hey im new :)

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ErinLouiseBellamy
ErinLouiseBellamy Posts: 18 Member
in Introduce Yourself
hey! im new to MFP but not to diets! as most of you will understand. Ive just come off lipotrim after a 29pound loss. I did it as a bit of a boost into my weight loss and to clear my palate, which it did :)
So now im healthy eating and exercising my way down another 70 pounds.......... (scary to look at it like that!) a little worried about the 1200calories a day. Of course i could eat that amount of calories in food but not the right foods.

My healthy eating plan which includes veggies,fruit, meats and low carbs isnt bringing me to 1200 a day never mind the extra calories i burn on top...so dont really know what to do.. i guess it will be trial and error. Has anybody else had this problem? I might just have to face my fear of carbs and eat more... :-/

Anyway!.... just thought id say hi :)

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  • ehte_h
    ehte_h Posts: 293 Member
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    hey welcome & good luck. Feel free to add me
  • JoJoWebster
    JoJoWebster Posts: 1
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    Hi! I have been dieting and using this site for 3 weeks now. My calories always seem to come in under 1200 each day (mainly due to exercise) but I am losing weight and I'm not hungry. I figure it must be ok? I've lost 13 lbs now and am so excited to finally see all those baby pounds dropping off. Is it really bad to be under my calorie allowance if I'm seeing results?
    Good luck!
  • Fenyx
    Fenyx Posts: 87 Member
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    Don't be afraid! With the right food combos, 1200 a day isn't as bad as it sounds (living proof right here). Trial and error is what it will be about the first few weeks. 1200 cals a day is the recommended minimum, but it's ultimately your body that knows what it needs. If 1200 a day isn't enough, up it a little =D. Also, make sure you are getting at least 8 8oz glasses of water a day. One thing I have found is that most people easily confuse hunger and thirst. I carry a Camelbak with me now (holds 24oz) and whenever my tummy starts grumbling I'll drink 8-16oz of water. If the grumble is still there I find a snack, and if it goes away then I already found the solution =D. It really has helped a lot to make sure I'm drinking enough water. Best of luck!
  • Melinda1987
    Melinda1987 Posts: 130
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    My best friend is dieting & on this site too. She has NEVER been a big eater - but gained weight eating the wrong things, combined with a sedentary life style. I, on the other hand, have always been a big eater. Anyway - my friend almost never hits the 1200 cal goal either. She tries though. She's been working out like a maniac (SO proud of her!) and so her appetite has increase a bit and she's increased to the point where she's close and sometimes over 1200 - but never at the goal MFP put for her. My point is - she's been losing weight just fine!

    If you've been a life-time dieter like me, you understand the reason they want you at that 1200 cal minimum. For those few that don't know I'll go on... MOST people (and emphasis on most, not all) tend to need AT LEAST 1200 cals a day to avoid "starvation mode." Which is a really cool (but annoying to dieters) thing our body does. Since ages ago we used to have to deal with the feast & famine cycles of plenty/not-enough food, our body shuts down when we don't give it enough calories. It assumes we're being literally starved to death and so it refuses to burn off those calories and stores everything it possibly can (which is, of course, fat). There's your science lesson for the day :)

    In short (or long), you should try to at least get close to that 1200 cal goal, but if you feel uncomfortably full - stop.
  • write2sonya
    write2sonya Posts: 165 Member
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    Hi there and welcome to MFP! We have a similar weight loss goal…
    I too have 1200 cal/day and you will find that with sensible eating you will be able to feel satisfied with this amount. However by adding exercise your calorie allotment will increase. It’s up to you if you choose to use some of those calories for food.

    Friend request sent!
  • jampoo
    jampoo Posts: 2
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    hello im new!
  • Fenyx
    Fenyx Posts: 87 Member
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    Also, there are some healthy foods that are higher calories that you could eat if you're worried about not hitting your 1200. Nuts are a good example, and peanut butter lol. I don't have my list on me at the moment, but there are a lot of healthy calorie dense foods that can be used to fill in the gap without adding the to the fat =D
  • Yocum1219
    Yocum1219 Posts: 400 Member
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    Almonds are one of those nuts! There are some lower fat cheeses too! They have a few more calories! And this needs to be a lifestyle change, not a diet, so don't be afraid to have ONE piece of chocolate now & again. I have a bag of Hershey's Miniatures that I keep at work (where my willpower is stronger) and if I want one, I get ONE. I eat it in several bites, slowly. And it gets rid of that craving, but they're 42 calories. No big loss! Or whatever your "weakness" may be. Mine is that & cheese. :-)

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