Anyone else notice 1200 calories is not enough?

GamerGurl729

I agree that I think it will vary from person to person. When I was much heavier, I could eat 1200 calories a day and it was no problem. Now that I've started dieting again, I feel like 1200 calories is nowhere near enough. I feel weak and dizzy and although I've only been doing this for a couple of days, I feel like I should be eating more. I will test that theory today and eat more for dinner than I had planned to see if that helps. I also wonder if I'm more active than I think I am. I sit at a desk for most of the day, but there's a lot of running around I do in the office. Plus I'm often busy when I get home - not a lot of time to sit and rest with all the cooking and cleaning. I'm already on track to only lose half a pound a week, and that's only eating 1200 calories. Maybe I just need to find time to exercise more and rely on that more than eating less. It's just so hard to find the time with my work schedule, my hour-long commute and all the chores that must be done at home. I also suffer from a chronic illness that leaves me constantly fatigued. Anyone have any ideas on how to fit in more exercise?

EricaHoffman19

I absolutely noticed this with myself. Anytime I go below 1500 calories it's like my body goes haywire. I start to feel the need to binge, etc. As long as I keep it at 1500 and eat back only half to none of my exercise calories my body is good. I am losing a pound and a half a week by keeping myself at 1500.

DivineRED1

I switched to 400 cals a day. It seems to be working really well.

Haaaa!! Granted you're not conscious most of the day. LOL

Taylor3192

my goal is at 1200 cals. and when i exercise is it good to eat the calories back you burned, since 1200 is low?

witchy_wife

It was too low for me, I changed my settings too to lose 1.5lb instead of 2lb a week. I now have 1330 a day and if I am hungry eat back exercise calories and I am still losing at same rate as I was on 1200 a day, crazy eh? lol.

queensturg

MFP gave me a goal of 1270 cals per day, and I found I kept going over it just because it was so hard to stick to, even when I eat a reasonable diet. My dinners at night alone can be between 500-1000 cals total (usually in the 600-800 range) so the only way I can make that is to be really good all day, or if I started exercising. My goal now is 1400 per day, sometimes I can make that and sometimes I go just a bit over.

Slimat30

I eat 2000 a day 1200 would make me starving!

amyk0705

Hi, first time on here. This is a very helpful thread. I wanted a 2lb a week loss but despite having only 1200 cals to work with and doing 2 x 45 mins spinning classes and 1 hour intensive yoga a week I have yet to lose more than 1lb a week. I normally don't eat my exercise cals. I am fine with losing 1lb a week but just wondered why it wasn't more. Am I not eating enough? Finding 1200 cals a day really hard to stick to.

hvza

For weeks and weeks I kept to 1200 cals and ate back all the calories I had burnt. Still not much weight lost I even put on one week what I had lost the previous week. Then I found this website http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/. It took me a while to believe it would work for me but it does. I don't do big work outs. I just walk. Anything between 3 and 5 miles about 4 times a week. When I don't walk I go for the sedentary amount when I walk I go for the light activity amount. It works for me. Good luck to you all and don't loose heart.

pinkraynedropjacki

I switched to 400 cals a day. It seems to be working really well.

400? I hope you meant 1400. Cause with 400 you will be dead soon.

hazelovesfood

I switched to 400 cals a day. It seems to be working really well.

Thats ridiculous , you are literally starving yourself.

hazelovesfood

Hi, first time on here. This is a very helpful thread. I wanted a 2lb a week loss but despite having only 1200 cals to work with and doing 2 x 45 mins spinning classes and 1 hour intensive yoga a week I have yet to lose more than 1lb a week. I normally don't eat my exercise cals. I am fine with losing 1lb a week but just wondered why it wasn't more. Am I not eating enough? Finding 1200 cals a day really hard to stick to.

Thats coz 1200 is too low, 1200 is the lowest anyone should be on when doing nothing at al, like lying in bed all day. work out your bmi etc on the fat to fit site and you will soon see, you should be eating alot more.

phildawson75

I find a 1200 net is easy to achieve eating 1300-1800 a day and burning off the extra to bring it back down. You have to be dedicated to exercising everyday though. I tend to walk 1 - 2.5hrs a day and that's worked for me. 26lbs lost in 10wks and one week left before I return to maintain cals.

trunkfish

Yes, I know what you mean about 1200 cals maybe not being enough. What's it's done for me is made me exercise every day. A game of squash is about 500 cals. I've always wanted it in my life plan to exercise every day for a least an hour. That's my goal for life. If you look at it like that, 1200 cals becomes a irrelevant because the exercise will give you the extra calories.

I find that with the exericse, I'm drinking wine, eating pizza and chocolate cake and I'm still under the calories I'm meant to be on based on 1200 a day.

Also, I don't know about anyone else but exercise suppresses the appetite for me and makes me drink a lot more water - which is maybe what makes me lose appetite? Good luck.

2rnip

I am 300lbs and my average calorie intake at the moment is 1200/day. There are days I take less, and days I take more. It's been only over 20 days of my diet, but it's working very well for me. Even on the days I'm doing some extra training it fees enough.

friendthegirl

I had my goal set to 1200 but recently changed my options and it's now 1240. I have no problem staying below 1240, I had no problem staying under 1200 either. I don't feel hungry or tired, and I eat several times a day. Also, I eat tasty food. Yeah, it leaves no room for certain things. If I had a piece of cake early in the day, I would be struggling the rest of the day if I were still trying to stay under my goal. I've gotten out of the habit of wanting things like cake for the most part though (I do have my moments). I just make sure some of my calories are on filling, super low calorie foods like a tomato (I eat them like they're apples) or 14 baby carrots. If I do that, I have room for all sorts of foods. I eat sandwiches pretty often (and not those Subway ones, I am not really a fan, Potbelly's or Au Bon Pain for this chick). I have cheese on them, sometimes a bit light mayo. When I make black bean burritos, I add some light sour cream, queso, and avocado, and still stay under my goal. I don't feel deprived. I do think 1200 isn't enough for some people, it depends on your size, age, and how much you move.

Ilovevwgolf

I switched to 400 cals a day. It seems to be working really well.

You need to burn it off after...

taso42

Welcome to enlightenment

bluebear_74

I use to have trouble sticking to 1200 and just about almost went over all the time but now I stay under easily because I'm eating smaller meals (I use to eat till I was full, now I eat till I'm satisfied) and finding lower calorie alternatives. I'll often have some extra then treat myself to dessert after dinner and still be under 1200.

JeneticTraining

It's enough for some. I would recommend eating near your bmr

kmw899

I definitely can't eat just 1200 calories a day. I was doing 1400 and now I've upped it to 1800 and eating back exercise calories. I only weight myself once a month, but I can tell I've lost weight/inches so far.

lina011

i do the road map( look it up on here) i eat 2000 cal a day and exercise 6 days a week and ive lost weight on this!!!

DawnieB1977

I used to only have 1200 for months and managed fine, but then I increased to 1500 (which MFP and my PT recommends). Some days I can easily have 1500 and want more, yet some days I get to 1200 and have to eat something after dinner to make sure I have a little more. Yesterday I was under 1200 after dinner, plus i'd done aerobics, and I wasn't that hungry, but I had a yogurt, some strawberries and 2 rice cakes so my intake wasn't too low.

I've hit a bit of a plateau lately so have decided to increase to 1650, although I haven't quite managed to reach that yet, except on my cheat meal day!

ShmareParks

I'm at 1200 cals a day, and it's lucky I don't have a family to cook for, because if others could watch what I eat in a day to stay under 1200, they would think I was anorexic! It's been a major eye-opener to me. A big coffee with a couple creamers and I'll go over for sure. So I stopped doing that. A cookie here and there? Not worth not having any calories left and 7 hours left in the day where I can have ... um ... herbal tea and water? Sure, I've lost 32 pounds but I wonder how I could keep it off if I were in a relationship or even if I had to go to a restaurant with others. It's made me measure everything, leave butter off toast, leave dressing off salad ... and it's also made me exercise. I'm not complaining - I'm glad to learn through logging just how high-calorie some foods are and just how important exercise is. But I do wonder if it's safe. So, no, you're not alone. 1200 looks pretty darn tiny some days when I've had a couple of eggs and toast for breakfast and I know then and there that supper is out of the question. :P

Msdirection

I must be one of the only people on this site who find 1220 works fine. Since I'm already in the healthy weight range and was looking to lose just a few kg, I think 1220 is about right for me. The way I stay on my goal and still feel full is to load up on unprocessed food - heaps of fruit and veggies. If you're eating processed, calorie dense foods, it doesn't surprise me that people feel like they are starving. Another big tip is to work exercise into your days. I eat back every one of my exercise calories 99% of days - for me, exercise is a ticket to more food! Eat clean, exercise and it's doable

mgobluetx12

If 1200 isn't enough, then work out and ta da - you can eat more and still lose 2lbs per week.

BlueInkDot

1200 calories IS NOT ENOUGH unless you are a 40-year-old, 100 lb, 5'0" sedentary female (or something similar...) Just use the dang calculator and eat at 85% of your TDEE for goodness' sake.

http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

Stop starving yourselves and start lifting. Sheesh. #lovelife

skinnymalinkyscot

When I run out of calories in the evenings and still feel hungry past 1200 calories, then I go and eat around 200 calories then go to bed as soon as possible. Something like a banana or 2 slices of brown toast or a hot chocolate and a biscuit. As long as my tummy feels warm and full then i go to bed. The nights were i stay up when im hungry are the danger times when im prone to bingeing. So from experience to me if im hungry and ive no calories left to eat then I go to bed. A lack of sleep is in the press recently as a reason people put on weight. As Im also anaemic (but on tablets to fix it) Im always tired and having cravings. Cant wait to finish my 3 month iron supply from the doctors

Ginnie_Fizz

Nearly everyone in America is fat. yet everyone is sooo worried about eating MORE. It seems that everyone's perception of survival is spoiled by the concept of "starving" and "starvation mode' and "not eating enough". Really? Like when has an average American ever been reported to have that happen?

Maybe you all are fat, because you are eating too much. And more people are dying in America from too much food and too many unnatural toxins and its related diseases than starvation.

Our perception of food and eating for survival is spoiled and effed up. Learn to recognize when you are hungry. . .go to bed hungry and wake up hungry and quit whining and obsessing about food, calories and more food.

Your body is the only food diary you need. . . if the thought of lettuce sounds good then you are hungry. If not, then it is a craving.
When truly hungry, eat correctly. Everything you need for measurement and survival is on you, you don't need calculators, scales, forums, etc. Your open hand is a serving of veggies, your fist is a serving of protein, your palm is a carb. Start paying attention to your body and not to other people. Only YOUR BODY knows when it is needing food and what it is needing. Strangers on MFP don't know what your body needs. Via it's innate surviving tools you were born with, you've been given all you need if you'd start listening and paying attention to what it is telling you.

I like the idea of using your hands to judge how much food to eat - simple is good!

but I do get really bad cravings (and not for lettuce, lol!). How do you stop the cravings?

kbeech06

I can't imagine only eating 1200 calories on a regular basis. I have had a couple of days, where time has gotten away from me, and I have only managed to eat 1000 or so, but I couldn't do it every day. I'm happy to lose a half a pound to a pound a week. I'm in this for the long haul....even if some days I feel like I'll never reach my goal