Anyone else on a 1200 calorie diet?

realme56

I do not lose easily when eating so little, I try to eat at least 1500-1600 daily. Fueling my body gives me stamina and maintains my weight loss.

reereejandro

Could someone please send me a message on how to see other people's food diaries? I'm brand new (day 6) and I'm not sure where it is.

Thanks!

lusi0079

Oddly enought I had never thought of myself in "starvation mode" because I don't get hungry all that often. I do have my binges though...usually when I'm stressed. And I'm able to work out and not be overly tired. But after reading that article it helps me to understand why when I gain weight its so quick and why I'm unable to lose. So from here on out, no rushing and I'll prepare myself for baby steps.

wurgin

i am on 1200 cals and eat back some of my cals on most days and all of my cals on some days. it is working for me. the eating back option lets me enjoy something close to a normal food intake... portioned properly of course but with some treats, eating what my family eats and such.

I have lost 11 pounds in 28 days, which seems ok to me.

JaxJaxMom

Keep working I haven't been great about posting on here but it works

jgarrisond

I am on a 1200 calorie diet and on most days I am under that due to either exercise or just not being hungry. I have lost about 10 in the last month.

amber2521

So someone please tell me, what is the POINT in exercising if you just eat back everything you burn off??

joyous504

I'm on 1200 calories a day and I usually don't eat all of them. Some days I go a little over, but it's because I have exercise calories to eat. I've lost 22 lbs since Jan 2. I'll weigh in again tomorrow or Sunday and I'll see how many more pounds I've lost. It all depends on how many times I've worked out, but I always lose weght, never gain.

joyous504

The member has to opt to share their food diaries. I allow people to see.

rebeccasedwards

MFP put me on 1200 calories. It has been tough some days and I have been known to go to bed hungry. I try to exercise as much as possible but many nights I'm grading papers and working on lesson plans. I am loosing weight, almost 16 pounds so far. It is hard but it is worth it when I see the scales. Hang in there. You can do it.

annalistic

bump - for sleepytexan's article! That is great information! I'm currently upping my calories after plateauing for 7 months eating less than 1200 net. I've gone 2-3 weeks now without much of a change in my weight - down a bit one week and then back up the next 2. Now I know to wait a few more weeks before freaking out! The thing I have noticed is that now I actually do feel hungry! Before I never felt hungry - now my stomach actually growls. Thanks for the article, sleepytexan!

kiwiclove

I read this thread and everyone's input, then looked at my reports for net cal in the last few days and I'm like, aw hell lol. Sounds like me.

leahneedstobethin

I am. But its not really working for me. I can't really keep to it. Sometimes I'm under, but sometimes I'm over to about 1300. I am 50 so its harder for me to loose. My friend keeps telling me to up my calories, because my body might be hanging on to it because it thinks I'm trying to starve it. What do you think. Also I need some suggestions on what to eat.

sleepytexan

So someone please tell me, what is the POINT in exercising if you just eat back everything you burn off??

Holy smokes I posted all that and you still don't get the point?

almc170

So someone please tell me, what is the POINT in exercising if you just eat back everything you burn off??

Holy smokes I posted all that and you still don't get the point?

You can lead a horse to water...

natalieg0307

MFP has me set at 1200 calories per day. I eat those plus my exercise calories. Many days I go over, but not by a huge amount. I see no point in being hungry. If a glass of milk puts me over...so be it. It was hard for me to even get close to 1200 when i first joined MFP. I had no clue a small shake from steak n shake was about 1000 calories. I eat better now, but I don't starve myself and don't deprive myself of anything.

zephyrzar

I am also on the 1200 calorie. Since my weight is not obese, it is taking some time to lose. I think the main thing with weight loss is that you have to do what Sleepytexan stated, research a lot. Weight loss should be a long term not a quick fix. There is a lot of great sources out there and find what works for you. For me personally, I cannot starve myself and I also have to eat back the calories I burned so body keeps working. It is a slow process if all you have to lose is under 20 pounds Keep at it and it will work.

amber2521

This is MY thread and I really dont need people to insult me. "You can lead a horse to water" ... whatever. I am just trying to make sure I understand. I have gained 30 pounds over the last three years since having my son and I am reading so many different things and do not know what to believe because different things work for different people, and also because there are a lot of terms and analogies used on here that I don't quite understand. I appreciate everyones input and I will definitely eat back some of my exercise calories but not all because frankly, I am not hungry enough to eat 1800 calories a day. And I will not force myself to eat. So thanks for all the help everyone but please stop with the insults

mama_to_1

i started a 1200 cal diet (what MFP set me at) back in October. From october-January I lost 24lbs. then i kind of fell of track and gained five of it back. I started back on my strict 1200 cal diet this week and so far have lost 3 lbs. i eat my exercise calories back as well and have never had a problem with losing weight and doing so.

chevy88grl

I just dont see the point in exercising to burn off calories if you are just going to put those calories back on. that doesnt make sense to me.

Because if you're following this program, it has already worked a deficit into your daily calories and by not eating back exercise calories - you are creating an even larger deficit. This site is designed for those calories to be eaten back.

For most people, a large deficit will work for weight loss - for awhile. Then your body starts to get a little nervous that you're going to starve it to death. Our bodies are wonderful things and are designed to preserve themselves at any cost. Too large of a deficit will cause weight loss to slow down or even stop because your body is in "panic mode". Once you start eating more and it realizes food is once again abundant, it will usually gain a few pounds as it adjusts and then begin losing again. Severe calorie restriction is not a long term sustainable way to lose weight (and keep it off).

TheDreadedJynx

I'm on 1200 currently. It's actually quite hard for me to get to some days with large burns (I try to do an hour of Zumba almost every day with some toning mixed in). As long as I'm not too far under I don't stress, just in case I over estimated burn or under estimated my food intake. The biggest thing is that everyone is different. Try a few different things for a couple weeks at a time and see how you feel. If you are tired and weak all the time, eat more!!

almc170

This is MY thread and I really dont need people to insult me. "You can lead a horse to water" ... whatever. I am just trying to make sure I understand. I have gained 30 pounds over the last three years since having my son and I am reading so many different things and do not know what to believe because different things work for different people, and also because there are a lot of terms and analogies used on here that I don't quite understand. I appreciate everyones input and I will definitely eat back some of my exercise calories but not all because frankly, I am not hungry enough to eat 1800 calories a day. And I will not force myself to eat. So thanks for all the help everyone but please stop with the insults

Yo, it's a public forum, but whatevs. Not intending to insult, merely pointing out that some EXCELLENT advice has been offered.

marcia724

I've lost 10lbs since january 1st on 1200 calories. i burn 400 to 500 calories a day and eat probably 80% of them back!

saragato

If you're looking to just lose 30lbs then it's going to take you a while with or without a good setup as far as calorie intake and exercise. I'm no expert but it might just be better to work on the physical aspect and fueling it with the proper foods rather than count your calories and factor in some workouts. I've always heard the weight from a pregnancy is harder to lose so maybe look into stuff geared toward that?

gaylecw

Thank you for this!!

null101

Hi Amber

You are on the right track. I do the same and have lost 11 lbs in 50 days. Keep it up. Best Regards Null101

Kristinemomof3

I've lost 10lbs since january 1st on 1200 calories. i burn 400 to 500 calories a day and eat probably 80% of them back!

Ok, so you are saying that you eat 1200+ roughly 320-400 back when you work out, so you really aren't on a 1200 call/day diet? I think the OP is referring to only eating 1200, working out and eating in a large deficit, I believe there's a difference.

nikrit84

I am on the 1200 diet but I only do it on days I don't work out. I usually burn about 500 everytime I work out so on those days I consume anywhere between 1300-1400 and the weight is coming off!

JoDeeD

I am at 1220 and found it difficult to eat that without exercise. Now I try to eat smaller meals more often and can get there. I usually do not eat my full calories back from exercise because I do not have the room to eat more. However, some days I am starving all day and eat almost everything in site. On those days I usually go way over on calories (3-400) but I exercise harder to burn more calories. I have also found that I am not as hungry after a hard work out, and my "hunger pains" are usually quenched by drinking water.

petersoncl

I am on 1200 calories a day. How do you burn 500 calories on the elliptical? I can barely burn 200 on it before I am exhausted.