1200 Calories is Not the Only Option
1princesswarrior
Posts: 1,242 Member
This post is for all those new to MFP who are getting the recommendation to eat 1200 calories per day or feel that is the only way to lose weight.
First, this is not the only way to lose weight successfully and often is not sustainable for most people.
Why do you ask? Well, it's a low calorie diet and very restrictive. Yes you can fill yourself up with fruits and veggies to meet 1200 calories but then what about protein? or fat? We humans need those to help retain our muscles and absorb vital nutrients. It is encouraged that you eat 0.8 - 1.0 g or protein/lb of body weight while losing weight and exercising. However, the RDA, CDC, and even Harvard don't have protein requirements this high so I would suggest doing your own research to determine your personal needs.
What happens when you can't meet your nutritional goals? You will lose a lot of lean body mass as well as fat resulting in the term "skinny fat" meaning you will feel soft and end up with no muscle tone. If you do this for a long period of time are eating well below your basal metabolic rate (BMR) your body's metabolism will slow down and you will find it harder to lose weight. This is not starvation mode, it is called adaptive thermogenisis. And then you will always have to eat a smaller amount of food. Who wants to do that?!
Something else happens or is possible. You can lose your hair and your nails can become brittle. You may not have any energy, your workouts will suffer if you can get through them at all, you may binge eat, females can stop having periods, grumpiness all the time, no concentration, more colds and just sick more often, shaky hands, just cold all the time, lethargic, no energy to spend with the kids, ... This happens after the initial burst of feeling fantastic for a couple of weeks btw.
Second, or knows how in the world do I maintain?
So, you've lost weight and lost it fast. You've also lost say 10 - 15% of your lean body mass, including bone density. Now you go into maintenance and need to eat say 1800 calories per day if you're a female or 2200 if you're male. How in the world do you do that?! Your body now has unbalanced hormones, including those that control appetite, so you can't eat that much without getting sick or binging and you're too weak to lift heavy or exercise. So you are at a high risk of gaining a significant amount if not all of the weight back.
Note the above: I'm just throwing out numbers here as an example.
Third, so you've been eating 1200 and stop losing. Now what??
Let's say you've been eating 1200 calories and weighing and measuring your food and accurately estimating calorie burns from exercise and stop losing. You have nowhere to go but to increase exercise intensity. And that is most difficult if you have no energy and are already losing lean body mass. Lowering calories at this point is dangerous, I repeat for emphasis, dangerous to your health.
I think those are the main points that those of us who don't generally feel 1200 calories try to make. If I've missed something feel free to add.
Now for new people, welcome! And for those that may be looking for a different way here are a couple of links that you ALL should read and bookmark as I believe they will lead you to long term success.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1235566-so-you-re-new-here
And for those who eat 1200 calories and are very short, etc. and are justified, then this post is not necessary. And IMO no male should ever eat 1200 who is above the age of 18 unless it is supervised by a physician. But we all know about opinions.
Agree or disagree, it is what it is.
First, this is not the only way to lose weight successfully and often is not sustainable for most people.
Why do you ask? Well, it's a low calorie diet and very restrictive. Yes you can fill yourself up with fruits and veggies to meet 1200 calories but then what about protein? or fat? We humans need those to help retain our muscles and absorb vital nutrients. It is encouraged that you eat 0.8 - 1.0 g or protein/lb of body weight while losing weight and exercising. However, the RDA, CDC, and even Harvard don't have protein requirements this high so I would suggest doing your own research to determine your personal needs.
What happens when you can't meet your nutritional goals? You will lose a lot of lean body mass as well as fat resulting in the term "skinny fat" meaning you will feel soft and end up with no muscle tone. If you do this for a long period of time are eating well below your basal metabolic rate (BMR) your body's metabolism will slow down and you will find it harder to lose weight. This is not starvation mode, it is called adaptive thermogenisis. And then you will always have to eat a smaller amount of food. Who wants to do that?!
Something else happens or is possible. You can lose your hair and your nails can become brittle. You may not have any energy, your workouts will suffer if you can get through them at all, you may binge eat, females can stop having periods, grumpiness all the time, no concentration, more colds and just sick more often, shaky hands, just cold all the time, lethargic, no energy to spend with the kids, ... This happens after the initial burst of feeling fantastic for a couple of weeks btw.
Second, or knows how in the world do I maintain?
So, you've lost weight and lost it fast. You've also lost say 10 - 15% of your lean body mass, including bone density. Now you go into maintenance and need to eat say 1800 calories per day if you're a female or 2200 if you're male. How in the world do you do that?! Your body now has unbalanced hormones, including those that control appetite, so you can't eat that much without getting sick or binging and you're too weak to lift heavy or exercise. So you are at a high risk of gaining a significant amount if not all of the weight back.
Note the above: I'm just throwing out numbers here as an example.
Third, so you've been eating 1200 and stop losing. Now what??
Let's say you've been eating 1200 calories and weighing and measuring your food and accurately estimating calorie burns from exercise and stop losing. You have nowhere to go but to increase exercise intensity. And that is most difficult if you have no energy and are already losing lean body mass. Lowering calories at this point is dangerous, I repeat for emphasis, dangerous to your health.
I think those are the main points that those of us who don't generally feel 1200 calories try to make. If I've missed something feel free to add.
Now for new people, welcome! And for those that may be looking for a different way here are a couple of links that you ALL should read and bookmark as I believe they will lead you to long term success.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1235566-so-you-re-new-here
And for those who eat 1200 calories and are very short, etc. and are justified, then this post is not necessary. And IMO no male should ever eat 1200 who is above the age of 18 unless it is supervised by a physician. But we all know about opinions.
Agree or disagree, it is what it is.
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Replies
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5'9" and was eating at 1340 calories. Months and months of working out with no weight loss. I took the advice of my friends (like you!) and upped caloric intake to 1500. FINALLY started losing weight.0
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I'm 5'4'' or so and I'm at 1370ish cals + I eat back a portion of my exercise cals sometimes...
I do go over that goal sometimes so it's not like I'm way too strict about it
I'm not sure if I'm doing it right but it's like - if I feel that I'm not feeling well or feel hungry or woozy, I'll up my cals a bit0 -
This was very informative..thank you. Unfortunately, I fall under in the very short category. I'm 5'0. but I still try to eat at least 1300 a day.0
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Love this!0
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I've have never ever eaten under 1500 lost 16 -18kg not at Goal but happier now eat over 2200 a day...
Agree fully0 -
This was very informative..thank you. Unfortunately, I fall under in the very short category. I'm 5'0. but I still try to eat at least 1300 a day.
I'm 5'0, and losing on 1800.0 -
This was very informative..thank you. Unfortunately, I fall under in the very short category. I'm 5'0. but I still try to eat at least 1300 a day.
I'm 5'0, and losing on 1800.
Really, 1800. Wow! Do you work out a lot? Right now I'm only burning about 200-300 cals about 5x a week and I have a desk job.0 -
It's the best option though if you are sedentary and want to get rid of some of that pesky muscle mass.
That stuff just makes water fluctuations so much worse.
And what's with summer heat causing blood volume to expand with more water, can you still get medical leeches?
And all this fad fat-free food, where's the sodium free versions so that doesn't increase my weight.
Great info OP. Start at minimum, get minimum results from any hard work.0 -
:drinker: 5'3.5" 118 lbs and maintain on 2300 . I lost a majority of my weight at 1650 net.
I weightlift 3x a week, take care of my kids and walk about 3 days a week for 30 minutes around my park.
posts like this are what saved me from losing all ma muscles and ending up in an endless dieting loop. Thank you!0 -
Good post - Thank you for writing.
I've often eaten 1200 calories-ish for weightloss. But, I've been able to lose weight at 5'2 on 1500 calories before. I get frustrated that 1200 is promoted as a standard of sorts. It is a *bare minimum*, for a *short* female who has average muscle mass and is not exercising much or at all, not a number that is healthy for everyone. Even then, health issues and metabolism should be taken into account. Additionally, I think a number so lose to a starvation level puts people at risk of disordered eating, as their minds are consumed by food and it's all too easy to fall under it and congratulate oneself for working 'extra hard'.0 -
I wish I was tall and younger :0) great post and appreciate the fact that you take into account the fact that for some people due to their gender, height and age that 1200 is not that little. My tdee is at 1434 so.......no choice.0
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Glad I saw this my first week in. I have been eating right at 1200, but could be going a bit higher with the exercise. I'll def keep this in mind, Thanks!0
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Three years ago I was counting calories on another site. I am a 5' 7 male who weighs 195 with about 30% bf. I lost 15 lbs trying to eat 1400 calories per day and often netting in the 700s. I was weak , had no endurance, sick, and hangry.
I got to MFP, started readng, and now I am losing weight, and getting fit eating 2200 cals and netting 1700 to 2100.
1200 is the answer for a few but NOT the majority!0 -
:drinker: 5'3.5" 118 lbs and maintain on 2300 . I lost a majority of my weight at 1650 net.
I weightlift 3x a week, take care of my kids and walk about 3 days a week for 30 minutes around my park.
posts like this are what saved me from losing all ma muscles and ending up in an endless dieting loop. Thank you!
This is encouraging! I am the same height as you and currently at 210lbs. I am losing on 2000-2100 calories net a day. The last thing I want is to get to goal and have to end up maintaining on a stupidly low number of calories. You give me hope! lol
Ive always said though I will never eat less than 2000 to maintain. I like my food too much!0
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