Sincere question here

HeavenLeAngel127

Here's my two cents. A lot of days, it's hard for me to eat 1200 calories. Not because I'm starving myself, and yes, there's days I have no problem eating that. But here's why: I'm making as healthy choices as I can. I'm drinking a LOT of water. I'm busting my butt in the gym (usually 1-3 hrs a day). And I understand I should be eating some of those calories back, but I honestly have a hard time sometimes. Why? Because I eat a lot of low calorie stuff. I drink a lot of water that fills me up, I eat a lot of salad, spinach, fruits and veggies. The low cal stuff that's filling. So I think, depending on WHAT those 1200 calories consist of makes a HUGE difference. If someone's eating one big mac and one other item...sure, I can understand how 1200 cals seems like too little. But in all honestly, I've found theres several days a week where I see my log at like 6-7 oclock and think, crap, I still need to eat a couple hundred calories to get to 1200. I think part of it comes with eating healthy and portion control for SOME people that struggle with hitting 1200 cals. (I'm definitely not defending everyone, but just know there are SOME of us that are trying to do it right and still have a hard time. I'm working on getting higher density foods in )

Here Here!

mrschappet

LMAO I am at 2009 calories consumed so far today... I may not be done yet.. just depends on if I can get my butt off this couch hehehehe :-) People need to know that food is their friend when they treat it right :-)

I couldn't survive on anything under 1650 and that is my limit before exercise

BlooQKazoo

Lots of water, and lots of veggies. Simple as that.

HeavenLeAngel127

Like I said if I exercise that day I eat much more. My rest days are sedentary. I also eat every single serving of each individual food group per day.

Also if you are weight lifting you need to eat more. So the type of exercise comes into account as well.

And I also eat a lot more to keep my net high. I can eat 2500 calories some days and still lose weight weekly.

If you are doing cardio you really should be eating more. Or you are just breaking down even more muscle than needed. Especially when getting close to your goal weight.

Yes, when doing cardio you eat more. You should definitely eat those calories back. IIf you are weight lifting with the goal of getting bigger your calorie intake must be higher. Especially calories from quality proteins.

Cardio burns more calories during the exercise, but weight-lifting builds more muscle which in turn raises your RMR (Resting Metabolic Rate).

MaryEffingPoppins

I'm good w/ it. I mean.... for breakfast I eat 4 scrambled egg whites, 1 turkey sausage patty chopped, 1 Kraft fat free sharp cheddar slice and 1 Spinach Herb tortilla wrap and that's only 230 calories!!! And It's HUGE! Now that's just breakfast. I workout 6 days a week and burn on average 1,100 on each of those days so I get 1,100 back. I eat about 600 of those so I'm getting on average 1,800 when my goal is 1,200. works great for me So, if you want/need more calories... work out.

anniefi

well, i've been doing it for a couple of weeks now and have lost hardly any weight. In fact this week i put a bit back on

HeavenLeAngel127

well, i've been doing it for a couple of weeks now and have lost hardly any weight. In fact this week i put a bit back on

You definitely have to watch how your body is reacting... Try eating more of your exercise calories back... You don't want your body to go into starvation mode.

And don't get discouraged! Try drinking more water as well to help counteract sodium and so you don't retain water

funkycamper

Yep, there are plenty of us who have had a hard time eating 1200 calories every day.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing

I didn't understand my body needs food to burn fat and it took a while before I figured it out. I don't have many problems eating what I eat now but I had to work up to eating as much as I do (1400 range).

I still can't imagine eating 2000 or more calories for maintenance.

Me, too. I started at 1200 eating no exercise calories (and I'm exercising quite a bit, too). Then I started eating back most of my exercise calories. Then I changed my weight loss goal to 1# a week instead of 2# giving me more calories. Then I upped my calories to just above my BMR (still plus exercise calories, of course).

While I do have days where I don't eat all my exercise calories, especially if I've had a really good burn, I bank them to eat later in the week when I want a splurge. Kinda like the Spike Diet although I'm not following the exact protocol. Nothing against it, just doing it the way I'm doing it seems to be working.

Anyway, the more I eat the more steadily I'm losing and the more intense I can exercise. I love my fitness gains more than the loss on the scale.

I'm planning on upping my daily net target again in another few months. My goal is to definitely be someone who can eat at least 2000 calories a day while maintaining my goal weight. And it's gonna be fun!

nammer79

Darn I’m not one of those people but I haven’t met my goal of 1800 calories yet either I’m normally around 1300 to 1500 but I’ve only been doing this for a week now.

And I truly have a weight problem as I ate myself into a life time of doctor visits and shots =( unless I drop the weight but part of it has to be that I’m more self-aware seeing how I write everything down now.

For the record I’m not hungry at the end of the day but I have to eat that last late night meal to keep my glucose level in a safe range.

munchkinhugs

My goal is 1200 calories per day. I'm pretty short/small though, and work an office job, so I'm almost always sitting down.

I can easily consume over 1200/day (heck, most of my meals are over 500cals -&&not including snacks). I do my best to exercise every day (especially on days I'm feeling like enjoying a few extra treats) and almost always eat back my exercise calories. You'd be surprised how filling lower-cal, healthy foods can be.

Don't hate on the 1200 cal/day folk. Most of us eat more than that anyway

Chloe_Chaos_

Also, some people that are having a difficult time eating their 1200 cals a day have had or have eating disorders and they use this as a tool to retrain themselves to EAT. I myself do not have a problem eating a TON, but I have encountered many people who are trying to put weight on because they suffer from anorexia or have a difficult time not purging after they eat.

Brandicaloriecountess

I felt like that in the beginning. BUT I was 279 pounds and not working out that much. I ate plenty through out the day, it was just low calorie foods. Eventually it got to the point were I was working out more and I wanted/needed to eat more. Now I hate my off day when I have to try to keep it @ 1300 lol

TurnLeftNow

I think a lot of it is fear of eating too much and messing up the weight loss process and a lot of misinformation floating around.

A lot of people think that you have to eat very little or they won't lose weight. They will stick to healthy foods only, things like fruits and veggies, low carb choices and very little fat. With so few options to eat, the calories don't really add up. But because they are eating lots of the low calories foods, they may feel fuller without getting as many calories. They don't realize that they can eat something with fat in it, or eat a little more of this or that. Most have been over eating all their lives and are over weight and don't know how to properly portion control so they go in the extreme.

I do think fear of eating too much is really the biggest problem. When they see those numbers add up they get worried they are going to gain it back. Also I find it kind of weird that if your goal is 1200 and that is the bare minimum but you are at a calorie deficit already at 1200, why do you go in the red when you hit 1210? No one wants to see that red, and that red is meaningless because you "aren't supposed to go below 1200".

It's a struggle figuring all of this out and it's a mind game that can really mess with you. It can go from one extreme to the other. Eating too much to not eating enough.

leogirl724

not me personally...I have to eat 1490..but
I have some very dear friends who struggle with EDs or
are emotional Non Eaters...

they have sincerely posted topics about their struggle and got ripped apart and called names and judged...
it's like all the mean kids from middle/high school joined one forum to shred the self~esteem of someone
who is suffering....for being too thin....Seriously??

It was disgusting

honeygirl0715

I just started this weight loss journey and find myself measuring everything as well as checking the calorie and nutritional contents. It's a tedious and overwhelming task but I feel I have to do it this way for now until I get my eating under control.

pamelad77

I eat 1200 cals a day since starting this, and to be honest, I feel like I'm eating more than I did before. Probably because I used to live on fast food, so I'd eat chocolate during the day (2 or 3 bars) and then a big meal from KFC or similar in the evening.
You only need to look at my diary now to see how much more I'm eating. Some days it feels like i don't stop lol.
Yes, it's mainly healthy foods too, so you get more bang for your buck, but it fills me up, and I can honestly say I haven't felt hunger pangs since starting this.

avafrisbee

I do have a weight problem, at 89kg and 170cm I am obese. I occasionally have problems eating the whole 1200 calories because taking care of my 8 month old really takes up a lot of time. Before I knew about MFP I kept a paper journal of my eating habits I found out that I was not eating anything during the day while I was taking care of my son and when my husband got home at night eating everything in the kitchen. So I tried eating during the day, I discovered I was carb loading because it is easy, simple, right there and super comforting when dealing with a screaming, teething baby going through a growth spurt. So to make sure I get my vitamins I have been drinking meal replacement shakes during the day. Now I use MFP and I measure and weigh and count everything. My problem isn't that I don't have the appetite, I most certainly do otherwise I wouldn't have gotten up to 89kg in the first place. My problem eating the full 1200 calories is my schedule. Getting up at 5:30 making a bottle, feeding baby, getting up with hubby making his coffee and breakfast, seeing him off to work, my home work out, shower, dress, get ready for the day, 9am change baby, dress baby, feed baby. Out the door for play group, strollercize, etc. back by noon, feed baby again out the door for errands, grocery shopping, post office, meetings at the day care my son will be attending when I go back to work, meetings at work discussing the terms I will return from maternity leave on home by 4pm feed baby again he goes down for a nap then it's household chores, then hubby's home and it's time to start dinner. I do have some days that are not as busy as others and I eat healthy snacks then nuts and whole grains. Those days I easily hit my target. Just my experience. Sincere answer to a sincere question.

Di3012

Having been on MFP now for several months I am truly questioning the posts that ask "How can I possibly eat 1200 calories per day." Do the subscribers who ask that truly have a weight problem? I have to wonder if those posters are measuring/weighing their portions. Is it a matter of incorrect recording.

Shoot I can consume 1200 calories without a blink of a fridge door.

Curious and asking asking.

I have been on 1200 calores per day since starting this diet on 1st January 2012, during exercise I may go into them by 100. It is 100% possible.

The tricks are to not eat cakes, biscuits, sweets, chocolate - these are high in calories and will take an enormous chunk out of your daily allowance - if you eat these, then yes, you will be hungry and most likely go over the 1200 calories later in the day due to being ravenous.

Eat lost of protein and filling foods, do not just eat foods high in carbs, they will not be enough to repair your body after exercise, plus high carb foods again, take a large chunk out of your 1200 calorie per day allowance.

Eat lots of fruit and veg.

Space your meals out, do not eat the majority of the calories for breakfast - it is damned hard and would take a lot of willpower to get through the day on the remaining 200 calories for just one day, let alone doing such a thing for weeks on end!

Yes, it can be done and you can lose weight on it. You do not go into starvation mode on it either.

shakybabe

I have to exercise if I've eaten anything with fat or carbs in. Today I got cravings and had cheese on toast so have to go on exercise bike for at least 30 mins to cover it. If I don't want to exercise again later I'll have to have salad or something really low cal.

Yesterday I had chilli with rice I made it with quorn so was much lesser fat than red meat (also split into 3 small portions as froze two for later) but wasn't even 10 minutes after eating I was on bike for an hour to make sure I burned about 600cals to cover it.

If I'm having a bad day and have no energy to exercise or too much pain I just have shakes for breakfast and lunch and one really low cal meal to cover basic BMR, if I can't exercise and straight on scales next morning to make sure I haven't gained from not exercising.

It's taken me nearly a year to get 3 stone off as I have other medical issues too but I'm 5lb off goal now but starting menopause and keep reading about people who put like 50lbs on after menopause so I'm terrified of regaining it all now! .. so decided to permanently eat a deficit rather than go into maintenance when I reach my goal to help me stay under 10st throughout menopause!

PCOSucks

Honestly, I eat a 1200 calorie a day diet. I know some people consider it "the bare minimum" because it is the lowest that MFP will let you go. However, I am 5'2" and considerably overweight due to PCOS. My doctor and a dietitian have both told me that 1200 calories a day is a good number for me. Believe it or not, I eat 1200 calories a day and I am not starving all the time. I strive to get the bulk of my calories from low-calorie high-protein and high-fiber foods that keep me full. Nothing is off-limits to me though - except full sugar sodas. Having said that, some days are easier than others, but ultimately, 1200 calories a day works for me, and I am losing weight at a healthy, steady pace and feel better than ever.

sjwhite7

I am a person who only ate 1 to 2 meals a day and ate very unhealthy. It was a very bad habit. Once I started dieting, I started to make better choices but my stomach is still adjusting to eating more often during the day. Consuming more health food fills you up more than the bad foods. Eating healthier lowers the amount of calories I consume at one time but is actually more food I have to consume to make the 1200 to 1400 calories a day. I have lowered my metabolism and really did damage to my body eating the wrong way for so many years. My stomach just isn't used to it and many times I feel so full but have only eaten 900 calories throughout the day. I really have to make myself eat more because I know if I don't that I won't lose weight.

funkycamper

I have to exercise if I've eaten anything with fat or carbs in. Today I got cravings and had cheese on toast so have to go on exercise bike for at least 30 mins to cover it. If I don't want to exercise again later I'll have to have salad or something really low cal.

Yesterday I had chilli with rice I made it with quorn so was much lesser fat than red meat (also split into 3 small portions as froze two for later) but wasn't even 10 minutes after eating I was on bike for an hour to make sure I burned about 600cals to cover it.

If I'm having a bad day and have no energy to exercise or too much pain I just have shakes for breakfast and lunch and one really low cal meal to cover basic BMR, if I can't exercise and straight on scales next morning to make sure I haven't gained from not exercising.

It's taken me nearly a year to get 3 stone off as I have other medical issues too but I'm 5lb off goal now but starting menopause and keep reading about people who put like 50lbs on after menopause so I'm terrified of regaining it all now! .. so decided to permanently eat a deficit rather than go into maintenance when I reach my goal to help me stay under 10st throughout menopause!

No offense, and I do feel kinda bad singling you out, but this sounds like a horrible way to live. I'm 54, finished menopause about 4 years ago, and have not had any trouble losing weight now that I've found that right method for me. When I started, I did it much like you describe and hated living that way. After reading the many discussions on here about repairing your metabolism, I set out to do that. I had chronically under-eaten for years. I can now eat about 4000 calories a week more than I was eating previously and still lose weight. I encourage you to try upping your calories slowly over time so that you can enjoy food and living without having go through what you're dealing with now.

Of course, you did say you have other medical issues so it's possible those are part of the problem. And that could totally negate my advice. If so, I encourage you to discuss these issues with your doctor and a dietitian. Best wishes.