Who can stick to a 1200-1350 calorie diet/lifestyle?

strivingforjoy

Who on MFP can stick to a 1200-1350 calorie diet?
Is it challenging?
What do you have for daily meals and snacks?

I know a lot of people consider it unhealthy and say you will gain the weight right back but I think I'm willing to give 1200-1350 a try!

MFP says in order for me to lose two pounds a week I would have to eat 1200 calories for my weight and height.

I was thinking maybe a little fruit for breakfast with eggs and oatmeal, a piece of chicken and lots of veges for lunch and some kind of chicken or fish with veges for dinner. For snacks, maybe like nuts, yogurt or fruit.

antxoable

I eat over that now but i did the 1300 for a while, didn't do it over weekends though but if u have a strict diet over the week its not that difficult. I have oats for breakfast, salad and a bread roll for lunch or chicken or fish plus vegs and some rice or sweet potato, same dinner and snacks cottage cheese and pinnaple, carrot sticks,fruit and lots of water…I wouldn't advise you to do it for over a month or two to drop the first pounds quickly but its not healthy on the long term. I eat 1700 calls and still lose some weight, just slower.

gagnon9691

I am usually just over 1300 each day. My diary is open if you would like to look

storyborey

I did it. I ended up nearly having a panic attack when I was offered a piece of cake and had no excuse to say no. Then I put it all back on. Now I do about 1500 a day, I lose weight, I have enough energy for working out, I feel happier. But everyone is different. I think if you're questioning whether it's a good idea, you probably know it's not.

shmulyeng

I'm pretty much at that level. Feel free to send a friend request to see my Diary.

CoderGal

I stuck to it for a while. So did my sister. We weren't exercising so we thought it was ok since we weren't burning a lot of extra calories. We ate mostly lean meats and a lot of vegetables, and took multi vitamins. Things like chicken spinach salads with various vegetables like tomato, peppers, onions, mushrooms, a occasional sprinkle of nuts and beans. I felt full when I got use to it (as anyone would). I thought I was eating healthy. Our hair started falling out. Her teeth started getting lose. We stopped. Be careful. It's hard to absorb nutrients in a low fat diet. It's hard to feel full eating high fat on a low cal diet. Just remember a lot of nutrients are fat soluble so even if you're getting them, you're not absorbing them as well. I started eating more (I eat about 2000 now but I try to move more) and noticed that a lot of the low cal friends I accumulated at the time started running into stalls when I didn't.

Broderick50

I did the 1200 calorie thing for a while and it is sustainable. Mainly I ate a lot of protein I alternated between baked or grilled chicken and fish. Ate at least one salad a day and usually turkey sandwiches for lunch. Snacks were nuts and fruits. It isn't for everybody and it's hard to discipline yourself to that especially when you're working out and burning over 500 calories a day, but it is rewarding. Most days now when I plan my meals I have to add stuff to get to 1500 but that's the plan I'm on right now. Good luck.

Sweet_Potato

I have mine set to 1200. I eat back exercise calories sometimes, but I'm small and don't burn that many so it's only 100-200 extra on average. However, on weekends I don't log and may be eating more.

I've been doing it this way for a couple years now and it's been great for maintaining my current weight. I eat whatever I want, but try to exercise portion control with high-calorie items. And I'm never, ever hungry. Most of my meals are vegetarian and made from scratch, while snacks are often things like fruit or nuts (but might also be a slice of cake or a couple glasses of wine).

Edited to add: My diary's open if you want to see examples. I took a break from logging for most of March, but yesterday's a good example of what I typically eat.

evileen99

I eat more than 1350 by noon--there is no way I could live on that few calories for an entire day.

ritsfit

I eat around 1200 to 1350 calories. When my lifestyle needs more energy for one day I'll eat a bit more or if it's a celebration and I can't have a healthy option I'll just exceed my limit but then back again at 1200-1350. It's not that hard actually, and since I don't play sports making my only activity walking to school and back home and some thighs and abs toner exercises, I don't require big quantities. Plus, I'm not trying to LOSE weight, I'm trying to lose FAT to make my body as lean and strong as possible.

ADD ME! I JUST STARTED THIS ACCOUNT, I AM A GREAT MOTIVATOR! xoxo

rosebette

If you're a smaller person, you can easily manage it. I'm small 5'1.5" and it only takes around 1500 to maintain my weight, so I have to eat around 1200 to have any kind of deficit for weight loss. Remember, the net should be no lower than 1200. So, if you exercise, you are able to "eat back" those exercise calories. For instance, yesterday I did 300 calories worth of cardio and strength training, so I ate 1558 calories, but my net was 1258. I have found that if I make good food choices, it's not too hard. If you look at my diary, which I think is open, you can see I ate three decent meals (even a glass of wine at dinner) and had a couple of snacks. You do have to do portion control -- a serving of meat is 4 oz., a serving of rice or pasta is 1 cup (I usually limit myself to no more than half a cup of rice). I still eat sandwiches, but if it's on a denser bread (100 calories or more a slice), I have 1/2 a sandwich and an extra slice of meat, which has less calories and more nutrition than bread. The more I eat at home and make or bring my own food, the easier it is. I never eat breakfast out -- you can blow half a day's worth on a breakfast sandwich or bagel. If you're in a rush, buy oatmeal packets, and if there's hot water at work, make a small bowl of oatmeal, or bring a yogurt. Social situations and eating out are more difficult. In that case, I might have a "cheat" meal, where I don't count, but you can only do one or two of those a week and still maintain your weight loss progress.

HealthyishWithMaggieG

1200 calories is just your base. When you workout, you earn the right to eat additional calories. So, if you want to eat more, be sure to workout and eat your exercise calories. If you don't workout, though, 1200 calories is possible... lots of salad/veggies, lean protein, and a little bit of good quality fats (olive oil, coconut oil, avocados, salmon).

AllonsYtotheTardis

why would I want to?

Pirate_chick

I am not having a problem. In fact most days I have a hard time reaching the 1200.

SugaryLynx

I could...but why would I want to do that when I could eat so much more and still lose? Plus, now I definitely can't because I'm lean enough that I would be more likely to sacrifice muscle if I create too large of a deficit.

I'm 5'3.5" and lost 1 lb a week average on 1650 net. I now can eat around 2150 to maintain my weight at 116 lbs .

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

Pikacu90

It's not challenging when you skip all the "bad foods". I'm finding I'm much less hungry when I eat healthier stuff like vegetable soups. On the days when I eat chocolate or potato chips, I can't stop, it always makes me hungry again really quickly. When I cut out all of that, it feels like magic - no hunger anymore.

Today I ate 3 small slices of homemade cheese pie, some yogurt, fresh orange juice and a bowl of vegetable soup. That was slightly less than 1200 calories. I've been eating around 1100 calories each day for a week now, and doing some light exercise almost every day. On some days I ate fish or chicken. I'm keeping my profile private coz I'm ashamed, so I guess you can't see.

I'm in a rush to lose a few more pounds/kgs quickly because I really hate how much weight I put on this winter. After that I think I will start eating more, while still trying to lose weight. Been reading on the fabled "starvation mode" and came to the conclusion that I don't believe it's possible to gain weight if you eat less. xD But still, I wouldn't like to feel half-dead from starving. Also, how is 1200 the minimum number of calories to eat for both someone like me (5' 10'', slightly overweight) and someone short and tiny? I know some girls who need to eat only 1400 calories a day to maintain their weight.

Anyway, I'm also wondering what to do. I'm ashamed of the weight I put on recently and want to get rid of it quickly, but I'm also interested in a long term solution, because I've been yo-yo-ing for years, usually taking care of my weight as summer approaches and letting go during winter.

lemurcat12

It's really not that tough, especially if you eat lots of vegetables and make sure you have enough protein and fat to feel satiated (at least that's how it works for me). But it's also good incentive to work out and earn more calories.

TeaBea

Who on MFP can stick to a 1200-1350 calorie diet?
Is it challenging?
What do you have for daily meals and snacks?

I know a lot of people consider it unhealthy and say you will gain the weight right back but I think I'm willing to give 1200-1350 a try!

MFP says in order for me to lose two pounds a week I would have to eat 1200 calories for my weight and height.

I was thinking maybe a little fruit for breakfast with eggs and oatmeal, a piece of chicken and lots of veges for lunch and some kind of chicken or fish with veges for dinner. For snacks, maybe like nuts, yogurt or fruit.

How did you come to pick 2 pounds a week? 1200 is as low as MFP will go....it's a DEFAULT...not a statement of "this is healthy for someone of this age & this size."

Weekly weight loss goals should be tailored to the amount of weight you have to lose....not on how fast you want to lose it.

Check out your BMR (basal metabolic rate) ....calories your body would use if you stayed in bed all day. If 1200 is lower, you might consider a lower weekly weight loss goal.

http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/

TeaBea

I am not having a problem. In fact most days I have a hard time reaching the 1200.

Calorie dense foods..........nuts, nut butters, olive oil, avocado. Think of protein goals as a minimum. Also, 1200 is a NET number because MFP gave you a deficit based upon ZERO exercise. That means when you workout...you eat more. This helps you keep lean muscle & fuels your workouts.

Eating less than your BMR often leads to muscle loss. Find your BMR. These is healthy weight loss.....and then there is fast weight loss....not the same thing.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

TheGymGypsy

I would rather eat enough calories to get all the nutrients my body needs to sustain itself.

Francl27

Remember it's 1200 BEFORE EXERCISE. So, exercise, burn calories, eat those back, and you'll eat a way more reasonable 1400+ calories. I've never had to eat below 1600. I couldn't do it anyway.

ezloshead

I've been at 1200 for most of my time here and it's hard some days. I gotta make the most of all my calories to keep from feeling hungry so there's no room for empty foods. And I cheat every week. Knowing I have a day for giving in completely helps me deny cravings I just can't fit into my numbers other days.

angelicprettyy

I can. I eat around 1300-1400 calories a day, used to be 1200. I experienced some problems with 1200. I haven't experienced any problems with 1300, besides sometimes being sensitive to cold, but I always kind of was. It's not for everybody. Please go a bit above 1200, just in case. Take care of your body. :flowerforyou:

For breakfast, I try to incorporate a fruit. I eat grapefruit a lot, usually paired with cereal (1% milk), Red River, toast, etc. Omelettes are good. I use 2 egg whites and 1 whole egg while adding veggies to it, then pair it with fruit.

For lunch, I eat salads, veggies (carrots), fruit, hummus, crackers, low-calorie Fibre bars... Stuff like that. Never do I only eat fruit for lunch because it'd leave me hungry and terribly unsatisfied.

For snacks, I'll eat fruit, veggies, low-cal bars or Kashi bars (I need lots of fibre), peanut butter (light, regular or natural, I don't restrict my PB), yogurt with All Bran Buds or fruit... You get the picture.

For dinner, I usually will eat a soup and pair it with crackers, bread, or anything else I want to. I also go out for dinner sometimes. I try not to limit my food, just make it fit within my goals.

Also, DRINK TONS OF WATER. I'm always drinking water and it helps keep me awake, satisfied, and generally feeling good.

Good luck. :flowerforyou:

Edit:: I forgot to mention that I'm actually gradually upping my calories to 1400-1500, which is why I'm no longer on 1200 anymore. It was too unsafe.

deksgrl

2 pounds per week loss isn't reasonable unless you are very obese. If that picture is you, then that isn't the case.

1200-1350 is not sustainable for me, I get a headache, dizziness, weak, and can't think clearly never mind have enough energy to do anything physical. When I have a day like that then I just eat more the next day.

1992Leigh1992

I'm 1200-1400.

I stuck to it really well for a few months and reached my goal weight. By the end of that I was nearing exams and very rarely excercising (if I got time to excercise I ate more.). Then I went overseas, during which time I wasn't counting calories at all. I ate rich dinners and sometimes desers (I did not know it was possible to get sick of cheese), ate much larger portions at breakfast and went out clubbing/drinking quite a bit.

I assumed I'd have gained weight. I weighed myself when I got back out of curiosity. I was up 4.5 kgs. The next day I weighed again and 3.5 kilos of that had disappeared. I think I was just bloated from salty aeroplane food. The other kilo disappeared over the next month also.

Shortly after, I moved house and over the next five months due to stress and other things gained 10kg.

I'm going 1200-1400 to lose the first few kgs, and then I'm going to gradually up my calories. I am running 1-2 times per week (the days that I am not working) and doing sit-ups/ ect the other days (weekends and days when I'm at work).

I find it hard to log on weekends as I am spending time with friend, ect, so I just stay eat as healthily as possible but don't kill myself if I eat a bit more.

Feel free to add me. 1-2 days per week when I'm working like today I tend to just 'quick add kilojoules', but other days I enter in each food.

Edit: These numbers refer to net calories/kjs, so if I do cardio I go higher.

verhunzt

I can and you can too, if you eat 1200 calories NET. I do eat back my exercise calories (though not the high number MFP gives me.. I use another calculator) and I exercise 5-6 times a week.
So I basically eat around 1500 calories, no more than that though.
My tips are: Eat LOTS of fruits, they are so filling! Lessen your bread intake, eat smaller portions, but eat what you desire! I for example do even have chocolate cake sometimes - yes, on a 1200 calorie diet, to avoid cravings. It's all possible.

cwolfman13

I stuck to it for a while. So did my sister. We weren't exercising so we thought it was ok since we weren't burning a lot of extra calories. We ate mostly lean meats and a lot of vegetables, and took multi vitamins. Things like chicken spinach salads with various vegetables like tomato, peppers, onions, mushrooms, a occasional sprinkle of nuts and beans. I felt full when I got use to it (as anyone would). I thought I was eating healthy. Our hair started falling out. Her teeth started getting lose. We stopped. Be careful. It's hard to absorb nutrients in a low fat diet. It's hard to feel full eating high fat on a low cal diet. Just remember a lot of nutrients are fat soluble so even if you're getting them, you're not absorbing them as well. I started eating more (I eat about 2000 now but I try to move more) and noticed that a lot of the low cal friends I accumulated at the time started running into stalls when I didn't.

This stuff seems to be lost on so many people, it's sad really...no concept of what actually constitutes proper nutrition.

Staniel_2013

I don't and probably never will, I just see it ending badly and not just for me.

Would rather work out harder and get to eat more than have cannibalistic tendancies because I'm starving myself to lose weight the wrong way. No one really needs to be eating that low unless under special circumstance too.

CattOfTheGarage

I aim for 1360 net. I eat back my exercise. On days I don't exercise, I find it hard to stick to. Otherwise, it's sustainable for me.

When people talk about 1200 or whatever being sustainable or not sustainable, they almost never specify whether they mean net or gross. Confusion and acrimony results. I can see why 1200 gross calories is frowned upon, but 1200 net could be fine. It doesn't take many walks to the shops to get that up to a decent amount of food.

There's no reason any particular number has to make you obsessive and inflexible. If someone offers me cake, I eat it (if I want it). I can usually fit it in. If not, tomorrow's another day. A relatively low calorie aim combined with inflexible or obsessive attitudes to diet could definitely be unhealthy.

CookieDoughYummy

I'm only 5'2 and I can eat 1800 calories and still lose weight. I think any lightly active person can lose weight eating at least 1500 calories, there's no need to eat any less than that.

Think of it like petrol ... you can't burn through more than whats in your car. So if you're not getting enough calories you're basically running on empty.

FindingAmy77

I do. I can see myself doing this on a regular basis because I eat what I like