1200 Calories...how?

carlageek

I was having a lot of trouble hitting even 1300 calories. I ended up changing my target to 1/2 pound loss per week instead of 1 pound loss per week so I'd have a few hundred more calories to play with.

No sense in being in a rush if it leads to a miserably restrictive plan I have trouble sticking to!

GurleyGirl524

I am on 1200 and am staying pretty full. I eat lots of protein (am usually over) I try to eat before I get hungry so that I stay full. I also drink lots of water. I try to snack on things that are not very calorie dense so I can have a good meal. I usually eat oatmeal at breakfast and then 1 or 2 snacks before lunch because I start work at 7:30 but don't have lunch until 1:00 or 1:30. I avoid carby foods like rice & pasta becuase they way high in calories and don't keep me feeling full.

lalalaleah

When I was doing 1200 calories, eating a cup of Greek yogurt with granola and banana for breakfast, and a handful of almonds as a snack would keep me full longer. You want thick nutritious stuff in your body.

sandown12

I was having a lot of trouble hitting even 1300 calories. I ended up changing my target to 1/2 pound loss per week instead of 1 pound loss per week so I'd have a few hundred more calories to play with.

No sense in being in a rush if it leads to a miserably restrictive plan I have trouble sticking to!

wow youve ;ost 116lbs is that using mfp how long did it take? WEll done

sweetiepie31612

I'm on a 1200 calories/day program. My staples are eggs, peanut butter, almonds, and tuna. Feel free to add me as a friend and or peek at my diary, it's open

epurucker82

I notice that if I have a protein shake to start my day...it hold's me longer. I try to cut carbs after three...but even if I have a salad or a protein shake for dinner there are a couple carbs. Whatcha gonna do??? right! I also sometimes have to eat back some exersice calories...when you have a hard weight training session you just need some extra calories on those days.

brittanyla077

I changed my settings so I have more calories than the 1200 I was given. I'm on 1380 now + I add my exercise (approx 200 a day). This is the only way I can do this.

r


I like this...you don't have to go full force at first or all the time...I wrote down the difference in calories between loosing half pound,pound,and two pounds a week if I go a little over one day its OK as long as I'm under the other mark...you can change things to fit you

lisaabenjamin

I'm on 1200 cals a day and so far have stuck to it very well (8lbs lost in 4 weeks, woop!) I will admit that it is much harder on the days that I don't exercise though!

Some things that have helped me:

1) Switching from Special K for breakfast to porridge. Porridge keeps me much fuller for longer than 30 paltry grams of that cardboard-flavoured rabbit food I was eating before, and tastes much better! I find that I don't start to feel hungry until about noon now, whereas before I usually had a mid-morning snack to keep the tummy rumbles away!

2) Drinking herbal tea instead of 'normal' tea with milk. Saves 15 cals per cup and counts towards your water target.

3) Cutting down the portion size of my evening meal and not going back for seconds! (It is OK to leave some for tomorrow!). If I am still hungry after my evening meal, and if I have the calories left, I eat a Muller Rice pot - they are delicious and really filling so stop me snacking in the evenings.

Good luck!

Di3012

Anyone out there on the 1200 calorie goal for the day? What are you eating? I am and I'm struggling to stay full and at 1200 cal. I'm all about the high-fiber / lots of veggies / fruits / lean protein options, but I wanted to get some new suggestions!

Feel free to peek at my diary, although I've been less than angelic the past few days!

Opaque I am on 1200 calories per day and because it is not a great amount, everything I eat has to be good foods, that means no junk - at all. I make sure I have lost of protein and fruit and I do not snack between, this will mean I am hungry by mealtimes and will gladly eat all my lunch or dinner. I always ensure the mealtimes are spread out too.

Some people cannot face no treats or the odd take-away, but for me personally, I find I can remain focussed providing I do not break my diet. I have found, in the past, to my expense that "just the one" chocolate bar or "just this one bag of crisps won't hurt" attitude was actually to my detriment, because no matter how hard I tried, it was never "just the one", or if it was, the next day was a new day and "just the one" always seemed to creep into it somehow until in the end I was full-blast, off the wagon (again!) and gaining weight.

It is about focus and ensuring you feed your body foods that will do it nothing but good. I hasten to add that I have drank alcohol on the odd night out, but it is not everyday, only on those designated nights out and I always, always make sure, the calories are accounted for.

I steadfastedly maintain that it can be done on 1200 calories per day and no, I do not go into any starvation mode whilst on it both this time and anytime I have done the same thing before. (I put weight back on, by the way, because I went back to eating crap after I had reached my goal and it is the maintaining aspect of weight control that I have to master).

eeebee

Egg whites - boiled, omlette, dry-fried, any which way, they are my saviour!

Those and cooked fine green beans to pad almost all my meals out.

PS> I am on the 1200 a day too - it's hard and I usually go over but that's ok as long as exercising keeps the calories within goal.

Christinajoey2000

I try to fill up on brown rice or quinoa, yogurt, lean proteins, fruits and tons of veggies. I eat a limited amount of low calorie processed foods (too small--not filling enough for amount calories), but add a salad, nuts, fruit or piece of whole grain bread. I also try to limit my sugar (in addition to fruit) intake bc those calories add up quickly. All in all, I'm usually satisfied and have room for a glass of wine with dinner.

Hope this helps a little.

Himi16

Freezing your fruit can make it take longer to eat! I love frozen blueberries and eat them instead of hard candy.

Also, I LOVE food so I've given up drinking any calories. I drink 98% water with only an occasional liquid indulgence. That leaves me more calories for eating!

YcatsFursworth

I'm on the other side of this problem... I have 1300ish and I have a hard time eatting them all! ><

susanswan

Feel free to check out my food diary. I am now at 1400 per day as a baseline for calories plus I eat my exercise calories or most of them, but I am aiming for 90% vegan food. NOt all days are as veggie packed, but I usually get 50 - 77 gms of fiber in and am so stuffed with food that I can barely finish my calories if I do it right. I am an Eat To Live Devotee and working on doing the program right. I love my breakfast smoothies and blended salads for lunch. I am usually stuffed after every meal. Yesterday was a Costco "oops" snacks day and my DH insisted on going out for dinner, so not the best example. But last week was great. Look through those days.

Susan

lorierin22

It's probably not good for sodium, but I love Progresso Light soups for lunch. I can eat the whole can (2 bowls) for 120-160 calories. I don't really like a lot of veggies, so some days this is the only way I eat any. I usually eat egg whites or egg beaters for breakfast along with a piece of toast and then snack on yogurt later. That blend of carbs and protein usually keep me full the majority of the day and thenIi have more calories to play around with at night. I don't eat the healthiest, but I'm never starving during the day and I usually come in right at/or under target. (If you do look at my diary, keep in mind I had Bronchitis last week, so some days I am way under and some days I didn't add anything at all).

natalieg0307

I'm at 1200 per day too. I have to say it DOES get easier. I started MFP in late December. I never thought I could go a day without going over. I ALWAYS eat my exercise calories back. And now even on a rest day, I'm close to 1200. Stick with it. It WILL get easier.

opaquewhite

Some awesome suggestions, thanks guys! I do drink lots of water, I just don't always log it all because I've never really figured how to log a "glass" of water. I log it on the fitbit website via ounces instead. I definitely do better on my exercise days, but when I don't have the time, I'm usually struggling. I'm planning to incorporate lots more salads and soups, and try to cut back on the occasional glass of wine I sometimes have at the end of the day too!

I'm retraining myself all the time, because I've been on WW and South Beach before, it's always a different system!

missjones93

I have the same problems - except I have started to realize that sometimes I'm just having cravings. If that's the case: eat ice. And I've read sniff apples - but who knows?

justle

mine is set to 1200 right now, i think my diary is public so feel free to take a look - really this is the first day i've been on 1200 though but essentially less carbs like pasta and bread and substitute it for more veg like broccoli and cauliflower,


I find mushrooms, cauliflower, broccoli and frozen broad beans extremely filling of course your still getting carbs from the veg

missjones93

Oh - and I have canned soup for my lunch. Mainly because it's convenient. But it doesn't have many calories either.

Alicia_Monique

I'm supposed to get 1300, but I usually have about 1200. I eat lots of protein. Eggs, chicken, fish, etc. I also eat lots of veg and fruit. It tends to keep me full. But, I drink LOTS OF WATER!!!! It keeps me full/hydrated and it makes me skin nice, which is an awesome benefit!

ShannonMK9

check the glycemic index for your foods - those with high glycemic indexs will make you hungry again faster than low glycemic (carrotts, apples) so should be paired with a protein or fat (peanutbutter, or other nut butter) to stabalize blood sugar. Lots of water will also help with the hunger.

Sydney0710

I'm on 1200, but I workout 6 days/week. It gives me an incentive since I find sticking to 1200 calories difficult sometimes. 1400 is good, but 1200 is hard. It's the difference between having a snack before bed and not. I NEED my bedtime snack! LOL.

JennyAnnLanders

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boobee32

Wow...I am on the 1200 calorie end and I eat waaay more food than you. If I only had what you have, I would starve. Please take a look at my diary.

beckylawrence70

I do it and workout so I can eat more......been doing this since 12/31 and lost 11 lbs, 1 more lb to go........my diary is public.

Sydney0710

Here's an average days worth of food for me:

Breakfast: coffee, scrambled eggwhites with veggies, WW low-carb toast, or oatmeal unsweetened.

Lunch -- Greek yogurt, walnuts, blueberries, honey, salad with either a homemade vinaigrette or no dressing, or sometimes a Boca burger.

Dinner --meat or beans with a ton of veggies, or some kind of homemade casserole, turkey tacos, stews, etc. I cook everything we eat at dinner.

Bedtime --PB with WW toast, or a small piece of dark chocolate with PB.

Occasionally I have a small amount of popcorn or and Almond Dream "ice cream" sandwhich in addition to what I've listed.

I only drink water, coffee, or iced loose red raspberry leaf tea.

fatgirlzrule2

I eat clean between 1200-1400 a day. Feel free to take a look at my diary.

ARDuBaie

I average 1200-1300 calories a day. Some days I don't get that. I stay away from high glycemic foods, for the most part, but will splurge once in a while. I just started eating Luna chocolate peanut butter bars (high protein) because I switched back to a vegetarian diet. Drink a lot of water as well. Good luck. My diary is open to the public.

lifeisadancefloor

Yea I try to exercise as much as I can so I can eat more haha! I had a hard time at first, but then got used to it, and can even stay close on days I don't exercise now! I have been eating basically 6 times a day, about every 2.5 hours. It helps me not feel hungry all the time!