a day. I take a mile walk when I can, and always eat those few calories back. For me, 1200 is probably about right. I will admit, though, that at the end of the day when I've already consumed my calories, if my stomach is growling and I'm absolutely miserably hungry, I will have a small snack anyway. I kind of play it by ear and as long as I aim for 'about' 1200 a day I'm satisfied. I'm not real religious about it.0
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works for me0
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Reposting my previous reply to a similar topic:
"How did you set up your MFP account? You need to pick an accurate activity level. Too many folks pick "sedentary" when they are actually lightly active or even more. Also set your goal to lose no more than 1 pound/week to achieve a sustainable weight loss. Plateaus, inadequate intake & hunger are the biggest cause for people to quit. View this as a lifestyle change, not a diet. You need to find a happy medium between eating too much & dieting, so you can live with it for life! After finding your actually calorie goal, then eat back exercise calories. I'm not sure how you are measuring your exercise calories? If using MFP then most folks find their calories burns high & thus eat back 1/2-2/3 of the actual calorie burn. Other methods of measuring vary in accuracy depending on the device.
If you prefer a more constant daily calorie goal, then you can switch to the TDDE-deficit method. The following I just posted in another thread:
If you let MFP set your calories, then yes, you eat back exercise calories. I decided to use the TDEE method mostly, because I didn't like the constantly changing calorie goal. ... If you want a more constant calorie goal, then I'd switch to the TDEE-deficit method & self-set your calorie & macro goals. For protein, ensure you are getting AT LEAST 1 gram/pound lean body mass--for most women that's 100-125 grams/day. Your fat should be set at 0.4 grams/pound of lean body mass. Carbs are whatever is left. ... meet your calorie goal most every day!!! If after 3-4 weeks, you're not losing then adjust your daily calorie goal by 100 calories & watch for another 3-4 weeks. You may need more calories or less calories, it can be a little trial & error from the TDEE-deficit calculation. If you need to lose >20 pounds, set your deficit at TDEE-20%. If your need to lose 10-20 pounds, then TDEE-10 to 15%, and once you're down to <10 pounds to lose, set your goal to TDEE-5-10%.
Meeting your macros, especially protein, is very important! You want to lose fat not muscle (lean body mass), so protein intake is very important. The more lean body mass you lose, the lower your BMR will be. That's where folks get lost in the "starvation mode" idea. It's not so much borderline/low calories cause "starvation," as it robs you of your lean body mass, and as the lean body mass drops, so does your BMR (i.e. daily basal calorie burn). Resistance training/heavy lifting is also essential for maintaining lean body mass/muscle as well."
Here's a link to Heybales TDEE calculator: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/heybales
"Go to heybales profile page & look for the link to his Excel spreadsheet. It's a few lines down from "About Me." The spreadsheet is great! I've been using it for 8 months now & have lost tons of weight, as has my family. The instructions are at the top of the document. You change the values in "yellow" & the others will adjust to give you your %BF, BMR, TDEE & macro goals. It also allows you to enter your activity in "hours." I redo my numbers monthly or after I've lost 5 pounds. The second tab also allows you to track your values over time, so everything is in one simple spreadsheet!"
Hope this helps! Good luck!!!0 -
"choose "I want to lose 2 pounds per week" when that is not a feasible goal for them. "
Why is it not a feasible goal for them? Losing up to 2 lbs. per week is considered a safe, conservative goal outside of this forum. Even MFP allows all users to choose up to 2 lbs/week. It would be easy enough to program it so only people with X or greater pounds to lose may select that goal. It lets them select it because it's considered safe.
It depends...it is a feasible goal if you have quite a few Lbs to lose...it is not a feasible goal if you have very few cosmetic Lbs to lose...you simply don't have the fat stores neccesary to lose that quickly.
I agree if you only have a few cosmetic pounds to lose that you're probably not going to ACHIEVE it in 2 lb/week increments because your margin for error is slim and you need to eat 1200 or so at least on average. But it's not unhealthy to AIM for that goal if you have the BMR and activity level to do so. I see people saying you shouldn't shoot for 2 lbs/week unless you're 50 lbs. overweight or more. That's silly.0 -
"Also, like others have said, most can lose weight on more than 1200 calories, so why would you force yourself to eat less? I completely understand though, that some short petite women can eat 1200 calories and be just fine. "
I'm one of those short petite women; 5'3" with about 8-9 more lbs to my goal. My daily calorie budget is set to 1200 which sometimes honestly is a struggle to meet when I try to drink 8 glasses of water. I just have no room for food. I exercise at least 5 times a week for 45 minutes or more bringing my goal up to over 1500 calories sometimes. I've found that my best weight loss per week is when I eat back some but not all of my exercise calories. 1200 net with extras built in for exercise is working fine for me. I don't eat junk food, have a very balanced diet of fruits and nuts and veggies and protein and fiber and even get to eat ice cream and cake in moderation.0 -
I think they are fine for little inactive people.
I am big and active. I "diet" at 2000 calories a day.0 -
"choose "I want to lose 2 pounds per week" when that is not a feasible goal for them. "
Why is it not a feasible goal for them? Losing up to 2 lbs. per week is considered a safe, conservative goal outside of this forum. Even MFP allows all users to choose up to 2 lbs/week. It would be easy enough to program it so only people with X or greater pounds to lose may select that goal. It lets them select it because it's considered safe.
It depends...it is a feasible goal if you have quite a few Lbs to lose...it is not a feasible goal if you have very few cosmetic Lbs to lose...you simply don't have the fat stores neccesary to lose that quickly.
I agree if you only have a few cosmetic pounds to lose that you're probably not going to ACHIEVE it in 2 lb/week increments because your margin for error is slim and you need to eat 1200 or so at least on average. But it's not unhealthy to AIM for that goal if you have the BMR and activity level to do so. I see people saying you shouldn't shoot for 2 lbs/week unless you're 50 lbs. overweight or more. That's silly.
I can AIM for flying to the moon on the back of the cow while the cat plays the fiddle but that doesn't mean it will happen. It's less frustration, less discouragement, and more satisfying to have a reasonable and attainable goal.0 -
(My opinion: The same as many above but I'm procrastinating writing a test for my students, so...)
1200 calories/day is not enough to enjoy Thai curry or chocolate cake in moderation while still getting all the necessary nutrients for a happy, healthy life. This makes me sad. And if I'm only eating 1200 calories a day, I'm extra sad and grumpy and prone toward biting people's heads off. Heads have too many calories too and also cannot be enjoyed in moderation on a 1200 calorie a day diet.
On a more serious note:
There's nothing magically wrong with 1200 calories a day... but most people on MFP eating 1200 calories a day are doing so because they are in a hurry to lose weight. They have a large calorie deficit, and large calorie deficits are hard to maintain. It's much much easier to maintain a little deficit.
You also run the risk of mild malnutrition: fewer calories = less room for mistakes = equal no cheating allowed if you are to get adequate nutrients for good health.
So.... in my opinion, the best approach to weight loss is to estimate how many calories you burn each day on average, subtract 250 or 500 calories from that average number, ad any exercise calories you burn, and set that as your target. Funny. That's how MFP does it too.0 -
I am 5ft and 117lbs and lightly active and I lose plenty at 1350. In fact it is the lowest I can go without feeling lethargic. Going lower is counterproductive to losing weight for me (and yes I did try, because MFP seemed to think I should eat 1270), because I move considerable less and if I do work out I don't actually have the same energy to put into it. It doesn't mean I don't lose weight eating a lower number, but I actually lose the same amount, so I'd rather eat a bit more.0
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Wanted to thank most of you for answering without it turing into the usual reponses. I really do need to watch the nutrients and make sure I am getting as much as I would on a higher calorie diet. I usually have too much room at the end of the night to endulge in the sweets and I have been trying to fill up with healthier choices throughout the day to only leave me with 100-200 (depending on if I have exercise calories) calories for something endulgent. I really did not think of how important this change will be for me if I am at such a low net. I just started this journey in late August and I know I still have a lot to learn. I want it to stick this time and I really do not think of it as a diet that is going to end, just a change that I want to keep up forever.0
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