How long before I lose 50 lbs with a 1200 cal diet?

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MTCBVBC20CAM
MTCBVBC20CAM Posts: 22 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm a University student (20 years old, female) and I'm 5 feet and nine inches. I weight around 195 lbs (last time I checked). I don't want to change my diet (I still want to be able to eat pizza, burgers, wings, sushi from time to time when I go out with friends and to have a drink here and there) but I did lower my calorie intake to 1200 cal a day. I'm still eating the same way but I lowered my portions (I had always eaten lots of greens, low-fat products, low-salt etc).

I started two weeks ago. This is my first time trying this out. I was wondering how long it's going to take to go down to 145 lbs while taking into account that I am not counting proteins or carbs (I have very little time as a full-time University student with a full-time job) but just by lowering my calorie intake.

Also, if anyone has tips on food to eat to help lower your weight, that would be appreciated.

Thanks
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Replies

  • _chiaroscuro
    _chiaroscuro Posts: 1,340 Member
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    Hi!
    You actually don't have to drop down to 1200 calories to lose weight. In fact people will tell you that's too low. I'll be happy to post a link to a calculator to find out a good number to start with, and explain why, if you'd like. Is that something you'd be interested in?

    Edit to add: There aren't specific foods which help you lose weight so you don't have to worry about that. It's about creating a calorie deficit. :flowerforyou:
  • arabianhorselover
    arabianhorselover Posts: 1,488 Member
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    There's no way anyone can really tell you that. There are too many variables.
  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
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    Slow and steady is the way to go. It can take 6 months to a year or more. 1200 calories seems low, I would starve at that.

    Read this OP: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • apercanis
    apercanis Posts: 72
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    What did you set your weekly goal for amount of pounds to lose? If you use that, you should be able to tabulate how long it will take. As for food, I'd just try to avoid junk foods and follow your calorie deficit. Following your deficit allows you to eat pizza, burgers, wings, and sushi whenever. Dieting isn't a punishment.
  • Greenrun99
    Greenrun99 Posts: 2,065 Member
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    how much muscle mass do you have at 5'9.. cause ya.. that will be gone.
  • violet791
    violet791 Posts: 13 Member
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    Just curious for those who say 1200 is too low ... when I entered my info into this site, it recommended I eat 1200 calories a day. What guidelines do you use to determine your daily calories??
  • MTCBVBC20CAM
    MTCBVBC20CAM Posts: 22 Member
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    It was myfitnesspal that suggested 1200 cal. What would you suggest quietsmile? And why is it bad to go at 1200 cal?

    Thanks
  • Missklara
    Missklara Posts: 283 Member
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    lets say your body needs 2000 cals to maintaine. and you eat 1200, thats 800 cals saved for a day.
    one pound is 3500 cals, i you want to lose 50 lbs you need to lose 17500 cals.
    that means you can lose 50 lbs in about 220 days.

    dont take this as something you can count on, we are not robots and you can not eat like that every day, there will be ups and downs but if you work hard you can do it till summer! yay!
    :flowerforyou:
  • MTCBVBC20CAM
    MTCBVBC20CAM Posts: 22 Member
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    Hi Greenrun,

    What do you mean the muscle mass will be gone? And I don't know how much is muscle and I've no clue how to find that out. I do know that I have fat and I want to lose it.
  • scottYBRIDGEWATER
    scottYBRIDGEWATER Posts: 206
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    I'm a University student (20 years old, female) and I'm 5 feet and nine inches. I weight around 195 lbs (last time I checked). I don't want to change my diet (I still want to be able to eat pizza, burgers, wings, sushi from time to time when I go out with friends and to have a drink here and there) but I did lower my calorie intake to 1200 cal a day. I'm still eating the same way but I lowered my portions (I had always eaten lots of greens, low-fat products, low-salt etc).

    I started two weeks ago. This is my first time trying this out. I was wondering how long it's going to take to go down to 145 lbs while taking into account that I am not counting proteins or carbs (I have very little time as a full-time University student with a full-time job) but just by lowering my calorie intake.

    Also, if anyone has tips on food to eat to help lower your weight, that would be appreciated.

    Thanks

    Probably never given your unwillingness to make REAL changes.

    You want to eat junk food
    You want to drink
    You do NOT want to count your macros
    You only want to cut down to 1200 calories

    And you want to lose 50 pounds??? If you can't make these types of sacrifices for a few months, its doubtful you will even stick to your 1200 calories.
  • ElyseL1
    ElyseL1 Posts: 504 Member
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    It has taken me a year and a half to lose 51 lbs. I however and trying to do this slowly and put on muscle. Just depends on the person
  • Dewymorning
    Dewymorning Posts: 762 Member
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    Set a higher goal that you can actually stick to, make small changes to improve your diet over time, don't expect to lose the weight quickly, think of this as a lifestyle change so that you can be healthy/happy/sexy/whatever-adjective-you-want-to-be for the rest of your life.

    EDIT: And yes, you can still occasionally eat nice things with your friends, it is just about learning to not go overboard.

    EDIT2: If you lose 1 pound a week, which is in the range of healthy weight loss, than it will take about a year.
  • Missklara
    Missklara Posts: 283 Member
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    What do you mean the muscle mass will be gone? And I don't know how much is muscle and I've no clue how to find that out. I do know that I have fat and I want to lose it.

    your muscles wont go anywhere if you workout :wink:
  • DemoraFairy
    DemoraFairy Posts: 1,806 Member
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    I'm a University student (20 years old, female) and I'm 5 feet and nine inches. I weight around 195 lbs (last time I checked). I don't want to change my diet (I still want to be able to eat pizza, burgers, wings, sushi from time to time when I go out with friends and to have a drink here and there) but I did lower my calorie intake to 1200 cal a day. I'm still eating the same way but I lowered my portions (I had always eaten lots of greens, low-fat products, low-salt etc).

    I started two weeks ago. This is my first time trying this out. I was wondering how long it's going to take to go down to 145 lbs while taking into account that I am not counting proteins or carbs (I have very little time as a full-time University student with a full-time job) but just by lowering my calorie intake.

    Also, if anyone has tips on food to eat to help lower your weight, that would be appreciated.

    Thanks

    Probably never given your unwillingness to make REAL changes.

    You want to eat junk food
    You want to drink
    You do NOT want to count your macros
    You only want to cut down to 1200 calories

    And you want to lose 50 pounds??? If you can't make these types of sacrifices for a few months, its doubtful you will even stick to your 1200 calories.

    You don't need to do any of those things to lose weight. I ate 1200 calories a day, full of junk food and didn't track my macros and lost about 50lbs in just over a year. I agree they're all good ideas that will probably help, but not necessary.
  • bumblebreezy91
    bumblebreezy91 Posts: 520 Member
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    -formatting problem :grumble: -
  • apercanis
    apercanis Posts: 72
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    It was myfitnesspal that suggested 1200 cal. What would you suggest quietsmile? And why is it bad to go at 1200 cal?

    Thanks
    Just curious for those who say 1200 is too low ... when I entered my info into this site, it recommended I eat 1200 calories a day. What guidelines do you use to determine your daily calories??

    Some people recommend not to eat below your BMR.
  • Missklara
    Missklara Posts: 283 Member
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    You don't need to do any of those things to lose weight. I ate 1200 calories a day, full of junk food and didn't track my macros and lost about 50lbs in just over a year. I agree they're all good ideas that will probably help, but not necessary.

    i agree, i eat crap all the time :laugh:
  • scottYBRIDGEWATER
    scottYBRIDGEWATER Posts: 206
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    I'm a University student (20 years old, female) and I'm 5 feet and nine inches. I weight around 195 lbs (last time I checked). I don't want to change my diet (I still want to be able to eat pizza, burgers, wings, sushi from time to time when I go out with friends and to have a drink here and there) but I did lower my calorie intake to 1200 cal a day. I'm still eating the same way but I lowered my portions (I had always eaten lots of greens, low-fat products, low-salt etc).

    I started two weeks ago. This is my first time trying this out. I was wondering how long it's going to take to go down to 145 lbs while taking into account that I am not counting proteins or carbs (I have very little time as a full-time University student with a full-time job) but just by lowering my calorie intake.

    Also, if anyone has tips on food to eat to help lower your weight, that would be appreciated.

    Thanks

    Probably never given your unwillingness to make REAL changes.

    You want to eat junk food
    You want to drink
    You do NOT want to count your macros
    You only want to cut down to 1200 calories

    And you want to lose 50 pounds??? If you can't make these types of sacrifices for a few months, its doubtful you will even stick to your 1200 calories.

    You don't need to do any of those things to lose weight. I ate 1200 calories a day, full of junk food and didn't track my macros and lost about 50lbs in just over a year. I agree they're all good ideas that will probably help, but not necessary.

    My point is that the most important change needs to happen between the ears. When someone starts off with I want to eat junk food, I want to drink, I'm too busy to track my macros, then well.......I have to chuckle. Because they will fail before they ever begin. Its systemic of the "I want results" but I don't want to put in the work generation. Sorry, but she needs a reality check. Nothing comes easy.................
  • _chiaroscuro
    _chiaroscuro Posts: 1,340 Member
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    1200 is the minimum number of calories recommended, and pops up frequently when people enter their desired weekly loss at 2 lbs/week. I started out that way too for about a minute until I found out it would make me hate life. The key is to create a sustainable plan for weight loss and decrease the chances of you quitting or bingeing after such a restricted diet.

    What the veterans around here taught me about was figuring out what your TDEE is (Total Daily Energy Expenditure). This is the amount of calories you need to eat to maintain your current weight. I found out what mine was here:

    http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html

    My TDEE is 1786.

    Next, once you have that number, you'll want to subtract a percentage from that to create your calorie deficit. I want to lose 20-30 pounds, so right now, I eat my TDEE minus 15%, or 1500 calories per day. If I do cardio that day and burn, say 300 I also eat those calories back.

    I put in your statistics, but kept your activity level at sedentary b/c I wasn't sure, and your TDEE came out to be 2073. Because you want to lose 50lbs, you could do a TDEE minus 20% plan, or 1658 calories daily, with eating exercise calories back too.

    I know this might seem complicated, I'll answer questions or get smarter people than I to do so. Also, check out the sexypants thread someone posted. VERY good info there.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    There's a lot of good information happening above me, but I think some of it's getting garbled.

    OP, if you haven't yet the Sexypants guide is one of the best beginner's guides on the forums. It's a lot of reading (and you should read all of the linked posts, too) but it should straighten out some of your questions: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

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