only 1200 calories per day, help!!!

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  • turningstar
    turningstar Posts: 393 Member
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    You should be eating more. Im certainly NOT an expert by any means, but I've listened to a lot of the serious athletes on here, and they recommend eating above 1200 calories. I have my diary set at 1780 and I do the 30 day shred and walk a lot, so I get to eat back some calories. I usually end up eating about 2000 a day before you factor in exercise. I can't stand to be hungry!
    Im also losing weight and building muscle. What many people don't realize, is that when you cut calories that drastically, you will lose weight, but you lose a lot of lean muscle mass. You want to BUILD that muscle, it will burn fat on its own!
    If you still want to stay at a low calorie count, try eating lots of protein, protein shakes are great. Drink a lot of water too, but I know you said you have trouble with that.

    Good luck on your journey!
  • MaximalLife
    MaximalLife Posts: 2,447 Member
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    How do you do it? I've been on diets before but find it impossible to stay under 1200 calories without being famished :(
    So guys what do you eat on a typical day and still manage to stay within your goal? I know sometimes if I’m under on calories I’m usually way over on fat/carbs/sodium, help me please :)
    Stop trying to starve yourself.
    And get more exercise, then eat back your calories.

    Lower your weekly goals to maintenance for a month or so.

    Seriously, if you want to really make health a life style, think long term.
  • mrzpeep1
    mrzpeep1 Posts: 64 Member
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    1200 too low. Bump it up. My dietition said 1800 if I don't do anything! 2000 if I exercise so 1200 waaay too low. Just try to exercise more.
  • KyleB65
    KyleB65 Posts: 1,196 Member
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    My profile is now set at 1240 calories. I find this almost impossible with out doing some form of exercise to offset.
    That along with a lot of water is keeping me on course.
    Note: You can eat tons of veggies/salad and not break the 1200 calories mark. This is what I will be doing after the holidays!
  • yesiwillbeloosingit
    yesiwillbeloosingit Posts: 64
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    How do you do it? I've been on diets before but find it impossible to stay under 1200 calories without being famished :(
    So guys what do you eat on a typical day and still manage to stay within your goal? I know sometimes if I’m under on calories I’m usually way over on fat/carbs/sodium, help me please :)

    Get your calories from lean protein sources like white fish and chicken/turkey breast, eggwhites - fill up on high fiber food, like brown rice/pasta/bread - wasa crackers.. Eat loads of green veg - they barely have any calories and fill you up.

    Eat veggie soups for lunch - they are low cal - and very filling.

    You can eat ALOT of food with 1200 calories, you just need to make the right choices.

    And I ditto the drink loads of water - and green tea :)
  • ljbhill
    ljbhill Posts: 276 Member
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    Yeah... at first it was difficult. I found that cutting rice/potatoes and pasta most days helped to keep the calorie count lower. It is really easy to eat a high amount of calories with only a little rice or pasta. I prefered to eat massive salads or roast veg with protein. Also, you retrain your body to eat smaller portions of meat and larger portions of veg. Exercise was a huge savior because I could eat more! Snacks also helped- egg, hommus and carrot sticks, vitaweet with margerine and vegemite, cup of soup with slice of toast and marg, avocado and sliced tomato and toast etc
  • kaysue160
    kaysue160 Posts: 12
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    I agree, I think 1200 is too low for most people. My goal is 1270, but I usually eat more than that (between 1300-1400) and I'm still loosing weight and I don't get that famished feeling at night. AND I agree with someone else who said many times we are thirsty when we think we are hungry.
  • learningtolove
    learningtolove Posts: 288 Member
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    I like to start with a big bowl of oatmeal with cinnamon and skim milk for breakfast ( if you think you'll have the extra cals add a teaspoon of pb to the mix) you can never get enough fibre and protein ! 150-200 cals
    A good mid morning snack is a hard boiled egg,a banana or a high fibre granola bar 70-100 cals
    Salad for lunch,with low fat dressing and a yogurt 30-120 cals
    Fruit for an afternoon snack, if you have a sweet tooth try cherries or watermelon 20-50 cals
    Dinner plate should be 1/4 lean meat,1/4 carb (rice ,potatos etc) and 1/2 veggies. Using this formula its easy to stay under 400 for dinner.
    That brings us to 870 max for the day. So you can have whatever you want for an evening snack!

    But I cannot stress enough that if you are on 1200 cals a day it is imperative that you eat your exercise cals back. You can bulk up your day by adding pb/nuts to your oatmeal, 2 eggs for a snack ,some cheese/protein to your salad,a glass of milk or a serving of cheese to dinner.
  • surfrgrl1
    surfrgrl1 Posts: 1,464 Member
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    My nutritionist told me to eat between 1200-1500 per day. I took the high road and went for 1500. I know my own body, and there was no way I was going to even try 1200. I am doing this for a lifestyle change and the slower I take it off, the better chance I have of maintaining once I get to my goal weight. I'm 5'5 and started at 180, sedentary lifestyle. I set MFP to lose 1/2 pound a week. That said, the first month I just logged and tried to watch what I ate. Staying at 1500 was very hard, and often times i would go over. But, after that first month, I found that my stomach had shrank and I got used to eating a bit less. 1500 is easier for me now than before. I have a splurge meal once a week, and don't worry about it. The holidays were harder, as they are for most folks who are watching their food intake, but I'm back on track again now.

    Getting involved in mini challenges has helped me stay on track. For example, exercising X times a week, logging daily, or drinking more water. You can watch the forums and find challenges that match your goals. I find that it makes it more fun.

    Enjoy your journey!
  • bonbon1472003
    bonbon1472003 Posts: 31 Member
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    you can add me as a friend so you can see what I eat. I'm doing WW's and blow over my 26 points but usually end up around 1200 - 1300 calories. I was doing low fat everything and never really kept the weight off and my cholesterol was of the charts now i'm doing paleo, primal,belly fat way of living and so far it's great. not really hungry and feel good. i do limit my coffee to 2 cups per day.
  • EricMurano
    EricMurano Posts: 825 Member
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    Just raise your calorie goal a little and see if it works. Come on, 1200 calories? Up it and see.

    Find out your true BMR in a clinic if you're curios or worried about it. You'll probably be surprised.
  • upsydaisytoo
    upsydaisytoo Posts: 3
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    Someone may already have mentioned this, I haven't read all the replies. As far as I'm understanding it, the 1200 calories is what you should be left with once you have entered everything on your food log and then the calories you burn on exercise are taken off the calories you have eaten, you should then be left with 1200 calories. So say you eat 1500 calories in a day, you need to burn off 300 calories to bring it down to the 1200. Having said that it takes a fair amount of vigorous exercise to burn off 300 calories. I agree with what quite a few people have said that 1200 calories is very low and I am going to find it more or less impossible.:noway:
  • Shanna_Inc86
    Shanna_Inc86 Posts: 781 Member
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    I don't eat under 1200 cals per day unless I am not hungry for more. On a typical day I eat more like 1300, with my goal for the day being set at 1370. I think 1200 is too low for a lot of people on here, but I suppose it depends on your goals and what works for you. Sounds like it's not working for you, though! So maybe it's time to try something a little different?

    This
  • grassette
    grassette Posts: 976 Member
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    1200 per day is my goal.

    Breakfast: old fashioned oat-meal porridge (not quick oats, which are not filling at all), 1/2 cup wild blueberries, 2 Tsp Greek yogurt, 1 Tbsp ground flax seed. This filling breakfast gets the day off to a good start.

    Lunch: home made vegetable soup made with a good home made chicken stock. Or tacos made with salmon or tuna.

    Supper: 5 - 6 oz meat, 1 cup of pasta/rice/potatoes,a vegetable (broccoli/peas/corn) and a salad.

    Snacks: 1 apple, or orange. IF I get a craving for sweets: 2 dates/figs

    I enter my food into the database so as to tweak portion sizes ahead of time. I try to get in approx 400 cal per meal, adjusted for the snacks.

    With this, I am full, and not at all hungry. I also don't stress if I go over by just a little bit, seeing that I am not eating back my exercise calories.
  • SassyCalyGirl
    SassyCalyGirl Posts: 1,932 Member
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    you need to eat lots of protein and fibers to keep you full. I eat less than 1200 cals and have found my Meal Replacement Protein shakes help tremendously. I am never hungry and getting all the proper nutrients.
  • reharvrun
    reharvrun Posts: 31
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    Drink lots of water and exercise. Then you get to eat your exercise calories burned! Im on 1200 right now and if I do an hour of zumba that's another 500 calories. So I get to eat 1700 calories for the day! And I'm losing weight. In fact since the holidays (which i was bad for 3 days) I've lost 5lbs in 4 days. Thats from water and exercise!
  • LittleFootHafner
    LittleFootHafner Posts: 302
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    Feel free to add me as a friend and check out my diary if you wish. It's not perfect, but there are a few ideas in there.
    I have recently beeing trying to up my protein and lower my carbs...

    Try to eat 4-5 small snacks a day (you have to get your brain around eating 5 SNACKS, not 3 meals and 2 snacks).
    I usually break up my calories for each time I eat (300 per snack if I am eating 4 times,or 240 calories if I am eating 5 times)

    Here are some of my go-to foods:
    Almonds & Dried Apricots
    Greek Yogurt & All Bran Buds
    Protein Shake & Banana
    Ryvita Rye Crackers & Cow Triangle Cheese
    Apple Slices & Natural Peanut Butter
    Fish, Barley & Brocolli
    Grilled Chicken Breast & Any Vegetable
    Boiled Eggs & Raw Veggies
    Trail Mix (with nuts, dried fruit & chocolate)
    Chicken, Wild Rice, Barley & Vegetable Soup
    Apple Salad
    Deviled Eggs & 12 Grain Canapes
    Light Baby Bel Cheese Circle & Raw Veggies/Wheat Crackers
    Cottage Cheese & Fruit
    Greek Yogurt & Fruit
    Veggies & Hummous
    Dry Shredded Wheat Cereal & Orange
    Oatmeal & Turkey Sausages
    Egg White Omelet & Ryvita Crackers
    Applesauce & Nuts/Seeds
    Smoothie with fruit, protein powder, ice, greek yogurt, skim milk

    GOOD LUCK!
  • whtlatina1214
    whtlatina1214 Posts: 765 Member
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    i want to know the same thing not because im hungry i have been staying in that window but i want to know how to figure out how many calories you should do mfp set me automatically on 1200 i dont know where they get it from or how but i want to know if this is correct i have been on here i believe for 2 weeks now i have lost 2lbs but idk
  • CBranson0503
    CBranson0503 Posts: 95
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    I was eating only 1200 calories a day and wasn't losing at all. I upped the calories to 1650 and started seeing results. 1200 is certainly possible and I wasn't hungry when I was doing it, but I wasn't losing either. Up the calories if it's not working for you.
  • MadeInDR022
    MadeInDR022 Posts: 260
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    I started with 1200 cals, then added another 150 cals because I found myself in the same place. A lot of my MFP friends recommended I eat more veggies and fruits which helps keep me fuller, longer. Also, eating every few hours and drinking at least a bottle of water every two hours helps me. Good luck!

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