1200 cal a day people please answer this...

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  • LemonBurns
    LemonBurns Posts: 538 Member
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    I reached my goals in September.

    Here's why:

    I workout most days and I need to NET 1260 to lose 1 pound per week or 1460 to lose .5/week.

    If I DID NOT EAT BACK MY EXERCISE CALORIES I would be FUELING MY BODY with...wait for it...760 calories.

    Show me a healthy 35 year old woman that lives HEALTHY on 760.

    ^^^ THIS ^^^ I reached my goal TODAY!!! And I always eat back my calories - ALWAYS!!
  • JanetAbrams
    JanetAbrams Posts: 17
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    I don't eat back my exercise calories. I just try to make sure I get 1200 calories. I have been slowly and surely averaging a 2 -4 pound weight lost every week. Hope this helps
  • jnsmith4
    jnsmith4 Posts: 20 Member
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    I don't eat back my excess calories, generally speaking. There are days when I have over 1200 and I figure it will all come out in the wash.

    For the most part, my eating is for fuel and nutrition. I have excess fat to burn. I'm no expert but what I've read about the science of weight loss is that you consume fewer calories than you burn and you lose weight. Well, I have a very sedentary lifestyle - behind a computer or sewing machine most days - and I make time to run a few times a week. My goal is to eat what I would burn through normal everyday stuff - that 1200 calories - and let anything extra I do go to burning fat. I know the rule of thumb is that you need to burn approximately 3500 calories over and above what you already burn doing daily activities in order to lose one pound of fat. Well, that is NOT going to be easy to do with a desk job and 1200 calorie diet. Especially since I don't have any idea other than general guides how many calories I actually burn.

    Obviously, when I'm done losing weight and want to sustain, I'll have a different approach.

    You're great and I totally agree!
  • nursedb
    nursedb Posts: 313 Member
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    Def do not eat back your exercise cal. That makes no sense to me...why work out if you're just going to eat the calories again ...I don't know ...I'm doing pretty good on a weekly average that totals around 1200 net per day! Good luck!
  • happyhippyemma
    happyhippyemma Posts: 2
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    I've been doing this 2 weeks and I started by exercising a lot, and eating less than the net 1200 calories. However, the last few days when I submitted my diary I was predicted to reach a plateau. The phone app actually said that if I kept eating too few calories my body would go into starvation mode, meaning it would be harder to lose weight. That makes sense, because if you don't give your body enough food, it'll start hoarding everything it gets. That's why you should try to get the net 1200, so that you have just enough fuel for your body to run, but will be losing excess weight as your body burns that to make up for what you didn't give it. That's how I think it works anyway. I'm now trying to reach the 1200 net daily by eating back my calories, and hopefully I'll keep slowly losing weight. :)
  • tinam76
    tinam76 Posts: 59 Member
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    i haven't been doing this long at all but my first week i lost 5 pounds at first i was so full off the 1200 even less some days but then i was told u should eat back the calories the last 2 day all of the sudden i am so hungry and afraid to eat . i walk for 40 minutes a day . today after eating food through dinner i had 78 calories left but then i walked and now im not hungry i think since i know i will walk daily i should eat more during the day. not sure how long you been doing this but out of no where the food i had been eating and content with just all the sudden was not enough try to eat them back throughout the day so you don't have to eat them all at once if we try it for a few weeks and it doesnt turn out well we can always do something else
  • Vivaladziunia
    Vivaladziunia Posts: 7
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    Def do not eat back your exercise cal. That makes no sense to me...why work out if you're just going to eat the calories again ...I don't know ...I'm doing pretty good on a weekly average that totals around 1200 net per day! Good luck!


    Thats exactly how I feel, especially since I go to the gym late at night I def dont want to come home and eat at 11 right before bed.....
  • katherinemcg
    katherinemcg Posts: 2
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    I think the point is that you should do what feels right. It depends on the kind of lifestyle you lead as well. I don't always eat back all of my burned calories but doing a workout usually makes me hungrier, so I'm sure to not ignore that. Either way you will lose weight, just try eating them back and see how it works for you. All the best!
  • georgew80
    georgew80 Posts: 3
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    I am grossing around 1200-1300 calories a day, and been posting at least 2lbs a week. Granted, I was 290lbs at the start and looking to get down to 260 by August.

    At my heaviest, in May 2010, i was 370lbs. I lost 105lbs From May 2010 - June 2011, I lost 105lbs. My mom died and I gained 25lbs back. Looking to lose that 25, and another 5 to start. Eventually want to get under 250lbs.

    I am working out 5x weekly with burning roughly 500 calories a day. My net is around 500-800 a day.

    Once in a blue moon, I give myself a cheat day and not think about it.

    The key for me is smaller meals with snacks. I take in food 6x a day.

    - Oatmeal, half a bagel, or egg whites with fat free cheese for breakfast

    - 2 reduce fat cheddar bars mid-morning (about an hour before i workout)

    - A lean cuisine for lunch

    - Some pretzels or fresh fruit mid afternoon

    - Normal dinner (usually chicken or fish with veggies or these low cal hot dogs i found in pita pockets with some veggies)

    - Skinny cow ice cream bar, air popped popcorn or fruit for a snack around 8:00-9:00

    Something my MD told me "if you can hear your stomach, you need to put something in it.
  • RmYWarrioR
    RmYWarrioR Posts: 36 Member
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    You need to be mindful and not starve your body. You will only know the balance of calorie intake and weight loss, it is your body. If you starve the body it will naturally start trying to keep a grip on everything you take in, even if you are exercising. I did see where someone posted that they take in 760 calories per day and are remaining healthy. That is pushing it. My wife weighs right around 115 pounds and she is alloted 1200 calories per day and burns between 600-900 through exercise. She usually ends up in the green with 400 to 500 calories left over. She has a small goal of ten pounds total weight loss and toning. This place is great for advice and many people have sound advice. Mine comes through reading and a minor in exercise science.
  • CNParker
    CNParker Posts: 108 Member
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    I eat when I'm hungry.I stay between 1100-1400. I eat 3 large meals, breakfast, lunch, and dinner and 3 small snacks. Don't deprive your body.
  • 0622cameron
    0622cameron Posts: 49
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    That is why I never eat my exercise calories back because I exercise so late I don't want to be eating 600-1200 calories right before I go to bed plus I am not hungry. If I get hungry I eat a little something but not that much.
  • KettleBellHoe
    KettleBellHoe Posts: 161
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    As long as you get in 1200 of food your good, exercising it all off is good if your trying to lose a lot of excess weight but if you wanna lose weight more slowly and safely 1400 is a happy amount I find Don't try to compensate for the calories you burn because you would of countered the effort you just made by exercising.
    -Kiera
  • Mommyof3texans
    Mommyof3texans Posts: 347
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    Jeeeeez I'm so confused!
    I've never heard of eating back calories.... To me I feel like if your going to burn off calories then go home and eat them back...how does the weight come off? It's like you went to the gym, slaved and then came home ate and its like as if you never went....
    I dont understand how this works and after reading a bunch of comments I see that its half half, some people eat them back some don't.....How do you know which is best for you?
    :) help? LOL.

    That's because the calorie goal they calculate here for you ALREADY has a deficit needed for fat loss.. so, if MFP says eat 1300 calories, you will lose weight on that amount. Now on a day you exercise 300 calories.. if you don't eat them back you are only netting 1000, which isn't even enough for your body to do what it needs to do if you laid in bed all day long.
  • tuneses
    tuneses Posts: 467 Member
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    I eat when Im hungry. I always net 1100-1200.

    This
  • prism6
    prism6 Posts: 484 Member
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    I have been stuck,so I am eating more calories. I will be interested in seeing how it goes...
  • feltlikesound
    feltlikesound Posts: 326 Member
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    I stay within the 1200 on days I don't make it to the gym, when I do work out I eat back the calories to the extent of my hunger. If I am hungry, I will eat up to the added calories by working out. Very rarely do I eat them all back. this is less conscious effort, more how my diet naturally goes now -- I eat when I am hungry, and my habits have led me to food choices that make it fairly easy to stay low cal.

    I mostly use my exercise calories for wiggle room, like if my friends want to go out to eat, I will be sure to work out and be conscious of the amount of calories so that I have the extra "calorie space" for the restaurant food (or what ever). Similarly, if I've been craving chocolate all week, I will treat myself if I have the extra space.

    I think people are failing to realize that the calories provided by MFP are a baseline for losing weight with NO exercise added on top -- you will lose weight just by sticking with those. For instance, if you have a 1200 estimate you probably listed your lifestyle as sedentary, which it likely isn't, and it CERTAINLY isn't factoring in the fuel your body NEEDS for an exercise regime.
  • ChasingSweatandTears
    ChasingSweatandTears Posts: 504 Member
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    You need to be mindful and not starve your body. You will only know the balance of calorie intake and weight loss, it is your body. If you starve the body it will naturally start trying to keep a grip on everything you take in, even if you are exercising. I did see where someone posted that they take in 760 calories per day and are remaining healthy. That is pushing it. My wife weighs right around 115 pounds and she is alloted 1200 calories per day and burns between 600-900 through exercise. She usually ends up in the green with 400 to 500 calories left over. She has a small goal of ten pounds total weight loss and toning. This place is great for advice and many people have sound advice. Mine comes through reading and a minor in exercise science.

    Does this mean she only nets 300 to 600 per day? I'm not judging, just curious if this Is what you mean.
  • happinessforevercm
    happinessforevercm Posts: 99
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    I eat when Im hungry. I always net 1100-1200.

    This. But If I am hungry after a workout or later at night I have a healthy snack just something small but then I try to drink some water to help the urge to snack, but I dont make it a point that I have to eat my calories back. Hope this helps :)
  • zukkiz
    zukkiz Posts: 362 Member
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    It has taken me a while but have finally understood that eating less is for losing weight, and exercising is for fitness. Combining them helps you lose inches as well as weight. It helps prevent the sagging skin.

    I net 1650 a day. So that means I am, on some days, eating about 2000. I also breastfeed, so I have to add those in there as well. I am only 24 from my goal weight, and am feeling great. I don't feel deprived and I know that I will be able to eat like this from here on out.

    As for eating late at night, it's a myth that if you eat late at night you won't lose weight. Even Dr. Oz, debunked this. If you haven't eaten enough calories then eating at night won't hurt you at all.

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