1200 Calories A Day and I'm Hungry All the Time

wbatten2

I've been yo yo dieting for a long time and now I want to get serious about losing 30-40 lbs. I do great for 3 to 4 days then I screw up and give up then try and get back on track. I'm a wreck. I was trying to do 1200 calories a day and I'm struggling. At the end of the day I feel hungry and deprived. I'm eating veggies and lean meats but finding that everything has so many calories and I'm staying hungry and feel tired. I was hoping to lose 1.5 lbs a week and on this site it calculated my daily calorie intake to be 1200 but I'm finding this really hard to do. Just want to hear your thoughts. Maybe some ideas on what is good to eat and satisfying and how I can stay at 1200 but feel satisfied and not hungry when the day is done. Any and all comments are appreciated. Thank you.

No_Finish_Line

shocked at the title!

ksy1969

Here we go again!!!!

trogalicious

so set the goal to .5 lb per week and try again.

Unknown

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janupshaw

First, change to 1# a week loss, that should give you a few more calories. Exercise & then eat back those calories. Greek yogurt is filling, give it a try.

SueGeer

Don't rush things, for a start. Reset your goal to lose 0.5 a week....enjoy the extra calories; work out too, so you have more to eat.

diannethegeek

Step one: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets Make sure that 1200 calories is a good goal for your size and activity level. (Hint: it probably isn't)

Step two: Choose foods with more protein, fats, and fiber. These help us stay fuller and more satisfied longer.

Step three: Drink plenty of fluids.

Step four: Play around with your meal times. Some people do very well on 6 small meals a day, others prefer two large ones. Some people need breakfast in the mornings and others feel hungrier if they eat first thing after waking up. Find what works for you.

DaniGray813

I am on a 1200 cal intake as well... I have to say I have great energy and sometimes may get a little bit hungry here and there.... suggestions would be fill up on your lean proteins and veggies... great snacks in between would be plain non fat yogurt, fruit, flax seed and a few almonds.... even homemade oat meal...I make mine with oats, dash of cinnamon and scoop of my protein powder.... other great snacks are tuna out of the can with a few whole wheat crackers...I ate 5 times a day.... breakfast, snack, lunch, snack and dinner....that should be filling you up as long as you are eating the correct foods.

xSirensSong

shocked at the title!

Here we go again!!!!

They obviously don't need or want comments like this ~ there are people out here who aren't diet experts, such as yourselves (I'm assuming here).

1200 calories may be too small of an amount for you. I agree with MrM27 ~ all of those factors play a part in how many calories to eat in a day to feel satisfied while still losing weight. MFP gives you 1200 calories, but that is a 'blanket number' that won't apply to everyone.

Chin up, darlin! You've got this! :flowerforyou:

LavaDoll

you're doing it wrong.

cdstaufenbiel

You may want to adjust your weight loss goal to 1 lb/week or even .5 lb/week. This will give you a better feel for how satiated you are with a higher caloric intake.

Also, are you tracking your physical exercise on MFP, as well? I think it's important to eat back a large portion, if not all, of your exercise calories.

I hope this helps! Good luck!

TeaBea

First, change to 1# a week loss, that should give you a few more calories. Exercise & then eat back those calories. Greek yogurt is filling, give it a try.

This!^

A 1# a week goal will give you more calories. You will lose a little slower but 1. it will be more sustainable long term, 2. it will help you retain lean muscle (you will lose a higher % of fat this way).

Exercise & eating back calories....strength training helps you "shape" your body.....cardio generally burns more calories and is great for your heart. Plus you "earn" extra treats.....I use exercise calories for snacks.

Protein & fiber are filling....but dietary fat (which doesn't make you fat) is filling also. Oatmeal with a few chopped walnuts will keep me full longer than plain oatmeal.

ninav1980

You will thank me for what I am about to tell you

Drink Vanilla Chai Tea when you are hungry-Zero calories and oh so yummy. PLUS you feel full and you can save calories for actual food.. I am slightly addicted to the stuff. The kind I buy is only at certain grocery stores, so when I ran out the other day I made a mad dash to find more! I promise, this will help with the hunger. After your body gets used to the low calories it wont be so bad. I have a friend who swears by Lemon water to make her feel full longer. Just a couple of tips. Hope this helps.

sjd1974

Sometimes THIRST masks itself as feeling HUNGRY. Whenever I feel like I could raid the fridge, I stop and drink 8 oz of water first and give myself a few minutes. Usually, the feeling passes. Eating an apple is great as well, low in calories and takes quite a bit longer to eat than gobbling up something else in record time. It's usually long enough for your body to stop telling you it's hungry. On that note, also remember to eat slowly and chew your food well. Give your brain enough time to get the signal from your stomach that it's full.

UpEarly

You don't need to go down to 1200 calories a day! I suggest setting your goal to lose just half a pound a week, then you're only cutting about 250 calories a day from your diet. Eat normal foods, watch portion sizes and total calories. Accept that you will not lose weight quickly!

Also, I found NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) made a HUGE difference for me. I was always a regular exerciser - even when I was at my very heaviest weight. But even though I exercised 5-6 days a week, I took elevators/escalators, drove to meetings that were less than a mile from me, drove when I needed to run errands, sat behind my desk, etc. I replaced a lot of my sitting/driving time with walking and general activity throughout the day. It bumped my TDEE up by a couple hundred calories a day.

I lost weight steadily and easily (66 lbs total) and have now kept it off for over two years!

1princesswarrior

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

mrsfyredude

Here we go again!!!!

Mattcx2013

I would say 1200 cals a day is bordering on dangerously low. Obviously it depends on your age, height, activity level etc, but i would aim for something around 1800 - 2000. That is more than enough for 3 decent sized (not mountains - that was my problem!) nutritious meals, plus either 1 or 2 snacks, depending on what you choose. If you're used to eating a lot then this might be a struggle, but it's because of the habit/psychological cycle not because your body needs it, so after a week or two, you should find it gets easier. Also, don't listen to people that harp on about cutting out certain food goups (fad diets). It's about healthier eating and having a bit of everything in moderation. Obviously saturated fat is the one to watch, but my diet mainly turned out (unintentionally) to be high protein (mainly fish and roast chicken with skin removed) and high carbs (lots of potatoes, pasta, rice) with a lower fat intake, and i lost 22lbs in 7 months. I used to think i had no will power whatsoever, but since i've lost the weight it has boosted my confidence. I was quite strict with myself but i found using MFP more helpful than willpower alone. I put in absolutely everything i consumed and it turned into a bit of a game with myself! Have some belief in yourself and you'll succeed. Best of luck! Matt

Unknown

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hypocrisy8

you're doing it wrong.

This post was super helpful, I bet with this solid advice OP will surely succeed.........

OP, try drinking a glass or two of water before every meal. This will help you eat less.
I also suggest, like many others on this thread, setting your weekly weight loss goal lower. I do not know how many calories you were eating a day before you started counting calories, but dropping to 1200 calories right away is tough.
Losing only .5lb a week is still better than 0lb a week. Good luck to you

diannethegeek

I would say 1200 cals a day is bordering on dangerously low. Obviously it depends on your age, height, activity level etc, but i would aim for something around 1800 - 2000. That is more than enough for 3 decent sized (not mountains - that was my problem!) nutritious meals, plus either 1 or 2 snacks, depending on what you choose. If you're used to eating a lot then this might be a struggle, but it's because of the habit/psychological cycle not because your body needs it, so after a week or two, you should find it gets easier. Also, don't listen to people that harp on about cutting out certain food goups (fad diets). It's about healthier eating and having a bit of everything in moderation. Obviously saturated fat is the one to watch, but my diet mainly turned out (unintentionally) to be high protein (mainly fish and roast chicken with skin removed) and high carbs (lots of potatoes, pasta, rice) with a lower fat intake, and i lost 22lbs in 7 months. I used to think i had no will power whatsoever, but since i've lost the weight it has boosted my confidence. I was quite strict with myself but i found using MFP more helpful than willpower alone. I put in absolutely everything i consumed and it turned into a bit of a game with myself! Have some belief in yourself and you'll succeed. Best of luck! Matt

You can get the OP's stats from her previous posts. Her TDEE is going to be in the 1700s if she's sedentary. 1800-2000 calories would not be a good idea for her.

kitlynnJ

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

^this

Also as others have said you could try a slower approach to weight loss. Losing .5 lbs a week might seem really, really slow, but if it is something you can stick with you will be 4 lbs down in a couple of months instead of back where you started because you couldn't stick with the 1200 plan.

TeaBea

I would say 1200 cals a day is bordering on dangerously low. Obviously it depends on your age, height, activity level etc, but i would aim for something around 1800 - 2000. That is more than enough for 3 decent sized (not mountains - that was my problem!) nutritious meals, plus either 1 or 2 snacks, depending on what you choose. If you're used to eating a lot then this might be a struggle, but it's because of the habit/psychological cycle not because your body needs it, so after a week or two, you should find it gets easier. Also, don't listen to people that harp on about cutting out certain food goups (fad diets). It's about healthier eating and having a bit of everything in moderation. Obviously saturated fat is the one to watch, but my diet mainly turned out (unintentionally) to be high protein (mainly fish and roast chicken with skin removed) and high carbs (lots of potatoes, pasta, rice) with a lower fat intake, and i lost 22lbs in 7 months. I used to think i had no will power whatsoever, but since i've lost the weight it has boosted my confidence. I was quite strict with myself but i found using MFP more helpful than willpower alone. I put in absolutely everything i consumed and it turned into a bit of a game with myself! Have some belief in yourself and you'll succeed. Best of luck! Matt

Interested in knowing how you managed to come up with that the OP should eat 1800-2000 calories and be able to lose weight without knowing her current weight, height and activity level.

Also, you are comparing yourself to a 51 year old female. Make sense much?

Thank you for pointing out the OP's age (I should have looked myself). OP - I AM 53 years old & a past yo-yo dieter.

Find your BMR (it may be fairly low.....age doesn't help us there).....it won't be great, but 1200 sounds low. Don't assume eating 1200 is okay.....1200 is just MFP's lowest default value......it has nothing to do with your height, age, etc.

BMR is zero activity (ie: sleeping).....TDEE is maintenance. This IS tailored to your height, age, etc.

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

Yo-yo dieters lose weight.......and regain it. The problem is that unless you took care to lessen muscle loss the first time (1200 is not taking care) .......you (and I) lose fat AND muscle.....but just regained fat. This left me (at least) with a higher body fat % than is healthy. This time around I need to "take care" to reduce muscle loss while losing weight.

Tips for maintaining as much muscle as you can...........
1. Lose weight at a slower pace
2. Eat plenty of protein
3. Strength train

Springfield1970

I would say 1200 cals a day is bordering on dangerously low. Obviously it depends on your age, height, activity level etc, but i would aim for something around 1800 - 2000. That is more than enough for 3 decent sized (not mountains - that was my problem!) nutritious meals, plus either 1 or 2 snacks, depending on what you choose. If you're used to eating a lot then this might be a struggle, but it's because of the habit/psychological cycle not because your body needs it, so after a week or two, you should find it gets easier. Also, don't listen to people that harp on about cutting out certain food goups (fad diets). It's about healthier eating and having a bit of everything in moderation. Obviously saturated fat is the one to watch, but my diet mainly turned out (unintentionally) to be high protein (mainly fish and roast chicken with skin removed) and high carbs (lots of potatoes, pasta, rice) with a lower fat intake, and i lost 22lbs in 7 months. I used to think i had no will power whatsoever, but since i've lost the weight it has boosted my confidence. I was quite strict with myself but i found using MFP more helpful than willpower alone. I put in absolutely everything i consumed and it turned into a bit of a game with myself! Have some belief in yourself and you'll succeed. Best of luck! Matt

I train for triathlons and if I ate 1800 per day on a rest day I'd gain weight!

You're right about tracking though, MFP works wonders. Read more posts, a few thousand should do it before advice is taken seriously here!

eric_sg61

How many calories were you eating before dropping to 1200?

Greenrun99

I've been yo yo dieting for a long time and now I want to get serious about losing 30-40 lbs.

News flash.. still yo yo dieting.

wbatten2

That was helpful. Wow really.

murdledoe

I have worked with a cardiologist and a dietician on my diet. I am on a 1200 calorie diet and with the meals and snacks I have been having, it is working for me and I am rarely hungry. I have lost 17 in 2 months. You are more then welcomed to add me as a friend and look at my food diary. One of the things that I do is get away with unnecessary calories, which allows for more substantial food.

Good luck.

ravenmiss

Age?
Height?
Current weight?
Activity level?
What do you eat daily?

Without answering this no one can help you.

kat_howell

I have been dieting for 3 months. I do atleast 30-45 min of cardio 4-5days a week. I ride my bike in the evenings. I stay under 1200 calories a day. I drink 8 or more glasses of water a day. And i have lost 1lb!!!! I am giving it 1 more month then I quit!!! if I am going to be fat I might as well eat a cheeseburger!!! :mad: