Anyone else on a 1200 calorie diet?

ladyraven68

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.

Even without exercise MFP has set a defict for you to lose the weight you entered, 1lb, 2lb etc

if you want to keep exactly the SAME defict that MFP set, based on what you input, then you should eat them - that's what they are there for, to mainatin the deficit you chose.


If you aren't going to eat them back, and are using the exercise to create a bigger deficit, then you'd be better setting MFP to a smaller loss, so that part of the deficit comes from exercise and part comes from the food.

You shouldn't be making your deficit more that 1000, so if you have set up MFP to lose 2lb per week, you are already at a defict of 1000 calories per day, and exercise will make that deficit even bigger, which is not recommended.

chikka_909

I stared this diet a few days ago and i was wondering will it actually work. I play football (soccer) 2 times a week and hae started running once a week, do yous think this is enough exercise. I have tendonitis in my knees so i have to watch what im doing exercise wise. Do you think i could lose a stone and how quickly, without harming myself

lomajess

I am on 1200 calories a day, started this past week monday, & it hasn't been that hard. I only went over my calories once & that was yesterday, beeen exercising everyday tho at least 4 miles a day & I eat back my calories.

No artifical sweetners for me, if I go that route I get the shacks, I noticed my body needs sugar to run.

But as for the fatty food I ate Mcdonalds Thursday night (Worked it into my Calories) & Pizza Hut Friday (I went over) by like 200 at most. (I had to have a cake an employee farewell party) & did an extra 2miles for Friday

as for the rest of the foods, I've been choosing healthier foods, less carbs at night but boy do I love my carbs in the morning, my coach recommend I eat the most carbs in the AM because its my fuel food.

I have not weighed in yet, last weigh in was 2/22/12 & my next one is 3/7/2012
I can feel the difference tho & see it too, my pants arent as tight, my tummy is not sticking out as much as it use to.

bobbibear

it really makes people weak? i'm on an 800-a-day diet, lool. i don't get weak or tired at all and go on my cross trainer 3 times a week for 30 mins each time..it's easy

jjennyb4

I'm on a 1200 cal diet and yes I do eat back most of my calories lost.... It's been a week and I've lost 4lbs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

IvoryParchment

You have to take into consideration what activity level you set when you joined MFP. Unless you chose "sedentary," some of your exercise calories already counted in your total. You can't eat those back, because that would be double-counting.

I just chose sedentary so ALL exercise I do entitles me to eat more calories that day.

I've never exercised so much in my life

chevy88grl

it really makes people weak? i'm on an 800-a-day diet, lool. i don't get weak or tired at all and go on my cross trainer 3 times a week for 30 mins each time..it's easy

Yes, it does make some people weak. Some people NEED more calories each day. If I tried to live on 1200 calories a day, I would be threatening to eat small children and neighborhood pets. Considering I can lose weight easily by staying around 2100-2200 net calories - yeah, I would be weak, passing out and most likely feeling quite ill if all I had was 1200 calories a day.

ladyraven68

it really makes people weak? i'm on an 800-a-day diet, lool. i don't get weak or tired at all and go on my cross trainer 3 times a week for 30 mins each time..it's easy

Yes, it does make some people weak. Some people NEED more calories each day. If I tried to live on 1200 calories a day, I would be threatening to eat small children and neighborhood pets. Considering I can lose weight easily by staying around 2100-2200 net calories - yeah, I would be weak, passing out and most likely feeling quite ill if all I had was 1200 calories a day.

I started on 1200 and it made me weak - I felt lightheaded and faint.

I'm now on 1750, and losing better than on 1200.

If an adult isn't hungry on 800 it's because their metabolism has slowed down and their body has got used to it.

Kristinemomof3

Those who are only eating 1200 calories per day are just setting themselves up for misery and health issues down the road, not to mention, a shot metabolism!

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=121703981

READ UP!

MFP has told me and several of us others to eat 1200 calories a day.

It will tell everyone that if you tell it you want to lose 2 pounds a week. This is not realistic though for someone who only has 10-20 pounds to lose. It might be short term if you have 150-200 pounds to lose. That's ok, just keep commenting and I'll keep banging my head against a wall. Multiple people have tried to explain it in several different ways, I don't understand why it's so difficult.

beckylawrence70

I'm on it, I do go over at times or when I don't exercise but for the mostpart, I stay at 1200 or under, started Dec 31st at 137, today I am 122, my abs have never been able to show eating more that's for sure.......

chrischinchilla

Sittin' pretty on a 1280-calorie diet at the moment! I usually ingest between 2000 and 2500 calories though, because I work my *kitten* off with exercise! It's weird to be a guy eating so few calories though...but I want to drop the weight fast so...whatever it takes!

hiker282

Ha ha! I loe these threads...You'll be fat forever and never lose weight. You'll be skinny fat. You eat less to look good clothes, you work out to look good naked. You won't look good naked as skin and bones, that much I can guaran-damn-tee!

amber2521

Those who are only eating 1200 calories per day are just setting themselves up for misery and health issues down the road, not to mention, a shot metabolism!

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=121703981

READ UP!

MFP has told me and several of us others to eat 1200 calories a day.

It will tell everyone that if you tell it you want to lose 2 pounds a week. This is not realistic though for someone who only has 10-20 pounds to lose. It might be short term if you have 150-200 pounds to lose. That's ok, just keep commenting and I'll keep banging my head against a wall. Multiple people have tried to explain it in several different ways, I don't understand why it's so difficult.

i have more than 20 pounds to lose. this is my forum and my topic so threfore i am commenting on it. if thats a problem for you then quit reading it. MFP is supposed to be a POSITIVE site, not one for people to get an attitude with eachother. I dont know you, and you dont know me. So stop.

amber2521

Ha ha! I loe these threads...You'll be fat forever and never lose weight. You'll be skinny fat. You eat less to look good clothes, you work out to look good naked. You won't look good naked as skin and bones, that much I can guaran-damn-tee!

that was so incredibly rude. I didnt post this topic to get insulted, I posted it because I wanted clarification, which i have now. im not fat. and i dont want to be "skin and bones".

yummy76

Hi

Im on 1200 per day too! Total lose so far 17lbs and just 2lbs off my goal weight, but looking to lose a further 2/3lbs!

Im simply strict as possible with calorie counting, I don't ever include my exercise to get calories back, for me I think that is why it works so well as I don't eat the etc food!
I drink loads of water which helps too..... if I feel hungry I grab anything low in calories, rice cakes, fruit etc....

runfrommygenes

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.

LOL no that doesn't make sense. you exercise for your INSIDE. For you heart, lungs- getting your heart rate up helps clear plaque from your arteries. Also exercise for toning muscles- getting stronger. Muscle burns more calories than fat.
The more you exercise the more you can eat. does that make sense? cause it works for me!

YES THIS ...
Lifting weights NOW while losing weight... wil help you MAINTAIN LATER after you hit goal!!! Doing cardio NOW will help your heart and lungs stay healthy... THAT IS THE REASON to workout now, even if you eat those calories....

I personally would be cranky and crabby on only 1200 cals a day.... I burn an average of 800+ a day in working out.... being at 400 net would kill me....

hamsaurus

I'm on the 1200 calorie diet and I have a hard time eating that much. I seem to be 200-300+ calories under every day. It doesn't take much for me to get hungry, and I know that this is bad for my metabolism but I don't feel like I should be forcing myself to overstuff myself if I already feel full. I try to take in the calories that I lose by exercising but it's just so hard when I don't feel hungry.

sue567

I have learned from 1 of my MFP friends.. that to lose weight u need to create minimum deficit of 500 calories... and if u eat less than 1200 your body would go into starvation mode... so eat hard.. and workout harder :drinker: :bigsmile:

daredhorse

Hi there,

I am on a 1200 cal diet too. I workout 3/ 4 times per week on the elliptical or treadmill and do some strength training as well. Strarted on Jan 16 and have lost 15 pounds as of today. Stay focused. MFP works.

Suzannejl

I'm on the 1200 calorie diet and I have a hard time eating that much. I seem to be 200-300+ calories under every day. It doesn't take much for me to get hungry, and I know that this is bad for my metabolism but I don't feel like I should be forcing myself to overstuff myself if I already feel full. I try to take in the calories that I lose by exercising but it's just so hard when I don't feel hungry.

I'm with you. I recently bought a scale that tells me how much my body burns, just by being alive, and it's only 1354 a day! I was doing everything MFP said to do, eating back my exercise calories, and lost nothing for months. I finally got the scale and started maintaining a 300 cal deficit daily, regardless if it was above 1200 or not, and I finally lost weight! I typically only lose at the most 2 pounds a month, it's taken me a year to lose almost 20 pounds. Ithink we really need to listen to our bodies, or at least the good input, not the carb/sugar cravings!

I can't remember where or when, but it was here on MFP that I read it takes certain body types a lot longer and a lot harder to lose weight, just have to be patient.

Suzannejl

I am on a 1200 calorie a day diet, and I also usually burn about 500 calories on the elliptical 3-4 times a week. I was wondering if anyone else is doing something similar or on a 1200 calorie a day diet and is having success? I need some motivation, so if youre in the same boat as me with your calorie goal, please tell me how it is working for you!

Sorry, I digressed...I just went back and read the original post.

When I feel I'm plateauing, I try to eat smarter, like phase 1 of the south beach diet, just for a little bit, no more than a couple of weeks. It's basically no carbs(white foods), LOL, no sugary foods, no junk foods, and no fruit just for a little bit. Then after your carb cravings are back under control slowly add back in fruits and complex carbs.

Moorlady

Hi Amber, I'm on the 1200 plan. I've been purposefully hitting a little below the 1200 calorie mark (even with my BMR (the amount of calories you burn in a day, just by being alive) at about 1300 (http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/). And like beautymark1 said, if you do that, if you go below 1200, you have to be careful that your body's getting enough nutrients. I take a multivitamins + other vitamins. I also exercise only moderately, so that doesn't cut into my daily calorie allowance very much. If you exercise a lot (cardio), you should be cautious about going below 1200 calories. How long have you been doing it? I've seen an average of 1 to 2 pounds lost per week.

I weigh in once a week on the same day. I make sure I'm wearing roughly the same amount of clothing to get more accurate results.

nickelsthoughts

I am on the 1200 calorie a day plan BUT.... I have my profile set to sedentary. So when I burn 300+ calories walking ( I have waaaaay more than 20 pounds to lose, more like 100), I get those extra calories added back into my diet. Sometimes I eat the extra calories sometimes I do not. I always make sure I don't go over that amount, but if I'm not hungry, I'm not going to force myself to eat either. I work out five times a week and have much more energy now than when I was eating over 2000 calories a day. Each person is different so you have to remember that. And while 1200 doesn't seem like a lot, if you eat sensibly it is a lot of food. Especially considering that a serving of veggies is less than 100 calories. You can fill up and fuel up on low calorie foods and have tons of energy. If, however you eat one meal at mcdonalds and nothing else the rest of the day it's not enough fuel to keep going.

I lost two pounds this week already. I had a profile at webmd and it was telling me to eat 1700 calories a day to lose 2 pounds a week and that wasn't working. My weight loss stalled. But now that I switched to MFP and am limiting myself to 1200 calories I am making progress again. So I'm looking forward to the next few weeks when I can really see the results.

Good luck to everyone!!!

rachiech13

It's hard but it's not really that bad. I bike to work everyday, about 20 mins total and that gives me an extra 230 calories I can eat up again.
It really helps!

Tzippy7

From november to january I did this, I ate under 1200 almost every day and I worked out all the time, the eliptical mainly. It was awesome, I lost 26 lbs and i was really happy and proud of myself. However, I have been seriously plateauing since then. I cant help but think its because my metabolism get so slow from the 1200. So i would say, stick to the 1200 if you like it but eat back what your burn. I think that was my mistake. Who knows, maybe that is not why I am plateauing.

Calif_Girl67

This appears to be a HOT topic around MFP. I myself have a hard time eating 2000 calories a day much less trying to eat that plus exercise calories. With that being said I have been told by several different people that if i don't eat 2000-2200 calories a
day that I will not LOSE weight but yet I see people here posting that they eat 1200 calories a day and are losing weight. SO it
seems to keep people like me confused as to what or how many calories a day we need to eat in order to lose the weight.

This is so frustrating!!!

The last few days I have been playing with the calories because I have no idea what to use for calories anymore. I have mine
set at Sedentary because thats what I do, I exercise 5x a week and don't eat exercise calories. Right now its at 1700 cal and im sure i'll be changing it again. :frown:

Calif_Girl67

Bump