Yes, 1200 calorie diets work!

jasonmh630

Wow, what a response. Some positive (Thank you!) mostly negative. Let me clear some air.

I usually work out. At least a LOT of walking. Usually Biking and racquetball. Do I eat back the calories? Sometimes but usually not. Do I feel hungry everyday? NOT AT ALL. The first week, going from 5000+ calories to 1200 was hard but then I adjusted and was fine.

I was on 1200 calories for 2 months, 1400 for the next two months and now on 1600. By end of summer, I will be at 1800.

I am not angry, cranky, moody, tired, etc. I get up at 5am and usually not in bed until 11pm everyday and I feel alert and great. I usually only drink water, occasionally passion tea but stay away from caffeine.

Seems like many people read the headline and then commented and actually never read the post. They would have seen that I STARTED at 1200 and increased, That I feel the best I ever have, etc.

The main take away. DO WHAT WORKS FOR YOU! If you can not do 1200 calories, don't. But those of you who really want to lose weight and then gradually increase, do it. Don't listen to the naysayers. But just be focused on what is happening around you. (If you do become sick, tired, etc.)

Although I am getting a lot of back lash, I wish EVERYONE the best on their weightless, whether I agree with your methods or not. I just wish those of you who "know everything" could support everyone as well.

Off to work, I will defend my position later!

If 1200 calories is sufficient (your words) why are you upping your calories?

Boom.

jigsawxyouth

Anytime I see the haters going on about low calorie diets, I just remember all of the times the SAME PEOPLE flame others because " they can just eat a deficit to lose weight"

mmhmm...

ChelseyDAdams

WHOA that's great that you lost weight, but 1200 calories for a GUY is WAY too low. What's happening is that your body is NOT sustained at 1200 calories, it is consuming your fat AND muscle to help it to function at capacity. As that diminishes (including MUSCLE) it will start taking from other areas of your body that contain nutrients and will cause more problems. As it will have less fat and muscle to diminish over time, you will start really feeling the need for more food.

Others have said it far better than me, so I'll leave it to them. Hopefully you listened - they know of what they speak!!

I felt that, with my activity level, 1200 was too low for me. I moved it up to 1500 and I'm a female - as a man you simply need more calories and nutrients.

Seriously, congratulations on the weight loss - just make sure your aim is HEALTH! Lose the weight to be HEALTHY and you won't get healthy if you don't supply your body with the things it needs to sustain itself.

Best of luck!!!

Hornsby

Anytime I see the haters going on about low calorie diets, I just remember all of the times the SAME PEOPLE flame others because " they can just eat a deficit to lose weight"

mmhmm...

I know, that stupid science and their facts....


:insertsarcasm:

Rogiefreida

Whatever works for you bro.

Of course, I was pretty happy with eating 1700 calories and losing fat, because I like eating food and I like a sustainable long term plan.. I also enjoy eating 2000 calories a day and maintaining because I get to eat even more food and have a flexible long term "diet".

I'm not the one who's eating 1200 calories a day so if it floats your boat then all the more power to you, it's not my body or my life. Of course it works in the short term, but see how it works in 2 or 3 years when you can't sustain low numbers anymore

wu3ju3j

But, I often exceed it.

I am doing a diet of 1200 or less. Average about 1000 over last 53 days. I have lost 18 pounds and feel great. Feel free to browse my diary. I go for my proteins first, then enjoy good healthy vegetables and fruits. There have been days that I have had less than 800 calories, but felt full. Why eat extra food just to make a number?

I am monitored weekly by our nurse at my place of work and my PCP is impressed. I have never felt so much full of energy in my life before. I have cerebral palsy which causes spastic and tight muscles along with a scissor gait when I walk and limited use of left arm. I feel so much more agile and less off balance having lost weight.

I started on 4/15/15 with MFP at 182 lb. (5'10") and am now 164 lb. In the proceeding year I was as high as 195 lb. and nearly a 40 inch waist. Today I and fitting comfortably in 32's. I want to be down at the lower end of the BMI scale near 130 lb. and a 28-30 waist or wherever my body feels best. This weight might seem lower, but having CP, I do not have the typical muscle mass. In my teens I was around 112 lb. and that was considered normal for my CP.

Responses welcomed!

Your calorie goal is 800... :noway:

Aaron_K123

OP no one says that eating 1200 calories won't result in weight loss. What they say is that eating 1200 calories, for most people, is a huge deficit that will result in muscle loss along with fat loss.

So I have to ask, what happened to your lean mass during the period of your diet or were you even tracking that? If you were not then may I suggest that you have likely lost a considerable amount of muscle, something that most people would want to avoid.

Muffie22

eh, when I tried eating 1200 calories a day because i was misinformed and assumed that was how little i needed to eat (and yes it was healthy stuff, loads of fruit and veg not one hamburger per day) I started feeling super dizzy all the time, like my head was swimming. Every time I'd go to stand up I'd have to sit right back down again so i didn't pass out and my hands would constantly shake and i got mad mad sugar cravings (but sugar never made the symptoms go away fully).... I was convinced I was dying or something... but a couple of weeks after i started eating more like 1400+ a day I was completely back to normal.

Also lol, love how everyone who's a fan 1200 calorie diets conveniently ignore the complete inability to get enough nutrients (yes even if you only eat healthy stuff...) and just combat it with 'WHATEVER JUST COS YOU DON'T HAVE THE SELF CONTROL TO EAT SO LITTLE'

Nah, I like food

Hornsby

just to reemphasize....

He was only on 1200 to get started, so that doesn't really prove that 1200 diets work sense one of the huge points of them is that they are not sustainable.

The OP still has weight to lose and still hasn't had to maintain which can often be harder than losing.

None of these show that 1200 calorie diets work.

Misleading thread title is misleading.

post inspired by Iron_Feline

aylajane

Before doing this, you probably maintained your weight on 2000+ calories a day. Meaning you could eat 2000 calories without gaining weight (and maybe even losing weight if you were maintaining a lot higher).

Now you have trained your body to be so efficient, it knows how to survive on 1200 calories or less a day. Eating that low for a long time means your body had to adapt to live on that... so less energy, slower heart, eating up pesky muscles that need more calories than fat does...

So now, say you go back to eating 1500 calories a day (something you would have lost weight at before)... what happens? Your body says, "hey - 300 extra calories! Wow, I dont really need it, so I will just hang onto that in case he doesnt bother eating tomorrow... " and you GAIN weight instead. You lowered your BMR!

So... unless 1200 is what you plan to eat at *forever*, that was kind of dumb. You could lose weight (pound a week) by burning 2500 calories a day (just by your size or by adding in exercise) and "only" eating 2000, or you could train your body to not need it and only burn 1500 calories a day and eat 1000 (for about a pound a week too). Wouldnt you rather eat the 2000 calories and not have to live on 1000 for life because you trained your body to not need it?

Eat as much as you can and still lose (a little) weight steadily. If you want to be a 175 pound 40 year old male (or whatever you age and goal are), then at the WORST you should be eating is whatever a 175 pound 40 year old male would be eating for his maintenance calories... 1200 calories is what a 90 pound 60 year old female would eat.... why are you trying to be that?!

ItsJordanNicole

I too am on a 1200 calorie diet. That was the amt that MFP suggested when I input that I wanted to lose 2lbs per week. Reading this is freaking me out, so I changed it to 1.5lbs per week. I'm 26 and 5'4...I have lost 26lbs in a little over 3 month and honestly have 40-50lbs to go to be at a healthy weight. I don't eat back my workout calories, except on the weekends. You guys are scaring me! I'd rather be fat fat than skinny fat! ew.

Achrya

Anytime I see the haters going on about low calorie diets, I just remember all of the times the SAME PEOPLE flame others because " they can just eat a deficit to lose weight"

mmhmm...

I'm confused about how these things supposedly don't work together. What part of 'you need a deficit' to lose weight doesn't work with 'Low calorie diets are usually unneeded?'

Jeneba

I am one of those tiny people and I have tried my absolute BEST to stick to the 1200 - it has always worked before.... But EXCEPT for the one time I really needed to lose a huge amount of weight (a bad marriage.... I had never weighed that much before and never have since), I have never needed to sustain the deprivation for more than a few weeks....

I am vegetarian and do not eat junk.

Last year, I had several injuries that left me unable to work out very much PLUS I was in school, so I gained 15 lbs - this is pretty significant for a small person. I managed to take off 11 of the pounds using the 1200 calorie method. But - you know what? I am SICK OF IT! TOTALY SICK OF IT and tired of blaming myself for "binging" when I eat (OH MY GOODNESS!) 1400 calories on a day when I am working out....

So. I am going to try something new. For the remaining 4 pounds, I am going to use the TDEE method, which, in MFP terms, means I am going to start eating back those exercise calories. I have a hunch that the subtle shift in psychology is going to really help me not to feel so ANGRY all the time!

So, OP, please do whatever it is you need to do! I NEVER lost muscle at 1200 calories, but I am very small. And, for a small person, I lift fairly heavy and increase almost every week.

So - I would never ever judge ANYONE for finding what works for them.

Best of luck, Everyone!

Iron_Feline

just to reemphasize....

He was only on 1200 to get started, so that doesn't really prove that 1200 diets work sense one of the huge points of them is that they are not sustainable.

The OP still has weight to lose and still hasn't had to maintain which can often be harder than losing.

None of these show that 1200 calorie diets work.

Misleading thread title is misleading.

copy cat

lynettelea

That's how I am feeling. Feeling frustrated I stopped looking on here. Lol. But last week I replaced eating breads and chips with vegtables, dairy and meats. With everything I eat, I was just reading that I'm not eating enough calories though I'm already full already. I use to not eat at all and then devour a venti mocha and eat hoards of carbs for dinner. Not anymore.

Hornsby

just to reemphasize....

He was only on 1200 to get started, so that doesn't really prove that 1200 diets work sense one of the huge points of them is that they are not sustainable.

The OP still has weight to lose and still hasn't had to maintain which can often be harder than losing.

None of these show that 1200 calorie diets work.

Misleading thread title is misleading.

post inspired by Iron_Feline

copy cat

Fixed my post for you

dlcam61

This, although blunt, is correct. 1200 is barely enough to survive on especially the heavier you are. I did the 1200 calorie diet. I lost weight. I felt like ****. I was SKINNY FAT! All I did was cardio because I didn't have enough energy to lift weights. Nutrient dense, whole, clean foods, water, cardio & weight training are the way to lose weight & be healthy. If you really want to get healthy seek the advice of a licensed nutritionist. Best wishes & good luck on your path to health & wellness :flowerforyou:

So in...

Okay OP..you are a 29 year old man eating less than 1200 calories of course you are losing weight but you are also losing fat and muscle...congrats to you.

In the long term you will notice the following as well...

Low energy
Lethargy
brittle nails and hair
Hunger cues will diminish
Your metabolism is going to slow eventually too

You will do damage to your heart and muscles
You will not be able to exercise much

And then...you will break...you will eat a wad of food

Long term you become nutrient deficient, your metabolism will adapt and make it hard to lose weight, your bones will become brittle due to lack of muscle...

But hey you lost weight...good on you.

As for the will power...naw...my goal is to be healthy and happy not weak, lethargic, unhealthy and skinny with no muscle mass...

Self control means eating as much as I can while I still lose weight not as little as possible as a form of self punishment for gaining weight.

There is no way as a man at 1200 calories you are getting in adequate nutrition...1200 is the bare min for a woman ...

But hey do what works for you...flay yourself as much as you want, don't learn to eat all food in moderation and when you come off this 1200 calorie a day diet and go back to "normal" and gain your weight back because you didn't learn moderation in all foods only self deprevation you will understand why there are those of us who say no to 1200...

Iron_Feline

I too am on a 1200 calorie diet. That was the amt that MFP suggested when I input that I wanted to lose 2lbs per week. Reading this is freaking me out, so I changed it to 1.5lbs per week. I'm 26 and 5'4...I have lost 26lbs in a little over 3 month and honestly have 40-50lbs to go to be at a healthy weight. I don't eat back my workout calories, except on the weekends. You guys are scaring me! I'd rather be fat fat than skinny fat! ew.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1175494-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

Read the link - don't freak out :drinker:

LC458

I know I will be trolled and flamed for posting this message but I am sick and tired of everyones high horse mentality when it comes to calorie counts. 1200 calories, if done correctly, is more than sufficient.

I began my journey January 1, 2014. I just completed 5 months and have lost over 55 pounds. I went from 280 to 225 and I feel great. Average calorie count is 1050 with an initial goal of 1200. After a few months, I moved my goal to 1400 and now I am at 1600. Yes, if you plan on just eating a cheeseburger at 1000 calories for the day, your screwed and will harm yourself. But let me give you an idea of my meals.

Breakfast is high protein egg sandwich OR oatmeal and high fiber toast. Either one is about 300 calories. Lunch is a special K protein bar at 170 calories. Dinner is either chicken breast with rice (370 calories), Large Baked potato with veggies (about 500 calories) or an extra large salad (350 calories). You see, at the end of the day, I have ample protein and fiber, good source of fuel (Carbs) and come in under 1000 calories. This leaves me some wiggle room if I want a small (and smart) dessert, some fruit with my lunch, or anything else. You see, I picked HEALTHY, LOW CALORIE foods to fill me up.

I will repeat. 1200 calorie diets, eating garbage, will allow you to lose weight but you will not feel good. But 1200 calorie diets that are low calorie, high nutrient food is a great way to lose the weight and keep it off.

Someone here will complain about my use of a protein bar. Many argue they are candy bars on steroids. They are meal replacements, quite tasty and have good nutrients (fiber and protein being the main ones). Regardless, you can not argue with the results. This diet has allowed me to lose over 55 pounds in 21 weeks. Right now, I average a weight loss of 1.2 pounds a week!

So before you all chastise someone for asking about a 1200 calorie diet, troll someone who supports the 1200 calorie diet, or even worse, name call (eating disorder, stupid, unhealthy) those who use the diet, take a look in the mirror. Why do you hate the low calorie diet so much? I think if you are honest with yourself, you will realize that is comes down to will power. Doing 1200 calories is the hardest diet out there. You go to bed hungry for the first few weeks before your body adjusts. Many don't make it past the first few days. So although I applaud those of you who are eating better and losing 0.2 or 0.4 pounds a week because you think everyone needs to eat 2000 calories and just exercises the deficit off, I wish you would applaud those of us who have the will power to change and who are losing 1.5 to 2 pounds a week because we refuse to listen to those who say it can't be done....

Let the trolling and flaming begin....

1600 cals guys. He lost substantial amount of weight I'm guessing at 1200 cals and now he is at 1600 obviously tweaking things to get what works best for him. I'm at 1250 cals and often don't eat back my exercise cals and I'm doing just fine. I lift weights a couple times a week, yoga once a week, run a couple times a week and with summer here I'll probably start swimming too. If he says it worked for him that's great and I'm totally supportive of that. Do what works for you and you only. Congrats OP :flowerforyou:

Iron_Feline

just to reemphasize....

He was only on 1200 to get started, so that doesn't really prove that 1200 diets work sense one of the huge points of them is that they are not sustainable.

The OP still has weight to lose and still hasn't had to maintain which can often be harder than losing.

None of these show that 1200 calorie diets work.

Misleading thread title is misleading.

post inspired by Iron_Feline

copy cat

Fixed my post for you

:smooched:

Aaron_K123

This diet has allowed me to lose over 55 pounds in 21 weeks. Right now, I average a weight loss of 1.2 pounds a week!

Then I doubt your "1200" calories is actually 1200 calories. I am averaging about a 1.3 pound loss per week currently and I eat about 2100 calories a day AND I'm smaller than you.

rjbennett2014

MFP has me at a 1270 calorie a day goal and I am so torn with this because I want to lose weight but I don't want to sacrifice good fats and higher protein meals. I don't know how to eat higher fat more nutrient dense foods (avocados, nuts, etc.) and stay below at 1270. I am a 5'9" 230 pound woman. I'm not hungry eating this little and I am eating, I actually eat 5 times a day but I wouldn't say that I am satisfied. I also exercise and get about 500-1000 calorie burn days 5 times a week but believe me I eat those calories back . After reading a lot of these posts I'm now afraid I'm hurting my body? I get so lost with what is best and then I just get discouraged.

Iron_Feline

MFP has me at a 1270 calorie a day goal and I am so torn with this because I want to lose weight but I don't want to sacrifice good fats and higher protein meals. I don't know how to eat higher fat more nutrient dense foods (avocados, nuts, etc.) and stay below at 1270. I am a 5'9" 230 pound woman. I'm not hungry eating this little and I am eating, I actually eat 5 times a day but I wouldn't say that I am satisfied. I also exercise and get about 500-1000 calorie burn days 5 times a week but believe me I eat those calories back . After reading a lot of these posts I'm now afraid I'm hurting my body? I get so lost with what is best and then I just get discouraged.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1175494-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

Please read this :flowerforyou:

Mr_Knight

1200 calories, if done correctly, is more than sufficient.

Yes, it is. There is no particular challenge meeting nutritional requirements inside that caloric budget.

ChelseyDAdams

I too am on a 1200 calorie diet. That was the amt that MFP suggested when I input that I wanted to lose 2lbs per week. Reading this is freaking me out, so I changed it to 1.5lbs per week. I'm 26 and 5'4...I have lost 26lbs in a little over 3 month and honestly have 40-50lbs to go to be at a healthy weight. I don't eat back my workout calories, except on the weekends. You guys are scaring me! I'd rather be fat fat than skinny fat! ew.

Amen to not being "skinny fat"!! Keep in mind too that you are female and 5'4" on 1200 calories, but this guy is MALE and probably has at least several inches on you, which means his eating 1200 would be about equivalent to you eating like 800. That's just not healthy or sustainable - and if you can't sustain it then what's the point?!

Hornsby

I know I will be trolled and flamed for posting this message but I am sick and tired of everyones high horse mentality when it comes to calorie counts. 1200 calories, if done correctly, is more than sufficient.

I began my journey January 1, 2014. I just completed 5 months and have lost over 55 pounds. I went from 280 to 225 and I feel great. Average calorie count is 1050 with an initial goal of 1200. After a few months, I moved my goal to 1400 and now I am at 1600. Yes, if you plan on just eating a cheeseburger at 1000 calories for the day, your screwed and will harm yourself. But let me give you an idea of my meals.

Breakfast is high protein egg sandwich OR oatmeal and high fiber toast. Either one is about 300 calories. Lunch is a special K protein bar at 170 calories. Dinner is either chicken breast with rice (370 calories), Large Baked potato with veggies (about 500 calories) or an extra large salad (350 calories). You see, at the end of the day, I have ample protein and fiber, good source of fuel (Carbs) and come in under 1000 calories. This leaves me some wiggle room if I want a small (and smart) dessert, some fruit with my lunch, or anything else. You see, I picked HEALTHY, LOW CALORIE foods to fill me up.

I will repeat. 1200 calorie diets, eating garbage, will allow you to lose weight but you will not feel good. But 1200 calorie diets that are low calorie, high nutrient food is a great way to lose the weight and keep it off.

Someone here will complain about my use of a protein bar. Many argue they are candy bars on steroids. They are meal replacements, quite tasty and have good nutrients (fiber and protein being the main ones). Regardless, you can not argue with the results. This diet has allowed me to lose over 55 pounds in 21 weeks. Right now, I average a weight loss of 1.2 pounds a week!

So before you all chastise someone for asking about a 1200 calorie diet, troll someone who supports the 1200 calorie diet, or even worse, name call (eating disorder, stupid, unhealthy) those who use the diet, take a look in the mirror. Why do you hate the low calorie diet so much? I think if you are honest with yourself, you will realize that is comes down to will power. Doing 1200 calories is the hardest diet out there. You go to bed hungry for the first few weeks before your body adjusts. Many don't make it past the first few days. So although I applaud those of you who are eating better and losing 0.2 or 0.4 pounds a week because you think everyone needs to eat 2000 calories and just exercises the deficit off, I wish you would applaud those of us who have the will power to change and who are losing 1.5 to 2 pounds a week because we refuse to listen to those who say it can't be done....

Let the trolling and flaming begin....

1600 cals guys. He lost substantial amount of weight I'm guessing at 1200 cals and now he is at 1600 obviously tweaking things to get what works best for him. I'm at 1250 cals and often don't eat back my exercise cals and I'm doing just fine. If he says it worked for him that's great and I'm totally supportive of that. Do what works for you and you only. Congrats OP :flowerforyou:

I get so sick of hearing "do what works for you". Not singling you out, but hell, smoke some meth. That'll work too. Doesn't mean it's right. Obviously this isn't that extreme, but most consider 1200 to be unhealthy for a 29 year old male. Not sure how supporting someone on something that could be damaging their body is actually "support".

Granted, this thread isn't even close to that as it really wasn't a 1200 calorie diet to begin with and hasn't shown success with a 1200 calorie diet at all, but still.

Amitysk

In!

3dogsrunning

MFP has me at a 1270 calorie a day goal and I am so torn with this because I want to lose weight but I don't want to sacrifice good fats and higher protein meals. I don't know how to eat higher fat more nutrient dense foods (avocados, nuts, etc.) and stay below at 1270. I am a 5'9" 230 pound woman. I'm not hungry eating this little and I am eating, I actually eat 5 times a day but I wouldn't say that I am satisfied. I also exercise and get about 500-1000 calorie burn days 5 times a week but believe me I eat those calories back . After reading a lot of these posts I'm now afraid I'm hurting my body? I get so lost with what is best and then I just get discouraged.

If you are eating back your exercise calories 5 days a week, you are eating more than 1200 calories on a pretty regular basis. Most people warn against eating just 1200 calories especially when exercising.

But if you have your weight loss goal set to 2lbs a week, you could probably drop down to 1.5 lbs a week (I think your ticker shows 68 lbs to go, usually 2lbs a week is for people with a goal of over 75lbs tolose).

Mr_Knight

MFP has me at a 1270 calorie a day goal and I am so torn with this because I want to lose weight but I don't want to sacrifice good fats and higher protein meals. I don't know how to eat higher fat more nutrient dense foods (avocados, nuts, etc.) and stay below at 1270. I am a 5'9" 230 pound woman.

100g protein, 50g fat, 100g carbs -> 1250 calories. Swap some carbs for fats, if that's your preference, as long as what you eat back from exercising has a solid carb component.

Plenty of everything.

BoxerBrawler

1200 works and is ok for a short time I think but it's not sustainable. If you continue you'll end up looking and feeling like ****.

I thought this was about getting fit and healthy and changing our lifestyles and habits? I guess for some people it's just about getting skinny.