how to sucessfully maintain a 1200 cal. diet

LittleMissAngi

I had to move mine up to 1420, seems to be working!

ezramedic

I aim to eat 1350 calories every day.

I'm actually getting really good at figuring out what works for me - which is a high protein breakfast (Egg Beaters with ham and laughing cow cheese) or Oatmeal (made with almond milk, apples and truvia!) and then a LARGE lunch - I usually include a "main" item (soup, sandwich, etc) and two side items (apples, bread if it's soup, etc)

I think the biggest trick is to make sure you eating a LOT of food & you feel full. If you look down at your plate and think "Man, this isn't a lot and I'm still going to be hungry after" then you're already in trouble.

I eat a LOT of fruit and vegies. I rarely feel hungry and I feel satisfied. And when I *am* hungry I snack as best I can. Could I eat 13 chips, or could I have a cup of celery sticks with 2 tbsp of fat free ranch? Wel, I'm gonna eat the celery, because it's a way larger portion! (And less calories!)

Also, learning to substitute in recipes is a great way to cut back on your calories. I use apple sauce instead of oil, eggs and butter in my recipes. And I also try and make baking batter stretch further (so smaller portions! eg: cupcake batter says it makes 12? I try and make 18, or even 20!)

When I include these "indulgences" I don't at all feel like I'm missing out, or I'm going to "binge" later!

Demmuscles

I do it by making sure I workout daily. Yesterday, I ate 2 mini muffins, but I worked out for 65 minutes, and then did floor exercises for another 10. So, I'm not actually maintaining the 1200, but with the caloric deficit from the workout, I always come in under my calorie goal.

Same here, welcome to add me and view my diary. I feel as tho I have a really good range of nutrients from good food too - altho I could eat more fruit...

swall0810

Ladies, you don't need to starve yourself. I eat between 1500-1600 healthy calories a day and loose a pound a week. 30 mins of walking very briskly keeping your heArt rate in check and I started with light weights. Now I walk and just started lifting weights. Heavy weights. I have hypothyroidism if you don't know what that is, I call it the hippo disease cause I was about the size of one. Make it nearly impossible to lose weight. Eat and work out and you will lose.

I did the 1200 calorie diet, I quit losing. I got frustrated and quit. Started again 6 months later doing it the right way and I've never felt better. If your hungry your body is saying it needs fuel!

I'm not being hateful in anyway, just trying to help.

pingsqrd

I plan my meals and put everything in my diary at the beginning of the day, breakfast to dinner. I'll make adjustments if things come up, but by and large, I stick to it. The plan is already laid out and if I have to add in less than ideal things, I have to go in and change it which I don' t like doing so it's a deterrent. It also helps that I'm one of those people who is quite content eating the same thing day after day. It doesn't bug me at all, but even if I needed tons of variety, I think this would work as long as you can plan.

jayersnc87

Bump to refer to later

Demmuscles

Ladies, you don't need to starve yourself.

I am on 1200 cals, exercise daily so always eat more than that (but could never eat all my exercise cals cos I burn alot). I am in no way starving myself. I eat tons of things like spinach, mushrooms, olives, bananas, tomatos, avos, eggs, lean meat etc. And I eat chocolate - just not a whole block like the old me would have... ;-) Usually at the end of the day my good looking diary comes to aboout 1274 cals for example.

And I am losing on that amount without feeling hungry.

nesstle

i do, im only 5 4, and of small build, my body doesnt natuarlly need that much food.
and i dont feel like i missing out. I have a 400 cal breaky of eggs toast and milk, small lunch and meat and veg for dinner, and if i want choclote i go get some pick n mix from the supermarket so i dont chow it all down.

feel free to add me!

Di3012

Ladies, you don't need to starve yourself. I eat between 1500-1600 healthy calories a day and loose a pound a week. 30 mins of walking very briskly keeping your heArt rate in check and I started with light weights. Now I walk and just started lifting weights. Heavy weights. I have hypothyroidism if you don't know what that is, I call it the hippo disease cause I was about the size of one. Make it nearly impossible to lose weight. Eat and work out and you will lose.

I did the 1200 calorie diet, I quit losing. I got frustrated and quit. Started again 6 months later doing it the right way and I've never felt better. If your hungry your body is saying it needs fuel!

I'm not being hateful in anyway, just trying to help.

I would be unable to lose on that amount. That's the problem I am getting older and my metabolism has definitely slowed down from when I was 30.

I have to admit, I very rarely feel hungry and if I do, an orange or apple is usually enough to stop any pangs. I don't consider 1200 calories starving :flowerforyou:

Di3012

Do you all leave out counting veggies or include

I count all veggies as they too have calories.

merzback

I have not. My brief stint with Jenny Craig had me on 1200 a day and I was one miserable, weak woman. I found that at 1400, though, I was happy and able to exercise and lose as high as 2.5 pounds weekly. That said, everyone is different and there are many people who can make it work with 1200.

Honestly, one of the things that bothers me about JC and NS is that they will put a person who is 130lbs on the same :"DIET" as those who are 400lbs. So so crazy.

janiedoe111

Bump

Lesa_Sass

Ladies, you don't need to starve yourself. I eat between 1500-1600 healthy calories a day and loose a pound a week. 30 mins of walking very briskly keeping your heArt rate in check and I started with light weights. Now I walk and just started lifting weights. Heavy weights. I have hypothyroidism if you don't know what that is, I call it the hippo disease cause I was about the size of one. Make it nearly impossible to lose weight. Eat and work out and you will lose.

I did the 1200 calorie diet, I quit losing. I got frustrated and quit. Started again 6 months later doing it the right way and I've never felt better. If your hungry your body is saying it needs fuel!

I'm not being hateful in anyway, just trying to help.

I would be unable to lose on that amount. That's the problem I am getting older and my metabolism has definitely slowed down from when I was 30.

I have to admit, I very rarely feel hungry and if I do, an orange or apple is usually enough to stop any pangs. I don't consider 1200 calories starving :flowerforyou:

This was my thinking, but I was wrong. Please feel free to take a gander at my food diary. I upped my calories and have been losing weight consistently since I started. I am 43 and am .6 pounds away from my goal weight. So yeah, it works. Those last 5 are the hardest to lose, who would think I would lose them by eating more instead of less.

penrbrown

You don't have to. For most people that are on 1200 cals, it is not the best intake for them, most chose a weekly weight loss goal that is too aggressive. Here is a guide for setting weekly deficits, and on top of this when you workout you should eat those calories back. So if you are on 1200 cals and burn 300, you should eat 1500 for the day.

If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal, and
If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal.

I found this guide very helpful, btw.

Welshcakes

*cough* bump

nrvo

I bounce around - I've pretty much stayed set between 1200 cals (to lose .8lb/week) and 1340 cals (to lose .5lb/week). I eat my exercise cals, so I'm usually a bit over. I'm at 1200 right now, but probably eating closer to 1300 a day with light exercise.

I find it helps me the most when I plan out my food the night before; this helps me avoid cravings, binges and other bad spontaneous food choices. My diary is open; feel free to check it out!

TipsieTed

I did some while ago, not with this website. I did it by eating sandwiches 3 times a day because they were easy to count. It worked well but I couldn't keep it up for more than 6 weeks

RachelsReboot

You can add me if you like, I have a hard time going over that and usually add a protein drink to get me there, I am on the extreme end of low carb though for medical reasons but lots of people watch mine for meal ideas

shrinkinglily

bump - wanna come back and read this when I have time. I can never decide how many calories to eat.