Thoughts on 1200 calories?

ldb1606

Just started 1,200 calorie 4 days ago. I have been doing good so far. Trying to eat every couple of hours to spread it out. However I am wondering if I chose the right plan. I need to lose around 50 pounds. I am 198 and 5'7. I sit at a desk all day...and I mean all day. I just starting a running program running/walking intervals for about 2 to 2/12 miles. I figured I needed a good 7 days to see any results. reading all your comments makes me think I need more calories. I am so confused

tigerblue

Hello Everyone ????

Just a little post on 1200 calories, honestly I am still hungry on this amount so I think I will up to 1400/1500 as if I am hungry 1200 isn't enough, what do you think of the 1200 calorie diet, is it working for you, do you lose weight on higher amounts?


Edit : I am 5,3 and 117 - 120lbs

Thank you!

I know this wasn't your original question but out of curiosity why are you trying to lose weight if you already weigh that little?

http://www.healthdiscovery.net/links/calculators/ideal_bw_women.htm

Even if you are small framed you are approaching underweight status. If you look pudgy or have high bodyfat at that weight it means you are very low muscle which means you probably should be eating a lot more and lifting weights if you want to improve your asthetic look and health.

Eating 1200 calories is going to do the opposite of what you probably should be doing right now.

Careful--you may not know exactly what you are speaking of here. Yes, the main theme of your answer is good--OP should be trying to build muscle as that will improve the body more in the long run. But your facts are not quite spot on.

I am 5'2.5" and have a body fat of about 23%. According to the BMI charts, and the body fat recommendations, I am healthy. (I actually weigh right at 130). I am not close to underweight.

But because of being short and because I carry most of my fat in my abdominal area :noway: , I will have to diet to a lower bodyweight and a lower body fat percentage to truly look slim. So you can't necessarily go by the charts. Some of the online calculators and charts even recommend a bodyweight of 104 lbs as okay for me, and I believe most say the optimal weight for my small frame is around 110-112 lbs. I am guessing that may be true for the OP also. Now, whether either of us will want to go that low is a personal choice, but those are healthy weights for petite females.

Also, when you drop below 130 lbs, and especially below 120 lbs, the number of calories to maintain body weight is significantly lower, especially after age 45. So 1200 calories to lose, depending on activity level, might not be crazy. Again, personal experience speaking here. In fact, if I don't work out regularly, I have to drop below that to lose.

So, OP, definitely heed the advice to strength train. Also, experiment with numbers, and use the highest number of calories possible and still lose slowly (1/2 lb per week, maybe).

But depending on your stats and activity level, 1200 may be reasonable for you. Yes it will be difficult, and you will have to make sure you eat healthy foods, and not junk, because you will be hungry all the time if you fill your 1200 cals with junk. There is just no room for junk on a 1200 cal diet.

I personally would prefer to up my activity a bit and eat a little more, but sometimes that is not possible, and you will have to investigate and track your intake carefully to find what works for YOU.

Best of luck, and I hope that you find that you can eat more than 1200 and still lose!

jkwolly

I can usually eat way less then 1200 and not feel hungry even on days when I'm burning through 600-800 at the gym. I think it might depend on your weight and if your body is used to a a low cal diet.

Ugh, this is just bad news written all over it! :huh:

marnijojo

Depends on how fast you want to lose, really.

My TDEE is 1735, so if I want to lose a pound a week, I need to average (or net) 1200 calories a day on average. This might mean eating 1400 and exercising 200 or if I am not exercising, eating 1200, or if I really am getting after it, I might eat 2000 and exercise 800....but again, this is 'on average' - I am not super-stringent about my daily numbers, but rather look at my entire week.

golden6911

I always thought 1200 cal was too low, even for my small 5'4" frame, but have found recently that if I concentrate on making sure I get high fiber fruit, veggies and protein, and avoid sugar as much as possible, I can eat that much and not be starving. I won't feel full at the end of the day, but I won't be starving either. It isn't easy, but it can be done.

jkwolly

Just started 1,200 calorie 4 days ago. I have been doing good so far. Trying to eat every couple of hours to spread it out. However I am wondering if I chose the right plan. I need to lose around 50 pounds. I am 198 and 5'7. I sit at a desk all day...and I mean all day. I just starting a running program running/walking intervals for about 2 to 2/12 miles. I figured I needed a good 7 days to see any results. reading all your comments makes me think I need more calories. I am so confused

Yes, you do! You need lots more.

Meredith8684

Just started 1,200 calorie 4 days ago. I have been doing good so far. Trying to eat every couple of hours to spread it out. However I am wondering if I chose the right plan. I need to lose around 50 pounds. I am 198 and 5'7. I sit at a desk all day...and I mean all day. I just starting a running program running/walking intervals for about 2 to 2/12 miles. I figured I needed a good 7 days to see any results. reading all your comments makes me think I need more calories. I am so confused

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

It sounds to me lie you're going to sabotage your weight loss by making it too hard on yourself. At that weight and weight, I'm pretty sure you could eat 1500-1600 and lose weight no problem. Which is WAY more enjoyable. Whatever you decide, the post above is super informative, and links to some great posts about how to chose your calorie levels. Good luck!

DameRhetorica

I've been eating mostly 1200 for the past 20 days, and it works for me. The trick seems to be eating a lot of protein overall (60g at least) and eating as close to 20g of protein at breakfast. When I follow this plan, I'm genuinely not hungry at the end of the day. I should add, I'm also not "full" in the way most Americans are trained to feel after each meal. I should probably also say, I'm 5', I do 30 min of cardio 6 days a week, and I'm mostly vegetarian. My main protein go-tos are legumes, leafy greens, nutritional yeast, and hemp shakes for lunch with the occasional egg and a sushi splurge about once a week.

Iron_Feline

Hello Everyone ????

Just a little post on 1200 calories, honestly I am still hungry on this amount so I think I will up to 1400/1500 as if I am hungry 1200 isn't enough, what do you think of the 1200 calorie diet, is it working for you, do you lose weight on higher amounts?


Edit : I am 5,3 and 117 - 120lbs

Thank you!

I know this wasn't your original question but out of curiosity why are you trying to lose weight if you already weigh that little?

http://www.healthdiscovery.net/links/calculators/ideal_bw_women.htm

Even if you are small framed you are approaching underweight status. If you look pudgy or have high bodyfat at that weight it means you are very low muscle which means you probably should be eating a lot more and lifting weights if you want to improve your asthetic look and health.

Eating 1200 calories is going to do the opposite of what you probably should be doing right now.

Careful--you may not know exactly what you are speaking of here. Yes, the main theme of your answer is good--OP should be trying to build muscle as that will improve the body more in the long run. But your facts are not quite spot on.

I am 5'2.5" and have a body fat of about 23%. According to the BMI charts, and the body fat recommendations, I am healthy. (I actually weigh right at 130). I am not close to underweight.

But because of being short and because I carry most of my fat in my abdominal area :noway: , I will have to diet to a lower bodyweight and a lower body fat percentage to truly look slim. So you can't necessarily go by the charts. Some of the online calculators and charts even recommend a bodyweight of 104 lbs as okay for me, and I believe most say the optimal weight for my small frame is around 110-112 lbs. I am guessing that may be true for the OP also. Now, whether either of us will want to go that low is a personal choice, but those are healthy weights for petite females.

Also, when you drop below 130 lbs, and especially below 120 lbs, the number of calories to maintain body weight is significantly lower, especially after age 45. So 1200 calories to lose, depending on activity level, might not be crazy. Again, personal experience speaking here. In fact, if I don't work out regularly, I have to drop below that to lose.

So, OP, definitely heed the advice to strength train. Also, experiment with numbers, and use the highest number of calories possible and still lose slowly (1/2 lb per week, maybe).

But depending on your stats and activity level, 1200 may be reasonable for you. Yes it will be difficult, and you will have to make sure you eat healthy foods, and not junk, because you will be hungry all the time if you fill your 1200 cals with junk. There is just no room for junk on a 1200 cal diet.

I personally would prefer to up my activity a bit and eat a little more, but sometimes that is not possible, and you will have to investigate and track your intake carefully to find what works for YOU.

Best of luck, and I hope that you find that you can eat more than 1200 and still lose!

Actually he is pretty spot on with his advice.

At 5'2 and 117-120lbs she doesn't need to lose anymore weight - doing a recomp and gaining some muscle will probably help if it's a small amount of body fat she wants to lose.

Dieting down to get rid of the fat often just results in a very skinny frame - now that may be what the ops wants, but just in case - his advice is excellent.

Oh and I'm 5'2 and I lose on 1600-1800 calories a day. If I do nothing at all then I eat 1300 - but I mean nothing, just lie on the couch and chill. Most people can lose on more than 1200 a day.

Plus as you have less to lose you're goal should be to lose less - only 0.5lbs a week, so a much smaller deficit is needed. I'm on a 500 cal a day deficit and not eating 1200 calories.

Op eat more and go lift some heavy stuff - or look into progressive body weight exercises.

MomTo3Lovez

Given your height and weight, 1200 calories is not terrible for weight loss.

However, given your height and weight again, why are you going for weight loss?

If it is a body image issue, where you still think you could lose a few pounds, you should lose them very slowly (1/2 pound a week tops) OR switch to a surplus and put on some muscle.

This is where many people go wrong. They get down to their "Goal weight" and then still don't like what they see. This makes them try for an even lower number, eventually get overly frustrated at the difficulty, and give up or develop eating disorders.

The reality is that muscle mass is a MAJOR contributor to body composition. You can gain 10 pounds of muscle and actually look 10 pounds lighter than when you started (a 20 pound spread!).

^^This

TeaBea

I can usually eat way less then 1200 and not feel hungry even on days when I'm burning through 600-800 at the gym. I think it might depend on your weight and if your body is used to a a low cal diet.

Not good advice for OP.

When you are close to goal you want a "moderate" weekly goal because eating too little won't support lean muscle mass. Losing weight too quickly will result in fat+muscle loss.

1200 less 600 = 600 NET calories. Unless you are under medical supervision and very overweight......bye bye muscle.

mommy22alyns

I've lost 40 lbs this year on 1200 calories. It's been doable. I'm not full, but I'm not hungry either.

Iron_Feline

I can usually eat way less then 1200 and not feel hungry even on days when I'm burning through 600-800 at the gym. I think it might depend on your weight and if your body is used to a a low cal diet.

Not good advice for OP.

When you are close to goal you want a "moderate" weekly goal because eating too little won't support lean muscle mass. Losing weight too quickly will result in fat+muscle loss.

1200 less 600 = 600 NET calories. Unless you are under medical supervision and very overweight......bye bye muscle.

This guy is actually eating around 700 cals a day and should be banned from giving advice in the forum on calorie goals :noway:

TeaBea

Just started 1,200 calorie 4 days ago. I have been doing good so far. Trying to eat every couple of hours to spread it out. However I am wondering if I chose the right plan. I need to lose around 50 pounds. I am 198 and 5'7. I sit at a desk all day...and I mean all day. I just starting a running program running/walking intervals for about 2 to 2/12 miles. I figured I needed a good 7 days to see any results. reading all your comments makes me think I need more calories. I am so confused

1200 is a product of "I want to lose XX pounds per week." You put in a high value and MFP defaults to 1200 NET minimum. Net means that 1200 is BEFORE exercise.

Because 1200 is a minimum....you might look at other alternatives. Weight loss takes awhile so you want something sustainable. Pick something you are comfortable with.

TDEE less a percent is another option. Because TDEE includes exercise you don't have to worry about adding exercise calories back. You can also reduce TDEE by 500 calories for 1 pound a week, or TDEE less 750 for 1.5 pounds per week. 2 pounds weekly is really aggressive for 50 pounds total.

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

khamblet83

Hello Everyone ????

Just a little post on 1200 calories, honestly I am still hungry on this amount so I think I will up to 1400/1500 as if I am hungry 1200 isn't enough, what do you think of the 1200 calorie diet, is it working for you, do you lose weight on higher amounts?


Edit : I am 5,3 and 117 - 120lbs

Thank you!

I know this wasn't your original question but out of curiosity why are you trying to lose weight if you already weigh that little?

http://www.healthdiscovery.net/links/calculators/ideal_bw_women.htm

Even if you are small framed you are approaching underweight status. If you look pudgy or have high bodyfat at that weight it means you are very low muscle which means you probably should be eating a lot more and lifting weights if you want to improve your asthetic look and health.

Eating 1200 calories is going to do the opposite of what you probably should be doing right now.

Thank you for pointing that out... great advise!

brower47

Hello Everyone ????

Just a little post on 1200 calories, honestly I am still hungry on this amount so I think I will up to 1400/1500 as if I am hungry 1200 isn't enough, what do you think of the 1200 calorie diet, is it working for you, do you lose weight on higher amounts?


Edit : I am 5,3 and 117 - 120lbs

Thank you!

I think you're too light to be eating that little. You should aim for .5 lbs a week loss or less.

It's difficult, unless you're very conscientious about your food choices, to get the proper nutrition (vitamins and minerals) from 1200 calories. Try eating 1500 calories for a month to see what you're losing. Adjust accordingly from that information.

Also, what the poster above me said.

Numberwang22

I've lost 40 lbs this year on 1200 calories. It's been doable. I'm not full, but I'm not hungry either.

Similar here, although not the huge drop! 1200 is easily doable if pocket sized (5'3) a little mature and not moving much. You can eat a mountain of veg and fish for that many calories and not feel hungry.

I do eat back most exercise cals and throw in odd glass wine and treats if numbers allow...

Edited to say this is in response to OPs initial question, not suggesting she loses weight as already pretty light. What's the story there?!

Iron_Feline

Will be updating ticker and posting "After" pic shortly because, I weighed today and I am 111 pounds, BMI of 19.1, body fat percentage 18.7%.I HAVE LOST TEN POUNDS IN 25 DAYS!!! My diary is set on public view. Feel free to read. Take notes. SUCCESS!!!! I Love My Metabolism

DO NOT DO WHAT THIS WOMAN HAS DONE

she lives on 600 cals of diet coke/Pepsi and Pringles. Her diet is not healthy and should not be copied or held up as a good example.

Btw if you post a success story I will report it for promoting VLCD

Numberwang22

Will be updating ticker and posting "After" pic shortly because, I weighed today and I am 111 pounds, BMI of 19.1, body fat percentage 18.7%.I HAVE LOST TEN POUNDS IN 25 DAYS!!! My diary is set on public view. Feel free to read. Take notes. SUCCESS!!!! I Love My Metabolism

DO NOT DO WHAT THIS WOMAN HAS DONE

she lives on 600 cals of prune juice and Pringles. Her diet is not healthy and should not be copied or held up as a good example.

Btw if you post a success story I will report it for promoting VLCD

That diet plan sounds literally explosive! WTF?!?

TeaBea

Will be updating ticker and posting "After" pic shortly because, I weighed today and I am 111 pounds, BMI of 19.1, body fat percentage 18.7%.I HAVE LOST TEN POUNDS IN 25 DAYS!!! My diary is set on public view. Feel free to read. Take notes. SUCCESS!!!! I Love My Metabolism

Um, I took a look at your diary. Troll post?

Notes......eat more, get adequate nutrition, eat enough protein, get more fiber, eat healthy fats.....

Success does NOT equal the number on the scale. My goal is to KEEP lean muscle not just move the scale.