Seriously ... 1200 calories or less

sparkly96

People are always going to try and justify barely eating to lose weight.

I am short too with a small frame. I eat NO LESS than 1700 calories to lose weight.

ditto!! I am 4'11 and work my *kitten* off so that I am a muscular, sexy, fit ~100 pounds instead of a skinny fat, starving, beast eating 1200 calories a day without the energy to workout.

Now was that comment helpful to anyone, no. It was actually insulting. I'm 4 '11 too and eating a 1200 calorie diet who is not a starving beast. I am not looking to be 100lbs like you instead im looking to have a more womanly curvy figure which does not make me "skinny fat". I've always had an hourglass figure and when i was 100lbs i was frail looking and my bones stuck out. At 125lbs i look my best and was a size 6 which is not fat or skinny fat. So is jenifer Lopez, Kim Kardasian, Sofia Vegara, Salma Hayek and other curvy women skinny fat in your opinion?

love4fitnesslove4food_wechange

People are always going to try and justify barely eating to lose weight.

I am short too with a small frame. I eat NO LESS than 1700 calories to lose weight.

ditto!! I am 4'11 and work my *kitten* off so that I am a muscular, sexy, fit ~100 pounds instead of a skinny fat, starving, beast eating 1200 calories a day without the energy to workout.

Now was that comment helpful to anyone, no. It was actually insulting. I'm 4 '11 too and eating a 1200 calorie diet who is not a starving beast. I am not looking to be 100lbs like you instead im looking to have a more womanly curvy figure which does not make me "skinny fat". I've always had an hourglass figure and when i was 100lbs i was frail looking and my bones stuck out. At 125lbs i look my best and was a size 6 which is not fat or skinny fat. So is jenifer Lopez, Kim Kardasian, Sofia Vegara, Salma Hayek and other curvy women skinny fat in your opinion?

not in the slightest--I was only referring to MYSELF....If I...not YOU, not anyone else....ate 1200 calories then I would be 1) skinny fat 2) a starving beast and 3) quite unhappy. I'm not making any statements about what YOU are...I find Kimmy K beautiful actually--go read that thread, I've posted all over it about how I think people bashing her and calling her fat is absolutely atrocious...but for ME...I'd lose loads of muscle (leading to skinny fat) if I decided to embark on such a low calorie diet--so it's not my cuppa tea.

ellyfilho

I'm doing the 1200 a day ( because that's what the site said for me to do ) and for me it's hard because I never ate every 3 hrs. i use to eat 2x a day and very bad choices of food. for me... not eating made me put on 70lbs. so now i eat 1200-1300 a day but i eat a lot more healthy foods and more often then I use to. I lost 5lbs this week and I was very surprised. and extremely happy motivated me to it the gym and keep eating LOL

Sytera

So help me out, MFP had my calories at 1490, but then I manually lowered it to 1400. Previously it was set at 1390 based on previous activity level.

MFP shows me BMR at 1360
Fitness frog shows my TDEE at 2210

So what's that mean?

EDIT: in my goal section MFP also shows this.

Calories Burned From Normal Daily Activity 1,970 calories/day

I believe, and I'm no pro or expert, that your body needs 1360 to keep going- breathing blood pumping, etc.- while sitting still all day Then with all you do- walking, cleaning, exercising, etc.- you burn 2210. 1970 is possibly your maintenance.

My maintenance is approx 1750, BMR is 1284, and TDEE is 2096 (with 2-3X exercise though I workout every day). I, too, am unsure of how to figure all my calories from these numbers. So, I have gone with 500 under my maintenance as my Net goal. However, I eat around 2,000 per day and burn 750+ to get my Net back down.

Hopefully someone more knowledgable can chime in with what we really should be doing with those numbers.

Emabo

I try to eat around 1200-1300 calories a day, except like others I am on the short side (5'0). I don't see it being a problem when short, except I have friends on here who are 5'4+, have a larger BmI, and eat around 1000 a day.. So it really depends on the situation.

sparkly96

I'm doing the 1200 a day ( because that's what the site said for me to do ) and for me it's hard because I never ate every 3 hrs. i use to eat 2x a day and very bad choices of food. for me... not eating made me put on 70lbs. so now i eat 1200-1300 a day but i eat a lot more healthy foods and more often then I use to. I lost 5lbs this week and I was very surprised. and extremely happy motivated me to it the gym and keep eating LOL

WTG, a 1200 calorie diet is all about the food choices you make. There a lots of foods out there to chose from that you can eat and still stay in your daily caloric allowance to lose weight in a healthy way without starving yourself as you proved to be true.

love4fitnesslove4food_wechange

So help me out, MFP had my calories at 1490, but then I manually lowered it to 1400. Previously it was set at 1390 based on previous activity level.

MFP shows me BMR at 1360
Fitness frog shows my TDEE at 2210

So what's that mean?

EDIT: in my goal section MFP also shows this.

Calories Burned From Normal Daily Activity 1,970 calories/day

I believe, and I'm no pro or expert, that your body needs 1360 to keep going- breathing blood pumping, etc.- while sitting still all day Then with all you do- walking, cleaning, exercising, etc.- you burn 2210. 1970 is possibly your maintenance.

My maintenance is approx 1750, BMR is 1284, and TDEE is 2096 (with 2-3X exercise though I workout every day). I, too, am unsure of how to figure all my calories from these numbers. So, I have gone with 500 under my maintenance as my Net goal. However, I eat around 2,000 per day and burn 750+ to get my Net back down.

Hopefully someone more knowledgable can chime in with what we really should be doing with those numbers.

Your maintenance amount IS your TDEE. I'd recommend setting your NET goal at your sedentary burn (1284x 1.2) and use your activity to achieve a deficit.

rbn_held

I am 5'3" and 160 lbs right now. My calorie maintenance is 2042. My fat loss range is 1300-1600 daily. I try to keep it under 1400/day. I was doing under 1200 which is what the site told me, but I was feeling so full by dinner time so I went to 1400 cal. I am still losing weight and am feeling less full then before. But everybody is different, you have to do what feels right for you.

sparkly96

People are always going to try and justify barely eating to lose weight.

I am short too with a small frame. I eat NO LESS than 1700 calories to lose weight.

ditto!! I am 4'11 and work my *kitten* off so that I am a muscular, sexy, fit ~100 pounds instead of a skinny fat, starving, beast eating 1200 calories a day without the energy to workout.

Now was that comment helpful to anyone, no. It was actually insulting. I'm 4 '11 too and eating a 1200 calorie diet who is not a starving beast. I am not looking to be 100lbs like you instead im looking to have a more womanly curvy figure which does not make me "skinny fat". I've always had an hourglass figure and when i was 100lbs i was frail looking and my bones stuck out. At 125lbs i look my best and was a size 6 which is not fat or skinny fat. So is jenifer Lopez, Kim Kardasian, Sofia Vegara, Salma Hayek and other curvy women skinny fat in your opinion?

not in the slightest--I was only referring to MYSELF....If I...not YOU, not anyone else....ate 1200 calories then I would be 1) skinny fat 2) a starving beast and 3) quite unhappy. I'm not making any statements about what YOU are...I find Kimmy K beautiful actually--go read that thread, I've posted all over it about how I think people bashing her and calling her fat is absolutely atrocious...but for ME...I'd lose loads of muscle (leading to skinny fat) if I decided to embark on such a low calorie diet--so it's not my cuppa tea.

According to ur profile you only had like 8lbs to lose and seem fit and never had to go through a major weight loss. Eating 1200 calories for you would not work since you work out but for someone on a weight loss program they can safely consume 1200 calories without starving themselves. Even with the 8lbs you had to lose a maintenance diet with higher calories seems to work for you.
Although you were making a reference to yourself saying you would be a "starving beast" it seemed to imply that anyone else on a 1200 calories diet may be as well.
Looks like we both brought something to table being short women consuming different calorie amounts. Hopefully it is helpful to others.

81Katz

So help me out, MFP had my calories at 1490, but then I manually lowered it to 1400. Previously it was set at 1390 based on previous activity level.

MFP shows me BMR at 1360
Fitness frog shows my TDEE at 2210

So what's that mean?

EDIT: in my goal section MFP also shows this.

Calories Burned From Normal Daily Activity 1,970 calories/day

I believe, and I'm no pro or expert, that your body needs 1360 to keep going- breathing blood pumping, etc.- while sitting still all day Then with all you do- walking, cleaning, exercising, etc.- you burn 2210. 1970 is possibly your maintenance.

My maintenance is approx 1750, BMR is 1284, and TDEE is 2096 (with 2-3X exercise though I workout every day). I, too, am unsure of how to figure all my calories from these numbers. So, I have gone with 500 under my maintenance as my Net goal. However, I eat around 2,000 per day and burn 750+ to get my Net back down.

Hopefully someone more knowledgable can chime in with what we really should be doing with those numbers.

Thank you. Makes a little more sense to me. Still confusing at times because different sites say different things or a different calculation at one site vs. another.

love4fitnesslove4food_wechange

People are always going to try and justify barely eating to lose weight.

I am short too with a small frame. I eat NO LESS than 1700 calories to lose weight.

ditto!! I am 4'11 and work my *kitten* off so that I am a muscular, sexy, fit ~100 pounds instead of a skinny fat, starving, beast eating 1200 calories a day without the energy to workout.

Now was that comment helpful to anyone, no. It was actually insulting. I'm 4 '11 too and eating a 1200 calorie diet who is not a starving beast. I am not looking to be 100lbs like you instead im looking to have a more womanly curvy figure which does not make me "skinny fat". I've always had an hourglass figure and when i was 100lbs i was frail looking and my bones stuck out. At 125lbs i look my best and was a size 6 which is not fat or skinny fat. So is jenifer Lopez, Kim Kardasian, Sofia Vegara, Salma Hayek and other curvy women skinny fat in your opinion?

not in the slightest--I was only referring to MYSELF....If I...not YOU, not anyone else....ate 1200 calories then I would be 1) skinny fat 2) a starving beast and 3) quite unhappy. I'm not making any statements about what YOU are...I find Kimmy K beautiful actually--go read that thread, I've posted all over it about how I think people bashing her and calling her fat is absolutely atrocious...but for ME...I'd lose loads of muscle (leading to skinny fat) if I decided to embark on such a low calorie diet--so it's not my cuppa tea.

According to ur profile you only had like 8lbs to lose and seem fit and never had to go through a major weight loss. Eating 1200 calories for you would not work since you work out but for someone on a weight loss program they can safely consume 1200 calories without starving themselves. Even with the 8lbs you had to lose a maintenance diet with higher calories seems to work for you.
Although you were making a reference to yourself saying you would be a "starving beast" it seemed to imply that anyone else on a 1200 calories diet may be as well.
Looks like we both brought something to table being short women consuming different calorie amounts. Hopefully it is helpful to others.

and my point is that it CAN work for other people too. 1200 calories is lower than I'd EVER eat even without exercising an ounce BECAUSE beyond weight loss, it's important to eat enough to provide the nutrients necessary so that the metabolic processes of the human body can occur. Yes, I'd like lose weight eating 1200 calories but a host of hormonal changes would occur that would lead to 1) binge eating 2) depression (yes depression) 3) lack of energy. I don't think that it is NECESSARY to eat that few calories for a majority of people--they can change their goals and have a slower loss whilst eating 1500 calories a day and taking a brisk walk after dinner--problem solved.

ellyfilho

I'm doing the 1200 a day ( because that's what the site said for me to do ) and for me it's hard because I never ate every 3 hrs. i use to eat 2x a day and very bad choices of food. for me... not eating made me put on 70lbs. so now i eat 1200-1300 a day but i eat a lot more healthy foods and more often then I use to. I lost 5lbs this week and I was very surprised. and extremely happy motivated me to it the gym and keep eating LOL

WTG, a 1200 calorie diet is all about the food choices you make. There a lots of foods out there to chose from that you can eat and still stay in your daily caloric allowance to lose weight in a healthy way without starving yourself as you proved to be true.

Thank you for the kind words and Encouragement

sparkly96

People are always going to try and justify barely eating to lose weight.

I am short too with a small frame. I eat NO LESS than 1700 calories to lose weight.

ditto!! I am 4'11 and work my *kitten* off so that I am a muscular, sexy, fit ~100 pounds instead of a skinny fat, starving, beast eating 1200 calories a day without the energy to workout.

Now was that comment helpful to anyone, no. It was actually insulting. I'm 4 '11 too and eating a 1200 calorie diet who is not a starving beast. I am not looking to be 100lbs like you instead im looking to have a more womanly curvy figure which does not make me "skinny fat". I've always had an hourglass figure and when i was 100lbs i was frail looking and my bones stuck out. At 125lbs i look my best and was a size 6 which is not fat or skinny fat. So is jenifer Lopez, Kim Kardasian, Sofia Vegara, Salma Hayek and other curvy women skinny fat in your opinion?

not in the slightest--I was only referring to MYSELF....If I...not YOU, not anyone else....ate 1200 calories then I would be 1) skinny fat 2) a starving beast and 3) quite unhappy. I'm not making any statements about what YOU are...I find Kimmy K beautiful actually--go read that thread, I've posted all over it about how I think people bashing her and calling her fat is absolutely atrocious...but for ME...I'd lose loads of muscle (leading to skinny fat) if I decided to embark on such a low calorie diet--so it's not my cuppa tea.

According to ur profile you only had like 8lbs to lose and seem fit and never had to go through a major weight loss. Eating 1200 calories for you would not work since you work out but for someone on a weight loss program they can safely consume 1200 calories without starving themselves. Even with the 8lbs you had to lose a maintenance diet with higher calories seems to work for you.
Although you were making a reference to yourself saying you would be a "starving beast" it seemed to imply that anyone else on a 1200 calories diet may be as well.
Looks like we both brought something to table being short women consuming different calorie amounts. Hopefully it is helpful to others.

and my point is that it CAN work for other people too. 1200 calories is lower than I'd EVER eat even without exercising an ounce BECAUSE beyond weight loss, it's important to eat enough to provide the nutrients necessary so that the metabolic processes of the human body can occur. Yes, I'd like lose weight eating 1200 calories but a host of hormonal changes would occur that would lead to 1) binge eating 2) depression (yes depression) 3) lack of energy. I don't think that it is NECESSARY to eat that few calories for a majority of people--they can change their goals and have a slower loss whilst eating 1500 calories a day and taking a brisk walk after dinner--problem solved.

That can all be true for some. Like i said ive done it before and lost without any problems or any of those effects you mentioned. Everyone is different and that was my point and the reason to stick my 2 cents in and post here. Theres too much generalization going on. Bottom line before anyone starts a weight loss program they should see their doctor and have the doc advise them as to what's best for them. Under the terms of this site its advises members to do that. Unless medically qualified none of us can really speak as to whats right and whats wrong since we all vary in shape and size and never really know the person behind the posts.

freckledrats

Yup, it's true. Every body is different. Muscle mass, activity level, height, current weight, genetic dispositions, hormonal levels, all those come into play. Just because 1500 works for one person doesn't mean it will work for every person. Same for 1200. Just eat for you.

These calculators, they are based on formulas derived from generalizations. Some people are going to use more calories and some less than what's shown there.

ANewLucia

YESSSS!!! I actually created a group called "Eat More to Weigh Less" that I wish every one of you ladies eating more would join to help me spread the word. I used to do the same thing until the light bulb finally went off. Now I cringe looking at some diaries. But the great thing, the group has grown to almost 400 strong in a couple weeks...people are listening. Just have to keep sharing the truth in love!

LorinaLynn

Yup, it's true. Every body is different. Muscle mass, activity level, height, current weight, genetic dispositions, hormonal levels, all those come into play.

True, but some of those things - muscle mass, activity level, current weight - are things you can change. I used to have low muscle mass and was inactive. If I continued to eat very little and not be active, I'd continue to have low muscle mass and not require as many calories.

I have a decent amount of muscle now. A good 15-20 pounds more than I had when I was in my teens and early twenties. But that's not from exercise or strength training... it's the muscle I gained when I gained weight over the years. But since I didn't go the low-cal route when losing weight, I kept most of it.

That's something I never understood before... that I already HAD a pretty good muscle mass, and eating enough to keep it made this whole process soooooo much more pleasant. I didn't lose a terribly dramatic amount of weight in pounds, but I lost a lot of body fat. I'm able to fit into clothes I last wore when I weighed 15-20 pounds LESS than I do now. Which leads me to believe that if I ate low cal while exercising and lost muscle, I would have had to lose 45-50 pounds to look the way I do after losing just 30. And also, that if I'd gotten a number stuck in my head, like "I wanna weigh 120 pounds," I'd have been setting myself up for failure because I would have to lose a lot of muscle to weigh that, or have to have a body fat percentage of only about 10%.

jessiepilot

Everyone is different, no one should feel like they HAVE to stay under 1200 and no one should feel like they won't loose weight if they don't up their calories. You have to figure out what works for YOUR body - I think we've all probably been on this ride long enough to know our bodies and if eating a certain way makes us feel good or not. There is no blanket rule either way and we should all be happy to find what works for us and be happy for others when they do as well instead of judging them because you don't think what theyre doing is "right" or because it didn't work for you.
I am a shorty as well and get ready to shudder - I am consistently under 1200 calories and I feel fantastic and am still loosing inches and weight as I build muscle - my diet is rich in natural good foods.

freckledrats

Yup, no one should ever feel judged or pressured into going about their diet differently. If it is working, it is working.

I'm short as hell. I have hypothyroidism (genetic). I have a desk job. I'm studying for a certification. My hobbies include reading, writing, and playing video games. I make an effort to hit the gym a few times a week to get some movement in, but it's just not interesting to me to go get ripped or to do large amounts of strength training. Why be something I'm not? I just don't want to be overweight is all.

So if my method is to eat 900-1100 calories a day (this is okayed by my physician, by the way, thank you) and do cardio and light strength training, and it's working and I feel good, who are you to judge that I should be doing something different? Are you an MD? No? Okay then. You do your thing, and I'll do mine.

doublezizzle

Also, I think the problem with eating such few calories is that it is not a long term solution or a "lifestyle change". If you eat more to weigh less, while not losing muscle mass....that is the healthy, sustainable way to go. That's why you see some people lose a lot of weight at these low calories counts...but they gain the weight back and forth...etc. I'd rather lose the weight slowly while making *sustainable* changes. When I lose all this weight, I don't ever want it to come back! :-))

MizCJ84

Also, I think the problem with eating such few calories is that it is not a long term solution or a "lifestyle change". If you eat more to weigh less, while not losing muscle mass....that is the healthy, sustainable way to go. That's why you see some people lose a lot of weight at these low calories counts...but they gain the weight back and forth...etc. I'd rather lose the weight slowly while making *sustainable* changes. When I lose all this weight, I don't ever want it to come back! :-))

Agreed. Living off of 1200 cals or less per day would make me miserable. Yes, this is something that could be done for a short period of time, but it would be too hard for me to keep it up in the long run. This is why so many low cal diets have failed me in the past. I would do it for a couple of months, lose some weight, feel miserable and then binge until I gained all of the weight back and then some. Eating a balanced diet that consists of sizeable portions of the good stuff is what my body craves. I have lost about 20 pounds so far. I have lost 20 pounds in the past, but I never looked or felt so good. Even at 160 lbs on my 5'2" frame, I'm starting to see muscle tone. I was never able to say that when I was starving myself at 160 lbs.

akiramezu

Hypothetically speaking and mathematically speaking

You need to consume about 3500 calories to gain about 1 pound of fat, if you ate 500 calories less from your typical daily diet,
you'll lose approximately 1 pound a week.

500 calories x 7 days = 3500 calories. That means in that whole week, you ate enough food for 6 days and not 7, which means you will most likely lose the weight. It is true that some people can survive off 1200 calories, still be 'healthy' and lose weight, but you guys and girls are the minority, every body has a different body type, everyone has a different resting metabolic rate, basal metabolic rate. Physiologically, depending on your culture, your body might store carbohydrates as fat more efficiently then someone else, hence making fat loss more difficult, physiologically, your body might be more efficient at using your fat stores for energy, hence making fat loss easier.

EVERY BODY IS DIFFERENT. and the point of this post is that, the majority of people on 1200 calories, usually fail. All you have to do is do a trial and error, see what range of calories is best for YOU.

My maintenance is around 3300 calories, yet i can't lose weight at 2600-2900 calories, so i have to decrease it even more, to about 1800-2200 calories. Because my body is extremely efficient at storing energy as fat for later use. And this completely sucks! But anyway, if 1200 calories isn't working for you, increase it to 1600 or 1800. If 1200 calories works for you and you feel fine, hell, stick with it. Because that's just the way your body functions

Anyway, don't get all butt hurt and offended because you feel like people here are picking on you, because nobody is picking on anyone, If you have your diary open for the public, then you're inviting everyone to see and to constructively criticize and support you, but in the end, DO WHATEVER THE F YOU WANNA DO!

70davis

bump

ladyraven68

Well I did somehow. Either way, I changed it up and got negative results, so I'm going back to my normal that gave me positive results.

you need to give it more than a week, everybody is warned that when they initially raise their calories from such a low level they may experience a small gain but it is only water weight.

You topped off your glucose stores finally by upping the calories.
You can see a 3lb gain easy from just glucose and water weight, but that will come off.

It is not FAT.

HorrorChix89

Well I did somehow. Either way, I changed it up and got negative results, so I'm going back to my normal that gave me positive results.

you need to give it more than a week, everybody is warned that when they initially raise their calories from such a low level they may experience a small gain but it is only water weight.

You topped off your glucose stores finally by upping the calories.
You can see a 3lb gain easy from just glucose and water weight, but that will come off.

It is not FAT.

FAT, WATER, doesn't matter. I'm sticking to what worked for me. That's all that counts right? What works for ME, MYSELF, and the girl staring back at me in the mirror.

sarajo16

I've upped mine from 1200 to 1450 this week. Fingers crossed I see results. I was miserable only eating that many and I started to loose interest.

ucalegon

I'm sick of people putting up posts that maintain the myth of starvation mode. This is my number one pet peeve.

STARVATION MODE IS A MYTH. THERE IS A REASON WHY INTERMITTENT FASTING WORKS SO WELL. STOP SPREADING THIS CRAP!

JeSuisPrest

This has probably been posted many many times, but I'm sick of people posting
topics saying they can't lose any weight, and you ask how many calories they consume.
And they'll tell you less than 1200. Are you serious? are you joking? A 10 year old eats more than that.

First of all, go find out what your calorie maintenance is.
Second of all, decrease the amount of calories by 10-20%. For example, if maintenance is 2000 calories
then to lose weight, consume 1600-1800. That's it, it's that easy. Why are people under eating?
Every single athlete which competes in a sport with specific weight divisions, whether it be an MMA fighter
or a wrestler or a boxer etc, and especially body builders (when it comes to cutting weight)
will tell you exactly the same thing, if you want to cut weight, eat 10-20% under your maintenance.
If you eat under at 1200 calories:

1) metabolism will slow down
2) body will try to retain what little that you eat as fat for energy
3) when you eat high calories again, you bet that you will gain all that weight you lost back

Anyway, that's just me venting. Not picking on anyone, it's more out of me wanting to help people.
Because I've been there and I've done that, and 1200 calories or less is not the way to go. You got to
eat to lose weight, SOUNDS RIDICULOUS RIGHT? well it ain't, not even the slightest. =]

Excellent post!!! I'm 5'2" and did not lose weight at 1200, when I upped those calories the weight came off!

And for those of you that says Starvation Mode is a myth, do the research. Google is your friend. I find it very odd that Weight Watchers claims it is a myth. I didn't lose weight on WW, they had me eating too little!

winniss

Troll detected... 56lbs lost on the 1200 calories a day bro.... true story.

sparkly96

Everyone is different, no one should feel like they HAVE to stay under 1200 and no one should feel like they won't loose weight if they don't up their calories. You have to figure out what works for YOUR body - I think we've all probably been on this ride long enough to know our bodies and if eating a certain way makes us feel good or not. There is no blanket rule either way and we should all be happy to find what works for us and be happy for others when they do as well instead of judging them because you don't think what theyre doing is "right" or because it didn't work for you.
I am a shorty as well and get ready to shudder - I am consistently under 1200 calories and I feel fantastic and am still loosing inches and weight as I build muscle - my diet is rich in natural good foods.

Very well said!!!

AmberJslimsAWAY

I hate the posts with "I can't eat 1200 calories" Seriously?!