Anyone else on 1200 a day?

sylverkat

Seems really low to me since anything less is starvation. This is what was recommended for 2lbs a week and for 1.5 lbs I only get 1300. I don't know seems low to me, anyone else out there working with this number too?

driaxx

Yep. It didn't seem too low to me at first, except the past few weeks I've noticed I couldn't stick to my goals so I added heaps of protein into my diet and that seems to be working so far.

Alowellschade

Yes, but once you add exercise then your calorie goal goes up. So, I typically walk 4miles a day at a very brisk pace (4.5-5mph) and that gives me an additional 341 calories.

LittleMissAngi

I started at that, but really felt deprived so I upped it to 1400.... Helped out A LOT!

divergrrl

Yes I thought so too! But I dont find myself starving and I do allow a "cheat" day to exceed 1200, but not by much. Eat slowly, taste your food, enjoy it! Drink your 8-10 glasses of water, be wise with the calories! If I go to a resturaunt I look up food on the menu before ordering to see how many calories I have to work with!

kaydensmom12

It recommended that for me for a 1 lb weight loss but I upped it to 1300, and always eat back my exercise calories. I did the 1200 for 6 months without eating the exercise calories back (wasn't on MFP and didn't know you were supposed to) and lost 35lbs but was miserable most of the time. This works alot better for me and I am full most of the time.

MFPfriend

I tried it a long long long time ago and I was miserable. I eat 1430 now, or even more if I'm hungry. I also eat back almost all of my exercise calories (usually at least 80%, if not all of them).

Hey, what can I say? I like to eat!

ComeAroundSundown

I am. At first I found it a little difficult but after a week or so of logging, you become more aware of the calories that are in the foods you eat and start to make healthier decisions based on that. Fruit and vegetables are so much lower in calories than processed foods that I can eat quite a lot of them and stay at or even slightly under 1200.

Cosmic_Unicorn

I did it for several months when I was heavier, and it wasn't too much of an issue. But after I was in a healthier weight range (overweight BMI versus obese) I couldn't do it anymore. It was hard and I wasn't losing weight anymore. So I bumped it up to 1400 and felt way better and started losing again. Every person is different, and if you can't do 1200 then go higher. You need something you can maintain, and you shouldn't be suffering while learning how to eat healthier and have a better lifestyle. Then what's the point anyway?

PrincessLou71186

I am also on 1200 a day.

I eat my 1200 and do my best to eat back my exercise calories but sometimes I am too full and can't manage it.

If you exercise and burn 300 calories, that takes your 1200 to 1500.

Starting calories + exercise calories = total calories to consume,

Took me a while to get my head around it. Because I am not thinking about what I am eating and caring more about what I am putting into mu body I am finding that 1200 a day for me is very comfortable but I struggle to consume more so I made Granola. Very healthy but also high in calories. Puts me up without being full of bad fats and even though it is healthy it feels 'naughty' because of the calorie content and is very yummy.

bajabuggy

hi

im on about 1200 as well. tomorrow is my first day and that is what the program has advised to eat. I have filled in my diary of what i plan to eat and it seems a reasonable amount of food as it is all 'good' food. I guess just do what suits you as everyone is different.

BooLives82

I am looking to loose 1.5 pounds a week; however, because I am sticking to the 1380 calories I get, any extra calories I get from exercising, I bank. I have lost 3 pounds in 3 days, this is mainly cuz I shocked my system in to the weight loss. There will be good weeks and bad weeks, days with no weight loss, The best advise I have been given is to set a goal for the month. That way if you have a bad week it doesn't kill your goals.... Slow and steady wins the race.

brookepenni

I'm on 1200 calories... I have been since May when I joined. I've had a couple of weeks off here and there, but I have successfully lost 25 kilos (well until I took a fortnight off over Christmas lol). If I want to eat any more I exercise! To be honest I don't really even eat my exercise calories. I fit 3 meals in a day, morning tea and afternoon tea and even something after dinner and I do this by eating nutritious healthy food - wholegrains, vegetables, fruit, lean meats and low fat dairy. I rarely feel hungry because this is such good healthy food. I won't lie, it's taken some will power to curb some cravings, but I've never been a chocolate person - but I love my icecream and lolly's and enjoy them once or twice a week (instead of once or twice a day lol). I still eat out, probably once a week on average - this week was Chinese and Indian and I stayed under my calorie count both times. As I mentioned, I exercise to increase my calorie intake and while I'm out I make healthy choices.

It is daunting at the start, but let's face it - what you were doing in the past obviously wasn't working. This works. Trust me! As long as you are honest with yourself, track everything and move often. You can do it! As long as you want it, really, really want it - you'll succeed. Good luck! Enjoy the journey, every minute of it

lurkette

I found 1,200 to be too difficult, especially since I was used to a lot more. The sudden drop left me starving and irritable all the time, so I had to fix my goal to 1,500. And even now sometimes I can't make my goal because I'm still starving and irritable all the time. ~Sigh~

Pebble321

Hell no, that's way too low! I've usually been on around 1400 - 1600 net calories a day and I've lost weight and kept it off. Eating so little can't be good for you.

rabiahama

I'm back on 1200 cals a day and find it quite easy. I have increased exercise too which would allow me to take in upto an additional 600 cals a day but I find I am quite full on the 1200 - just as long as its been good clean healthy food I dont get hunger pangs!

missfluffyuk

I"m on 1200 cals a day, and when I'm bothering to pay attention to what I eat I don't have too many problems with it, as long as I exercise. The exercise is mostly so I can allow some room to satisfy my sweet tooth though -- not because I'm hungry.

Angel1066

I have no problems as i eat my exercise calories back and most days i burn at least 400 calories. I may go over occasionally but i'm not worried about that as i'm usually under my calorie goal most days.

Mad_Dog_Muscle

:noway: :noway: Nope! :noway: :noway:
I would probably pass out if I only ate 1200 a day!

GeneaCindy

I'm on the 1200 cal/day plan. I work out everyday, and I try not to eat back all of the exercise calories. Some days the 1200 is plenty and some days I feel like I need those exercise calories back. I try not to focus on the daily as much, but to look at it over a whole week. As I get closer to my goal weight, I know I will have to re-evaluate the diet.

bridall

I'm on the 1200 cals/day, but every day I either go to the gym, walk the dog or both so I often have more like 1500-1600 cals to use.
I'm not sure I could stick to only eating 1200 cals for that long.

AmyImafidon

You need vitamins and protein....If you aren't getting your protein, you will lose muscle and lower your metabolism setting you up for failure. I am new here and I have known that I've always had a metabolism problem. Although I'm overweight, I don't eat enough calories. So thanks to myfitnesspal, I'm now able to better track my calories and my main focus has been eating more (most days). It's been one week, I can't verify if I've lost any weight yet or not, but I feel much better, look healthier and feel like my clothes have a tiny bit more room. My hope is that I've figured it out...or they've figured it out for me. I've been on a very low calorie diet supervised by a physician before. 700 calories was the lowest they would let me go. And then, it was pure protein supplements to maintain my lean muscle mass. I lost weight, then started eating real food again and gained it back plus some.

Boring2Fit

Switch your setting to losing 1 pound per week. It's not a race, isn't it more about becoming healthy? Good luck!

Filletsteak

That's good to hear. Am on Day 3 and already freaked out about bread. It's great to see the food diary, although I'm finding it hard to accept exactly what I'm eating.

mandylooo

no that's way too much for me. i am at about 500 cals a day right now so the thought of 1200 a day sounds very... filling. but at first yes it does seem like very little if you're used to eating alot. been there.

the big thing about eating less calories, is yeah you'll be hungry and learn the hard way how to get more bang for your calorie buck. so you can be full eating less. you'll figure it out as you go.

500 calories? Your BMR would burn more than that- what you would burn lying in bed all day, meaning you are essentially starving yourself and along with fat you will have muscle wastage. Even very low calorie diets are 700-850 cals but they have shakes to ensure they are still getting enough vits and minerals, you cannot get all the nutrients you need on 500 a day. Please be careful with such a drastic diet, it's not sustainable to eat so little. I have friends that have been as extreme and side effects such as depression and hair loss happended really quickly. The minimum of 1200 is there for a reason, because it's not healthy. Concerned for you x

that's sweet of you to express concern. thank you. i've been doing this type of thing for yeeeears and i understand all the risks. i know it might not be the most responsible. but it works for me. my thing right now is i need drastic weight loss. im already taking steps and looking into resources to help me learn to maintain my weight loss properly after this and do the ~lifestyle change~ thing because i need to learn that. i try to think of it like people with gastric bypass surgery, they eat barely anything for drastic weightloss, and then learn to maintain it (yes i do realize that its a result of a major physical change and not a personal choice like in my case lol). but that comparison also makes me really consider another point you made about nutrients. people with gastric bypass often get malnourished. i never thought of that. i guess it's the same thing, i should look into vitamins.

You say it works for you....yet you have been doing it for years ? so im guessing it doesnt work at all.

If you upped your calorie intake and spread it across more meals like 4 to 6 meals a day, your metabolic rate would increase and you would actually lose more weight and maintain a quality weight loss, especially combined with exercise.

Also lack of nutrients wont help either.

500 is way too low to remain healthy and you need to be healthy to lose weight effectively without issues or possible issues in the future.

Cheers

I was going to say something very similar. If you have a lot to lose, then yes, you may be able eat fewer calories than the recommended 1200 minimum in the early stages (if monitored by a doctor), but 500 just doesn't seem to work for you in the long term from what you've said.

hayley0181

I only started a couple of days ago but I'm finding 1200 OK so far as long as I plan what I'm going to eat first

cjw6

My goal is 1200 and that only gives me 1lb/week projected weight loss (just barely gives me a 500kcal deficit/day). Once I get back into good habits I don't find it too bad. I tend to have 250 kcal for breakfast, 250-300kcal for lunch and 600kcal for dinner, leaving me 50-100kcal for a snack (which I usually have mid-late afternoon). I don't exercise as much as I should though, so I know I need to up the exercise if I want to eat more.

Jessie544

I put in my weight loss at 2lbs/week with a minimum of 3 workouts/week and it gave me 1230 calories/day. I didn't find it too difficult to follow.

I've had to manually go in an change my caloric intake now, becuase my nutritionist has put me on a diet with a higher caloric intake, and spread them throughout 6 meals/day with 3 workouts/week. This diet is to kickstart my metabolism, and will change in a few weeks, it's not long term.

I suggest sticking to the calories it's alotted for you and trying to get in a few workouts. When you log your cardio it "rewards" you with the calories you burned. So you can either choose to use those extra calories to add another meal to your day, or just bank it toward your weight loss.

I posted a forum not too long ago similar to this, when i got my diet from my nutritionist because it was more calories than MFP had given me.. and the replies from people sounded that it's typical for the MFP number to be significantly lower than the realistic expected daily intake because it's just a calculator typing in numbers... if possible see a nutritionist or your doctor to see what would be a good daily intake for you personally... it will vary depending on several facorts such as age, current weight/height, daily activity level, and and prior health conditions you might have.

The best of luck to you in your weight loss journey!

MeowserKitty

I would gnaw my arm off. Lols.

cunninjd

1200 is not alot of calories. If you set your goal for about 1 pound per week, then your results would probably be easier to maintain. But remember that the more you exercise, the more calories you can take it!

cunninjd

I agree, planning is key!