1200 calories a day is killing me!!!

MrsDutt

I also want to mention that I am a compulsive scale addict. I weigh in every day and even though I tell myself I wont I just cant seem to stop myself. This ofcourse can put me on the wrong track.

Obviously I am very new to this and have a lot to learn so I am going to take all the advice and try and work on my mistakes. I need to be more consistant with my water intake as well.

If I could loose a pound a week I would be very happy so I have no unrealistic goals set out for myself. I just want to start by learning about healthier options and incorporate exercise in my daily routine.

What I have learned is that people still achieve their goals and some are in the same situation as me so it is time to stop feeling sorry for myself and saying I dont have time to exercise when I clearly have a hour a day just waiting for me to fill.

wahmx3

I mean this in a nice way, but seriously, get over making 3 different meals today! You can still eat most of the same foods as your husband, just modify recipes and make them healthier and lower calorie. As for kids, the only time, they get something different, is an occassional thing I make they don't like. In that case, they get a sandwich and carrot sticks or something else as a healthy side. The way I see it, I do the cooking so they have to eat what I cook. now, I will do variations of things or add extra veggies to mine etc, but basically we all eat the same meal. Your changes are for a lifetime and there is no way you can always make 3 meals every day.

Just reading some of the things you guys eat makes me feel like I am overeating. Thank you I will go check out the recipe side.

The other challenge is ofcourse cooking 3 different meals at dinner time as DH is not in the mood to change his lifestyle and the kids do not eat any of the two meals I make. I want to stop making excuses and just do it.

MrsDutt

Oh please come to my house. haha. I have a 3 year old son who I have helped create bad habits and now can not seem to correct. He lives off processed foods ( nuggets, fish fingers). I have tried this strategy but he wouldnt eat for a long time and I chicken out. Your post actually motivated me to start becoming a bit firmer with this as well as being smarter with my meals and make small changes to suite everyone.

REET420

For me, that's a lot of carbs: muffin for breakfast, bread at lunch, rice for dinner, and another muffin for snack.

If you looked for alternatives to some of these, you might be able to bring down your calories. Eggs for breakfast, or soup/ salad for lunch. Nuts or fruit instead of the snack muffin.

Also look at portion size - could you reduce the amount of rice you eat at dinner time, and have more veg instead?

I agree you need more protein and less carbs. Carbs will make your blood sugar go up and down and when it goes down you get hungry again. Protein is harder to digest and keeps you full longer. Try eating more veggies they are also filling and nutritious with few calories. I don't think 1200 calories is not enough. When I signed up they gave me 1250 to lose 2 pounds a week. I'm eating 2000 and I am losing 3 pounds a week. The first week your body is trying to get used of eating less and you get hungry. Set your calories to your BMR.

Helloitsdan

I want to feel energetic and go to bed feeling satisfied. Usually by the time I get to be (around 23h00) I want another meal. urgh. The late sleeping might be my downfall but with 2 toddlers I only get to sit down and watch some tele at 22h00.

Now I eat supper at 18h30 so by 22h00 I am opening and closing the fridge door.

Skip breakfast and save the calories for a late night snack.
Studies have shown greater weight loss in obese people when consuming carbs at night and sleeping while fed!
Lions and tigers do it so why cant we?

http://www.leangains.com/search/label/Fat Loss

freckledrats

I eat 1200, and sometimes less, but I'm a short short lady and my TDEE is pretty low to start with. Even I was pretty hungry in the first couple of weeks, but it was manageable hunger.

So if it isn't working for you, find your TDEE (fitnessfrog.com, calculators) and subtract 500 to start. That's a pound a week, which is easy on your body and you won't feel as hungry. More aggressive weight loss, like 2 pounds a week, is much harder to sustain, but if you're feeling pretty good with a 500 calorie per day deficit, you can see about working up to that. If you go by TDEE, notice the calculator asks you how much you exercise. So don't eat exercise calories back if you calculate your planned workouts into your TDEE.

I personally can't lose 2 pounds a week because my TDEE is only like 1850ish. I guess I could if I ate 850 calories a day, which I have done, but it was not pleasant and I don't recommend it. The only way I could lose that much is if I stuck to 1350 but burned an extra 500 a day with cardio (extra meaning I did NOT include it in my TDEE calculation). Which, nope. Sorry.

dls06

For me, that's a lot of carbs: muffin for breakfast, bread at lunch, rice for dinner, and another muffin for snack.

If you looked for alternatives to some of these, you might be able to bring down your calories. Eggs for breakfast, or soup/ salad for lunch. Nuts or fruit instead of the snack muffin.

Also look at portion size - could you reduce the amount of rice you eat at dinner time, and have more veg instead?

This

watboy

There are many people who are going to tell you to eat more. Some will tell you they eat 1200 and are doing great. If you truly want to stay at 1200 and be full and want to stick with it I suggest having more protein rich foods and having more water. Foods high in fiber also keep you fuller longer.. However the easiest thing to do would be to not be at such a low calorie amount in the first place. I personally eat about 1400 on average and that is plenty for me as a matter of fact I'm very very full most days at 1400. You can eat 1400 calories and work off 200 at the gym that will net you 1200.

MrsDutt

How clever is that. I actually never get hungry in the morning but eat because its the most important meal right?

I would much rather skip it for something light at night.

urbanmyth

Breakfast: English Muffin with laughing cow wedge and strawberry jam

Lunch: 2 Slices Seed Bread with Pesto, Avo, Cottage Cheese and Peppers.

Supper: Chicken Breast with rice and grilled veggies

Snacks: Peach and Small Bran muffin.

That is over the calorie range.

No wonder you're always hungry. You have too many simple carbs in your diet. Like others have said, you need to up the protein to stay fuller for longer.

Replace the rice in your supper with another strip of chicken and/or more veg. Skip the bran muffin snack - cheese or greek yoghurt instead. Replace the bread in your lunch with some protein - maybe salmon, tuna or turkey? All delicious with the rest of your ingredients.

Breakfast - the most important meal of the day and THAT's what you eat when you're trying to lose weight?? It's not just about calories in/out - nutrition is just as important too Egg whites rule.

BMiller426

My calorie range is also 1200, and I haven't been hitting the mark (I'm eating fewer!)

For example, this is what I ate yesterday:

Breakfast: cup of kelloggs frost flakes (dry), I was on my way to class
Lunch: 2 lightly salted Rice Cakes w/ 1tsp crunch peanut butter and 1 tsp concord grape jelly on each, 1 lrg banana, 1/2 serving Clancy's Vegetable Chips
Dinner: McDonald's small fry & 4 pc nugget (everybody has their cravings, right?)
Snacks: About 10 seedless grapes, 1/4c strawberries, and handful of blueberries (mixed together), 1c Trix cereal w/ about 4oz vanilla soy milk

This put me at 1,136 calories for the day.
I eat the banana around lunch time because they're filling, and rice cakes can be too if you conbine them with the right things. Suggestion? Use ricecakes instead of bread- 2 years ago I lost 25lbs substituting bread for ricecakes (NOT all the time, just sometimes), and would top them with pb&j, salsa and tuna, or even a spoon of speghetti sauce and a sprinkle of cheese (like fake pizza). Being inventive will be your best friend.

BMiller426

I should have noted that I'm 5'3, I've been maintaining about 120lb since my weight loss 2 years ago. Now I'm trying to lose those last 5. But my biggest problem was bread, that's why I mentioned ricecakes- bread is one of my favorite foods.

GurleyGirl524

I have been on 1200 calories since I started MFP in August. I learned by reducing my pasta, rice, potato, & bread carbs I could eat more fruits and veggies to get my carbs. I eat oatmeal, limited bread, and some potatoes. I eat plenty of lean protein to keep me full. I usually don't have a problem going over 1200 & I am usually so full that I don't eat my exercise calories.

Seahawk27

If it were me I would cut back on the carbs. Try a protein smoothie for breakfast, or have eggs. It will make you feel full longer, I rarely eat any bread and when I do it's only 100% whole grain. Also eat more veggies, they are extremely low calorie and totally help fill you up. I agree with the poster who said to drink more water too, it's possible you're thirsty and just think you're hungry. I get 1200/day too and I usually eat just over that but I workout everyday. I would say I average about 1300/day.

mfpcopine

Hi all you beautiful people.

So MFP suggested I eat 1200 calories a day but I am finding it very hard to eat healthy and stick within the calorie range.

For example today my diary consists of the following:

Breakfast: English Muffin with laughing cow wedge and strawberry jam

Lunch: 2 Slices Seed Bread with Pesto, Avo, Cottage Cheese and Peppers.

Supper: Chicken Breast with rice and grilled veggies

Snacks: Peach and Small Bran muffin.

That is over the calorie range.

Before starting this I did not even eat so much but now I obsess with what I eat and although the choices are healthy, it is not in the 1200 calorie limit.

Please advice cause when I eat any less now I feel extremely hungry.

Also my other bad habit is having a glass of wine at night which takes my guard down but I'm working on that.

My question is, what changes can I make to stay within this range otherwise I'm never going to loose this weight.

Less strawberry jam? A lower-calorie brand? Mashed fresh strawberries instead?
Different kind of cheese?
Lower calorie bread?
Pesto can have a lot of calories. You might want to make a substitution, use less, make your own so you can control the ingredients.

As other people have said, more low-calorie protein, such as Greek yogurt.

1200 is not a lot of calories, but you seem to be eating less than I would expect even with that limit.

In thinking about food with care you're not being "obsessive." You're engaging in a necessary educational process. Most people have no idea how many calories are in food until they are made to stop and take note.

jennys11

This: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/512956-tdee-what-is-it-and-why-you-should-not-eat-below-your-bmr

TinkrBelz

Just reading some of the things you guys eat makes me feel like I am overeating. Thank you I will go check out the recipe side.

The other challenge is ofcourse cooking 3 different meals at dinner time as DH is not in the mood to change his lifestyle and the kids do not eat any of the two meals I make. I want to stop making excuses and just do it.

I want to say that I had this problem for years. I actually made two meals. One for myself and one for the kids and hubby. Now that I have increased my protein, I am making yummy meat meals that the guys (I have 5 sons and 1 daughter) will eat. It makes things a lot easier.

I am not trying to tell you to change your lifestyle or diet plan, but I think those of us with husbands and sons, meat meals are always preferable!! haha!

I use my crockpot a lot and cook chicken and soups. If you add some cheese for the kids BINGO!! haha!

Also, I did not read pages 2 and 3, so you might have answered. I have my MFP set at "Maintain" weight. That way I can gauge if I am going to be 100 calories under or 500 calories under. It has helped to see that I can eat 1700 calories. So, I eat 1700 calories and then I exercise 400-500 calories and that gives me my deficit. Just a thought that might help you. 1200 calories is low and I think tough to maintain for life.

SafireBleu

I read you have kids so you have to cook stuff he will eat. Check out skinnytaste.com. They have great recipes. Even one for chicken nuggets that my kids love. They eat what I make from that site without any problems. Start off small by substituting small things they eat for healthier stuff before you know it they will be eating health stuff. Always serve them the veggie eventually they pick it up and eat it.

jellybeanhed313

Salads can be made in a flash if you prep all the mix in's ahead of time. At the begining of each week I cut up tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, cooked chicken, steak or whatever meat and store everything in baggies in the fridge. Then you can just throw everything on some lettuce and you're good to go with a healthy salad. Also, you can make a "sandwich wrap" with all of your sandwich favs wrapped in lettuce leaves.

urbanmyth

I should have noted that I'm 5'3, I've been maintaining about 120lb since my weight loss 2 years ago. Now I'm trying to lose those last 5. But my biggest problem was bread, that's why I mentioned ricecakes- bread is one of my favorite foods.

Perhaps try substituting the McDonald's junk food for a proper, nutritious meal instead?

tkfinley12

Hang in there! You are doing the right thing by asking For help! I like to help fill myself with salad and water or green tea.
Keep it up and stay positive!

jen88ve

I feel it depends on the person and if your body is telling you that you're still hungry I would up your calories a bit. A lot people say they still get great results when they up their calorie intake! And as far as the wine goes, I say go for it! One glass a day won't hurt you!

BMiller426

Perhaps try substituting the McDonald's junk food for a proper, nutritious meal instead?

that was just one day, and a craving- like I mentioned. I didn't lose 25lbs by eating McDonalds everyday.

rachmass1

if no one has added this (haven't read everything) you might want to try some Messermacher (or however it is spelled) "Fitness Bread" and just do a half a serving at a time. This bread is very dense so it tends to be kind of filling, and it is loaded with good stuff. I too had to give up on most bread (and cheese) which has always been my weakness.

Also find drinking a lot of water helps, as do soups to stave off the hunger. But as others most likely said, if you exercise a bit you can eat back those calories so you won't feel like you are starving.

Good luck; it is not a quick journey for sure.

BMiller426

^ she's right, soup is a life saver.

brenni76

Don't underestimate the calorie burning power of chasing toddlers around! I have a 4 year old, a 3 year old and a 7 month old. Get them involved in your exercise routine. I do yoga with the 2 older ones and they think it's great... something special to do with mom. Also, agressive housework and other things that you wouldn't think about burn tons of calories. I would suggest investing a little in a heart rate monitor where you can plug in info specific to you (age, weight, height) so you can get a more accurate count of calories burned during an activity, rather than rely on the generic calorie values MFP gives you when you look it up. I found that when I wear my heart rate monitor when I exercise, I realize I've actually burned more calories than what MFP gives you credit for. Everyone burns calories at a different rate. Someone with a BMI of 40 will burn more calories during a 30 minute period of exercise than someone with a BMI of 20 who does the same exact exercise at the same intensity level.
Also, don't compare your food preferences and quantity to everyone else. I also read what other people have posted as an example of a day in their food diary and personally, there is NO WAY I could eat like that, and keep it sustainable. I am trying to be a good example for my children (not saying they are not) and have them also enjoy trying new healthier foods, but still not depriving any of us from the pleasure foods that keep us happy from time to time. Food is to be enjoyed, not feared! Looking up different ways to prepare the foods you enjoy is key. We love mashed cauliflower instead of mashed potatoes, but we still have potatoes every now and then. When I make meatballs, I use ground chicken instead of beef and no one can tell the difference (i still prepare them the same exact way, just with the different meat). The more you limit your options, the less successful you'll be. I always tell people, cheesecake may not be good for your heart, but it's good for your soul and sometimes, you just gotta feed your soul! Just balance it out with more exercise.

cleavagefurrow

Are you logging all your exercise? 1200 calories a day sounds like it's for someone who put their activity level as "sedentary." And if you have toddlers, I doubt you're sedentary! Make sure you log all your exercise so your calories per day can be adjusted. Even if you're just walking around, that burns calories!

megsmom2

Firstly, if you exercise, you'll get some extra calories to eat back, so you'll have more than 1200 a day.

Secondly, You're right your diet is quite quite healthy, but it is also bread heavy. You have 2 types of muffin and some bread in there. I'm not a low carb. advocate, but these foods are energy dense i.e. they're high in calories for their size. You might find you feel fuller by substituting in more low fat proteins, like the chicken breast you have or some fish, and more fresh veggies and undressed salad.

Totally agree. I feel 1200 may be do-able in satisfying way, but you don't have to eat like that to lose weight.

helenwilliams78

There's no way you should be cooking 3 different meals each night - life's too short. Try and cut out some of the carbs you eat for breakfast, lunch and snacks then you can enjoy the evening meal with your hubby. For me, homemade soup for lunch has been a life saver. Packed full of vegetables and pulses it keeps me going all afternoon and you can cook it in bulk and freeze it. You said you don't have a microwave at work but could you get a thermos flask?

As for exercising, it's never going to be easy at the start but well worth persevering with. Do a few minutes at a time with a rest in between and work up from there. Someone else mentioned that they excercise with their kids - what a great idea! I can imagine kids enjoying being active with Mum. I always think that anything is better than nothing!

MrsDutt

This thread is helping me open my mind a ton. When I get home I'm usually busy with the kids, cleaning the house. I'm sure it counts.
When we got home today I took the kids to the beach for some playtime. Hubby bought them take out and for the first time I said no. I couldn't imagine how many calories it would have been. Instead I can home and had a bowl of lamb and veggie soup, no rice.

I will take all this advice and build on it.