Anyone on 1200 - 1300 calories / day?

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  • Ldonahue921
    Ldonahue921 Posts: 75 Member
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    Lots of grilled veggies, low carb wrap makes it more filling. fresh fruit for snacks. almond milk yogurt & fruit smoothies. LOTS of WATER between meals. It's easier if you choose comparable (flavor-wise) substitutions for your heavier favorites. Example: For Taco Night we did grilled veggies (instead of saute), lean chicken (instead of ground beef) and used low carb wheat tortillas. A single serving is around 200-300 calories (less if you go vegetarian). Burger night is portabella mushroom cap grilled with all the flavors and toppings of a hamburger. Have fun with it. I'd like to hear others ideas for HEALTHY meal ideas in this calorie range.
  • jaysmom2001
    jaysmom2001 Posts: 1
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    There isn't much protein in your diet? Do you stay full?
  • _lyndseybrooke_
    _lyndseybrooke_ Posts: 2,561 Member
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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. :)
  • kk_140
    kk_140 Posts: 518 Member
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    There isn't much protein in your diet? Do you stay full?

    Depends on the day, sometimes I eat beef jerky as a snack, or have chciken, steak, pork, etc. for dinner. This is just what I ate today, I don't eat like this everyday.

    But whatever lol I wonder if this gif will work...

    tumblr_mkpk4tRqYx1rjhbn2o1_500.gif
  • BreeJaxon
    BreeJaxon Posts: 128
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    It depends on the day usually somewhere around there. You're welcome to open my diary, send request
  • amberburke1982
    amberburke1982 Posts: 7 Member
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    really ?!?!?!?
  • sugarlemonpie
    sugarlemonpie Posts: 311 Member
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    Yep! Although if I work out and burn around 350 calories I typically up my intake to 1500 or so calories. Feel free to look at my diary, it's not perfect but it's pretty accurate.
  • JennaViolet
    JennaViolet Posts: 11 Member
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    I try to keep to 120 calories.
    Sometimes I am lower, sometimes over... but it all depends on exercise.
    Calories are easily and quickly taken up, a cup of tea and a few biscuits and you're nearly half way through your allowance!! It's upsetting haha.
    But I exercise a lot. I aim to burn an average of 750 calories a day, but walking a total of 1 hour to and from uni, a little exercise regime, including 40 mins step ups, yoga etc and also I do tap dancing and ballet once a week each for an hour.
    This way I can have nearly 2000 calories. Which makes life easier.

    You can do it so that you only consume 1200 calories without exercising but it makes life difficult and personally I'd be hungry very often. Find an exercise regime that works for you and walk instead of driving wherever it's possible. It's a healthier way I think because you get all of the nutrients and increase your fitness.

    Hope this helps. If you want to know my exercise regime I can tell you (I like it because it doesn't involve paying and travelling to go the gym, you don't have to buy any equipment and it doesn't take that much time).
  • nicjustine
    nicjustine Posts: 37
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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.
  • PinkyPan1
    PinkyPan1 Posts: 3,018 Member
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    I am on 1200 and my diary is open. I do exercise daily and eat back a few calories.
  • kk_140
    kk_140 Posts: 518 Member
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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.
  • RunnerStephe
    RunnerStephe Posts: 2,195
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    Sounds like starvation.
  • TheStephil
    TheStephil Posts: 858 Member
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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.
  • Rainboots80
    Rainboots80 Posts: 218 Member
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    Mock Mack and Cheese sounds amazing! Do you have a recipie?


    http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/cauliflower-mac-and-cheese-casserole-recipe.html
  • suejoker
    suejoker Posts: 317 Member
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    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.
  • amandzor
    amandzor Posts: 386 Member
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    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!
  • AllonsYtotheTardis
    AllonsYtotheTardis Posts: 16,947 Member
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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 :)

    that sounds absolutely miserable.

    also - where is the protein?
  • kk_140
    kk_140 Posts: 518 Member
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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 :)

    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.
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
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    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? ***
  • skinnymebopeep
    skinnymebopeep Posts: 15
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    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 Bonnie

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