Anyone on 1200 - 1300 calories / day?
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It varies but lately its been a combination of these:
breakfast: greek yogurt (+berries and granola sometimes) and coffee or tea
lunch: homemade yumm bowl (brown rice, black beans, yumm sauce, pico de gallo, avocado, cilantro) or veggie burger on wheat bun.
dinner: big salad (spring mix or spinach, +extra veggies, cheese, a little dressing, whatever sounds good), soup, baked chicken and veggies, or one of the lunch options.
snacks: fruit, hummus and seed crackers or carrots, protein shake, or almonds.
I also drink lots of water, I think that helps with staying full throughout the day too. As a general rule, I try to eat as little bread and dairy as possible, so I'll usually skip on cheese, croutons, and milk unless I need it. If I do use milk for something, I try to make it almond milk and If I do eat bread, I go whole grain/wheat.
Also, I try to eat frequently and in small portions. If I'm hungry, I drink more water and eat something good, clean, and filling. But usually staying hydrated and eating small amounts often keeps me feeling pretty full throughout the day.
Water is so important! Not just for weightloss, I just feel better in general since I started drinking more water.0 -
Sounds like starvation.0
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No, because I don't have to starve myself to lose weight. Also, because food tastes good.
I'm 5'5" 133 lbs and I eat 1810 calories per day gross when averaged over the entire week. Last week I lost almost a pound. Being 3 lbs from goal, that's almost too much weight lost in one week. If I lose more than .4 lb this week, I'll be bumping it up another 100 calories.
Your body needs food to function. Unless you're 3 feet tall and sedentary, you should be eating more than 1200 calories per day. This is the only body you're going to get - treat it better.
All of you 1200-calorie folks, feel free to yell at me and tell me how you're totally full on 1200 calories per day and you gain weight if you eat more than that. I'll be over here eating while you try to convince me that you're a unique flower whose body works totally different from everyone else's.
She said it better than I could.
I eat 1,800/day and lose weight. If you are struggling with 1200-1300 calories its probably because you aren't eating enough and your body wants/needs more.
Here's a link that I suggest you read. It will help.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
Do some research, eat the proper amount and don't make it harder on yourself.0 -
Mock Mack and Cheese sounds amazing! Do you have a recipie?
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/cauliflower-mac-and-cheese-casserole-recipe.html0 -
From 1/7-5/15 I was eating between 1200-1300 calories/day. I probably have the healthiest diary I've seen on here, so feel free to friend me and peruse my diaries for meal ideas. I felt full most of the time and figured out, over time, how to get all of my nutrients on 1200-1300 calories/day in delicious meals & snacks. I lost 43lbs, too! Then, my weight loss stalled. While eating at a 4600 calorie deficit and burning 4600 calories one week in mid-May, I stopped losing. That pissed me off.
Then, I remembered that I'd seen a group called Eat More to Weigh Less and even joined it, back in March. The threads I'd read in that group in March described this very same phenomenon, so I went back to the group to refresh my memory. I knew they were right the first time I visited, but I was having so much "success" eating so few calories that I didn't want to rock the boat. Now, I needed to do something differently and took the leap and started eating more (and cutting back on my cardio, since I'd gotten up to about 800 minutes/week). One week later, I started losing again. This week, I'm adding even more calories than last week and I woke up this morning to another pound lost. I hear that immediate results are not typical, but now I swear by the Eat More to Weigh Less philosophy. I encourage you to check it out, especially since you're just beginning your weight loss journey. You can save yourself the frustration of hitting a weight loss wall later and possibly damaging your metabolism.0 -
I hover between 1200-1300 most days.
Some days it's a struggle to stay under, others to stay above.
I've noticed a lot of it has to do with if I had bread/beans and other high cal foods. These food are good for you, but can really up your calories.
A usual day for me:
Breakfast - Plain, non-fat greek yogurt with a packet of stevia, coffee with sugar free creamer, banana
Lunch: Small portions of chicken 2oz, a 1/2 cup of brown rice, 1c. veggies. Lunch is really different because it's usually whatever leftovers I have from dinner the night before. Usually I half the portion I had the night before, and tada lunch for 2 days.
Dinner: This changes because I get bored of the same. But usually includes chicken/turkey, veggies and brown rice. There's so many variations. Recently I've made 'fried rice', 'enchiladas', 'lasagna', chicken tacos. These are in quotations because they've been modified to more health conscious/veggie heavy alternatives. (like veggies inside the enchiladas instead of cheese/beef)
To anyone who needs ideas, feel free to friend me and check out my diary!0 -
Well I don't count my calories on MFP, I prefer the old fashioned pen and paper method, but I'll write out my average day. I've been doing 1,200 to 1,300 calories for a few months now with great results.
8 AM: bagel thin with an egg white on it- 140 calories
11 AM: mini bag of doritos- 150 calories
1 PM: 30 special K cracker chips- 120 calories
2 PM: 6 oz. baby carrots with 1 Tablespoon light ranch- 105 calories
4 PM: 3 fun sized snickers bars- 240 calories
6 PM: 2 oz. pasta with 4 Tablespoons italian dressing- 270 calories
6 PM: 1 cup fresh green beans- 70 calories
7 PM: 72 grams Sugar free ice cream with 5 Tablespoons light whipped cream and 2 tablespoons sprinkles- 150 calories
To a grand total of 1,245 calories today.
Hope this helps.If you need any hints or tips you can message me
that sounds absolutely miserable.
also - where is the protein?0 -
Well I don't count my calories on MFP, I prefer the old fashioned pen and paper method, but I'll write out my average day. I've been doing 1,200 to 1,300 calories for a few months now with great results.
8 AM: bagel thin with an egg white on it- 140 calories
11 AM: mini bag of doritos- 150 calories
1 PM: 30 special K cracker chips- 120 calories
2 PM: 6 oz. baby carrots with 1 Tablespoon light ranch- 105 calories
4 PM: 3 fun sized snickers bars- 240 calories
6 PM: 2 oz. pasta with 4 Tablespoons italian dressing- 270 calories
6 PM: 1 cup fresh green beans- 70 calories
7 PM: 72 grams Sugar free ice cream with 5 Tablespoons light whipped cream and 2 tablespoons sprinkles- 150 calories
To a grand total of 1,245 calories today.
Hope this helps.If you need any hints or tips you can message me
that sounds absolutely miserable.
also - where is the protein?
Normally I eat more protein, chicken or other protein for dinner and beef jerky as a snack, btu today was a not-so-great day lol. I'm far from miserable.0 -
OP I've done one in the past and may do it again soon. Feel free to FR me and I can point you to times in my diary I was having those cal goals.
For some people it's a legit amount of cals if you are short enough and don't foresee activity levels being very high. The app suggests it for some people.
***I really feel like people who are of a size that this cal goal will never apply should just refrain from posting in an effort to rally other's against an amount that is condoned by the site. Unless you feel you are superior to even the site makers? ***0 -
I am on this target too and also find it hard. Omelettes, stir fries, porridge, soup and salads are what I try to build my day around with fruit and veggies too but I do get really hungry so exercise and eat some calories back as I don't feel guilty this way. Mfp can make you feel bad about having a little over but if we need it we need it. Add me :-) I'm Bonnie0
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I walk at LEAST 10,000 steps/day (FitBit) and that (& occasional yardwork or something) gains me calories. I'd be too hungry if I stuck to the 1300 I'm allowed. I eat like crap some days and I do drink tons of water. I haven't lost any weight in the last 2 months but I did lose almost 30 so far. Eating treats works for me....mixed with good stuff (I stick to it if I get what I want....no cravings....I just work it in to my daily allowance) Secret is not having too much "crap" but don't deny yourself all the time....some folks have a cheat day....I have more than one....probably why I haven't lost any weight in a while. But, I'm truthful about what I eat. I find having an open diary and asking my friends for help.....comments....they give me alternate snack ideas when I'm stuck at what to eat????0
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I walk at LEAST 10,000 steps/day (FitBit) and that (& occasional yardwork or something) gains me calories. I'd be too hungry if I stuck to the 1300 I'm allowed. I eat like crap some days and I do drink tons of water. I haven't lost any weight in the last 2 months but I did lose almost 30 so far. Eating treats works for me....mixed with good stuff (I stick to it if I get what I want....no cravings....I just work it in to my daily allowance) Secret is not having too much "crap" but don't deny yourself all the time....some folks have a cheat day....I have more than one....probably why I haven't lost any weight in a while. But, I'm truthful about what I eat. I find having an open diary and asking my friends for help.....comments....they give me alternate snack ideas when I'm stuck at what to eat????
This brings up a good point that can help you OP.
Eating back exercise cals or those from activity from a monitor of some sort can allow you more cals. For me when I was doing a 1200-1300 cal goal the way it usually worked was I was not always extra hungry on the workout day, especially if the workout was a hard/intense one. The following day however I'd be hungrier and it was easy to eat back those extra cals. I tended to look at it as a week rather than one day at a time.0 -
I stay at 1200 a day. I've run the numbers for my TDE, and to lose 1 lb a week, I'd have to eat around 1150. I can't do that. I lose about half a pound a week consistently since I started tracking on MFP, last July.
I eat almost identical stuff every single day. I can't eat beans: they tear up my stomach. When I started last year I ate a lot of canned tuna. I got tired of that very fast. I'd rather eat the baked chicken every day than tuna.
Breakfast
oatmeal, 1/2 cup
.25 cup skim milk
no calorie sweetener
sometimes butter substitute
sometimes blueberries
Lunch
Baked chicken breast. I usually cut it in thirds or fourths to make it last most of the week.
A handful of raw baby spinach
Sometimes an egg instead of the chicken
Dinner
Ramen noodles plain
Steamed broccoli
some more of that chicken but usually not bc of the calories
sometimes a tsp of butter substitute.
Snack
low fat greek yogurt, one container. Maybe blackberries or blueberries
one apple or something like that. I rarely get oranges.
My son's 20th birthday was last week so I indulged in his birthday cake and some of the cheesecake. I'm glad it's all gone.
Where I fall down:
eating a cup of honey crisp cereal at night. I need to throw that away.
eating extra greek yogurt
having skinny lattes. I've given that up, moving toward coffee with sweetener again. They were a huge waste of calories.
Am I hungry? Frequently but I try to space the meals out so I have something in the mid afternoon, delaying lunch as long as possible. Am I sick of baked chicken breast? Definitely. Do I have any choice? I've been eating like this for a year. 1200 is about all I can eat and lose weight. My maintenance calories will be about 1400 so it's just as well that I'm used to it.0 -
OP I've done one in the past and may do it again soon. Feel free to FR me and I can point you to times in my diary I was having those cal goals.
For some people it's a legit amount of cals if you are short enough and don't foresee activity levels being very high. The app suggests it for some people.
***I really feel like people who are of a size that this cal goal will never apply should just refrain from posting in an effort to rally other's against an amount that is condoned by the site. Unless you feel you are superior to even the site makers? ***
^^This.
I'm only 5'2", 41 years old and female, so I'm not going to need to eat like a horse, even one of those cute miniature ones. And I've not been able to do any exercise for 3-4 weeks with a knee injury. 1300 has been fine. I don't feel ravenous or deprived, mostly meet my macros (I'm happy if I get within the ballpark for protein and fiber mainly), can fit all the variety I want in there and still have room for a glass of wine in the evening.
When I get back to walking more (just started again), I'll bump up to 1400 calories.0 -
My goal is around 1200 calories... But i just take about 750 calories a day... i dont feel very hungry at any time even after gym:(
And i just start to get more protein than carbs:)
MY breakfast and dinner usually the same things:
Breakfast: Oatmeal w/fruit w/yogurt (200cal)
Lunch: 50g chicken breast with bread (150cal)
Snack : Yogurt (80cal) or ice cream sandwich (100cal) or cereal (around 100cal)
Dinner: Spinach or broccoli (80cal) w/ 100g chicken breast or 100g salmon w/ a slice of bread (240cal)
its not exactly like 750 cal... but around:)0 -
Guys, just like some other people said, unless you are very short and lightweight your body needs more than 1200 calories to function. You should not eat below your BMR as that is the amount of calories your body requires to just exist (i.e. breathing, organ functions etc.). Have a read here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/680246-tdee-bmr-what-they-are-and-what-to-do-with-them.
I really suggest that you use a calculator to calculate your BMR as step 1. Then manually set your goals in MFP (target above your BMR). And eat back most of your exercise calories if you have an accurate heart rate monitor.
Good luck
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Well I don't count my calories on MFP, I prefer the old fashioned pen and paper method, but I'll write out my average day. I've been doing 1,200 to 1,300 calories for a few months now with great results.
8 AM: bagel thin with an egg white on it- 140 calories
11 AM: mini bag of doritos- 150 calories
1 PM: 30 special K cracker chips- 120 calories
2 PM: 6 oz. baby carrots with 1 Tablespoon light ranch- 105 calories
4 PM: 3 fun sized snickers bars- 240 calories
6 PM: 2 oz. pasta with 4 Tablespoons italian dressing- 270 calories
6 PM: 1 cup fresh green beans- 70 calories
7 PM: 72 grams Sugar free ice cream with 5 Tablespoons light whipped cream and 2 tablespoons sprinkles- 150 calories
To a grand total of 1,245 calories today.
Hope this helps.If you need any hints or tips you can message me
Doritos, crackers, Snickers and ice cream? Where's the nutrition?
I never claimed to be a clean eater. :P
Hahaha! I love your response! Some people can be so judgmental!!! It's all about making this work for you, as an individual, so you can stick to a lifestyle! If you are happy, keep doing what you be doing!
Exactly. When I first started here I only occasionally lurked but I've been reading more of the Community posts to get some inspiration. What I'm seeing is some positive post but there is a lot of judgment, inappropriate comments, and some downright meanness. Thank you for being one of the positive ones.0 -
agree0
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Well I don't count my calories on MFP, I prefer the old fashioned pen and paper method, but I'll write out my average day. I've been doing 1,200 to 1,300 calories for a few months now with great results.
8 AM: bagel thin with an egg white on it- 140 calories
11 AM: mini bag of doritos- 150 calories
1 PM: 30 special K cracker chips- 120 calories
2 PM: 6 oz. baby carrots with 1 Tablespoon light ranch- 105 calories
4 PM: 3 fun sized snickers bars- 240 calories
6 PM: 2 oz. pasta with 4 Tablespoons italian dressing- 270 calories
6 PM: 1 cup fresh green beans- 70 calories
7 PM: 72 grams Sugar free ice cream with 5 Tablespoons light whipped cream and 2 tablespoons sprinkles- 150 calories
To a grand total of 1,245 calories today.
Hope this helps.If you need any hints or tips you can message me
Doritos, crackers, Snickers and ice cream? Where's the nutrition?
I never claimed to be a clean eater. :P
It's not "just" about eating clean....or the total # of calories. MFP allows you to track protein, fat & carbs. Your diet looks to be very low in protein. Calorie reduction plus too little protein = muscle loss for most people ( those who are really obese....can get away with not losing muscle...for awhile).
MFP helps me get more protein. Healthy weight loss should help you reduce your body fat percentage.
Why are you worried about it? She isn't the one asking for advice. OP asked and this young lady just gave her an answer based on her experience.
The nerve of some of you!0 -
I am and without some exercise it's impossible for me to meet this goal. Menu ideas?0
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Well I don't count my calories on MFP, I prefer the old fashioned pen and paper method, but I'll write out my average day. I've been doing 1,200 to 1,300 calories for a few months now with great results.
8 AM: bagel thin with an egg white on it- 140 calories
11 AM: mini bag of doritos- 150 calories
1 PM: 30 special K cracker chips- 120 calories
2 PM: 6 oz. baby carrots with 1 Tablespoon light ranch- 105 calories
4 PM: 3 fun sized snickers bars- 240 calories
6 PM: 2 oz. pasta with 4 Tablespoons italian dressing- 270 calories
6 PM: 1 cup fresh green beans- 70 calories
7 PM: 72 grams Sugar free ice cream with 5 Tablespoons light whipped cream and 2 tablespoons sprinkles- 150 calories
To a grand total of 1,245 calories today.
Hope this helps.If you need any hints or tips you can message me
Doritos, crackers, Snickers and ice cream? Where's the nutrition?
I never claimed to be a clean eater. :P
It's not "just" about eating clean....or the total # of calories. MFP allows you to track protein, fat & carbs. Your diet looks to be very low in protein. Calorie reduction plus too little protein = muscle loss for most people ( those who are really obese....can get away with not losing muscle...for awhile).
MFP helps me get more protein. Healthy weight loss should help you reduce your body fat percentage.
Why are you worried about it? She isn't the one asking for advice. OP asked and this young lady just gave her an answer based on her experience.
The nerve of some of you!
Agreed! Get off her back, you hypocrites. I'm looking at some of your diaries and daayumm.0 -
Hi. I'm 39 and a vegetarian. I am eating perfectly well on 1200 calories. I have sensible portions and moderate my snacks, I still eat all the foods I love - pizza every Saturday without fail! my ticker proves it works for me.
Anyone with viewable diary (I like being nosey) can add me, I don't mind if you are vegetarian or not.0 -
I'm on about 1280 calories a day and I'm a vegetarian. I usually have something protein packed for breakfast to help with my workout afterwords like greek yogurt or a protein bar and fill up on water. Then I'd have a piece of fruit or something. For lunch I would have something light like roasted veggies and grilled tofu. Dinner differs a lot for me because I spend a lot of time at my boyfriend's house so I would eat whatever they had there. Today I had a lettuce wrapped veggie burger!0
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I'm new, but my diary is open, if you want to see it. Calorie counting is something I haven't done before. I eat very clean and healthily to begin with. No alcohol, no caffeine, no refined sugar, no gluten, little dairy, few starchy carbs (oh, but sweet potatoes....) Anyway, the reason I eat this way in the first place is because I have blood sugar issues. I don't notice a spike, but I do drop and it's kind of scary. Protein and whole, low GI foods help me stay balanced. Alcohol and caffeine make me crazy. SO, I'm on 1200 calories, and I'm finding that I'm pretty hungry. On top of that, I'm a little worried about being able to snack. If I've been more active, I need a few healthy carbs or I will crash. In the interest of my health, I'm going to listen to my body before some website and have a few nuts and a piece of fruit or cheese to keep me level. Then, to up my exercise. If I don't lose exactly a pound a week, but am still making progress, I think that's safer than passing out at work. 0
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I am in maintanance now, but I did 1200/1300 for many many many months lol. You can look at my diary from last year if you like.0
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All of you 1200-calorie folks, feel free to yell at me and tell me how you're totally full on 1200 calories per day and you gain weight if you eat more than that. I'll be over here eating while you try to convince me that you're a unique flower whose body works totally different from everyone else's.
I agree with your point, but why are you trying to say that everyones' bodies are the same? o.O0 -
I agree that is real messed up!0
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***I really feel like people who are of a size that this cal goal will never apply should just refrain from posting in an effort to rally other's against an amount that is condoned by the site. Unless you feel you are superior to even the site makers? ***
This. While eating at 1200 cals is definitely not for everyone, those of us below avg height can handle less than avg cals and survive. Not that I'm doing it- with less than 20lbs to go I've increased to less of a drastic loss. But not everyone works out the same way, not everyone's built the same way and not everyone handles their meals the same way.
We're all special flowers :flowerforyou: Even youuu!!!0 -
I am in maintanance now, but I did 1200/1300 for many many many months lol. You can look at my diary from last year if you like.
Great job on your loss! You look great!0 -
My Calorie goal is 1620 but in 50 days I think I may have come close to that one or two times. I tend to be in the 1200 range, not on purpose but just that what is making me feel satisfied right now. Diary is open if you care to look0
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