1,200 Calories BEFORE or AFTER workout?

ifadoll
ifadoll Posts: 18 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm a little bit confused by this, and before I begin tomorrow, I really would like to know this for sure.


I already have a HARD time eating 1,200 calories (as I tend to skip breakfast, and lunch). Of course, I will be trying to fix this!
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Replies

  • adidrea
    adidrea Posts: 275 Member
    1200 net calories. So if you burn 300 through exercise you should ideally be eating 1500. It's easy if you start eating breakfast or lunch! Good luck :flowerforyou:
  • shovav91
    shovav91 Posts: 2,335 Member
    ^^ This
    Try eating more calorie- dense foods since you don't have a large appetite. Nuts and nut butters, avocado, olive oil or coconut oil, chia seeds, etc. You can do it :D
  • avz03
    avz03 Posts: 1
    Do not skip breakfast, n lunch, i am also on a 1200/day, its very hard but so far i am able to do it. Little portion BUT DO NOT STARVE YOUR SELF, u will end up eating more specially on DINNER :smile:
  • JacksMom12
    JacksMom12 Posts: 1,044 Member
    You should be spreading the calories throughout your day. I like eating several small meals. I work out whenever I find time with a 6 month old. It doesn't matter when you work out and eat as long as you stay within your guidelines but I wouldn't suggest eating all your calories in one meal for several reasons.
  • kemccarty
    kemccarty Posts: 33
    ^^ What theses ladies said.

    Also, I previously had issues with skipping meals (i.e. not having breakfast), but breakfast is now my favorite meal of the day. Once you build the habit, things will come easier. Best of luck!
  • servilia
    servilia Posts: 3,452 Member
    I've done IF (skipping breakfast and lunch) and it worked out fine, I could still eat my 1200 :) Go for some cal rich options like nuts and cheese in addition to whatever you regularly eat. And olive oil on veggies :)
  • tigertchr23
    tigertchr23 Posts: 418 Member
    Try breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner, snack with 200 calories each time without exercise or with exercise you can eat more calories and just look at your "NET CALORIES" don't worry about any other numbers. Total calories - exercise = Net Calories.

    Best wishes :flowerforyou:
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    I'm a little bit confused by this, and before I begin tomorrow, I really would like to know this for sure.


    I already have a HARD time eating 1,200 calories (as I tend to skip breakfast, and lunch). Of course, I will be trying to fix this!

    also without knowing your ht/wt but seeing you want to lose 70lbs, 1200 cals seems much too low imo
  • amyB27
    amyB27 Posts: 105 Member
    1200 calories net is what you need to aim for. If you go below that your body will shut down & go into starvation mode after several days of >1200 net cals thus retaining fat. So if you currently skip meals it would be in your best interest to workout in the a.m. if possible so you know your total cals for the day prior to eating. if you work out vigorously on a consistent basis you may stall sooner as well w/1200 net cals so you may even need 13 or 1400 net cals if vigorous exercise becomes a consistent thing :) Hope it helps!! ^_^
  • deegarcia19
    deegarcia19 Posts: 98
    Serious question, with all due respect, if you are having a hard time eating 1,200 calories, how are you overweight in the first place?
  • ifadoll
    ifadoll Posts: 18 Member
    I feel like 1,200 is too low too, and I've never been recommended it to be so low, but I think because I'm so short, it does tend to get confusing for things.


    I am 4'11 and weigh 200.

    Dee, I ask myself that all the time. I never eat but dinner. Today, I had to force myself to eat a bagel after I had a small piece of meatloaf, a cup of mashed potatoes and green beans. I don't have a problem with my thyroid or anything, so I'm not positive. It seems I can never lose the weight, no matter what I eat.
  • ifadoll
    ifadoll Posts: 18 Member
    Also, in case this matters, I will be doing the 30 Day Shred to begin to demand motivation to continue to the end of my goals.
  • deegarcia19
    deegarcia19 Posts: 98
    Wow, thats crazy.

    Maybe you should try eating extremely "clean" MOSTLY fruits, vegetables and lean meats. Maybe you should also try watching your carb intake, sometimes some people gain more weight due to high carb intake than others. Also, if you rarely/never exercised before you joined MFP, maybe that's all you need. Everyones body is different, and different things work for different people. I wouldn't suggest eating lower than 1,200 calories because all that will do is damage your metabolism. If you really can't make it up to 1,200, try eating things like nuts or peanut butter .. those things all have high calories and healthy oils and fats, and are easy to eat and use up calories because about 1-2 tablespoons of peanut butter is 200 calories.
  • saraannefrazer
    saraannefrazer Posts: 66 Member
    its probably because your skipping two meals a dau your body is probably preservinmg all the fat from dinner thinking its going to starve??

    breakfast is important its the most important meal of the day.
  • deegarcia19
    deegarcia19 Posts: 98
    Also, I don't eat my exercise calories (My goal/limit is 1200 a day) I know some people say that's bad to not eat back your calories and that's fine, but for me it has worked.
  • ifadoll
    ifadoll Posts: 18 Member
    Thanks guys! You have all been very helpful. I just wanted to be sure and now that I am, I will be SURE to force myself to eat !
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    its probably because your skipping two meals a dau your body is probably preservinmg all the fat from dinner thinking its going to starve??

    breakfast is important its the most important meal of the day.

    wrong and wrong, meal frequency is irrelevant to body composition
  • servilia
    servilia Posts: 3,452 Member
    its probably because your skipping two meals a dau your body is probably preservinmg all the fat from dinner thinking its going to starve??

    breakfast is important its the most important meal of the day.

    When you have a normal to high BF% this isn't likely to happen. The body still needs energy for the daytime, it's going to make use of its preserves for that.
  • servilia
    servilia Posts: 3,452 Member
    I feel like 1,200 is too low too, and I've never been recommended it to be so low, but I think because I'm so short, it does tend to get confusing for things.


    I am 4'11 and weigh 200.

    Dee, I ask myself that all the time. I never eat but dinner. Today, I had to force myself to eat a bagel after I had a small piece of meatloaf, a cup of mashed potatoes and green beans. I don't have a problem with my thyroid or anything, so I'm not positive. It seems I can never lose the weight, no matter what I eat.

    Thyroid issues are not the only medical reasons for unexplained weight gain.

    Are you saying you got overweight by always eating only dinner, and not eating more than 1200 at any dinner? Unless you have some serious medical issue (metabolic syndrome, some pituitary or other endocrine disorder), that just doesn't happen.
  • deegarcia19
    deegarcia19 Posts: 98
    I feel like 1,200 is too low too, and I've never been recommended it to be so low, but I think because I'm so short, it does tend to get confusing for things.


    I am 4'11 and weigh 200.

    Dee, I ask myself that all the time. I never eat but dinner. Today, I had to force myself to eat a bagel after I had a small piece of meatloaf, a cup of mashed potatoes and green beans. I don't have a problem with my thyroid or anything, so I'm not positive. It seems I can never lose the weight, no matter what I eat.

    Thyroid issues are not the only medical reasons for unexplained weight gain.

    Are you saying you got overweight by always eating only dinner, and not eating more than 1200 at any dinner? Unless you have some serious medical issue (metabolic syndrome, some pituitary or other endocrine disorder), that just doesn't happen.


    I agree

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