Who has only 1200 calories per day?

Natz_20

Mine is set at 1200 and I find myself under my calories everyday and I track everything even sweeteners!!

You can get by on 1200 a day you just have to make the right choices to make you feel fuller for longer because we all know a bit of chocolate will not fill us up!

I normally have a green tea in the morning to start the day with no breakfast as I cant stomach eating at that time of the morning.

Lunch is a cupa soup with a frozen ww meal which takes me up to around the 600 marks leaving another 600 for snacks and dinner!

I have my dinner and fill up on loads of veg carrots, broccoli, cauliflower etc.

So it is possible!

Please feel free to add me.

:bigsmile:

Natz xx

honeysprinkles

I used to have mine set to 1200, but it wasn't realistic for me. I would be able to stick to it for maybe a week, but not long term. And then when I did go over, I would just eat whatever since I was already over anyways. It didn't really work for me at all. I'm at 1700 now and it's working so far. Even though I have days where I'll be 500 or more under goal, then there are days where I'll eat dinner out and be 500 over so I think it balances itself out! Oh and I'm 5'6" 180lbs and set to lose 1lb/week under "lightly active."

karin_s

I have mine set there but it goes up when I exercise. I feel great being just a little bit hungry instead of overly full. Out of the two I am more comfortable feeling a little hungry than bloated!
I am finding nutrition packed foods that fill me up instead of empty calories. So at 1200 every bite I take has to be considered carefully. I have been reading allot on nutrition and I am finding what works best for me. It is some adjustment at first but I found that if I try to keep myself busy with something I enjoy and drink water when a craving hits then after about 3 days the body adjusts quickly.However, then the same goes for the reverse. If I eat a heavy meal then my body adjusts to that and I am back trying to cut down again.

brakmaster

I am set to 1200 calories per day.

You should set a target that's low. It gives you something to work toward. On non-workout days I can hit 1200 cals but it's hard. If you're larger then a target of 1500 might be more reasonable. You can do it if you change your diet and eat right. It was a long process for me but ultimately worth it!

jellybaby84

I have an allowance of 1200 but if I actually ate that much regularly and ate my exercise calories too I would gain weight. My BMR is only around the 1200 mark

I eat 1050-1150 generally, sometimes slightly under, sometimes slightly over.

I actually think 1200 is a hell of a lot of food, I don't feel deprived in terms of amount at all (just in terms of choices!)

rodgerscj

I think it really depends on your activity level. Also probably age. I am 54, and need to lose about 50 more pounds. I am not hungry and never feel overstuffed on 1200 a day. When I was younger, I doubt this level of calories would have been enough. If I eat more calories, I don't loose weight. At 1200 I loose about a pound a week. I also don't obsess about the calorie intake. It is just a gage that lets me make better food choices, sometimes I am over, sometimes I am under. It works for me.

bresve1

I am set at 1200 calories a day to lose 1 lb. a week. I am losing about 1/2 lb a week most weeks, but some weeks 1 lb. It does depend on what you eat. I can eat a fritata (kind of like an open omelet) made with Kirkland carton eggs, which is 99.99% egg whites (very low in cal.) ,sliced mushrooms, sliced tomato, spring mix, sliced mini bell peppers, 2% shredded cheese and it will keep me full longer than most anything I eat and it is about 200 calories. You get your protein and fiber, which are important for staying full longer. I do eat a lot of veggies and some fruit. If I don't work out it can sometimes be hard not to go over the 1200 mark.

I do work out 4 or 5 days a week. Some exercises that can burn calories are so easy, so I don't understand those who do not work out. I burn many calories just doing the elyptical machine, but you can stair step or jump rope and burn a lot of calories without expensive equipment. You can lift weights with a jug of water. Even if you slowly build muscle the more muscle you can build the more calories you will burn. Try to burn some calories each day so you can eat more. Even if you burn 200 calories that is 1400 calories you can eat and still lose weight. It is not easy, for sure. It was a routine I had to push myself into, with the help of my daughter and husband. I am not overweight much. Maybe need to lose about 10 lbs. more and have lost 8 so far. Good luck and hang in there. I was at a stand still for weeks until recently and finally lost another pound. Also, remember it may not always be weight, but the inches that make a difference. Happy eating healthy.

bresve1

That is awesome. So happy for you. Keep up the GREAT work.

bresve1

So true. My husband and I have a splurge day once a week. Sometimes we really over do it, but many times we still stay within our calorie limit because we are beginning to just lean toward the better foods. If we go over it is just for one day anyway. If you don't have that splurge day I believe it is easier to fall off the wagon. Also, it helps to do it with others. My husband and I were out yesterday and all I could think of was ice cream (my weakness), but he helped me get through it . Before you know it we were at home eating turkey on sara lee 45 cal bread and I had 400 calories left by bed time.

Walk, jump rope, stair step or something. Even if it only burns a couple hundred calories that is a couple hundred more you can eat and stay within the limit and lose weight. Some could try jumping jax for 1 minute rest for 1 minute and do that for 15 minutes and burn enough calories to eat that extra turkey sandwich. It is amazing what we can think of doing to burn calories so we can eat more. My son told me he and his wife wanted to go out one night and he new he would go way over his calorie limit. His fix was to work out a second time that day and he was able to eat what he expected he would that night and have a couple of beers. Keep going and stay strong. Best of luck to you.

bouquet77

I left mine at the 1200 that the system set for me and to be honest i struggle most days to eat them let alone the exercise calories maybe thats why I have come to a halt however weight in today and i have now lost 6lb in 8 days so im not extatic about it but happy ! HOW MANY DOES YOUR GO SUGGEST ?

walkinmamma

So true. My husband and I have a splurge day once a week. Sometimes we really over do it, but many times we still stay within our calorie limit because we are beginning to just lean toward the better foods. If we go over it is just for one day anyway. If you don't have that splurge day I believe it is easier to fall off the wagon. Also, it helps to do it with others. My husband and I were out yesterday and all I could think of was ice cream (my weakness), but he helped me get through it . Before you know it we were at home eating turkey on sara lee 45 cal bread and I had 400 calories left by bed time.

Walk, jump rope, stair step or something. Even if it only burns a couple hundred calories that is a couple hundred more you can eat and stay within the limit and lose weight. Some could try jumping jax for 1 minute rest for 1 minute and do that for 15 minutes and burn enough calories to eat that extra turkey sandwich. It is amazing what we can think of doing to burn calories so we can eat more. My son told me he and his wife wanted to go out one night and he new he would go way over his calorie limit. His fix was to work out a second time that day and he was able to eat what he expected he would that night and have a couple of beers. Keep going and stay strong. Best of luck to you.

This is really the key for me. My calories are set at 1200, but because I eat back my calories, I know it is within my control to up that limit if I want. I find that it is the motivation that I need to get myslef moving everyday. Even if it is just to take the dogs out to play, or push myself away from my desk at lunchtime and go for a walk. Because of this, in actuality, I rarely eat only 1200 calories a day.

newarkco05

MFP set mine to 1200 calories a day and I was starving! I changed the settings to lose 1/2 pound per week and it raised my calories to 1600 and now I am losing 2 - 3 pounds a week!!

amberrrogers

I have mine set at 1200 a day. The nutritionist I see told me to take in 1000 calories and do 90 minutes of cardio per day. I cant set it to 1000. And she also told me not to eat back my exercise calories. I have a whole lot of weight to lose though and started off very heavy with some serious health concerns (prediabetic, seriously high blood pressure, PCOS). My physician and nutrtionist are walking me through this. And they are in agreement with my calorie intake and exercise. However, they are the only two who feel this is how it should be for me

23Brandy

Feel free to look at my food diary. 23Brandy. I am usually under and eat rice quakes to get it up to 1200.

JeanniebeanL79

MFP set me at 1200 calories for the day, it is a challenge but I feel like it motivates me to exercise because I am a big eater and getting the exercise calories prevents me from giving up and eating crap. Most days I find that i dont even use that many of the exercise calories. So far it has been working for me, but it has only been a week.

Sweet_Potato

I'm small, and sedentary, and already at a healthy weight. Mine's set at 1200 because it's the only way I could possibly lose more than one pound a year.

1200 also feels healthy to me. I never feel hungry, and the only times I go over the limit is if I'm eating bad stuff.

adavis59

I am on th 1200 calorie per day on MFP. I am 5' 8.5" tall and I'm doing just fine. In fact, I'm usually a few calories under. It all depends on the foods you eat throughout the day. I'm happy and satisfied at 1200 calories a day. Feel free to look at my diary. I'm moderately active. :happy:

janetteluparia

If I dont stay under 1200 I dont lose. I am 5'7" and 185. I am frustrated because even at 1100 I dont lose. I have tried 1500 and 1300 and gained. Even with moderate exercise. I travel for work and spend long hours in the car. I am not hungry at 1200, just frustrated that I dont see results. :-(

kaymac1908

I had metabolic testing done and I was prescribed 1200 cals per day to lose 1.5 lbs per week. I think every person's metabolism is different and obviously mine is on the slower side right now. Keeping at around 1200 is tough and it takes my full attention, but I get by if meals average 300 + small snacks in between. Large salads with a modest amount of turkey or chicken & a reduced cal dressing is VERY filling and this is becoming my staple. I also now drink lots of water. Portion control and careful logging is critical at any cal level.

anewme99

it all depends on how you spend those 1200 calories-it is simple as that. If you eat 4 donuts-there goes your 1200 and you get nothing else.
if you eat a CONTROLED carb (not no carb) diet-it takes a HuGE volume of food to equal 1200 calories! I eat no bread, pasta or rice. Nothing with white flour or sugar, and most days I have trouble getting to 1200 calories!
jimmy dean light breakfast bowls are a great and quick anytime meal or snack(at just 220 cals they can be used as a high protein snack). And plain non-fat Greek yogurt with Jillian Michaels whey protein powder and 5 chopped strawberries (about 120 cals total) and you won't feel hungry for quite some time!

veggies, veggies, veggies! The more you eat, the more you can eat. It is very difficult to eat 1200 calories worth of veggies!

bonnt

I had mine set to 1200 and found that I usually awsn't meeting it, because I was scared to go over. I eat between 1200-1400 cals now. For me, it's not hard and I'm never hungry. It's making the right food choices that allows you to eat more. If you eat tons of salad (lettuce has very few calories as well as any other vegetable), you find yourself full with minimal calories.

Elizabeth_C34

Mine's at 1300 (not that much higher), and I try not to go above 1250.

I am not lightly active (desk job) and cannot workout sometimes (heart problem), so for me, I have to do this mostly by controlling the diet.

I limit my carb intake and eat a lot of homecooked meats and veggies. I do eat carbs though (no they aren't evil, just full of calories).

amccrazgrl

I had mine at 1200 before and it didn't help me lose weight. I've been on here since Oct 210 and only down 16 pounds, granted thats with taking June/July/Nov/Dec off. In those 2 months breaks I only gained a few pounds each time.Right now I have mine set at 1495 b/c that's what it says to lose a pound a week. The whole time I've been on MFP the most I have lose in a month is 6 pounds and that was last Feb when I went from Curves to Gold's. Now I'm just focused on clean eating and Jamie Eason's 12 week program.

The slower you lose weight the better chance you have to keep it off. Yes this frustrates me when everyone is at there goal weights a year later and I'm not. By this Oct I hope to be down the last at least 16 pounds.

hirensthenameliftinsthegame

lol 1200 is not enough for my breakfast...i believe people are vey impatient and set the calorie deficit really high for themselves. There is a proper formula that determines it for you, I don't the MFP utilizes that because their settings are SUPER low. I had to modify mines manually, its a good thing I know these things, but for the average individual to be undereating is actually not very beneficial to their weightloss.

Sixleafclover

Mine is 1200, but I'm really short. 4'11".

iammelli

i think it depends on what you uses your coalories on

i usuallu figure

150 cals for breakfast either porridge/fruit and yogurt/toast and marmite

50-100 call for 11 am snack fruit or ow fat cookies/go ahead bars

200 cals for lunch homemade soup and a slice of bread/ salad and meat/ wrap
+ low fat chc mouse

100 afternoon snak low fat crisps

Dinner 500 cals

evening treat 150
small galss of wine
vodka tonic and low fat frozen yogurt
small choclate bar and diet coke
bootle of beer

Works for me

I also work out 3 times a week a mix of cardio and yoga when i over eat to make anything back

arlyn70

I do...I have 1275...and its brutal...but if this is how I can do it with feeling hungry...I am going to try...

i have a 1600 calories and i take less.. because i drink minimun 2 lts of water not incl.. my coffe milk, or tea.. and honestly i am not hungry at all.. i always under 1600 i take 1200 because water is helping me a lot..

mom2jjl

BUMP FOR LATER TOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Juicyrocks4Kelly

I eat around 1000 to 1200 calories a day and exercise with P90X cardio and kenpo workouts every day. I seem to be fine if I fill up on low calorie fruits and vegetables. I think that this is at least possible for me since I used to have an eating disorder at eat around 400-500 cals a day. So this most certainly is a step up for me. I would try to slowly lower your calorie intake. Like start at 2000, then 1800, then 1600, and so on until you feel you are ready for around 1200 a day. Good luck!

jacksquaty

I weight 265 and am six feet tall and I eat around 1400. Its not hard if you have no carbs. All cravings are gone so there is no reason to eat more than what you need.